Top Middles From Great Lakes Grit 16 Girls Division

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of the highlights of Great Lakes Grit this past weekend was the play out of the middle hitters in the 16 Girls Division.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There were a lot of standout performers, many of which showed a lot of upside as they continue to build on their skillset. Here's a look at the ones that caught my eye.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Samantha Bolach, Michigan Elite 14 Mizuno</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>An agile middle with good length and a lot of energy, Bolach sparked a lot of momentum shifts for her team. She had quick and potent attacks, while also having one of the strongest serves in the division. The team really fed off her energy.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Carly Claus, NIVA 15 Purple</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Claus had really nice footwork to combine with an athletic swing. She could put a lot of pop on the ball and play aggressive attack lines.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Kaley Gates, NIVA 16 White</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Gates had about as much explosiveness as any player in the division. When she got a clean look, she dropped the hammer on the ball. Her athleticism and skills can lead her to be a dominant player as she continues to find that next gear more consistently.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Daneris Gomez, Michigan Elite 16 NS West</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Gomez is a long and athletic middle that is still a little raw, but you can see she has a high ceiling. She's more than just length, as she gets well above the net and can play above the blockers. The key for her is to keep getting more instinctive and trust in her abilities.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='942430' first='Kendall' last='Hall'], NIVA 16 Grey</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hall is an agile <a href="https://prepdig.com/2026/04/14s-rising-stars-great-lakes-grit/?itm_campaign=wp-parsely&amp;itm_medium=smart-link&amp;itm_term=a436c7a475dacd9717fc074e9d2f169e&amp;itm_source=traffic-boost" data-smartlink="a436c7a475dacd9717fc074e9d2f169e" title="Top Middles From Great Lakes Grit 16 Girls Division">middle</a> that made some impressive attacks by making last-second adjustments. She has the quickness and athleticism to play anywhere on the floor, but is finding a home in the middle where she's finishing at a high rate.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Berlyn Ingram, Oxford Hype Blaze-1</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ingram was a talented all-around athlete that definitely was a standout for her team. She had a long range attack zone at the net, as her footwork and agility allowed her to cover a lot of space. She also was a consistent blocker with a potent serve as well.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='940389' first='Jalynne' last='Williams'], NIVA 15 Purple</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Another explosive player on this NIVA squad, Williams really could surprise you with just how much hang time she can get and how hard she can unload on the ball.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->