KISD/CFISD Varsity Tournament: Five Dynamic Right Sides
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The high volleyball season is just around the corner in the Great State of Texas and the initial part of the calendar is typically loaded with varsity tournaments, which provide us with great opportunities of having an early look at…
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Continue ReadingThe high volleyball season is just around the corner in the Great State of Texas and the initial part of the calendar is typically loaded with varsity tournaments, which provide us with great opportunities of having an early look at how teams and prospects are shaping up for the season.
The second weekend of August will have one of those, the Katy ISD/Cypress-Fairbanks ISD Varsity Tournament, which will reunite as many as 48 teams from the Houston area and beyond for three days of competition between August 11-13 across eight high schools in the region.
We’ll follow some of those matches and bring our reports to you right after the end of the event, but before it starts, let’s highlight some of the most promising prospects that will be on the court during the event. This time, our focus will be on some of the most promising right sides who will be on the court.
Chloe Richards Chloe Richards 6’1″ | OH Magnolia | 2024 State TX is the true definition of an all-around player as there’s really nothing she can’t do well on a volleyball court. She has typically been used as a right-side hitter at Magnolia, but spent the last club season playing as an outside hitter for her Houston Skyline team. Richards’ 6’1” frame is certainly a big part of her game, as it makes her very difficult to stop on offense and a tremendous blocker, but there’s a lot more to it, including her solid backcourt skills and dangerous serving. She’s stacked up some impressive numbers in her first two seasons of high school volleyball, amassing 630 assists, 254 kills, 245 digs, 52 aces and 47 blocks.
Highlights
Isabella Marino
Isabella Marino
An extremely physical prospect, Isabella Marino uses her 6’2” frame to make a difference at the net for the teams she plays at. Capable of playing on the right or the middle, she has in her blocking the most intriguing area of her game as besides her tremendous reach, Marino also excels in reading the game and timing her jumps and hands placement. Her offense is still coming together on the right, but she can already do some damage with her powerful right arm. She has produced 81 kills and 103 blocks in two high school seasons.
Kennedy Kays Kennedy Kays 6’2″ | OH Bridgeland | 2023 State TX is capable of playing at either pin and her scoring ability will be even more in demand this season, after Bridgeland graduated some key seniors from 2021-2022. She stands at 6’2” and has excellent reach and power, but what makes of Kays a formidable hitter is her shot selection. She’s the type of player who sees the court very well and will most likely pick the best option to put the ball on the floor. Her all-around game is very good as well as she plays great defense and is a solid blocker. Across three high school seasons, Kays has tallied 812 kills, 357 passes, 257 digs and 95 blocks.
The first thing that stands out when Maya Jones Maya Jones 6’1″ | RS Canyon | 2023 State TX is on the court is the high level of intensity that she has. She’s a fiery competitor and will go hard on every single play. Jones stands at 6’1” and is extremely reliable with her offense. She also does a very good job with her blocking and gets to contribute on the backcourt too. In three high school seasons with Canyon, her production is at 390 kills, 110 blocks and 125 digs.
Taryn Gilreath Taryn Gilreath 6’0″ | S Cy Ranch | 2024 State TX is another right side player who splits her time between setting and hitting duties. The 5’11” prospect relies a lot on her athleticism, be it to use her length to score points at the net, or her body control to be in the best possible position to set a teammate up. Gilreath’s game is very smooth and she certainly doesn’t look out of place when hitting or setting, besides of being a solid defender. Her versatility is her main asset and has led her to end her second high school season with 555 assists, 260 kills, 186 digs and 34 aces.