Freshman Duo Leads Hayden To Senior Night Win

The Hayden Wildcats hosted Emporia and Manhattan for a tro of matches on September 26.   The Wildcats celebrated senior night, but a couple of Prep Dig-ranked freshmen helped Hayden avoid an upset loss to the Spartans.   I scouted the first match of the night, which ended up being a 25-23, 25-23 victory for the Wildcats.   Here is a report on seven prospects with solid performances in the Centennial League match.   [player_tooltip player_id='173373' first='Reagan' last='McGivern'], MB, 6'3”, Hayden, ‘25   McGivern is ranked No. 3 overall in the class of 2025 and one of two seniors on the roster for Hayden. Like the rest of the team, McGivern got out of the gates slowly but finished with a solid match. She finished with seven kills and a block in the win. She has verbally committed to play for Villanova University.   [player_tooltip player_id='513606' first='Hailey' last='Schmidtlein'], MB, 6'0”, Hayden, ‘28   Schmidtlein is currently the No. 1 ranked athlete in the Kansas Class of 2028. I am going to start calling her “Mighty Thor,” as she swings her arm like Natalie Portman swung Thor's Hammer. She finished with a match-high 15 kills. She adjusts well to the ball and finds different ways to score points. Whatever one's thoughts are about the impact that club sports are having on high school sports, one can tell that she and Hayden's freshman setter have lived on the court together.   [player_tooltip player_id='503124' first='Blakely' last='Walter'], S, 5'7”, Hayden, ‘28 (Pictured Above)   Walter is ranked No. 3 in the Kansas Class of 2028 rankings.  She tallied 24 assists and nine digs. This was not the best performance I have seen her have, but she is a legit setter. She releases the ball quickly and had solid timing with McGivern on a couple of scoring attacks from the middle. She plays with poise and what surprises me the most about her, is her ability to block at the net. She got multiple touches at the net and ran the offense well.   [player_tooltip player_id='460352' first='Ella' last='Foster'], DS/L, 5'4”, Hayden, ‘26   Hayden did not play its cleanest game of the year and trailed in both sets. The Wildcats would not have won this match without the defensive effort of junior libero Foster. Foster was a stat monster on defense for the Wildcats finishing the match with 22 serve receptions, 11 digs, one assist, and one ace. She made consistent first passes and saved a couple of rallies for Hayden. Foster is ranked No. 75 overall in the class of 2026 and is the fifth-ranked libero.   [player_tooltip player_id='493452' first='Sadie' last='Rethman'], OH, 5'8”, Emporia, ‘25   Rethman is ranked No. 131 in the class of 2025, and after watching her play in person for the first time, she is severely under-ranked. She was a beast for the Spartans. Her stat line in the match included eight kills, 16 digs, and 15 serve receptions. Rethman has a physical frame and can elevate. She stood her ground against a couple of hard attacks from McGivern and Schmidtlein. The Emporia senior has talked with college coaches but has yet to receive an official offer. I would not hesitate to recommend her to Division II, Division III, NAIA, or JUCO coaches.   [player_tooltip player_id='357545' first='Jade' last='Xu'], OH, 6'0”, Emporia, ‘26   Xu is ranked No. 40 in the class of 2026. She had the best performance I have seen from her. I have seen her play at multiple club events and once last year for Emporia. She collected eight kills, seven digs, and seven serve receptions. This was the most emotion I have seen her play with. I have always felt like she plays a robotic game. She stepped up in this match and looked excited to play a legit state championship-contending team. I still would like to see her improve her upper body strength and flexibility. Xu is a fundamentally sound athlete, has been well coached, and is a solid Division II prospect.

The Hayden Wildcats hosted Emporia and Manhattan for a tro of matches on September 26.