Middles Bringing Another Level of Intimidation at the Iowa Sizzle

The middles really showed up at this years Iowa Sizzle. From big swings, to even bigger blocks; the middles were finding ways to get the job done. Check out some of the middles that I thought were especially impressive at this event.   Want to see how other athletes did? Check out some of my other articles below!      Falyn Mussmann, the junior transfer from Davenport Central, already made her mark in red and black, repping Assumption. Mussmann has already done an amazing job fitting right in with the 3A state champs. At the Iowa Sizzle, she was making her blockers second-guess her every move by running various routes throughout the scrimmage. She always made herself an option and was quick to put the ball away when given the opportunity. Mussmann is just what Assumption needs after graduating their two starting middles.     Yeggy is always finding ways to step up her game, and the Iowa Sizzle was no different. The senior middle made some insane progress from last year compared to this season. She did an amazing job closing her blocks and taking up so much space to the point where there weren't many balls getting past her. Clare aggression at the net was also on a whole other level. She was putting away overpasses like no other and showed off an incredibly fast swing.     I can't even remember how many times I had to remind myself that Demarriana is only a sophomore. Steel has shown rapid improvement and still has such a high ceiling. She stayed disciplined on her block and did a very good job getting from pin to pin. Offensively, she remained aggressive and was able to get around some of the top blockers in the state. I am excited to see how she contributes this season and also how she progresses throughout the years.     It should come as no surprise to anyone that Haydin made this list. Wauters is an all-around monster at the net. Standing at 6'3, she is a dominating presence and a go-to scorer for the Clippers. Although she didn't rack up a whole lot of kills last season, she came into the Prep Dig Sizzle proving that wouldn't be the case this season. Between her height, arm span, and speed, it is going to be very hard to shut this athlete down. I'm looking forward to seeing her continue to grow and flourish on the court this fall.     After what I saw at Iowa Sizzle, I've concluded that Reece Harrell has got to be a hitter's worst nightmare. She was making it almost impossible for any hitter to get past her. She was quick to react on her block and was able to take up plenty of space. In addition to her amazing blocks, Harrell also did a fantastic job making contact with the ball sometimes before her blockers even got up. While she's on the court, it's going to be very tough for hitters to score against Bettendorf.     I could've put Bailey in almost every article I wrote about the Iowa Sizzle because of how many different roles she played over the two days. Although Bailey did an amazing job on the outside as well as playing six rotations, I want to hone in on her performance in the middle. Simpson did a fantastic job with her lateral movements and setting herself up in front of her hitters. Offensively she kept her blockers on their toes by reading the defense and utilizing various swings and shots.     Summer Anderson is a middle who I hope finds her way into the varsity rotation this fall. Although Anderson wasn't the biggest middle, she showcased her versatility and how well she can adjust. Even when out of system, she found ways to score by utilizing cross-body swings, cut shots, and aggressive tips. Aside from her amazing ability to adjust, Summer was also did a good job working hard in transition, making herself available, and sticking close to her setter.

The middles really showed up at this years Iowa Sizzle. From big swings, to even bigger blocks; the middles were finding ways to get the job done. Check out some of the middles that I thought were especially impressive at this event.