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Minor League Roundup

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Minor League Roundup

The Week That Was

Reno extended their losing streak to ten games as they were swept. They’ve now fallen 16.5 games behind Tacoma and El Paso, and that in a span of just 45 games. But things were better elsewhere. Amarillo won four of six and are seven games up in the Texas League South. Hillsboro won four of six against Everett to climb out of last place in the Northwest League. And while Visalia lost four of six against Rancho Cucamonga and are now in last place in the California League South, they are just 5.5 games behind Inland Empire.

In the DSL, most of the top players were moved from the Black squad to the Red squad as Arizona Red is in the thick of the race. That contributed to Black going 1-5, while Red went 4-1, and could have climbed into first place with a win on Saturday, but unfortunately they lost in extra innings to the DSL Angels, who are in first place in the DSL South. Had they won, they would have been in a three way tie for first place; as it is, they are two games back with two to play and since they don’t have the tiebreakers, I believe they have been eliminated.

Overall, that’s 15-20. They were outscored 217-185. Kind of rough, but there were still some great performances.

Batter of the Week

Ryan Waldschmidt hit an astounding five home runs over the past week to lead the Sod Poodles over the Hooks. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images)
John E. Moore III/Getty Images

Ryan Waldschmidt, Amarillo (11-for-21, 10 R, 11 RBI, 7 BB, 2B, 5 HR, .593 RC/PA)

In 28 plate appearances for the week, Waldschmidt collected 34 true total bases. On average, he produced more than half a run each time he came to the plate. Throughout the entire organization (including the major leagues) he is the only player with 15 home runs and 20 stolen bases. He’ll probably be joined by Corbin Carroll and Geraldo Perdomo, as well as Kristian Robinson and Tommy Troy, but he’s the first to reach those marks. Yet despite all that, he didn’t have the single-best one-game performance in Amarillo this week, as Christian Cerda tore things up yesterday. Oh, and Waldschmidt has been playing center field all week, as Gavin Conticello and Jack Hurley have dealt with various injury concerns.

Honorable mention should go to Cerda and Caleb Roberts, who put together weeks that would generally be good enough to win Batter of the Week, but Waldschmidt was better.

Starting Pitcher of the Week

COLLEGE BASEBALL: MAY 07 Presbyterian at Miami

For the second week in a row, Eagen is the Starting Pitcher of the Week after a stellar outing
Photo by Samuel Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Daniel Eagen, Hillsboro (7 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 2 BB, 11 K)

One week after turning in a hitless start in Vancouver, Eagen actually performed slightly better, in terms of his game score. He did allow two hits and two walks this time, but he pitched seven scoreless and struck out 11. He’s still a bit inconsistent, but his WHIP on the year has dropped to 1.065 and he’s gotten similar results in pro ball this year as he did last year for the Presbyterian Blue Hose.

Relief Pitcher of the Week

Sandro Santana, Visalia (6 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 3 BB, 9 K)

Santana struggled a bit upon his promotion to Visalia from the complex, but he’s looked a lot better of late. He’s pitched 11 innings in August and struck out 15 against five walks while allowing five hits and one run. He’s an undersized lefty and doesn’t project as much of a prospect going forward, but it’s hard to argue with the results. This past week, he turned in two scoreless appearances, including getting the save by working the final three innings of yesterday’s shutout win.

Prospect Watch

A reminder here on how I am rating prospects:

Tier I: These are players that I consider to have All-Star upside, and not just that they might make a game because every team needs to have a representative or because other players drop out. I believe that they could legitimately compile some 5-6 WAR seasons.

Tier II: These are players I see as having the upside of being a regular major league starter for a good team. They wouldn’t be expected to carry a team, but they would still be useful pieces of a lineup.

Tier III: These are players I see as having the upside of being a bench player, platoon player, or AAAA player. Every organization needs a lot of these, but if you are having to start several regularly, you aren’t having a good season.

Tier IV: These are players I see as minor league filler, having either no chance of reaching the big leagues or, if they do reach the big leagues, it’s as an emergency option. Once again, every organization needs and has a lot of these players; most people don’t know them, but I’m rating everyone, not just the top prospects.

Correction

Thanks to Paulnh for pointing out to me that Tommy Troy didn’t get included in last week’s post. I did rate him as a Tier II player, but somewhere in my compiling I left him off of the final product. Here is what I have on Troy:

Troy has enjoyed a breakout season with the bat between Amarillo and Reno. He’s struggled a bit with the promotion, but not so much that it should be viewed as a setback. The glove is the issue. While he’s better at second base than his time as shortstop (which was nothing short of disastrous) he still struggles with consistency. That is likely a part of the reason he’s been tried in center field. If the bat continues to develop and he can get more consistent with the glove, he’s a potential everyday second baseman, or possibly a third baseman or outfielder. But there’s still a fair amount of risk that he winds up a utility player or AAAA player.

