Sophomores to Know for the Second Half of the Season

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>After not heading to a high school game the past few days, I'm back on the road and will drive north to take in a Fox Valley Association contest between reigning Division 1 State Champions, Kimberly, and the hosts for the night, Hortonville. Before the games tip off tonight, we'll highlight a few players who deserve some recognition for the seasons they've put together.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='992495' first='Gabriella' last='Pritchard']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Franklin guard does an excellent job of getting the most out of herself and the people around her. Pritchard is a lead guard who can handle the ball and find ways to create open looks for herself and her teammates. Pritchard does a solid job of controlling the ball under pressure and finding ways to create numerical advantages by playing through ball pressure. It also helps that she can space the floor and knock down shots from the perimeter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1359856' first='Soraya' last='Benton']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>After transferring from Howards Grove to Oostburg, Benton stepped into the gym for a program looking to compete for a second consecutive state championship. She is an excellent athlete with some size who can defend multiple positions and make plays on the ball defensively at any time. Her versatility on the defensive side of the ball will allow her to be a player who can excel whenever she's on the floor and find a role for any team she plays for in the future.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='879894' first='Mady' last='Vind']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Milton has played one of the most grueling schedules in the state to this point in the season, and on paper, their record doesn't tell you how good a team they truly are. Vind has been an excellent piece for a talented Red Hawk group. Vind is an athletic player who has been an excellent screener for her guards, attempting to turn the corner and get downhill toward the basket. She is a lesser-known name in her class, but she will impress people before she graduates.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='888379' first='Layla' last='Walz']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Walz has been a reliable primary ball handler for Wisconsin Lutheran over the past two seasons, and the confidence to take high-pressure shots late in games. The sophomore doesn't seem to be affected by any amount of defensive or outside pressure when she's on the floor. She has the same mannerisms and body language if her team is locked in a tight game against an elite team or up by 40 agaisnt a team they should beat. Players like her elevate programs even if it's subtly.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->