Southridge Varsity Showdown 2026: Standout Stars (Part 1)

The 2026 Oregon high school volleyball season has officially kicked off with various matches on home courts, some mini tri-team events and now a first full Saturday of tournaments. One such tournament took place at Southridge High School in Beaverton on September 5th, with 12 solid varsity squads from all over the state competing to see where each team currently is going into the fall season. In the first of two parts, let's recap a few of the top players who stood out throughout the day for their respective schools.   Follow Me on Instagram - <a href="https://www.instagram.com/prepdigjason/">@prepdigjason</a>    West, a recent commitment to Santa Clara University, is a very versatile player being able to play in any hitter position on the court. While in the middle for the Lakers, was able to swing effectively all day from both the front court and back court, scoring many points with shots to the seams, corners, hard cross, as well as over or off the block. She is an excellent blocker with tremendous press at the net to shut down hitters. Definitely a great leader for her team.     The Lakers junior setter, Markstaller showed outstanding control of her team's offense. Very smart in her decision-making, she does a great job of involving all her hitters, especially finding her big hitters in both the front and back court. She possesses great touch on the ball while staying balanced in her body control. She showed quick footwork in transition both within her role as a setter and defensively.     Dihn might be considered undersized as a setter, but she really stands tall in her game. She showed great hands, set release, decision-making, and solid instincts. She moves really well in transition, both getting into the setter slot or working hard for out-of-system passes to get her hands on the ball. She also showed great communication and leadership skills with her teammates.     Heim is a solid mid-sized, six-rotation outside hitter with a very strong arm swing. Excellent in transition, she does a great job of finding ways to score points for her team, whether with that fast attack or being able to find the open spot in the defense using off-speed. She also shows very nice ball control in the serve receive lanes, with her solid platform and controlled touch. She backs all that up with a really aggressive serve from behind the end line.     Barlow was another great sized middle hitter that lit up the court during the tournament. She showed really solid body control offensively at the net. She did a great job of keeping herself available for her setter, either getting solid swings for points or pulling opponent blockers up as a great decoy to open up a pin teammate for the kill. She showed excellent blocking skills as well, with quick transition footwork and pressing strong across the net to shut down lanes.     Mohammady is a small but mighty little setter and defensive specialist. She showed excellent hands and great footwork. She is a very smart overall player with a high volleyball IQ. She plays lights out defense while getting to the ball to run the offense with balance and control. She plays with a lot of energy and passion, communicating really well with her teammates.     Crenshaw is fun player to watch! Super smooth along the net, whether that is getting up quick in first tempo. attack or moving from pin to pin along the net for blocking. She has a really nice high arm swing, moving the ball around the court to score lots of points for her team. Really solid press on the block to shut down hitters. She has a lot potential either as a middle hitter, or she could easily move to the right side if needed.     With her outstanding ball and body control in the lanes, Goldsby-Hughes would make an excellent libero at the next level. The six-rotation outside is undersized but she is also very dynamic, getting off the ground very well and has a solid arm swing, knowing how to find holes in the court. Her passing and defensive skills, along with her solid serve make her a great overall player.

The 2026 Oregon high school volleyball season has officially kicked off with various matches on home courts, some mini tri-team events and now a first full Saturday of tournaments. One such tournament took place at Southridge High School in Beaverton on September 5th, with 12 solid varsity squads from all over the state competing to see where each team currently is going into the fall season. In the first of two parts, let's recap a few of the top players who stood out throughout the day for their respective schools.