Corner Outfielder

Tier I: Adriel Radney, Ryan Waldschmidt

Radney has all the physical tools to be a star. As with all prospects his age (but doubly so on the international market) the question is whether he will ever make anything out of those tools. So far, this month looks like a breakout month. In August thus far, he’s slashing .333/.451/.643, has a cycle to his name, and has more free passes than strikeouts. This with a BABIP of .375. Because he struggled at the start of the season, his overall numbers don’t look great, but this is surely the last playing time he’ll see in the DSL. He just turned 18. He’s a legitimate prospect.

Waldschmidt reminds me uncannily of another college bat who engendered differences of opinion when he was drafted and when he was working his way through the system, and it’s not just because their surnames rhyme. He’s not hitting for quite the same level of power as Goldy did in his minor league career, but he’s getting on base more, leading to an OPS just 30 points lower. His wRC+ is ten points lower than Goldy’s during their respective age-22 seasons, but Goldy played his entire age-22 season in High-A, while Waldy is tearing up AA. Is it a risk to name him Tier I instead of Tier II? Yes. But no one would have predicted that Paul Goldschmidt would find his way to Cooperstown. Waldschmidt should provide more defensive value and baserunning value, enough to offset the differences in their bats. I’m not saying he’ll wind up in the Hall; he almost certainly won’t, but I think he’s on track to be a multiple-time All Star.

Tier II: Gavin Conticello, Elian De La Cruz, Mayki De La Rosa, Bo Walker, Gian Zapata

Conticello is being overlooked, but is putting together a second consecutive solid season at the plate. He’s cut his strikeouts and increased his walks. If an issue has come to light this year, it’s been that he’s missed a little bit of time due to injury, and his power numbers have stalled or taken a step back. But he’s also become a solid defensive outfielder with an arm that is above-average, something lacking in the system. Apart from Waldschmidt, he’s the outfielder highest up in the system who looks like a major league regular.

De La Cruz is another international signing who didn’t look great last year. He was looking good this year, but hasn’t played in quite a while, likely due to injury.

De La Rosa was an unheralded signing this past year. A lot of people thought that the main reason to sign him was to have a better chance of signing his younger brother. But he’s been an above-average bat at 17.

Walker is in this tier for his athletic ability. He was a multi-sport star in high school who has power potential. He struck out way too much in his first professional season, but it’s too early to write him off yet.

Zapata struggled mightily when he came over from the DSL last year, and had a rough start this year, but turned things around towards the end. In his final seven games this season, he hit two home runs, went 11-for-25, and stole two bases. As with everyone in this tier apart from Conticello, there is massive bust potential, but there’s also starting potential.

Tier III: Alfredo Benzan, Abdias De La Cruz, Junior Franco, Albert Medina, Angel Ortiz, Caleb Roberts, Kristian Robinson, Ronny Suarez, A.J. Vukovich, Trent Youngblood

Far too long after he was expected to be an impact talent, Kristian Robinson is on the cusp of the major leagues

Benzan is a switch hitter with a ton of speed who has walked almost as many times as he has struck out and has a size that enables one to project some power. He hasn’t quite figured out what to do with his tools yet, but he’s 18 in the DSL.

De La Cruz has had a disappointing year. He has all the defensive skills to be a solid outfielder and the potential for a solid power/speed profile, but is closer to washing out than living up to it.

Franco is small and little-regarded, but he bulked up over the past offseason and has shown some power. Unfortunately, it does seem to have cost him a fair bit of his speed, but he draws enough walks and controls his strikeouts enough to still have a decent shot at a future bench role.

Medina is a 17-year-old who has shown promise, but will have to learn to hit the ball in the air. In his professional career thus far, he’s hit the ball on the ground five times more than he has in the air.

Ortiz missed all of 2023 with an injury and fell entirely off of the radar. But he’s drawing plenty of walks and has shown some pop, with 11 home runs to lead Hillsboro. He’ll have to find some of that pop against LHP to have more than a part-time role, as he’s limited to a corner outfield or possibly first base.

It’s a tough call between Tiers III and IV for Roberts, who lacks both offensive and defensive upside but is a solid player. Ultimately I chose to put him in Tier III because he does have the ability to catch in a pinch, meaning that he could wind up being a Cooper Hummel-type player in the future.

Kristian Robinson is several years removed from being a top-100 prospect, and he no longer profiles as an everyday player at the major league level, but he does look the part of a solid contributor as a fourth outfielder. He still needs to cut his strikeouts, but he draws plenty of walks and—thanks to mostly full health for the first time in years—has demonstrated speed. He could provide value as a fourth outfielder with the ability to play all three positions in a pinch, although he’s not going to be a regular center fielder. There’s still a chance, if he brings his strikeouts down to around 25%, that he could be a power/speed corner outfielder, but fourth outfielder is more probable.

Ronny Suarez was a fairly highly-regarded signing over the last period. He’s had a disappointing year, but has speed and the frame to project some power.

