Here are some of the top high school sports players to watch this fall in the Hickory area across volleyball, soccer, girls tennis and girls golf.

Emmi Gambill, Hickory, volleyball

Emmi Gambill is a hard-hitting, 5-foot-10-inch junior who has been a force for Hickory since before she walked into a classroom on campus for the first time.

On Aug. 14, 15 and 22, 2023, the outside hitter logged 16, 17 and 25 kills respectively in the first three varsity games of her career. The next Monday, she reported to school to start her freshman year.

Gambill finished her freshman campaign with 434 kills. It made her No. 2 in the conference. Last year, head coach Jason Stephens said the goal was for her to improve her accuracy. Gambill rose to the challenge, raising her hitting percentage to .242. Sh

See Full Page