Area Preview: Southeast Minnesota Loaded with Talent

As the prep season is in full swing, we at Prep Dig continue to be amazed at the depth of volleyball talent all across the state. In a series of early-season articles, Prep Dig will highlight some of the best teams and individual talent from various pockets around Minnesota. Next up: The Southeast. Southeast Minnesota is home to a bevy of talented athletes as well as some of the state’s best teams, including a preseason top-ranked squad. Stewartville Tigers Stewartville opens the season as the #1 ranked team in class AA. The Tigers have one of the best collections of "athletes" around, several of them with top-level volleyball skills. [player_tooltip player_id="10061" first="Kaitlyn" last="Prondzinski"] (Prep Dig #11) is the senior leader and is a lethal attacker from the outside. The Illinois State commit has a great arm and can beat teams with a variety of shots or with heavy pace. The other big arm for Stewartville comes from junior middle and 2018 all-state selection [player_tooltip player_id="58016" first="Erin" last="Lamb"] (Prep Dig #5). She is among the top prospects in the midwest, if not the nation, and can do many things for the Tigers with her ball control and her power at the net either in front or behind the setter. With more experience gained from last year’s high school and club season she will be that much more dangerous this season. These hitters are complemented very well by junior middle [player_tooltip player_id="71952" first="Jolie" last="Stecher"] (Prep Dig #31) who also brings added experience and great movement across the net, making her a key factor both offensively and defensively. Like Lamb, Stecher plays six-rotations as a middle as both bring high quality back row play and presence, which limits the team’s need for a true libero. The Tigers’ offense and floor leadership once again is at the hands of junior setter [player_tooltip player_id="71961" first="Jaidyn" last="Brower"] (Prep Dig #34). She distributes the ball so well from pin to pin, which will be important to get her heavy hitters in a variety of locations to keep opponents off balance. Prondzinski, Lamb, and Brower were 2018 1st team all-conference selections, while Stecher was recognized among the honorable mention list. The Tigers’ ability to advance further in 2019 will also rely upon the support from the remaining individuals that fill the gaps around this very talented core of athletes. This includes senior outside Lily Welch (2018 all-conference honorable mention) and sophomore opposite Rylee Mensink. The Tigers certainly have the arsenal to get to the final weekend and quite possibly finish the season where they started, as the top team in class AA. Kasson-Mantorville Komets (3rd Place 2018 Class AA State Tournament) The team that eliminated Stewartville from a state tournament showing in 2018 were the Komets of Kasson-Mantorville. Following a highly successful campaign last year that ended with a 3rd place trophy at state, the Komets return this year without a key piece, thus relying on a collection of veterans and newcomers to fill that leadership and point scoring gap. Leading the way is senior outside Emilee Terry (Prep Dig #63). She is a returning Hiawatha Valley all-conference selection and a Minnesota-Mankato commit. She is a great jumper and has improved her attacking range making her much more difficult to defend. Also returning to once again fulfill the very important role as the team’s setter is sophomore [player_tooltip player_id="72766" first="Maddie" last="Converse"] (Prep Dig #16). Thrust into the setter role as a freshman in 2018, Converse played like a veteran and helped carry her team to the final weekend of the season. Junior middle Mya Seuss will be relied on much more in 2019 after successfully fulfilling a supporting role and gaining great experience as a starter last year. The balance and increased contributions needed this year will come from a collection of individuals that are seeing increased roles and significant time this year. This includes junior outside Avery Irish, sophomore outside [player_tooltip player_id="72789" first="Addison" last="Bzoskie"], and junior defensive specialist Olivia Matuska. K-M has such strong tradition and a great history of success that they can never be counted out. Their standards keep them focused and improving, which is why they are one of the most respected programs in the state and begin the season ranked #6 in class AA. SOUTHEAST AREA ATHLETES TO WATCH In addition to the stars noted above, here are seven more top athletes from the southeast area of Minnesota: [player_tooltip player_id="71947" first="Kenidi" last="McCabe"] - 2021 | S | Mabel-Canton | Prep Dig #16 Once again will lead the Cougars offense in 2019, which looks to repeat its 14-0 conference record (30-6 overall) from 2018. The 5’6 junior enters her fifth season as a starter and has garnered multiple awards for her play. [player_tooltip player_id="71709" first="Payton" last="Danielson"] - 2020 | OH | Mabel-Canton | Prep Dig #146 Another key component of Mabel-Canton’s strong history of success in the southeast. Danielson is back for her final season and is one of the teams most athletic and versatile athletes and will get a lot of swings in their offense. At only 5’4, the 2018 all-conference honoree is a dynamo and fun to watch. [player_tooltip player_id="71703" first="Kelly" last="Klees"] - 2020 | S | Rochester Mayo | Prep Dig #119 Surpassed 1,000 assists in 2018 and will add a bunch more to that total in 2019 as she rounds out her prep career. Klees consistently puts her attackers in a good position to swing aggressively while also finding her own opportunities to score points herself. Look for Mayo to be in the mix due to Klees’s leadership and play. [player_tooltip player_id="71663" first="Lydia" last="Lange"] - 2020 | OH/MH | Caledonia | Prep Dig #34 | Winona State commit A 2018 class A 1st team all-state selection, Lange can flat out hammer the ball. She has been a regular in the Caledonia lineup for a few years and can score from the middle and on the pins. Lange shoulders a big offensive load for Caledonia and will take that work to Winona State next season. [player_tooltip player_id="57577" first="Riley" last="Queensland"] - 2020 | MH Grand Meadow | Prep Dig #144 A big factor in the Grand Meadow attack, Queensland has started the 2019 season off well with multiple matches with double-digit kills. She also plays great defense and can collect her share of digs, making her a well-round six-rotation athlete. [player_tooltip player_id="71661" first="Ally" last="Peterson"] - 2020 | OH | Kenyon-Wanamingo | Prep Dig #31 | Belmont commit Peterson has great volleyball experience and has been recognized for her play at both the state and national levels. A 2018 AAU all-American, she has been a steady contributor for KW throughout her career and a big reason why they will be in the hunt to successfully get to state among a very tough Section 1 field. Kaitlyn Steffes - 2020 | Rochester John Marshall | Prep Dig #98 At 5’10, Steffes gets her feet to the ball and elevates well which allows he to maximize a nice high and fast arm swing. She can score emphatically and with good range from both pins and also has displayed good ball control as a primary passer. Underrated among the senior class of outsides that can both pass and hit, Steffes has improved her game in many facets and will be a nice addition at the next level. She is a 2019 Big 9 all-conference selection.