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Danny's Picks: Volleyball players to watch in 2024
RRHS volleyball players Kyli Burgett and Briland Kienle joke around with a coach.
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EDITOR'S NOTE: Observer correspondent Daniel Zuniga will be doing a series of articles leading into the fall sports season on standout athletes in each sport from Cleveland High School, Rio Rancho High School and Bernalillo High School. This week, he takes a look at volleyball.
The volleyball season is days away. Later on this week, games will start, and by next week, we will be in full swing. Here are some players to keep an eye on from Cleveland, Rio Rancho and Bernalillo. For this list, I was able to speak with coaches, watch some game tape, and take a look at some statistics and individual awards/accolades.
Cleveland High School
The match game is at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 26, at Albuquerque High School.
The Core 4: middle blocker Kelsey Heffner (senior), outside hitter Ceci Vance (senior), opposite hitter Emma Wild (senior), outside hitter Azlynn Tittman (junior). Cleveland High School has four players who have either committed to Division I schools or are currently entertaining DI schools. Because of this, we will shout out them out together. Heffner is going to Sacramento State on a full-ride scholarship to play volleyball. Vance is going to Arizona State and will be graduating in December to join the team in the spring. Wild has several offers but hasn't made a decision just yet, and Tittmann is currently being recruited by roughly six Division I schools. This team is pouring with talent and experience, and “The Core 4” are the seasoned vets that have the Storm primed for a shot at state. I’ll take it a step further and say that this team is the favorite to win it all. Get some popcorn: Cleveland volleyball is must-watch this year.
Setter Molly Maurer (sophomore): The departure of the great Marian Hatch (now playing at University of New Mexico) leaves a gaping hole at setter. For those who don’t know, the setter is responsible for the flow of the offense. Some of their responsibilities include coordinating ball movement and setting up teammates for hard spikes and kills. It is a hard position to play, and Maurer is the de facto starter coming into the season. My favorite thing about Maurer is how creative and deceptive she is. There was a sequence in her club tape where she pretends to set a pass to an outside hitter, and as soon as the opposing team's players bunched up, she bounced the ball behind her to the opposite hitter, who scored an easy kill. Maurer was also a big reason why the Storm went 10-0 at the UNM Lobo Team Camp and 13-0 at the University of Northern Colorado Team Camp. Maurer is a promising young player on the verge of a breakout season.
Rio Rancho High School
First match is 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 29, at Rio Rancho High School.
Outside hitter and middle blocker Briland Kienle (junior): Now, Rio Rancho hasn’t updated their varsity roster on Maxpreps. However, I have no doubt that junior Kienle makes the team and becomes an immediate contributor. Kienle has incredible poise and feel for the game, and she never looks out of place. Everything she does is so natural and smooth and done with intention. Kienle is quick, has great timing, especially as a middle blocker, and has nice swings that generate a ton of power. An underrated part of her game is ball placement; when she hits it, it is impressive where she sends them. I had a lot of fun watching her tape, and I know JV head coach Greer Gessler will miss her. I cannot wait to see her play this season.
Opposite hitter Kyli Burgett (senior): Burgett is a returning varsity player who packs a mean punch anytime her hand hits the ball. Now, I will watch any game footage I can get my hands on. When I watched Burgett, I loved hearing the pop every time she smacked the ball … keep in mind that many of these clips have music playing over the highlights. Power and strength is not an issue for Burgett. Besides that, her technique is sound: She has a great arm swing that creates momentum at the top of the jump and is able to hit the ball with power and precision. Last season, Burgett had a 26.8% kill percentage as an opposite hitter, and I expect her role to increase this season. Besides kills, Burgett has also proven to be a great blocker who routinely finds herself in great defensive position. Burgett has all the talent and potential to be an All-District player, and I am excited to see her take the next step.
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Bernalillo High School
First match is 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24, at Bloomfield.
Outside hitter Leandra Valencia (junior): This summer, Valencia has taken her game to new heights and has done everything she can to improve. She is a hard worker, a grinder and a leader. Valencia even attended a RRHS volleyball camp just to get more reps and to refine her technique. According to some coaches, Valencia is also one of the strongest outside hitters on the Spartan squad and has become a clear leader for the program. Last season, one of her best games came against Valley, where she racked up multiple kills and displayed her power and strength on attack hits. Valencia should have a big season and could help turn around a program that only had two wins last season.
Setter/outside hitter Rayann Downing (sophomore): Attacks, kills, digs: Downing can do it all. Downing is a returning varsity player who has proudly taken the leadership mantle heading into her sophomore year. Downing is one of the most balanced players on the team who excels on offense and defense. She is quick and displays solid technique and understanding of the game. Her coaches have only seen her get better as time has gone, and now, her confidence and passion for the game is at an all-time high. Downing has the potential to own the Spartan court for years to come — and to become the focal point of the Spartan volleyball program.
