GameChangers: Prep Dig Top 250 Expo 2 in Houston

<p>These are the athletes I would make my team out of if I could just pick my favorites I saw today at the Prep Dig Top 250 Expo Session 2 in Houston. These athletes have mastered their positional assignments and then some from what I observed today. Many athletes could have ended up on this list, but these were my favorites to make a team.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/12/IMG_2899-crop-3024x1986-1702785860.jpeg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-491744" style="width:300px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='486946' first='Kosi' last='Obinwa'], OH from Cy Ranch High School, class of 2026.</figcaption></figure>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='486946' first='Kosi' last='Obinwa']</h2>   <p>Obinwa is a 5'11" sophomore outside hitter from Cy Ranch High School. Obinwa caught my attention early and held it the entire expo. She is a hard-hitting powerhouse and the places she puts the ball down are difficult to defend. She is a smart player and does everything in her power to keep the ball up. She makes the defenders need to dive even to have a chance to get the ball up and it looks like it hurts when she does it. </p>   <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/12/IMG_2900-crop-3024x1986-1702786025.jpeg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-491749" style="width:307px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='486962' first='Raquel' last='Cortez'], OH from Mayde Creek High School, class of 2025.</figcaption></figure>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='486962' first='Raquel' last='Cortez']</h2>   <p>Cortez is a 5'11" junior outside hitter from Mayde Creek High School. Cortez was super impressive today. She has all of the skills and can serve/recive, set, hit, and block. She is such a powerful hitter. She also spent plenty of her time setting up other hitters to make them look good as well. Powerful hitter and I love her ability to share, that makes great teams! </p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='443016' first='Claire' last='Tidwell'] </h2>   <p>Tidwell is a 5'11" freshman outside hitter from The Woodlands High School. Tidwell is always where she needs to be. She can read her opponents like a book and knows what page they are working on. She has a great approach and accuracy with her hits as well. The combination of these two things makes her a very tough opponent to defend against.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-thumbnail is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/12/IMG_2901.jpeg?w=150&h=150&crop=1" alt="" class="wp-image-491750" style="width:229px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Madison Berrera, MH from James E. Taylor High School, class of 2026.</figcaption></figure>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='435684' first='Madison' last='Barrera']</h2>   <p>Barrera is a 6'2" sophomore middle hitter from James E. Taylor High School. Barrera first caught my attention playing defense, which for a lot of players is the case with me. She has a great platform, is very fast, and doesn't let anything go down around her. As a middle hitter that last part might be the most impressive. She is always getting a hand under the ball and popping it up. It is impressive. She is also a powerful hitter and put up a massive block. </p>   <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/12/IMG_2902-crop-3024x1986-1702786350.jpeg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-491758" style="width:307px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='249748' first='Jasmine' last='Thomas'], MH from Mayde Creek High School, class of 2025.</figcaption></figure>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='249748' first='Jasmine' last='Thomas']</h2>   <p>Thomas is a 5'11" junior middle hitter from Mayde Creek High School. Thomas is on my list mainly because I did not see her lose a joust at the net all day today. Like none. That is impressive, to say the least. Many of her opponents were taller and had a longer reach, which means her hands, arms, and shoulders are incredibly strong. She puts the effort in the weight room, I am guessing. Aside from the jousts at the net, she can hit very well into the corners by tipping or hitting hard. She is hard to defend and quite impressive to watch.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/12/IMG_2903-crop-3024x1986-1702786458.jpeg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-491764" style="width:293px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='438347' first='Kenli' last='Irwin'], MH from Barbers Hill High School, class of 2027.</figcaption></figure>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='438347' first='Kenli' last='Irwin']</h2>   <p>Irwin is a 5'10" freshman middle hitter from Barbers Hill High School. Irwin is a super smart athlete who plays like she always has a plan, or a plan to back up another plan. She is very athletic and strong. When she hits the ball it moves fast to her target and hits it spot on. She is aware of her opponents on the court opposite her and knows how to avoid the block facing her or to hit the spot a defender is not camped out on. Impressive athlete.