Plenty Of 14U Prospects Shine In Lawrence

On March 16, I scouted for matches at the Heart of America Regionals for the 14U Division at the Lawrence Sports Pavilion   Here is the final report of multiple reports from those matches. Several of the athletes I watched today will find themselves in the initial Kansas Class of 2028 ranking which are scheduled to be released in April.   This report includes members of the Kansas Class of 2028 who got my attention with their play in the regional competition.   [player_tooltip player_id='523923' first='Paige' last='Baalman'], 5'8”, MH, Bishop Carroll (Shockwave 14-2)   Baalman is solid jumper with a big reach. She finished with three kills and three digs for Shockwave, a club that dropped its first two matches of the day.   [player_tooltip player_id='530009' first='Payton' last='Southard'], 5'6”, OH/DS, Maize South (Shockwave 14-2)   Southard can do it all on the court and is a potential six rotation player in the making. She racked up seven serve receptions, five digs, and two kills in the match I scouted. She is a hustle player, but I would like to see be more vocal on the court moving forward.   [player_tooltip player_id='523940' first='Ayla' last='Ritchie'], 5'11”, MB, Ellinwood (Central Kansas Rampage 14-1)   So, Ritchie was one of those athletes who I kept having to remind myself that she is just 14-years of age. She has a truckload of talent, but she did not dominate the match like I expected. She has all of the tools to evolve into a dangerous threat at the net. The future Ellinwood Eagle had three kills and one block in the match I watched.   [player_tooltip player_id='519581' first='Chloe' last='Mock'], 5'10”, S, Rose Hill (Electric 14-1)   Mock is very athletic. She already has nice size and I'm not positive she is not done growing. She can set, hit, and play decent defense. Mock was a bright spot on the Electric squad and perhaps their top prospect. She finished with four kills and two digs in an early two-set loss.   [player_tooltip player_id='518379' first='Grace' last='Bengfort'], 5'8”, OH, Shawnee Mission Northwest (MAVS KC 14-1)   After scouting 14s on two Saturdays in a row, the only team I saw play both weekends were MAVS KC 14-1. They are a solid team and everyone on their roster can put a ball away. For the second straight week I was impressed by Bengfort's play. She is a big-time jumper who seems to glide when she is in the air. She had a team-high five kills in a two-set win over the [program_tooltip program_id='428883' first='Lawrence' last='Juniors'] 14-1 squad.   Macy Saunders, 5'9”, OH, Lawrence ([program_tooltip program_id='428883' first='Lawrence' last='Juniors'] 14-1)   Saunders has the frame and the jumping ability to evolve into a superior hitter. I was impressed by her poise and composure in a lop-sided loss. She finished with three kills, four serve receptions, and two digs. She likes to hit down the line and she has a nice tip-game when needed.   [player_tooltip player_id='523925' first='Kinley' last='Belcher'], 6'0”, MH, Maize (Shockwave 14-2)   Here is another gifted young athlete who I have to tell myself not to be too rough on. She is already 6-foot tall and has a big linebacker frame. If this young lady hits the weight room and improves her jumping ability should could end up being a Division I player. She has an older brother who plays college basketball so athletic ability runs in the family. She had two blocks in the match I scouted and for now is a front row only player.   [player_tooltip player_id='523933' first='Melanie' last='Cereceres'], 5'9”, OH, Lyons (Central Kansas Rampage 14-1)   Cereceres is raw, but talented athlete who will be playing for the Lyons Lions. She can hit ball and finished with four kills and one block for the Rampage.  She was not the first hitting option for the Rampage, but she is quick and has a nice swing. She will be a player to keep track of, but she might have to rely on club ball to get the kind of exposure to college coaches that she needs.

On March 16, I scouted for matches at the Heart of America Regionals for the 14U Division at the Lawrence Sports Pavilion