Five Purchase Region Players to Watch in 2020

<p>McCracken County emerged as the 2019 KHSAA 1st Region volleyball champion. However, the Purchase Region, consisting of McCracken, Ballard, Calloway, Carlisle, Fulton, Graves, Hickman and Marshall counties, all of which have teams competing in the 1st Region, featured several standout high school volleyball players. A look at five Purchase Region players to watch in 2020 follows. </p> <p><strong>Morgan Blankenship (Ballard Memorial, S/RS):</strong> With Blankenship helping to lead, Ballard Memorial finished the 2019 high school volleyball season 22-17. Blankenship distributed a team-high 453 assists while logging 222 digs, 89 aces and 37 kills during her junior season.</p> <p><strong>Audrey Dowdy (Graves County, OH):</strong> As a sophomore, Dowdy landed a team-high 539 kills and registered 411 digs. Along with leading in both kills and digs, Dowdy added 33 blocks, 30 assists and 45 aces for former 1st Region frontrunner Graves County. </p> <p><strong>Peyton Gresham (Marshall County, S/DS):</strong> A key player for Marshall County, Gresham dished out 316 assists while registering 73 digs and 43 aces during her junior campaign. Gresham helped Marshall County notch 20 wins during the 2019 high school volleyball season, which was her junior campaign.</p> <p><strong>Makenzie Mason (McCracken County, OPP/OH):</strong> A proven leader, Mason paced McCracken County with a team-high 345 kills during her junior season. Mason helped McCracken County capture the 1st Region title. Following an appearance in the KHSAA Volleyball State Tournament, McCracken County finished the 2019 season 32-9. </p> <p><strong>Emily Shumaker (Paducah Tilghman, DS):</strong> Leading Paducah at the net, Shumaker exited the 2019 high school volleyball season with 300-plus kills. With Shumaker, a sophomore, thriving, Paducah Tilghman put together a 19-15 record. The Blue Tornado finished as the 2019 2nd District runner-up and made an appearance in the latest 1st Region Volleyball Tournament. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>