With another week of volleyball matches in the books, the DMV’s top teams and talent are starting to emerge. Here are three players who stepped up in early September:
Katie Mitchell, Junior, Outside Hitter, Richard Montgomery
Mitchell is one of the buzziest prospects in the area this fall. The 6-foot-1 outside hitter is committed to Minnesota and ranked as a Top 100 recruit by PrepDig. Mitchell has lived up to that billing for the Rockets, who are off to an undefeated start. Mitchell racked up double-digit kills in each of her team’s first three matches, including a 22-kill outburst against 4A state finalist Urbana and a 17-kill performance against rival Churchill, which took down the Rockets in last year’s state quarterfinals.
“Katie’s a super strong player, knowledgeable about the game — she’s definitely a presence to play against and also to play with,” coach Gretchen Barber-Strunk said. “I think our girls have an advantage in getting to practice with her. … If you can dig a ball from Katie, that’s pretty much the hardest you’re going to see.”
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Laila Chadwick, Senior, Outside Hitter, Madison
Chadwick is committed to Oklahoma to play libero, but she’s spending her final season at Madison crushing kills as an outside hitter. Standing at just 5-foot-8, the senior uses an impressive vertical leap to lead her team’s offense from the outside. The Warhawks, who dealt with an injury bug in the opening month of their season, have relied heavily on Chadwick’s offense. She racked up 76 kills and 10 service aces in Madison’s first five matches of the season. In early September, Chadwick led the Warhawks to a thrilling 3-2 victory over Flint Hill, a longtime power in the Independent School League. With Chadwick in charge, the Warhawks are poised to make a deep run with the hopes of winning their first state title since 2015.
“She’s insanely athletic … you would never guess stat-wise that she’s not super tall,” Madison coach Kendal Hall said. “We’re excited to have her for one last year.”
Gabrielle Deutz, Senior, Setter, St. John’s
St. John’s coach Bill Pribac likened the setter position to the quarterback of a football team. Deutz has played that role masterfully for the Cadets, who have already picked up five wins and look to be a viable contender in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference. In her team’s season opener against National Cathedral, Deutz tallied 32 assists in a commanding three-set victory. She’s also made her mark serving the ball, notching a team-high five aces in that same match. She topped that performance with seven aces against St. John’s Catholic Prep two matches later.
“Her serve has been uncanny this year,” Pribac said. “She’s definitely been very consistent.”
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