Vukovich got off to a dismal start in AAA this year, but after briefly being placed on the development list he’s slashed .321/.402/.538 over 179 plate appearances. There is some BABIP assistance there (.400 BABIP) but he’s walked 11.7% of the time, compared to 5.9% of the time before, and he’s cut his strikeouts at the same time. If he learns to hit the ball in the air more, he could turn into a 25-30 home run threat, but most likely he’s a bench bat type.

Youngblood projects as a super-utility guy. He’s hit everywhere he’s played, but not for much power, and that doesn’t look to change, but he has walked about as often as he has struck out, he has speed (he’s stole 21 consecutive bases) and he can play a lot of different positions.

Tier IV: Jose Alpuria, Alexander Benua, Andy Encarnacion, Jefferson Pena

Alpuria is fast and should have power potential, but he’s 20 and has yet to strike out in fewer than 25% of his plate appearances despite most of them coming in the DSL and complex.

Benua at least draws walks, but is older than Alpuria. Encarnacion is unlikely to ever see the complex. Jefferson Pena might well already be released but that hasn’t been communicated; a 36.3% strikeout rate in the complex as a 21-year-old doesn’t play.

Center Fielders

Tier I: Slade Caldwell

Caldwell is arguably the top prospect in the system right now. He’s had a great year, even if it’s not been quite as expected. The defense has been better than expected, which is always a nice bonus, but he’s hit the ball on the ground too often, which is a large part of the reason why he’s struggled a lot more in Hillsboro than he did in Visalia. But he still projects as a power/speed center fielder. He just turned 19. As things stand now, he’s on track to be the next great Diamondbacks’ outfielder. Whether he lives up to his potential like Corbin Carroll or doesn’t quite reach it like Alek Thomas is the big question.

Tier II: Erick De La Cruz, Nathan Hall, Druw Jones, Belfi Rivera

Hall played at Clemson before transferring to in-state rival South Carolina, and showed defensive skill at both places

De La Cruz wasn’t particularly highly regarded, and in his first season in the DSL he struck out almost 30% of the time. But he was still an above-average bat, and he’s been even better this year. He’s got a 148 wRC+ with four home runs and 18 walks against 21 strikeouts. He also hits the ball in the air, a rarity at this level.

When I got to watch South Carolina earlier this year, Ethan Petry was the prospect everyone was looking at. Hall was, to my eyes, more impressive. Petry made him look better; the poor defense from Petry in right made Hall work harder in center, and he was up to the task. In addition, Hall walks about as often as he strikes out, and has some sneaky power. He’s probably not as fast as a lot of the outfielders Diamondbacks’ fans are used to seeing, but he still projects as an above-average runner who covers plenty of ground and has at least an average arm in the outfield.

I think it safe to say that Druw Jones is not going to be a regular All-Star center fielder. But that doesn’t mean that he will not become a regular major league starter, which was always the more realistic expectation. Yes, his bat still has plenty of question marks. But his defense is good enough to start in the big leagues now, and he’s cut the strikeouts enough to provide hope that he can be more than a defense-first fourth outfielder. Barring a major setback with the bat, I anticipate that he’ll be the starting center fielder in 2028, and probably profile a lot like Ender Inciarte.

Belfi Rivera cratered off of prospect lists with a dismal year in the DSL last year, but there’s still substantial upside here, and he cut his strikeouts some. The hope remains that he can be a power/speed threat and a regular starter, but the bust potential is sky-high. It may not be more than 50/50 if he can reach Visalia, but if he manages to make enough adjustments to find himself in Hillsboro at some point, he has a good chance at being a regular starter.

Tier III: Jorge Barrosa, Raily Liriano, Jose Pitre

Barrosa is the known quantity. He’s a AAAA player who provides excellent defense but nowhere near enough with the bat to play every day.

Liriano and Pitre are both in the DSL. Liriano is in his second year and substantially cut his strikeouts. Pitre is in his first year and has walked more than he has struck out, but has little else to recommend him.

Tier IV: Pedro Catuy, Jack Hurley, Jakey Josepha

Between his struggles with the bat and his injury track record, it seems unlikely that Catuy ever develops beyond low-level organizational filler. Hurley is striking out 42.8% of the time, which is a trend in the wrong direction, and his defense is solid but not good enough to offset his negatives with the bat. Josepha’s bat is coming along, but probably not enough. He’s finally a league average bat in A-ball, but he struggles mightily against LHP and probably will not grow into enough regular power to be a platoon player.

The DSL season will come to an end this week. Reno goes to Salt Lake, Amarillo goes to San Antonio, Hillsboro goes to Eugene, and Visalia has a huge series at Inland Empire.

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All-Area Volleyball First Team | Winchester Star

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December 26, 2025

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Aaliyah Green

Millbrook — Junior 

Outside hitter

Green ranked first in the area in kills per set (5.40), sixth in digs per set (2.95) and eighth in aces per set (0.68). Class 4 State, Region 4D and Northwestern District First Team selection. Northwestern District and Winchester Star Player of the Year. 

