Motor City Power Series Standouts (Sept. 26) Part 2

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>The 2026 Prep Dig Exposure Tour hits Michigan on Sunday, Dec. 6. We've now added Universal Speed Testing as part of the event, which is open to 2027-2030 prospects. </em><a href="https://events.prepdig.com/e/2498/register/exposure-tour-michigan"><strong><em>Get signed up for the event</em></strong></a><em> now and use <strong>promo code ET26DREW25OFF</strong> to get <strong>25% off</strong> your registration.</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A collection of 20 teams took part in the Motor City Power Series at the UWM Sports Complex in Pontiac on Saturday.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The teams were split into four pools of five teams. Here's some of the standout players I saw from each of the teams in Pool C and Pool D.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Pool C</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Bloomfield Hills</strong></h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Black Hawks went 4-0 on the day, not dropping a set. While being tested at times, the Black Hawks always seemed to rally and finish sets strong. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='512892' first='Brynn' last='Wilcox'] </strong>continued to play at a high level, getting a lot of good swings out of the talented arms Bloomfield Hills has. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='584598' first='Allison' last='Stakoe']</strong> looks great as the lead outside, as she continues to put the ball away at a high percentage. Sophomore <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='768151' first='Emily' last='Nwabueze'] </strong>has definitely stepped up her game to another level this year and that's not good for her opponents. She's found another gear for her swing. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='804480' first='Alyssa' last='Moir'] </strong>and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='490041' first='Julia' last='Colosimo']</strong> deserve credit for leading this defense as well.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Ionia</strong></h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Bulldogs battled hard and put up a 2-2 record with wins over Canton and Flat Rock, while also taking a set from GRCC. I like the fight I have seen from Ionia against some tough competition over the last month. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='835029' first='Logan' last='Thomas']</strong> brings the fight to the court and plays with good explosiveness, while <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='644262' first='Amaya' last='Frias']</strong> continues to make plays all over the court. <strong>Alli Shaw</strong> gives both a chance to shine at the net, which has helped Ionia battle against top teams.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Flat Rock</strong></h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The D2 finalist from a year ago picked up wins over Canton and GRCC on Saturday. The Rams have <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='839917' first='Sarah' last='Giroux']</strong> leading the way again. She makes a lot of smart plays at the net, seeing the defense well and knowing where to place the ball. You can never question that she leaves it all on the court. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='443001' first='Zoe' last='Ryan']</strong> is also among the top senior setters in the state and brings a good sense of calm and control to the team at all times. Fellow seniors <strong>Elle Dwyer</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='916026' first='Lily' last='Klein']</strong> also add defensively. Dwyer for her passing and Klein for her ability to slow down shots at the net.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Grand Rapids Catholic Central</strong></h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Cougars went 2-2 on the day with wins over Canton and Ionia, while having close matches with Bloomfield Hills and Flat Rock. GRCC definitely has potential for big things, as they have a lot of athleticism at the net. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='526553' first='Liv' last='Wender']</strong> is an outstanding setter that can do everything you want from the position. She's got a lot of big arms to work with, as <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='490379' first='Sophia' last='Berger']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='582914' first='Ellie' last='Kileen']</strong> are talented finishers. I also liked what I saw out of <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='884603' first='Mia' last='Nicholas']</strong> and <strong>Mackenzie Lucas</strong> on the pins.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Canton</strong></h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Canton had a tough day with four losses, but were in the mix for most of the sets. I like the effort the team showed. Setter <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='845869' first='Lily' last='Swan']</strong> was all over the court trying to make plays and setting the tone for her teammates. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='821912' first='Alexis' last='Steward']</strong> had some solid swings throughout the day and had consistent pop on her attacks. Sophomore <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='923162' first='Charlotte' last='Thomas']</strong> also impressed me with her vertical. She was able to hang in the air and wait on the ball to deliver some good attacks.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Pool D</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Stoney Creek</strong></h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Cougars could have been the best team at the entire event in Pontiac on Saturday. They have a lot of firepower and it led to a 4-0 record without dropping a set. Between the likes of <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='569772' first='Lauren' last='Sheldon']</strong>, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1023736' first='Gabbie' last='Parrish']</strong>, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='442973' first='Brooklyn' last='Rummler']</strong>, and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='849248' first='Bianca' last='Micakovic']</strong>, Stoney Creek can come at you with a lot of talented hitters. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='442997' first='Morgan' last='Bates']</strong> is a great senior setting option to spread the ball out and keep opponents guessing, while senior libero <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='808796' first='Kaitlyn' last='Gustafson']</strong> is a great anchor in the back row to allow the offense to get high-percentage swings.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Novi</strong></h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Wildcats were in a lot of tight sets and came away with two wins over Howell and Anchor Bay, while playing Stoney Creek as competitively as anyone. Novi had two of the top players at the event in setter <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='471313' first='Nellie' last='Alves']</strong> and outside <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='587009' first='Kaitlyn' last='Koceski']</strong>. Alves moves really smoothly around the floor and has great touch on her sets. Koceski is one of the best defenders in the state, but also is an explosive outside for Novi. Sophomore <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1023746' first='Mikaella' last='Sims']</strong> is a hitter with a lot of promise while freshman <strong>Genevieve Nawrocki</strong> handles herself well at libero.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Anchor Bay</strong></h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Tars went 2-2 on the day with hard-fought wins over Howell and Grosse Pointe South. There's a lot of fight in this team, as you couldn't ever count them out. Outside <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1005895' first='Ellasyn' last='Teatsorth']</strong> is a talented 6-foot sophomore that shows advanced footwork and reads the floor well. Another sophomore, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1037727' first='Emery' last='Richards']</strong> is also a promising talent that should give Anchor Bay a great 1-2 punch for years to come. Senior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='814802' first='Kara' last='Finkbeiner']</strong> does a good job of controlling the net as a 6-foot middle, while senior libero <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='792873' first='Carmella' last='Peiffer']</strong> was all over the floor making plays and giving her team a chance.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Howell</strong></h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Highlanders got a win over GP South and took a set from Anchor Bay. They also had three sets lost by three points or less, so there's positives for Howell to take from the day. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='523847' first='Rory' last='O'Connell'] </strong>does a lot of positive things for Howell. You can't find many flaws in her game, she's solid in all phases. <strong>Clara Taylor</strong> was active and engaged for Howell, making some nice effort plays in the tight sets.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Grosse Pointe South</strong></h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Blue Devils went 0-4 on the day, but were competitive in most sets, they just need to find ways to finish points in those tight sets down the stretch. Libero <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='791651' first='Anna' last='Groustra']</strong> did a lot of good things defensively to keep her team in matches. Freshman <strong>Mia Fedriko</strong> also caught my eye with some smooth mechanics on her swing, leading to consistently strong attacks.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->