Beast of the East Standouts: Setters

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of the most stacked field of teams we may have ever seen at Beast of the East, these teams came in ready to play and it made for an epic day of volleyball!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The player putting everything into motion and often times the source of some of the best players in the field. A good mix of some of the best talent in the country, let alone in Michigan, were on tap. The setters at the Beast of the East were elite to say the least.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here were some of the top setters from this weekend's Beast of the East.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='110309' first='Emery' last='Kuebler'] - Clarkston</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Clarkston may have all of the pieces they need to make a big splash in the post season. They have the defense, they have the hitters and then they have [player_tooltip player_id='110309' first='Emery' last='Kuebler']. Putting on a show at Beast of the East, Kuebler looked to have played her best ball over the weekend and is starting to tune up the heat. With all the hitters she has, Kuebler can spread around the ball with ease, running a super efficient offense.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='66341' first='Hayley' last='Wegener'] - Coopersville</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"align":"right","id":200592,"width":167,"height":207,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2022/06/Dakota-14-Erin-Madigan-826x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-200592" width="167" height="207"/></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Just as previewed, [player_tooltip player_id='66341' first='Hayley' last='Wegener'] deserves a lot more attention than what she has been given. Coopersville can credit a lot of their success to Wegener and her ability to dish out the ball. She can run a lot of different plays with her hitters and is quite a tough blocker at the net.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='108718' first='Erin' last='Madigan'] - Dakota</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A Miss Volleyball nominee and one of the top players in the state, you could argue [player_tooltip player_id='108718' first='Erin' last='Madigan'] (Arkansas State) is having one of the best senior seasons in the state. At 6'2, Madigan is a force to be reckoned with at the net. Her block is impossible to get around and when she calls her own number, it's not coming back!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='226904' first='Emma' last='Keeping'] - Imlay City</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In a field of seasoned veterans at the setter position, I would've lumped [player_tooltip player_id='226904' first='Emma' last='Keeping'] right alongside them, but she's only a freshman! Keeping is playing years ahead of her age and was on fire at Beast of the East. A dynamic, lefty setter with a big future ahead, she is also pretty hard to contain as an attacker on the right pin too.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='110292' first='Zoey' last='Dood'] - Grandville</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Speaking of lefty setters, they were everywhere in Pontiac and one of the biggest names in the field, [player_tooltip player_id='110292' first='Zoey' last='Dood'] (Virginia) was on tap. A player that really was out here doing the most for her squad, Dood continues to impress with every viewing. One of the top setters in the country, Dood can also be so terminal at the net with her block and offense.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='108719' first='Eve' last='Martin'] - Lakeland</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>She can do just about everything you need her to and she'll deliver. [player_tooltip player_id='108719' first='Eve' last='Martin'] is a huge reason for Lakeland's success this season and a great showing at Beast of the East. While Martin is a setter by nature, she can also pack a serious punch offensively. It was impressive to see Martin so relied upon, taking a bulk of the out of system swings, no matter where on the court she was.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='173606' first='Lauren' last='Hallas'] - Forest Hills Northern</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"align":"right","id":100235,"width":166,"height":236,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2020/07/Skylar-Bump-719x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-100235" width="166" height="236"/><figcaption>[player_tooltip player_id='66296' first='Skylar' last='Bump']</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Huskies were a Beast of the East semifinalist and one of the biggest reasons was the play of [player_tooltip player_id='173606' first='Lauren' last='Hallas'] (Bentley). Saturday may have been the best I have seen Hallas, yet! You can tell that she is beginning to come into her own and is having a lot of fun with it. She was showcasing a lot more deception in her sets and with her offensive minded play at the best times, pulled a lot of blocks throughout the day.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='66296' first='Skylar' last='Bump'] &amp; [player_tooltip player_id='224597' first='Abigail' last='Pickard'] - Lakewood</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>From a senior to a freshman, this setting duo was making some serious noise. [player_tooltip player_id='66296' first='Skylar' last='Bump'] has been a longtime fixture within the Lakewood program and looked at her peak this weekend. Alongside her, her freshman counterpart, [player_tooltip player_id='224597' first='Abigail' last='Pickard'], looks to be one of the hottest names to enter the scene. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='66328' first='Ava' last='Sarafa'] - Marian</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>She's arguably the top setter in the entire country and she continues to prove just why every time she steps onto the court. Beast of the East proved to be a real challenge for [player_tooltip player_id='66328' first='Ava' last='Sarafa'] (Kentucky) after losing two of her key attackers early on in the day. But like I said, she isn't one of the best for no reason, Sarafa went on to propel her team to a 6-1 finish and a championship appearance.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='156295' first='Campbell' last='Flynn'] - Mercy</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Another lefty and another setter considered one of the top prospects in the entire country. While [player_tooltip player_id='156295' first='Campbell' last='Flynn'] was one of the top setters in the tournament, she also made an argument for one of the top attackers too. As Mercy ran a 6-2 with [player_tooltip player_id='66313' first='Erin' last='Kline'] (Mississippi State), Flynn managed to average 4.5 kills per set along with 5.5 assists per set. Against Coopersville, Flynn was one dig away from a triple double!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='110302' first='Adrienne' last='Greschaw']&nbsp;- North Branch</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>They have the defense, they have the offense and no better person to run the show than [player_tooltip player_id='110302' first='Adrienne' last='Greschaw']. Leading the Bronco's to a tight semifinal match against Marian, Greschaw is showing signs of playing her best volleyball in her career. The way in which Greschaw can manipulate the ball while doing so little is impressive.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='156293' first='Ella' last='Craggs'] - Northville</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"align":"right","id":201681,"width":221,"height":148,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2022/06/Ella-Craggs.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-201681" width="221" height="148"/></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I told ya at the beginning of the season that [player_tooltip player_id='156293' first='Ella' last='Craggs'] is the game-changer that Northville needed and Beast of the East was the perfect stage for her to showcase that. Not only did Craggs lead the Mustangs to a championship day, but they managed to do so with an unblemished record against some steep competition. Even with a minor injury, Craggs is one of the best setters in the gym.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='288955' first='Mya' last='Kattula'] &amp; [player_tooltip player_id='66331' first='Margo' last='Sudzina'] - Notre Dame Prep</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Another upperclassman-underclassman setting duo from a Division 2 perennial power, [player_tooltip player_id='66331' first='Margo' last='Sudzina'] and [player_tooltip player_id='288955' first='Mya' last='Kattula'] are one mighty duo to contend with. These two setters are such great compliments to each other as both Sudzina and Kattula can run such a fast offense. It also is fun to see Kattula wear both hats as a setter and a hitter and deliver so well in both positions.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='172200' first='Julia' last='Gojcaj'] - Stoney Creek</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Despite what the record shows for Stoney Creek, [player_tooltip player_id='172200' first='Julia' last='Gojcaj'] can compete with the best of them. A setter unafraid to go after it, Gojcaj is a risk taker and can deliver quite nicely on those risks. Dynamic and a steady presence on the court, you can easily say she is the heart beat to this squad in more ways than just her setting abilities!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='173605' first='Laney' last='Burns'] - Saline</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Saline was coming into Beast of the East with a lot of fire. While pool play saw the Hornets a little off, they managed to turn around the day in large part due to [player_tooltip player_id='173605' first='Laney' last='Burns']. It's to no surprise how Burns is second in the state in total assists on the season, she does so well finding her hitters wherever they are.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Join us at the<a href="https://prepdig.com/2022/09/the-prep-dig-top-250-expo-series-is-back-2/">&nbsp;Prep Dig Top 250 Expo</a>! Use code LShotPDExpo250 for 10% off your registration fee. </em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->