Eight Is Enough: Eight Who Shined at the Stock Up Showcase

OK, I may have dated myself with the title, but some of you parents, or maybe your parents, know what I'm talking about. Anyhow, the Prep Dig Stock Up Showcase for Missouri and Kansas came and went, and there was plenty of talent in the gym.   There were obviously more than eight players who had great days, but I'm starting with eight who immediately caught my eye. And just for fun, I decided to kick off my recap with two players from each position group.   If you aren't familiar with a Prep Dig event, here's the quick rundown. Players spend a portion of the day going through drill work before closing out the event with controlled six-on-six play and scrimmages. It gives us a chance to evaluate players both individually and in a more traditional game setting.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Pins</h2>   The first pin who caught my eye during drill work was easy to identify; she was player No. 1 on the jersey page, [player_tooltip player_id='815567' first='Laila' last='Marie Moncada']. The rising senior at Lee's Summit North will look to help fill the void left by some of the lost kills from Piper Bahr, who has graduated.   What stood out immediately was the aggressiveness of Moncada's swings on the outside. She takes big rips and found the floor countless times throughout the event. She's vocal, demands the ball, and, because of the success she was having, was fed often. I liked the confidence she played with and her willingness to take aggressive swings.   The second pin who had me scribbling notes right away was 2030 [player_tooltip player_id='1007335' first='Kynlee' last='David']. She will attend Central of Buden and competes in club with Shockwave.   The first swing I saw her take bounced off a back-row defender and flew out of bounds all the way back to the other side. After watching a few more swings, I wrote in my notes: "Big arm. Not afraid to go right at the block, even at this age."   For a player that young, that type of attacking mentality immediately stands out. David has a bright future ahead of her.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Middles</h2>   The two middles who caught my attention brought two different styles to the floor.   Centralia's [player_tooltip player_id='913292' first='Carlee' last='Steinlage'], a 2029 middle standing at 6-foot, gets off the floor quickly in attack mode. She has a fast arm and was able to power through many of the blocks in front of her.   That quickness also shows up defensively. Steinlage puts good pressure on attackers at the net and moves very well laterally, allowing her to close space and get involved in blocks across the front row.   I also thought 2029 middle [player_tooltip player_id='914570' first='Ava' last='Dotson'] had a strong showing during drill work. Offensively, she did a good job of mixing up her shots rather than attacking the same way each time. At the net, she got her hands on plenty of attacks, slowing the ball down and giving the defense behind her opportunities to make plays.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Defenders</h2>   Alright, I actually had quite a few defenders I could have chosen here. I'll talk about this group in more detail later this week. One was selected as my Player of the Day, so I won't use her here, but [player_tooltip player_id='782250' first='Maggie' last='Nash'] and [player_tooltip player_id='941166' first='Elizabeth' last='Appelbaum'] are definitely on my radar.   One thing I loved about both players, and several others in this group, was the communication in the back row. Nash and Appelbaum were vocal throughout the event and weren't afraid to step up and take control in the passing game.   Nash showed great instincts and a quick first step, allowing her to get herself into position and make plays defensively. I also liked Appelbaum's consistency when she was forced to take second balls. She delivered controlled, hittable sets and helped keep plays alive when the setter wasn't available.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Setters</h2>   The setter group was deep and talented, but the first one who stood out to me was Jayde Easley.   Easley, who will be a sophomore at Platte County, looked poised from the setter position and delivered plenty of accurate balls during drill work. Even though doubles are out the door, her sets were clean, consistent, and had good pace to them.   Then, during six-on-six play, she showed another part of her game: Easley can be a problem behind the service line.   Rounding out my eight is 2029 setter [player_tooltip player_id='747422' first='Collyns' last='Livermore']. I became familiar with Livermore this club season after being alerted that she was playing up a couple of age groups with a 17s team.   I watched her primarily as a setter this weekend, although she can also play on the right side, and she has the size and tools to develop into a Division I setter. At 6-foot-1, Livermore delivers the ball well and presents an offensive threat on second contact.   Her size also translates defensively. She's a presence at the net as a blocker, but she's also comfortable making plays in the back row. That combination of size, versatility, and skill makes her an intriguing prospect to continue watching.   Eight players, four position groups, and plenty of notes, but these certainly weren't the only standouts from the Stock Up Showcase. I'll have more from the event throughout the week as we take a deeper look at some of the players who made an impression in the gym.

OK, I may have dated myself with the title, but some of you parents, or maybe your parents, know what I'm talking about. Anyhow, the Prep Dig Stock Up Showcase for Missouri and Kansas came and went, and there was plenty of talent in the gym.