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The Net Stars: VYPE Houston Volleyball Players of the Week (8.16.2021)
Claire DeWine - The Woodlands
Claire DeWine after spending last season at The Woodlands Christian Academy has made an immediate impact on her new team at The Woodlands. The Lady Highlanders went a perfect 10-0 in the opening week, including winning the John Turner Classic. DeWine led the team with 88 kills and 10 aces. She also chipped in a second-best 116 assists and a third-best 63 digs. DeWine is a catalyst to the early success of The Woodlands.
Kamryn Scroggins - Pearland Dawson
Kamryn Scroggins helped guide Pearland to an impressive 9-1 record over the weekend at the John Turner Classic. Scroggins in the 10 matches racked up 155 assists and 67 digs, which both were best on the team.
Bianna Muoneke - Cypress Ranch
Cypress Ranch is off to an 8-1 start on the season after a second-place finish at the Katy/Cy-Fair Tournament this past weekend. The Mustangs fell to SA Brandeis in the title match. The star Mustang was recent Texas A&M-commit Bianna Muoneke. The junior in 21 sets played barreled down 123 kills with 17 aces. Her kills rank as the 5th-most in the state, according to MaxPreps. She also had a second-best 80 digs to her name for the Mustangs.
Nylah Raspberry - Ridge Point
Ridge Point is off to a 7-1 start on the season. Nylah Raspberry's defense is a big key to their success. In just the first 15 sets of her senior season, Raspberry has already recorded an astonishing 194 digs, averaging 12.9 digs/set and 27.7 digs/match. Those numbers are crazy and her digs are No. 2 in the state and nation and her digs per set ranks No. 1 in the country, according to Maxpreps.
Avery Shimaitis - George Ranch
How about entering this week as the leader in kills not just in Houston but the state? Just ask George Ranch's Avery Shimaitis. The senior in 27 sets played racked up an amazing 168 kills, averaging 6.2 kills per set. Her 168 kills ranks No. 2 in the nation.
Morgen Durgens - Clear Springs
What a start for Clear Springs. The Chargers opened the season with eight-straight wins, including knocking off the defending Class 6A State Champs in Seven Lakes in a sweep in the opener. A tournament win over George Ranch and Austin Westlake were also impressive. Sophomore Morgen Durgens was the distributor with 164 assists in 24 sets played, averaging 6.8 assists per set. Clear Springs is off to an 8-2 start.
Samantha Sharer - Kempner HS
Kempner went 6-5 in its opening week of play for the 2021 season. Samantha Sharer had 15 aces 47 kills and 76 digs for the Cougars during the week. The first week closed with a nice three-match winning streak with wins over Cy Lakes, North Shore and Fort Bend Bush.
Coaches please submit your Player of the Week Nominations each week by Noon on Mondays to joshua.koch@vypemedia.com or DM our Twitter account @VYPEHouston.
George Ranch Volleyball is back into play! Go Longhorns!
VYPE U Look Out: 6 Hotshot Players Return to the George Ranch Volleyball Courts
The players who were selected for the 2020 AVCA Phenom watch list are the following: Alexandra Szech (11th) verbally committed to Baylor University, Logan Lednicky (11th) verbally committed to Texas A&M University, Avery Shimaitis (11th), and Riley Steubing (10th). The senior players who were selected for the Under Armour All-American Watch list are the following: Alexandra Tennon (12th) verbally committed to Quinnipac University, and Brianna Steubing (12th).
Alexandra Szech, who is an 11th grader this season, is verbally committed to Baylor University. Here's a view into how Szech had to adapt to the pandemic.
- VYPE U: What have you done over the prolonged six-month quarantine to stay in volleyball shape?
- Szech: To stay in shape over quarantine I would run at least 2.5 miles a day and do some sort of plyometric volleyball workout during the day.
- VYPE U: What do you expect for this upcoming season from yourself or your team as a whole?
- Szech: This season I hope to go super far in playoffs and win state! I think this goal is so attainable with hard work and determination! My biggest goal this season is to do everything in my power to this team excel!
Avery Shimaitis who is an 11th grader this season, and is one of GRHS lead outside hitters. Here's a view into how Shimaitis' feels about this upcoming season, and the difficulties of adapting to this pandemic.
- VYPE U: What do you expect for this upcoming season from yourself or your team as a whole?
- Shimaitis: Our team is really strong, so I expect us to thrive this season. We are all really competitive and driven. We want to make up for our past years, so we are ready to to do what it takes to get to State!
- VYPE U: What have you done over the prolonged six-month quarantine to stay in volleyball shape?
- Shimaitis: Over the 6-month quarantine I have stayed very active by running around my neighborhood every day and working out at F45. I was also getting volleyball reps at my volleyball gym every weekend!
The Longhorn team is coming in hot and strong this 2020 season. With three verbally committed athletes, and the six players who are on watchlists, The GRHS Varsity squad has a very successful path ahead of them!
Olivia Raymond
Alexandra Szech (11) and Alexandra Tennon (12) attempt to block their opponents hit.
