Class of 2022 All-State Nominees – Liberos - Vol 1

The 2021 High School season has been amazing so far! Along with our readers, we have been on pins and needles watching teams battle all season long. There have been some amazing tournaments and great district battles. We have been talking to coaches, reading tons of stats, and getting lots of video submissions from parents and players regarding how everyone has fared over the course of the season. As we are funneling into the end of district play and about to head into the playoffs, we will be discussing some players who are being nominated for our inaugural Prep Dig Texas All-State Awards. Our end-of-season awards are going to be different because we are going to consider all divisions/conferences/classes together and pick the best of the best. The liberos we will be discussing have been tearing it up and proving themselves all season long with some amazing statistics. Let’s meet some of the nominees:   [player_tooltip player_id="87484" first="Jaci" last="Mesa"] [2022] 5-6 Libero (HS: Smithson Valley/Club: Alamo/Verbal: Troy University) Jaci is currently ranked as the 32nd best overall prospect and the second best libero in the state in the 2022 class according to our Prep Dig State Rankings. We have covered Miss Mesa a few times and here is what we stated, “Very athletic libero [player_tooltip player_id="87484" first="Jaci" last="Mesa"] is a sight to see. Very little falls near her zone. She covers a lot more ground that one would think when looking at her. She has a laser focus when playing on the court that is refreshing to watch. She is uncommitted as of now but that should change soon once colleges get to take a closer look at her. Liberos and Defensive Specialists are flooded in the volleyball landscape, but Miss Mesa is one that stands out. Her balance while on serve receive is picturesque and she freezes very well to deliver a perfect ball to the setter. Her Alamo team is very blessed to have her commanding the back row. This is why I think she is one of the best in the 2022 Class in Texas. They are ranked as the fourth best team in the San Antonio area by numerous publications. As I stated back in the spring, her defensive range is phenomenal and her ability to stop on a dime and change direction for emergency digs is top notch. She possesses fast twitch muscle fibers that allow her athleticism to shine. Whatever college she attends will be improved by her play. She is still, in my humbled opinion, the top libero in her class. We still have her listed as the best libero in the 2022 class and we cannot wait to cover her during the club season. I was able to watch Miss Mesa in action during the playoffs and she is very fun to watch. Her volleyball IQ in the libero position is unmatched and she is always in the right place to play the ball. We have written about Jaci numerous times throughout the year and I’m pretty sure she will stay on our radar for the rest of this year and next. This time we would like to congratulate her on her commitment to NCAA Division 1 Troy University. They are getting a stud who will help their volleyball program the moment she steps on campus. We are extremely proud of her.” Jaci has shown every year just how good she is and her senior season is no different. She already has 662 digs on the year. This is one huge reason why Smithson Valley is 35-4 overall and 14-0 in district. They have another good shot at a run in the playoffs. We have watched her very closely last year and this year and are extremely proud of Miss Mesa and all of her accomplishments. Please congratulate her on being named a candidate for All-State selection.   [player_tooltip player_id="87496" first="Ava" last="Camacho"] [2022] 5-8 Libero(HS: Lovejoy/Club: Dallas Skyline/ Verbal: UT San Antonio) Ava is currently ranked as the 48th best overall prospect and 4th best libero in the state according to our State Rankings. We have profiled her a few times and here is a little about what we have written, “Having played with two of the best clubs in the state of Texas over the years, Ava has definitely been tested amongst the best in the Nation. And she has not disappointed one bit. This showcases her abilities as a very well rounded volleyball player. She always seems to find herself in the right place at the right time when watching her play. This can be directly correlated to all of her experience throughout her years of playing. Serve-receive is her strong suit and she should bring that to the table while at UTSA in the coming years. Ava is a great libero who has amazing range on the court. She is able to stop on a dime and change her direction quickly to respond to an emergency. She is able to handle hard driven attacks with ease and will bring that to the table for them as the road gets tough in the playoffs. We covered her club team in Vegas and Ava did not disappoint with her solid play both in serve receive and defense. Miss Camacho is going to lead the back row for the Leopards during her senior season and have them back marching forward in this year’s title chase.” We have watched Ava very closely over the last two years and have been very impressed with what we have seen. She has had another stellar season and is being rewarded by being nominated for an All-State award by us. She is one huge reason why her Lovejoy HS team is seeking a third straight UIL State Title and is sitting on a 35-6 overall record and a 13-1 district record. Her 630 digs are good enough for the 20thmost digs in the entire state for senior liberos. She also has 535 service receptions and 55 aces and a long run in the playoffs for more.   [player_tooltip player_id="99527" first="Izzy" last="Denton"] [2022] 5-3 Libero (HS: Katy/Club: Katy United/ Verbal: Southeastern Louisiana University) Izzy is currently ranked as our 101st best overall prospect and the 8th best libero in the state in the 2022 class according to our Prep Dig State Rankings. We have written about her a few times and here is a little refresher of what we wrote, “Izzy plays at a powerhouse volleyball school, Katy. She is constantly moving herself in serve receive prior to the contact to put herself in the best position to pass the serve. Reading the server prior to contact is a skill that not very many young players possess. It is very refreshing to watch a player do this on a consistent basis. This shows that Izzy has a very high volleyball IQ at a young age. I like the way she holds her platform out away from her body. This is going to translate very well to the college and higher level game as it will allow her to cushion the contact well. She shows a lot of promise with her defensive ability by having a strong solid base. She shows a relentless pursuit of the ball when her team is out of system. At only five foot three she covers so much ground. I love watching small players exceed expectations like this. Players like Izzy are why I love to coach. They never give up and they have a heart of a champion. We fully believe that Izzy will move up the rankings due to her great footwork and tenacious defensive ability. She helped Katy to an overall record of 19-4 and a district record of 10-2. She really stepped up her game from her sophomore season to her junior season as she was more productive and tallied 276 service receptions and 216 digs to go along with 23 assists and 20 aces. We think she will be an integral aspect of Katy’s continued dominance in the Houston Area volleyball scene this coming year as she looks to finish out her high school career. We will be watching closely.” Miss Denton has had a stellar senior season and has the 12thmost digs out of all seniors in the state at 720 digs. At 10-2 in district, Katy HS is primed for a solid run in the playoffs and a libero that never quits like Izzy will make sure that they stay competitive. Please congratulate her on earning an All-State nod from Prep Dig through her play on the court. There are many more amazing players that will be nominated. Stay tuned for more articles on your favorite athletes to see who ends up with a chance at one of the prestigious awards. If you have anyone you think we should watch out for, please shoot me an email with some info at nov8vb@yahoo.com. Also don’t forget to help these kids get more exposure by sharing our stories with your friends. Help us help them by simply retweeting on Twitter or sharing on Facebook. Thanks for following Texas Family!