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-thumbnail is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/12/IMG_2904.jpeg?w=150&h=150&crop=1" alt="" class="wp-image-491765" style="width:210px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='490856' first='Sydney' last='Crowder'], MH from Patricia E. Paetow High School, class of 2027.</figcaption></figure>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='490856' first='Sydney' last='Crowder'] </h2>   <p>Crowder is a 6'1" freshman middle hitter from Patricia E. Paetow High School. Crowder had the best reach on the day that I saw. You know when a setter and hitter are out of sync with each other and it ends up looking bad for the hitter? That does not happen with this athlete because her arms go on and on. She can catch the tail end of the ball and still send it zipping to the floor. She has a great vertical and lots of power to go with that reach as well and she never gives up on a ball. She will rally again and again until she gets the point. I was very impressed with Crowder at the expo today and have high expectations for her in the future. </p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='486933' first='Daniella' last='Randerson']</h2>   <p>Randerson is a 5'10" freshman middle hitter from The Woodlands High School. Randerson is a brick wall at the net. Her block is so strong, that I could not leave her out of my "too many middle hitters" list for the GameChangers. She wins so many jousts at the net and hits with power and accuracy. She was really impressive today and one of my favorite hitters overall. She is a really strong athlete and would do well in any sport, I think. </p>   <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-thumbnail is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/12/IMG_2905.jpeg?w=150&h=150&crop=1" alt="" class="wp-image-491778" style="width:197px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='486958' first='Mikayla' last='Cascarano'], S from Skidmore-Tynan High School, class of 2025.</figcaption></figure>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='486958' first='Mikayla' last='Cascarano']</h2>   <p>Cascarano is a 5'5" junior setter from Skidmore-Tynan High School. She has a great platform, great range, and really soft hands. She is really fast and athletic. She has a great vertical and spreads the ball around really well to her hitters. She has a sneaky and perfect dump and plays defense pretty well too. She talks to her hitters and communicates with the rest of her team well.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='437647' first='Melanie' last='Gasca']</h2>   <p>Gasca is a 5'7" junior setter from Mayde Creek High School. Gasca moves so fast on the court that she almost seems to hurl the ball headlong into her hitters but then puts forth a perfect set to get her hitter a kill. She has great digging ability off the block and does not seem to know how to let the ball go to the ground without a fight. She is perfectly placed, moves really well, and has nice anticipation for what is coming her way from her opponents. She is a very smart athlete. </p>   <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-thumbnail is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/12/IMG_2906.jpeg?w=150&h=150&crop=1" alt="" class="wp-image-491779" style="width:198px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='409082' first='Ariana' last='Williams'], DS/L from Tomball Memorial High School, class of 2026.</figcaption></figure>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='409082' first='Ariana' last='Williams']</h2>   <p>Williams is a 5'4" sophomore defensive specialist from Tomball Memorial High School. Williams is always moving when covering the back boundary of the court. She has athletic spastic reflexes and great muscle memory. She has a great platform and she can take speed off of the ball when receiving it to make it playable for her team. Great defender!</p>   <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/12/IMG_2907-crop-3024x1986-1702787470.jpeg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-491781" style="width:271px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='269773' first='Adrianne' last='Ryan'], DS/L from Tomball High School, class of 2026.</figcaption></figure>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='269773' first='Adrianne' last='Ryan']</h2>   <p>Ryan is a 5'6" sophomore defensive specialist from Tomball High School. Ryan is always ready for the ball. She is in the right place at the right time. Ryan is incredibly fast with great hands and can pancake and dig with the best. She is well-trained and can put the ball up with one hand or two and get it to the same place. Once the opposing team hits the ball, Ryan is waiting for it. She has great anticipatory skills and moves so quickly to get to the ball. She can serve well and had at least one ace I saw at the expo. So good!</p>   <p> </p>

These are the athletes I would make my team out of if I could just pick my favorites I saw today at the Prep Dig Top 250 Expo Session 2 in Houston. These athletes have mastered their positional assignments and then some from what I observed today. Many athletes could have ended up on this list, but these were my favorites to make a team.