Brenna Corbin

James Wood — Senior

Outside hitter

Corbin led the area in total aces (96) and tied for first in aces per set (0.99). Ranked third in digs per set (3.69) and fifth in kills per set (2.94). Class 4 State, Region 4D and Northwestern District First Team selection. 

Kennedy Spaid

James Wood — Senior

Outside hitter

Spaid ranked first in the area in total kills (458) and third in kills per set (4.87). Ranked seventh in digs per set and aces per set. Class 4 State, Region 4D and Northwestern District First Team selection. 

Isabel Aliveto

Clarke County — Junior

Outside hitter

Aliveto ranked second in area in total kills (428) and kills per set (5.16). She ranked ninth in aces per set (0.66) and tied for 12th in digs per set (2.37). Class 2, Region 2B and Bull Run District First Team selection. Bull Run District Player of the Year. 

Breeze Johnson

Handley — Sophomore 

Outside hitter

Johnson ranked 4th in the area in kills per set (3.73) and digs per set (3.65) and placed 3rd in aces per set (0.82). Class 4 State Second Team and Region 4D and Northwestern District First Team selection. 

McKenna Homans

Millbrook — Freshman

Setter/hitter

Homans ranked 14th in kills per set (1.62), sixth in assists (4.32), seventh in blocks (0.57), 11th in digs (2.42) and 12th in aces (0.61). Only area player to rank top 15 in all five major statistical categories. Region 4D and Northwestern District First Team selection.

Bryn Franzen

Clarke County — Senior

Middle hitter

Franzen ranked 5th in area in blocks per set (0.65) and 11th in kills per set (1.89). Class 2 State Second Team. Region 2B and Bull Run District First Team selection. 

Avery Curtis

Sherando — Freshman

Middle hitter

Curtis led the area in total blocks (78) and blocks per set (1.05) and ranked 6th in kills per set (2.45). Region 4D and Northwestern District First Team selection.

Kate Madden

Millbrook — Junior

Libero

Madden led the area in total digs (368) and digs per set (4.91). Ranked 13th in  aces per set (0.60). Region 4D and Northwestern District First Team selection.

Jillian Emmart

Clarke County — Senior

Setter

Emmart led area in total assists (596) and assists per set (7.64) and averaged 1.94 digs per set.

 



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Best Gainesville-area Big School Volleyball Player for the 2025 season

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December 26, 2025

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Dec. 26, 2025, 4:00 a.m. ET





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Petoskey’s Katie Parker earns News-Review Volleyball POY, see All-Area

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December 26, 2025

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Dec. 26, 2025, 4:01 a.m. ET

PETOSKEY — Katie Parker made an impact on the varsity volleyball court in all four seasons of her Petoskey career. 

After each season, she set her sights on becoming even better, something her Petoskey teammates and coaches were grateful for. 

Then came the 2025 campaign and eventual end. There was no next, something that hit home with Parker, though it’s a four-year career that most can only dream about.

“I didn’t really realize how much playing school ball meant to me until it was over,” Parker said. “Since I started my freshman year I always through, ‘One more year…one more year.’ But then realized this year is the last year. That final game really took an emotional toll on me.”

Parker’s absence within the lineup is sure to take a toll on Petoskey as well. 

Petoskey's Katie Parker was the engine to the team's production over her career and will be a huge piece to replace after a 2025 News-Review Player of the Year honor and standout career.

The senior leaves Petoskey with the second most career assists with 2,901, placing her within the statewide career lists of the MHSAA. 

As a setter, she knows she’s in a position where she needs her teammates for success as much as they need her and she credits that bond as the biggest factor of her career. 



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All-Lowcountry teams for cross country, volleyball and more

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December 26, 2025

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Girls Cross country

2025 Coach of the Year: Josh Michael, Philip Simmons. Michael led both the boys and girls team to state championships in Class AA this season. It was the fourth consecutive championship for the girls team and the second for the boys team.

2025 Runner of the Year: Morgan Howell, Porter-Gaud. Howell, a freshman, won her second straight SCISA Class AAAA state championship and recorded the fastest time in the area among all classifications with a time of 17:47. Earlier during the season her time of 17:16 was the fastest in the state in 2025.

All-Lowcountry Team

Morgan Howell, Porter Gaud: SCISA AAAA State Champion, 17:47

Taylor Blackwelder, Summerville: AAAAA Div. I, State Runner-up, 18:17

Anna Cavallon, Wando: AAAAA Div. I, 4th place, 18:34

Avah Mallek, Philip Simmons: AA State Champion (3rd straight), 18:37

Nora Brahim, Bishop England: AAAA, 3rd place, 18:38

Corrie Reinhardt, North Charleston: AAA, State Runner-up, 18:40

Evelyn Mercer, Palmetto Christian: SCISA AAAA, 5th place, 19:01

Lydia Scanlon, Lucy Beckham: AAAAA Div. II, 3rd place, 19:10

Sophia Lee, Wando: AAAAA Div. I, 12th place, 19:18

Laura Perry, Philip Simmons: AA, 4th place, 19:23

Colby DeLamielleure, Hanahan: AAA, 6th place, 19:24

Boys Cross Country

2025 Runner of the Year: Brayden Bunt, Academic Magnet. Bunt was the highest-finishing runner among all Lowcountry runners in state meet competition, finishing as the state runner-up in Class AA with a time of 15 minutes, 47 seconds, which was two seconds faster than Summerville’s David Greer.

