Stat-Stuffing Attackers to Follow at the 2022 State Tournament
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Most state championship contenders have that one go-to hitter who can take over a match. If you’re heading to Lincoln to watch this year’s state tournament, expect to see plenty of players who fit this description. This feature intends to…
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Continue ReadingMost state championship contenders have that one go-to hitter who can take over a match. If you’re heading to Lincoln to watch this year’s state tournament, expect to see plenty of players who fit this description.
This feature intends to get you primed on some of those stat-stuffing attackers to follow throughout the tournament. Many of these names will surely be recognizable to long-time readers, and many of these players have been on championship stages before. That’s no coincidence, either. These attackers are built to win.
An ultra-competitive player like Heidemann couldn’t have enjoyed sitting on the bench during last year’s state championships after a late-season injury. But, I think her competitiveness is better demonstrated by how Heidemann has bounced back from these unfortunate circumstances. The Diller-Odell senior leads all Nebraska attackers in total kills–and by a massive margin. She has 626 kills this season, over 100 more than the next-best total in the state. Compiling 6.6 kills per set on a .478 clip is simply mind-boggling, and that’s reason enough to keep tabs on the Griffins in Lincoln.
While Heidemann is the top kill producer in Nebraska, Clarkson/Leigh’s Hanel is sitting in second with some impressive totals of her own. She eclipsed 500 kills this season during district action, and she is almost a sure bet to hit over .300 in every contest. I’ll be fascinated to see what kind of numbers Hanel can put up under the bright lights of Pinnacle Bank Arena.
Halle Dolliver
Halle Dolliver
Let’s keep working our way down Nebraska’s kills leaderboard. Malcolm’s Dolliver hasn’t been added to our player database yet, but there’s a reason for that: her prep career just started. Indeed, the player that ranks third among all Nebraska players in total kills is a freshman. It’s an extraordinary accomplishment, but Dolliver and her Malcolm teammates are looking for something even bigger this November.
Nobody in the Cornhusker State has terminated more efficiently than Wurtz. Her 0.535 hitting percentage leads all Nebraska hitters, and that number is even more remarkable given that Wurtz puts down almost five kills per set. DC West will surely lean heavily on its star junior as the Falcons look to shake up the wide-open Class C1 race.
Highlights
Like Hanel and Wurtz, Ryan is a fascinating “hybrid” who can play on the outside or in the middle. She has ample experience doing both, and that includes an appearance at the 2021 state tournament. Ryan’s Overton squad has grown even stronger in 2022, thanks in large part to the junior’s searing 0.439 hitting percentage this season.
I won’t soon forget Wachal’s legendary stat-stuffing performance in last year’s state championship match. The Lincoln Lutheran senior piled up 32 kills in the triumph, but Wachal is now having her best statistical year of her career as a senior. With 5.5 kills per set on a .400 clip, Wachal brings the most intimidating arm that Class C2 has to offer.
We now turn to the most prolific terminator in Class D1. Robles has reached a completely new level in her final outing with top-seeded Norfolk Catholic. Her stats nearly mirror Wachal– 5.5 kills per set on .399 hitting. Robles’ return to peak form has been a huge catalyst for bringing Norfolk Catholic back into the title discussion after reaching the tournament a year ago.
Mya Hedstrom
Mya Hedstrom
St. Mary’s has returned to the Class D2 tournament picture behind the scoring explosion of Hedstrom. The junior has dramatically upped her hitting percentage from last year’s effort, yielding a .326 clip on over five and a half kills per set. Hedstrom has to be one of the top small-town stock risers in this year’s postseason field.
Ndam-Simpson is the most productive attacker among Class A’s tournament participants. What’s new? The Creighton-bound outside hitter is still putting down 4.5 kills per set despite shuffling positions for a while due to injuries. There are not many circumstances that could slow down Ndam-Simpson’s stat-stuffing ways, and this unique season has demonstrated that well.
Baumert already has a state championship under her belt with Howells-Dodge, but that doesn’t mean she was going to yield in her senior season. This physical outside hitter is putting up the best efficiency numbers of her prep career while also carrying a heavier offensive load than ever before. It should be no surprise that her Jaguars are a top seed once again, even in a different class.
Kathol’s rise continues. This outside-middle hybrid has gotten precipitously more effective in every year of her career, and that has culminated in nearly five kills per set as a senior for Hartington Cedar Catholic. We recently documented her team’s success in upsetting some top competition in Class D1, and the Trojans could be primed to produce more surprises in the tournament.
Niemack is part of the exclusive club of players that has averaged five kills per set this year, and she continues to be a major catalyst for Shelton’s success. She’s a multi-talented athlete who will find more than one way to fill the stat sheet, and I look forward to seeing some of that versatility in Lincoln.