Top 250 Expo San Antonio: Sophomore Middle/Right-Side Hitters

<p>These athletes are really good. They have grown into the type of players every coach wants on their team at the next level. I had never seen these athletes before the expo on Saturday and walked away from the event thinking there must be something in the water in Texas that makes these athletes superb. Let's look at this amazing sophomore class group of middle and right-side hitters and see what is so impressive. </p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='447026' first='Kaylie' last='Bourn']</h2>   <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-thumbnail is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/11/IMG_2747.jpeg?w=150&h=150&crop=1" alt="" class="wp-image-481579" style="width:148px;height:auto" /></figure>   <p>Bourn is a 6'2" middle hitter from Cornerstone Christian Schools. Bourn has tight skills when blocking, can hit the edges of the court when hitting, and is a dangerous player to be trying to block. She can tool off the block or hit through it. She is very athletic and strong. She has immense power when hitting. She is a force anywhere on the court.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='326514' first='Emma' last='Elsasser']</h2>   <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/11/IMG_2746.jpeg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-481580" style="width:136px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='326514' first='Emma' last='Elsasser'], class of 2026. </figcaption></figure>   <p>Elsasser is a 6'1" middle hitter from Tompkins High School. Elsasser does a great slide and is very hard to block. She has really good blocking skills that are hard to beat. She has a big vertical and when she hits it would be best to get out of the way because the angle of the hit is sometimes directly into a defensive player. She is very tough and determined to do her best. She is a very skilled player and very fast on her feet. All of this makes her a dangerous opponent. </p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Keely Granado</h2>   <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-thumbnail is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/11/IMG_2743.jpeg?w=150&h=150&crop=1" alt="" class="wp-image-481581" style="width:143px;height:auto" /></figure>   <p>Granado is a 5'10" middle hitter from Permian High's sophomore class. Granado is big and strong and doesn't give opponents a chance to make a play at the net. She blocks very well. She then will take the offensive and make an opponent pay by slamming into the block for her kill. She is a very fast athlete and her block is like a brick wall. </p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='319556' first='Eva' last='Hernandez']</h2>   <p>Hernandez is a 5'11" middle hitter from James Madison High School. Hernandez was winning every joust at the net at the expo and just killing it in the process. She is a very smart athlete with massive swings and impressive all the way around the court. She can dig, block, hit, and serve. She could be a 6-rotation player with the level of skill she has at her disposal.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='318196' first='Danielle' last='McAllister']</h2>   <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/07/244-Danielle-McAllister.jpg?w=598" alt="" class="wp-image-411730" style="width:175px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='318196' first='Danielle' last='McAllister'], class of 2026.</figcaption></figure>   <p>McAllister is a 5'10" right-side hitter from Pieper High School's sophomore class. McAllister is quick to make an opponent pay for a sloppy overpass. She was so very impressive during the drills digging up balls too. She could honestly play the back-row and is definitely a candidate for a 6-rotation player. Every move she made had a polish to it, meaning she had practiced the moves a million times. She obviously puts the work in and looks really impressive for doing so. She is one of the players from the expo that garnered an OMG in my notes.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='452254' first='Deylen' last='Mendivil']</h2>   <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-thumbnail is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/11/IMG_2742.jpeg?w=150&h=150&crop=1" alt="" class="wp-image-481582" style="width:167px;height:auto" /></figure>   <p>Mendivil is a 5'11" middle hitter from James Madison High School. I watched Mendivil play both outside and in the middle at the expo. Both were impressive. She has a tough demeanor and is all business on the court. She uses strong stealthy attacks in an accomplished manner like it is no effort at all. She communicates well with the other athletes. She has a great platform and approach. She is an accomplished athlete and a pleasure to watch. </p>   <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-thumbnail is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/11/IMG_2744.jpeg?w=150&h=150&crop=1" alt="" class="wp-image-481583" style="width:167px;height:auto" /></figure>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='482094' first='Maggie' last='Moczygemba']</h2>   <p>Moczygemba is a 5'11" middle hitter from Great Hearts Monte Vista North's sophomore class. Moczygemba moves like a spring. She winds herself up and then explodes when she hits. She is really fast and strong which makes her very hard to defend against. She has quick reflexes and moves with grace while beating the block in her way with her speed and strength. </p>   <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-thumbnail is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/11/IMG_2712.jpeg?w=150&h=150&crop=1" alt="" class="wp-image-481584" style="width:176px;height:auto" /></figure>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='482110' first='Sydney' last='Yohe']</h2>   <p>Yohe is a 5'11" middle hitter from Westlake High School. Yohe's reach is so high that nothing gets by her. I watched her beat the block a the expo all day long. She knows how to tool off or around a block and use it to her advantage. She is really good and has reached the level of experience that makes her hard to beat.</p>

These athletes are really good. They have grown into the type of players every coach wants on their team at the next level. I had never seen these athletes before the expo on Saturday and walked away from the event thinking there must be something in the water in Texas that makes these athletes superb. Let's look at this amazing sophomore class group of middle and right-side hitters and see what is so impressive.