High School Teammates Sticking Together To Make Impact For Club Teams
Once the high school season is finished, many athletes on the team will go their separate ways playing for different clubs, playing different sports, or taking a break and finding a job. For some, they might not see each other…
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Continue ReadingOnce the high school season is finished, many athletes on the team will go their separate ways playing for different clubs, playing different sports, or taking a break and finding a job. For some, they might not see each other until the Spring meeting to chat over what the schedule is like for the summer. However, for some athletes they find themselves on the same club team, getting extra reps together, maybe bringing a winning attitude to their club team, taking their game to the next level. Here are some athletes who have founds themselves on the same side of the net this winter, and for some they’ve always been on the same side of the net. We’ll see what offseason work can bring a difference when they take the cour this fall.
Ashley Sharkus and Tayler Alden – Oconomowoc – VC United Elite 17-1
The Junior, going to be Senior class for Oconomowoc is really solid with a college loaded backcourt in Tahya Pozorski, Caitlyn Crawford, and Sharkus. They also have Alden who is the top setter in the Class of 2020 and has already verballed to Northern Iowa. Oconomowoc will be a top contender in Division 1 this upcoming fall and this past offseason Alden is playing with Sharkus at VC United in Rockford, IL. The cupboard will be full for Ocon this next fall in a really Senior heavy Division 1 field.
Emily Bannitt and Maddi Kealy – River Falls – Kokoro 17-1
Kealy suffered an unfortunate injury to her ankle that put her out of the playoffs and state tournament where River Falls still made it to the semifinals before falling to Oconomowoc. Kealy is back and is setting to teammate Bannit which that combination has been strong from the start. River Falls, like Oconomowoc is going to have a dominate Senior class when you throw in Halle Olson who is playing on MN Select 17-1 and Anna Wolf who is a 2021 prospect playing up on the MN Select 18-1.
Haley Graetz and Dani Lien – River Falls – Kokoro 15-1
Haley Graetz takes a swing in the state tournament.The standard for the River Falls volleyball program is a complete 180 of where it was when Coach Sara Kealy took over. The past seasons haveended at the Resch Center, with 2017 being state runner up. The crew of Seniors this fall will be one of the most decorated classes to come through, but there will be a new batch of talented athletes coming through the ranks. Haley Graetz and Dani Lien were on the varsity team this past season, with Graetz seeing significant playing time in the middle. The Class of 2022 prospect already has a bag of tricks when shots of finesse and power out of the middle. Lien is a solid six rotation outside hitter who is solid in the backcourt and is developing into a strong point scorer on the pin.
Aubrey Hamilton and Elise Schneider – Arrowhead – Milwaukee Sting 17 Gold
After coming close numerous times, Arrowhead broke through to qualify for the state tournament this past season. The past few off seasons Hamilton and Schneider have been big time players for Sting where have always been a legit threat to contend for an AAU national title in June. Hamilton has committed to play at Notre Dame where Schneider will be going to Wofford, a Division 1 school in South Carolina. They will be joining with fellow Class of 2020 prospects Josie Salzman and Emily Larson as well as some strong middle blockers from the Class of 2021 in Monica LaFleur and Lindsay Krznarich, who also play together on Sting 16 White.
Raechel Russo and Claire Chier – Lourdes Academy – One Wisconsin 17-1
Russo and Chier have been playing big matches their whole career together, starting with appearances in the state championship for Lourdes as Freshmen in 2016 and again as Sophomores in 2017. Russo is the all around pin hitter who can do it all, an athletic style of play where she is just a gamer. Chier is the 6’3 right side who has also dabbled in setting. They have always been on the same side of the net and will be preparing for their last hurrah this Fall for Lourdes Academy out of Oshkosh.
Josie Halbleib, Payton Addink, and Maggie Allaman – Sun Prairie – Capital 16 Adidas (Title Photo)
The Capital 16 Adidas team has quite the combination of athletes from the same high school. Besides the trio from Sun Prairie they also have Lydia Helle and Maia Johnson from Madison Memorial as well as Yasmine Calado and Natalee Ring from Edgewood. For Halbleib, Addink, and Allaman the advantage for these athletes is they already have the experience of playing in the state tournament and they are getting more reps hitting from their setter Halbleib who is also deadly swinging on the right side. Add Sun Prairie to the list of legit title contenders in Division 1.