High School Spotlight: Klein Bearkats

The high school volleyball season is underway in Texas and talented young players have been showcasing their skills in every corner of the Lone Star state. One of our missions at Prep Dig is to highlight as many teams and prospects as possible around the state, from State Championship contenders and household names to underdogs and special talents who might be flying under-the-radar. We spend a lot of time at the gyms gathering information and watching matches and will use this space to highlight some of the teams and players we got to watch in person. Join us as we take a deeper look at the Klein Bearkats.   Klein Bearkats The Bearkats play for the Klein High School, just north of downtown Houston. Despite seeing several seniors graduate after the team made it to the State Championship match last year, head coach Kate Zora has managed to maintain her team among the contenders in 2021. The Bearkats cruised past the Class 6A, Region II – District 15, winning it with an undefeated campaign of 12 victories (and just four sets dropped), and ended regular season with a strong 34-8 win record. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Back to Back Undefeated District Champs!! 12-0 and 34-8 - next stop playoffs!! <a href="https://x.com/hashtag/WinAsOne?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WinAsOne</a> <a href="https://x.com/vypehouston?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@vypehouston</a> <a href="https://x.com/MattMalatesta1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MattMalatesta1</a> <a href="https://x.com/jokoch09?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@jokoch09</a> <a href="https://x.com/HoustonChronHS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HoustonChronHS</a> <a href="https://x.com/KMACChuck?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KMACChuck</a> <a href="https://x.com/texasvbi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@texasvbi</a> <a href="https://x.com/KleinISD?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KleinISD</a> <a href="https://x.com/KleinHigh?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KleinHigh</a> <a href="https://x.com/BrandonBaker31?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BrandonBaker31</a> <a href="https://x.com/jenny_mcgown?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@jenny_mcgown</a> <a href="https://x.com/coach_hallmark?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@coach_hallmark</a> <a href="https://x.com/AustinTGCA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AustinTGCA</a> <a href="https://x.com/EJButchHart?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EJButchHart</a> <a href="https://t.co/ZKhYBb2y1E">pic.x.com/ZKhYBb2y1E</a> — Klein HS Volleyball (@KleinVolleyball) <a href="https://x.com/KleinVolleyball/status/1453320737360601088?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 27, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>   Players to Watch: [player_tooltip player_id="87476" first="Kierstyn" last="McFall"] – Middle Blocker – Club: Houston Skyline – 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="87476" first="Kierstyn" last="McFall"] has been one of the best middle blockers in the entire state for years and currently ranks 11th in our 2022 Prep Dig State Rankings. A University of North Florida commit, she knows exactly how to use her 6’4” frame and dominate the net on both sides of the ball. McFall is nearly unstoppable on offense due to her ability to hit different sets down the middle, her nearly unreachable contact point and the power she has on her right arm. Despite her size, she moves impressively quickly at the net, being able to set up her big block in front of hitter time and time again. She’s been in great form with the Bearkats this season, having produced 276 kills and 57 blocks. <iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/11294424/60fb26ff5ef6580bbced8b73" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>   [player_tooltip player_id="122888" first="Ariana" last="Brown"] – Outside Hitter – Club: Willowbrook – 2023 [player_tooltip player_id="122888" first="Ariana" last="Brown"] can hit as hard as anyone in the state of Texas. Recently named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Phenom List, she ranks 39th in our 2023 Prep Dig State Rankings for good reason. A six-footer with a heavy arm and an impressive ability to jump, she certainly has in her physical tools the strong part of her game, but is also very intelligent with her shot selection. Brown has consistently improved her overall game and that has showed in her backcourt skills and serving ability in 2021. She’s by far Klein’s leading scorer with 425 kills but has also stood with her serving (first in the team, with 61 aces), defense (third, with 340) and passing (third, with 381). <iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/13001008/6177112f5eec5708e84d2b98" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>   Kinslee Smith – Setter – Club: Houston Juniors – 2024 The setting position was a big question mark for Klein heading into the season after the graduations of Camryn Kling and [player_tooltip player_id="87438" first="Annie" last="Antar"], but Kinslee Smith, an outside hitter turned-into setter, answered all those questions and then some more with her excellent game. The 5’9” setter stepped up her game and became a key player for the Bearkats by running a fast-paced offense with a creative ball distribution. Smith is also an excellent defender and does a great job with her tactical serving, but perhaps her most exciting feature is her eagerness to learn and absorb new information as she’s frequently seem communicating and discussing ideas with her coach and teammates during matches. She’s having a tremendous season with Klein, having tallied 1,173 assists (to a whopping average of ten per set), 207 digs and 52 aces.