All-Lowcountry Team

Brayden Bunt, Academic Magnet: AA State, Runner-up, 15:47

David Greer, Summerville: AAAAA Div. I, 4th place, 15:49

Wilson Scapellato, Charleston Collegiate: SCISA AA State Champion, 15:56

Ari Laurient, Wando: AAAAA Div. I, 8th place, 15:59

Connor Good, Bishop England: AAAA, 3rd place, 16:08





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Allie Landry named 2025 Putnam County Volleyball Player of the Year | Sports

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December 26, 2025

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A year after winning a sectional title in 2023, Greencastle’s volleyball team had high expectations of going a step further in 2024.

Instead, a small late season wobble saw an experienced Tiger Cub team finish third in the WIC after being swept by Indian Creek and fail to win a set in its sectional title defense against Parke Heritage.

For a roster full of underclassmen, the loss stung but in the long run, might have been the catalyst needed for Greencastle to embark on an epic 2025 campaign.

The Tiger Cubs finished 30-5, sweeping the Monon Athletic Conference title with a 7-0 mark, claiming the Putnam County Volleyball Tournament after letting it slip the prior year, and winning not only a sectional title, but the school’s first volleyball regional title since 1998.

Seven seniors led the squad in various capacities, including 2024 Putnam County Volleyball Player of the Year Makenzie Creviston, Keely and Roan Amis and Haley Owens along the front line, Meilani York and Ellie Knuth in the back row. Sophomore back row Janae Greenlee and freshman all-rounder Sophia Gooch made a critical impact all over the floor.

With so many potent attackers up front and defenders sweeping up behind, Allie Landry was given the task of pulling the strings to make everything work.

Landry had been the Tiger Cubs’ sole setter as a sophomore in 2023 but split duties as a junior with Kaitlin Welker in 2024.

Back in charge of the operation in 2025, Landry orchestrated an offense with four hitters that claimed over 100 kills and a fifth on 94 kills, the senior setter adding 88 kills of her own while recording 949 assists, 236 digs, 108 aces and 37 blocks.

Landry’s mastery of the offense and decision-making on the floor led her to be named the Putnam County Volleyball Player of the Year for the 2025 season.

The disappointment of the finish to her junior season was a rallying cry for the seniors heading into the 2025 season.

“In the first round of sectionals, we got smoked last year,” Landry said. “That was not what we were expecting. We had way more goals than that.

“Coming off that season, all of us, especially having so many seniors, we wanted to come out stronger this year, knowing we were going to get everyone back, it made it easier for us to get together in the offseason and set goals for ourselves that we could attain as we were very excited for the upcoming season.

“It was really nice having Makenzie and Keely as they are super driven and both of them had the highest amount of kills on the team coming into this year,” Landry added. “Getting to play with them for so long and knowing we had one season left, it really motivated us to do all we could in the offseason and make the most out of the time we had left.

“We wanted to make our last season our best season.”

Landry’s athletic prowess is not limited to volleyball, having qualified for the IHSAA Girls’ Tennis Individual Regional for a second time in three years, as well as helping Greencastle win a fifth-straight sectional title.

A focus on tennis led to Landry relinquishing club volleyball, initially seen as ideal in her pursuit of the sport, but the draw of volleyball was strong enough to cause her to reconsider her plans before her senior year began.

“I wasn’t going to play club volleyball last year, having decided to focus on tennis,” Landry said. “I had played from fourth grade all the way until freshman year, stopped as a sophomore and had planned not to play again until I randomly got offered a spot on another club team as they needed another setter.

“That really helped. I really didn’t want to take another year off as I missed playing when I did. That spot felt like a sign that I needed to keep playing volleyball.

“Initially, I thought I was just going to be playing tennis in college and felt it was a waste of time if I did play volleyball,” Landry added. “I used the offseason to get really good at tennis and was going to do the same, having thrown all my club stuff out, but I ran back to get it and have since committed to playing both tennis and volleyball at DePauw.”

The club, Rev Volleyball Academy, came about thanks to a local connection to Greencastle in Suzanne Masten, offering a chance to get more time on the court as well as different perspective by working with a new set of teammates.

“This was an entirely new team,” Landry noted. “I had played for (Crossroads of America) in previous years, so I went in knowing only coach Masten, who got me on the team.

