KCMO Top Returning Middles and Defenders

As the high school season is officially underway today with tryouts, I'm going to continue what I started last week with highlight some of the top returning middles on the Missouri side of the KC Metro.   Middles    Omoike had a shortened high school season last fall, but she was back at full strength during club and reminded everyone what she's capable of. Alongside the player right below her, the duo formed one of the most formidable 1-2 punches in the middle that I saw this season.   While some may consider her a bit undersized for the position, her explosiveness and athleticism more than make up for it. She gets off the floor quickly, plays above the net, and consistently impacts the match on both sides of the ball. Another aspect of her game I appreciate is her willingness and ability to contribute in the back row when called upon. That versatility suggests she has the tools to transition to a pin position at the next level if a program sees that as her best fit.     My freshman year, I headed east to attend Coppin State University, an HBCU in Baltimore. Our crosstown rival? Morgan State University. And while I still can't bring myself to root for Morgan all these years later, I've got to give a shoutout to Nikyah for choosing to continue her volleyball career there.   One of the biggest leaps I saw from any middle this club season came from Chappell. She has developed into a legitimate offensive weapon in the middle, getting off the floor quickly and showing excellent court awareness. Defensively, she's just as impactful, covering ground well and creating problems for opposing hitters.     The champ is here! Gillihan followed up a memorable state championship season with St. Michael by putting together another impressive club campaign. One area where I noticed growth this spring was her lateral movement along the net. She looked quicker moving side to side, allowing her to be even more effective as both an attacker and blocker.   As she continues to get stronger physically, I think there's still another level of power she can unlock in her attack. That's an exciting thought considering she already produced more than 300 kills from the middle during her junior season. With continued development, her ceiling remains incredibly high. Can they repeat?     Fox is back for one final season after being a fixture in the St. Pius X lineup for several years. She's quick off the floor, efficient, and knows how to finish points in the middle. One thing I also like about her game is her versatility. When needed, she's shown she can slide out and take swings from the pins, adding another dimension to her skill set.   Fox attacks at a high percentage and surpassed 300 kills on just over 700 attack attempts during her junior season. With her experience, consistency, and ability to terminate, she should once again be one of the top middles to watch this fall.    Defenders    The Pembroke Hill back-row standout will play a key role as the Raiders look to make a deep postseason run with much of last year's talent returning. With one of the state's top attackers back in the lineup, quality first contacts and strong defense will be more important than ever, and O'Bleness will look to build on the 400-plus digs she recorded a season ago.   She also dished out 70 assists, demonstrating her ability to step in and take the second ball when needed without disrupting the offense. That kind of versatility is invaluable and allows Pembroke Hill to stay in system while continuing to create scoring opportunities.     Bokenkroger is the third St. Michael player I've featured across these two articles, which brings me back to the question I posed earlier: Can the Guardians make another deep run in November? If the answer is yes, she'll be one of the biggest reasons why.   I vividly remember saying before last season that Bokenkroger had some big shoes to fill in the back row. In so many ways, her play simply said, "Watch this." She responded with a phenomenal season, piling up 623 digs during St. Michael's state championship run.   Her impact goes far beyond the stat sheet. Bokenkroger's passing and defensive consistency were the foundation that allowed Kinley and Jordan to combine for more than 700 kills last season. Great offenses start with great first contacts, and few players in Missouri do that job better than she does.     Russell wasted little time making an impact in her first season of varsity volleyball for the Eagles. She stepped into a major role and immediately became the anchor of the back row, leading the team with 429 digs while also pacing the Eagles with 438 serve receptions. Those numbers speak not only to her defensive instincts but also to the trust her teammates and coaches have in her as a primary passer.   For a player seeing their first extended varsity action to shoulder that kind of responsibility is impressive. With another year of experience under her belt, expect Russell to continue developing into one of the premier back-row defenders in the state. Her ability to consistently keep her team in system will be a key factor in the Eagles' success this fall.     Gardner is coming off a productive club season and will look to carry that momentum into the fall as she helps lead an experienced Lee's Summit West squad. She's one of the premier liberos in the state, combining outstanding court awareness with high-level instincts that allow her to consistently put herself in the right position.   Her play this summer also earned her a commitment to Missouri, a testament to the potential the Tigers see in her game. With her leadership and ability to stabilize the back row, Gardner will be a major piece of Lee's Summit West's pursuit of a big season.

As the high school season is officially underway today with tryouts, I'm going to continue what I started last week with highlight some of the top returning middles on the Missouri side of the KC Metro.