Young Talent Emerging During Minnesota’s High School Season

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Join Prep Dig using code “AVG30” for a discount on your initial membership.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Every season brings a new group of young players who catch our attention, and this year was no different. Throughout the regular season and playoffs, we had the chance to discover several talented athletes who fought for varsity playing time and made the most of their opportunities. Whether they earned a starting role, worked their way into the rotation, or took advantage of limited minutes on the court, these young players showed plenty of promise. Some impressed us with their athleticism, others with their court awareness, versatility, or ability to compete against more experienced players. While they may still be early in their varsity careers, they have already given us plenty of reasons to keep watching. Here are a few of the young Minnesota volleyball players who grabbed our attention this season and are certainly ones to watch moving forward.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Remember to follow me on Instagram @Prepdigamy and Facebook @PrepDig Amy for live event coverage, behind the scenes stories, player highlights, and the latest updates. If you want to get on my radar or feel like I may have missed you, please reach out to me on email at <a href="mailto:vanguilderamy@gmail.com">vanguilderamy@gmail.com</a>. I always love hearing from players, especially Minnesota athletes and I'm always looking for new players to watch and follow!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1058015"],"_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"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6ae8d64bdd93a"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">I had the chance to catch up with O'Brien late in the prep regular season and again during the playoffs and the young left handed setter has plenty of upside. She does a solid job distributing the ball and finding her hitters, putting them in position to be successful. Being a lefty also makes her an additional offensive threat, as she can attack on the second contact and keep defenses guessing. She sees the court well, recognizes openings, and isn't afraid to take advantage of them when the opportunity presents itself. As she continues to gain experience, she will be a fun setter to watch develop.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1055602"],"_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"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6ae8d79b82e8c"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Montgomery is a young middle who made the most of her varsity court time this season for Kingsland. Playing on a very young team, she quickly became one of the team's leaders in both kills and blocks. She moves well along the net, tracks the ball effectively, and does a solid job reading the court to find openings in the defense. Offensively, she showed a nice ability to place the ball in open spots and turn opportunities into kills. With valuable varsity experience already under her belt, Montgomery is a young attacker with plenty of potential as she continues to develop her game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1059470"],"_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"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6ae8d79b82ec3"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Freshman [player_tooltip player_id='1059470' first='Ellie' last='Goodman'] earned the libero jersey for John Marshall this season and made the most of her opportunity. The young defender moves quickly around the court, gets her platform out early, and does a solid job putting herself in position to make plays. One thing that stands out about Goodman is her ability to read the attacker rather than simply react to the ball. She anticipates where the ball is going, moves with purpose, and works hard to keep plays alive. With a full season of varsity experience already under her belt, Goodman is a young defender worth keeping an eye on as she continues to grow her game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1059474"],"_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"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6ae8d79b82ef4"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Freshman defensive specialist [player_tooltip player_id='1059474' first='Celia' last='Patanode'] earned significant varsity minutes this season, primarily playing out of right back. She did a solid job covering both the short tips and deep cross court shots, showing her ability to read the attack and anticipate where the ball was headed. Patanode moves efficiently around the court, puts herself in good defensive positions, and does a nice job reacting to the different shots coming her way. For a freshman, she showed solid court awareness and the ability to handle the pace of varsity play. She is definitely a young defender to keep an eye on.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1061218"],"_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"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6aedfbeb9a259"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">I had the chance to catch up with Pahl during the postseason and the versatile lefty is a fun player to watch. She is comfortable attacking and blocking from anywhere along the front row and isn't afraid to take a big swing, regardless of where she lines up. She moves well along the net, transitions quickly, and does a solid job getting herself into position to be an offensive threat. Her versatility, aggressive approach, and ability to contribute from multiple positions make her a valuable weapon on the court.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->