“It was so different playing on a team with nobody that I knew as I had only played with my same group of friends and a few others. It was a really great experience as it helped me connect with new hitters and learn from them.

“Going back and forth between two different sets of hitters, especially different middles as everyone has different timings that they like, was hard,” Landry added. “It was easier to shift from club to my school teammates than the other way because of muscle memory but it was definitely helpful to have the extra training.”

On top of getting back into club ball, Landry said the Tiger Cubs opted for a different plan in the summer, going for more time on the court as a team rather than individual work.

“We did something different by going to the Dunes Camp,” Landry said. “Usually, we go to a college like Ball State or Indiana University.

“Instead of focusing on drilling, we wanted to get a lot of playing experience, feel out a bunch of different lineups and throw people into different spots. We played 10 games over two days and were so tired after that.

“We stayed in a house together and all the togetherness was so fun,” Landry added.

The time at the camp was also a chance to work in Greenlee and Gooch into the fold, forming the bases of the team that would explode into life in a few months’ time.

“The Dunes Camp was the first time we had all played together as a group,” Landry noted. “We played with Janae the previous year, though she had a smaller role on the varsity last year but she was a great personality and was a great addition to the team this summer.

“We’ve known about Sophia for a few years so we were so excited to have her join. People asked if she would take away some of the spotlight from players in our senior year but we wanted her and all of the success that comes with having her on the team. We absolutely love her.”

Once the 2025 season arrived, Landry said the team was dialed in far more than the previous year, going in with the mindset of not leaving anything on the table every night on the court.

“Losing county and sectionals really lit a fire under us for this year,” Landry said. “We knew with the talent and the experience we had, we told ourselves we were going to county and not losing a set. We were going to sectionals and not losing a set.

“We had a don’t let up mindset against any team we faced. We didn’t want there to be any teams where we thought we could have played better against or we shouldn’t have lost to them.

“Every single game we played, we played with the intention of not losing any sets we didn’t need to,” Landry added. “We tried to fight in every match, even in losses like to Northview.

“We only lost two matches in which we didn’t win a set, which was different from past years where we’d gotten swept 3-0.”

Landry also set high goals for herself, wanting to better one of her own records and reach another major milestone as a setter.

“For settlers, reaching 1,000 assists is a big goal and one I had reached the previous year,” Landry said. “This year, my biggest personal goal was to reach 2,000 assists. That’s a huge goal.

“I also wanted to beat my ace record from sophomore year, which I didn’t quite get, but I was fifth in the state in aces. As a competitive person, I was tracking that leaderboard all season.”

A season-opening loss to Danville was followed up by a 13-match winning streak, cementing the start the team was looking for as well as showcasing the level of play the team had at its disposal.

“Our longest streak before this season was freshman year,” Landry said. “We started out 0-7 then won our next seven games. That was the longest streak I could think of.

“That stretch of the season was so fun. It’s very easy to let up in the middle of the season but I’m not sure we lost more than a set or two in that stretch.

“It was a case where we put our heads down, did the work and looked up to realize we were 13-0 over the past couple of weeks,” Landry added. “It was so fun to do that with my best friends.”

During the run, Greencastle won six of its seven Monon Athletic Conference games, all-but wrapping up the conference title a week into September, though Landry said the team almost didn’t notice their success at the time.

“We had talked about it last year when we played teams that were going to be in the new conference,” Landry said about winning the new conference. “Again, we put our heads down, put in the work, beat the teams we needed to beat and looked up to see we had won the conference.

“We hadn’t won conference before and it was exciting to be the first team to win the new conference title.”

The streak was broken when Greencastle hosted Northview, the only five-set match played by the Tiger Cubs on the season.

“Even though we lost to Northview, it was my favorite match of the year,” Landry said. “Just the name Northview, even if they’re in the middle of nowhere, they’ve been good at everything; there’s always some underlying tension thanks to club ball but they have smoked us year in and year out.

“This year, we thought if there was a year to beat them, this was it, so we went into that game so excited. It was a five-set match and so long and while we were sad afterward, we all realized how well we played and said we should be proud of ourselves, not sad. It was a fun game.”

The Tiger Cubs dusted themselves off, winning 10-straight matches to end the regular season and heading into postseason play with momentum at its back, though Landry said the team was reminded not to assume anything once sectional play began.

“We tried to have the mindset of not being too comfortable entering the postseason,” Landry said. “Everyone’s record is 0-0 at that point, something our coaches said to us a lot.

“In past years, we’ve had good seasons and gotten to the postseason thinking, it’s Parke Heritage, we’ve never played them before but thought we had it. They came out swinging and we weren’t ready for it at all.

“This year, we didn’t care about stats, records or if we played anyone in the sectional already, we wanted to clean it off as no one wants to be done and everyone is going to play as hard as they can,” Landry added. “We did our best to take care of business.”

Against the same Parke Heritage team that knocked them out of the tournament the year prior, Greencastle swept the Wolves to advance, eventually sweeping South Putnam and South Vermillion for a second sectional title in three years.

