Inside Minnesota 4A: Players Stepping Into Bigger Roles

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Join Prep Dig using code “AVG30” for a discount on your initial membership.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A high school team's win/loss record doesn't always showcase the level of the talent on the court. Unlike club volleyball, where teams are built through a tryout and selection process, high school teams are often limited to the athletes within their school district and whoever chooses to go out for the sport. Because of that, success can look very different from team to team depending on numbers and experience.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Instead of focusing only on the schools and players that have dominated 4A in recent years (like powerhouse Mayer Lutheran), this coverage takes a deeper look at some of the other schools. The goal of this article thus is to highlight players who have already made an impact or are expected to step into bigger roles this fall and help their team's find success, no matter what their record looked like last season or potentially will look like this upcoming one.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Remember to follow me on Instagram @Prepdigamy and Facebook @PrepDig Amy for up to date event coverage, stories, and more.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["709437"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a2dc156dc00b"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Lamott has wasted no time making a name for herself on both the prep and club courts. After an impressive freshman season, it feels like we are only scratching the surface of discovering what she can do. She finished last fall with 288 kills, 271 digs, and 49 aces, proving she can impact her team in just about every way possible. With another year of experience and confidence under her belt, I'm excited to see what she does for Lester Prairie this season. If her growth continues at the same pace, I wouldn't be surprised if she becomes one of 3A's most dynamic players.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["995922"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a2dc3e137914"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Claseman put together a really solid freshman year by earning all conference and finishing with 100 kills, 10 blocks, 219 digs, and 39 aces. Even as a younger player, she did a nice job stepping into her role and finding ways to consistently contribute on both offense and defense. With most of the starting lineup coming back, expectations are high for Braham in Class 4A. If Claseman continues to build on what she showed us last year, she's going to be a pivotal part of her team's success.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["817440"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a2dc3e1379a4"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Arps is a middle who isn't overly flashy, but she consistently gets the job done. She moves well off the net and has a good feel for finding open space on the court. While West Lutheran's record wasn't where they wanted it last season, Arps continued to compete and give her team everything she had. Her hard work, effort, and leadership is something they'll look to lean on this year as they rebuild from the loss of key players that graduated.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["995924"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a2ed7dddd2a0"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">After graduating 7 members of their squad, Tzarax is one of the few returners for United Christian Academy this upcoming season, and she's going to be asked to step into a much bigger role. Likely playing on the outside again, she should see plenty of court time and will likely be counted on as a leader as well. She gave a solid performance last season, using her athleticism to her advantage and doing a nice job of putting balls away, especially when she had to score in out of system situations. Tzarax will be a key piece for this team this fall as they look to establish themselves and compete in a tough schedule.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["711362"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a2ef9466bbf5"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Entering her senior season, Hunter has been a big piece of the highly successful Mayer Lutheran program that brought home the gold in the Class A state championship last November. She brings a fast, aggressive style of play to the middle and is the type of player every team wants on their side of the net. Last season, she totaled 268 kills, 43 blocks, and 72 digs, showcasing her offensive as well as defensive skills. Although she's already committed to play at Division II Northern State next year, she still has one more season of high school ball and it will be exciting to see what she accomplishes.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->