Houston Area Five Players to Watch: 6A – District 17
The high school volleyball season is set to start in just a few weeks in the state of Texas and after a quick break following the conclusions of the club season, we can’t wait any longer to watch the top…
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Continue ReadingThe high school volleyball season is set to start in just a few weeks in the state of Texas and after a quick break following the conclusions of the club season, we can’t wait any longer to watch the top prospects of the Lone Star State in action again.
There will be several thousand players in action across the 1,207 high school teams that compete in the six divisions of the University Interscholastic League (UIL) and among them, there are some very talented ones, who certainly have a bright future in the sport.
As we continue to preview what the high school season will look like in the Houston area, we shift our focus from teams to players and highlight five of the most intriguing prospects in the districts located in the region.
Let’s take a look at the players we highlight in Division 6A – District 17:
Ashley Sadler – Outside Hitter – Memorial – 2024
Ashley Sadler was an important offensive piece for Memorial last season and should see her role with the team grow even more in 2022-2023. Very long and athletic, she brings a lot of power at the pin and strongly benefits from her high contact point to score points. Sadler plays the game with a lot of energy and intensity and is the kind of player who positively influences her teammates with her determination and grit. She produced 131 kills, 143 digs and 266 passes in the last high school season.
Bianca Byerly Bianca Byerly 5'7" | S Cy Fair | 2024 State TX – Setter/Defensive Specialist – Cy-Fair – Club: Houston Juniors – 2024
A technically-gifted player who excels in helping her team with her superior skills, Bianca Byerly Bianca Byerly 5'7" | S Cy Fair | 2024 State TX is a key piece in her Cy-Fair team. The 5’7” prospect played setter for them last season, but was moved to the defensive specialist role with her Houston Juniors squad during the club season. Byerly’s production of 642 assists, 289 digs, 71 passes and 51 aces shows that she can do it all on the court and that versatility makes of her an extremely valuable piece to have.
Gabby Espiricueta Gabby Espiricueta 5'1" | DS/L Cy Creek | 2023 TX – Libero – Cypress Creek – Club: Willowbrook – 2023
One of the top class of 2023 liberos in the region, Gabby Espiricueta Gabby Espiricueta 5'1" | DS/L Cy Creek | 2023 TX massively contributes to Cypress Creek’s backcourt efficiency with her great talent. The 5’1” prospect uses her quickness extremely well to get to balls and when she’s ready to make contact, her ball control is flawless and delivers pinpoint digs and passes all match long. Besides her tremendous production, which included 492 digs, 674 passes and 46 aces in 2021-2022, Espiricueta also plays a pivotal role with the team in terms of leadership.
Skylar George Skylar George 6'1" | OH Stratford | 2023 State TX – Outside Hitter – Stratford – Club: AVA – 2023
Skylar George Skylar George 6'1" | OH Stratford | 2023 State TX was Stratford’s go-to scoring option in 2021-2022, when she tallied 442 kills, and that should not change in the upcoming season. The 6’1” outside hitter will be frequently set at the net and will be the one called upon when the match is on the line. George was an excellent combination of power and technique, which she uses extremely well to thrive at the net. She does an excellent job in keeping her errors under control and is also extremely productive on the backcourt, having registered 460 and 636 passes in Stratford’s last campaign.
Sophia Burke – Middle Blocker – Jersey Village – Club: Houston Juniors – 2024
Sophia Burke offered Jersey Village a solid presence at the net in her freshman season. The six-footer was immediately slotted in a central role with the team and delivered excellent production, tallying 169 kills and 64 blocks. Burke’s athleticism is one of the things that make of her an excellent player as she has very good size, but is also capable of moving well on the court and transferring the power to the ball when she hits. She’s very efficient with her offense and is also really productive when blocking because of her ability to close the space of opposing hitters.