“We wanted to build on what we did sophomore year,” Landry said. “We won the sectional but we weren’t ready for the regional then.

“We wanted to give ourselves the opportunity to prove ourselves, that we weren’t just a team that won a sectional but could go beyond that. We were locked in during sectional week and the week after that getting ready for the regional.”

While sweeping through the sectional, Landry said the team was constantly being pushed in practice as head coach Denise Meyer put the squad through intense practices, utilizing Maggie York and Sarah Sprangler, former Marian University players and current Tiger Cub assistant coaches opposite the starting lineup.

“It really helps having a really good coaching staff like we had,” Landry pointed out. “They’re all so focused and wanted our success sometimes more than we did, so they were willing to do whatever it took and called whoever they needed to call to help us.

“They watched so many games of film and scouted teams. We spent so much time watching Covenant Christian and Barr-Reeve matches. The focus leading up to sectionals, the regional and semi-state, doing frustrating drills and other things that would get our minds working was with the goal of making things mentally easier during the match than during practices.”

Going into the match against Covenant Christian in the regional, Landry admitted nerves were getting to the team beforehand but a 9-1 start in the opening set eventually led to a sweep of the Warriors.

“We were really nervous, especially with how the regional went sophomore year,” Landry said. “We said we were not letting that happen again. That could not be us.

“We knew it could be our last game and said we had to leave it all out there. Even though we had scouted them all week, we also knew they were going out to avoid playing their last game, too, so we had to go out expecting everything.

“It was so fun,” Landry added. “The start set the tone for the rest of the match as we were so hyped to be there and showed we came ready to play.”

The win saw Greencastle paired with 2A No. 1 Barr-Reeve in the opening round of the Bedford Semi-State and though the season would come to an end against the Vikings, Landry said the squad battled gamely and enjoyed the experience.

“Even though we lost 3-0, the scores were a little closer than they showed,” Landry said. “We played really hard with (Barr-Reeve) most of the time.

“It came down to a couple of errors here and there that we could have cleaned up that really would have made a difference. The opening set was 22-22 and if we had won that, it really would have made a difference.

“Going in, they were the favorite and we were the underdogs, but the thought was, why can’t it be us to beat them?” Landry added. “Even though it was likely going to be our last game, we were so excited to play and had so much energy going into it.”

Just a few weeks later, Landry and Creviston would find themselves sharing the same court as several of the newly-crowned state champions as part of the Indiana High School Volleyball Coaches Association All-Star Games.

“Makenzie and I both initially didn’t want to see them but it was so hard to be like that because they were so nice,” Landry said. “We told them we were rooting for them because if you lose to someone, it might as well be the state champions.

“Even if we were a little salty about losing to them, they were super sweet, so it was easy to cheer for them to win state and play with them at the All-Star game.”

Greencastle finished the 2025 season with a 30-5 record, a 7-0 mark in MAC play, the school’s 21st volleyball sectional title and fifth regional title.

“I could not have asked for a better way to end my senior season,” Landry said. “It could not have been any better or any more fun.

“I have no regrets from this season, no games where I felt like we should have won or played better. We played to our full potential, even nearly winning a couple of games 25-0.

“The dominance we had was so fun,” Landry added. “That came from all the work we put in together since we’ve been in fourth grade, driving to club practices, seeing all of that time and effort pay off.”

Landry credited getting back into the swing of club ball for helping her have a fitting final season for Greencastle and for performing as well as she did over the course of the campaign.

“I’m really glad that I joined the club team because last year, I felt I was rusty going into the season and I didn’t want that at all,” Landry said. “I was able to hit the ground running and work toward my 2,000-assist goal as well as all my team-oriented goals with my friends.”

Also helping was a change in system that featured Landry as the sole setter in the rotation, a formation Landry was happy to take back up after splitting setting duties a season ago.

“Being the competitive person that I am, I wanted to run a 5-1 system like we had run my sophomore season,” Landry said. “Switching from that system into a 6-2 system as a junior was kind of hard for me but I loved playing with Kaitlin and I do like hitting, so I was happy to get an extra season of swinging in.

“I was definitely very happy to get my 5-1 permission back. Even if we ran that system last year, I don’t think all of us had the same fire or urgency of last year playing together. It might not have changed as much as we think because we had a very different mindset going into this season.”

Though there’s more volleyball to come for Landry, doing it without the teammates she has had the past four seasons was going to be tough, though she added she hoped the returning players picked up the mantle and carried the program forward.

“I’m so grateful to have been a part of a program and the friendships I’ve gained from playing with these girls my whole life,” Landry said. “I would not have traded it for anything else.

“Rowan coming in, Greta (Szabo) coming in, it’s so welcoming and such a fun program to be a part of. I’m so sad to have to leave and a little jealous of all the underclassmen that have years left to play for Denise.

“The records I set are one thing but the culture that myself and the other seniors have created is important,” Landry added. “I hope our leadership and the bond we created with one another is something that others are inspired to carry on.”



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Palm Beach 7A-5A girls volleyball first team, second team, honorable mention and coach of the year

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December 26, 2025

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FIRST TEAM

Sofia Concepcion, Dr. Joaquin Garcia, Volleyball. All-CountyDeerfield Beach on Tuesday, November 18, 2025. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Sofia Concepcion, Dr. Joaquin Garcia, Volleyball. All-County—Deerfield Beach on Tuesday, November 18, 2025. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Sofia Concepcion, MH, Dr. Joaquin Garcia senior: Led the Bulldogs to a district championship and to a 5A regional quarterfinal; recorded 151 total blocks, 98 kills and .370 hitting percentage; had 15 blocks in a match; Athlete of the Week recipient.

Hailey Ferwerda, West Boca Raton, Volleyball. All CountyDeerfield Beach on Wednesday November 19, 2025. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Hailey Ferwerda, West Boca Raton, Volleyball. All County—Deerfield Beach on Wednesday November 19, 2025. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Hailey Ferwerda, OH, West Boca senior: Led the Bulls to a district championship and to a 6A regional final; recorded 21 kills in regional semifinal win; registered a team-high 228 kills, 171 digs and 47 aces.

Abi Chin Lee, Seminole Ridge, Volleyball. All CountyDeerfield Beach on Wednesday November 19, 2025. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Abi Chin Lee, Seminole Ridge, Volleyball. All County—Deerfield Beach on Wednesday November 19, 2025. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Abi Chin Lee, OH, Seminole Ridge junior: Team captain; recorded 296 kills, 287 digs, 281 service points, 241 receptions and 51 aces; Team Offensive MVP recipient; FACA All-State selection.

Bella Levitt, Dwyer, Volleyball. All CountyDeerfield Beach on Wednesday November 19, 2025. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Bella Levitt, Dwyer, Volleyball. All County—Deerfield Beach on Wednesday November 19, 2025. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Bella Levitt, MB/OH, Dwyer junior: Recorded 291 kills, 49 blocks and 25 aces; team captain; had 21 kills in regional quarterfinal and 18 kills in regional semifinal; JVA Watchlist Class of 2027; Prep Dig No. 7 ranked middle blocker in Florida for Class of 2027.

Alexia Marchese, Dwyer, Volleyball. All CountyDeerfield Beach on Tuesday, November 18, 2025. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Alexia Marchese, Dwyer, Volleyball. All County—Deerfield Beach on Tuesday, November 18, 2025. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Alexia Marchese, OH, Dwyer junior: Led the Panthers to a 7A regional final; team captain; registered 275 kills, 262 digs and 45 aces; had 28 kills in a match; Dwyer Athlete of the Week; Team Offensive MVP recipient.

Kaija Fullerton, Jupiter Girls Volleyball (Courtesy/Jupiter High School)
Kaija Fullerton, Jupiter Girls Volleyball (Courtesy/Jupiter High School)

Kaija Fullerton, OH, Jupiter junior: Led the Warriors to a district title and 7A regional final appearance; registered 27 kills in regional semifinal win; recorded 328 kills and 141 digs; Jupiter High School Athlete of the Week selection.

 

SECOND TEAM

Victoria Addazio, setter, Dwyer freshman

Hadley Clark, libero, Boca Raton senior

Daniela Garrido, libero, Dr. Joaquin Garcia senior

Payton Lotz, libero, Dwyer sophomore

Elise Sergent, OH, Jupiter senior

Lillie Voss, setter, Jupiter junior

HONORABLE MENTION

Boca Raton: Meya Cooper, Lia Ray, Kiara Rose

Dr. Joaquin Garcia: Sophia Bui

Dwyer: Teaghan Greenman, Addison Inge

Jupiter: Ainslee Aden, Grace Lovell

Lake Worth: Illeysha Rodriguez

Palm Beach Central: Zoe Pikula

Park Vista: Madelyn Moye, Elsa Yonko

Royal Palm Beach: Camila Echeverry, Leslie Mentor

Seminole Ridge: Capri Corey, Emma Ginther, Kyla Wallace

Spanish River: Amelie Fortinho

Wellington: Nicole Koch

West Boca Raton: Hendrix Goodwin, Chloe Khoury, Sofia Maldonado

COACH OF THE YEAR

Blane Betz, Jupiter girls volleyball
Blane Betz, Jupiter girls volleyball

Blane Betz, Jupiter: The Warriors finished 23-5, won a district championship and reached a 7A regional final. “I feel like this year’s team and their success was really about learning how to bring a family of players together. We had players from all four grade levels. We had players from out-of-state and seeing them work together as a family to figure out how to be their best I think was most impressive about this team. Their patience throughout the season as we figured out the best scenarios for our team success was pretty great as well. And of course, I have the best coaching staff around. I could not do what I do without them.”



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