Four Nebraska Teams Set to Compete in USAV 18s GJNC This Weekend

Berk Brown

April 26, 2018 @ 03:49 PM

The 18s divisions of the USAV Girls Junior National Championships begin this Friday in Anaheim, California, and four teams from Nebraska will be trying their best to bring a national championship back to the state. In the 18 National division, Premier 18 Gold is the #13 overall seed out of 48 teams - the highest seed among any Nebraska teams in their respective divisions. The first two days of the tournament are pool play, with Premier being in an initial pool with Rockwood Thunder, TIV 18 Mizuno Ben, ARVC 181 Adidas, Colorado Juniors 18 Sherri and WVA 18 Black. Members of the Premier 18 Gold team are: Lauren Bair (Clarinda, IA), Sydney Fitzgibbons (Papillion-LaVista), Taliyah Flores (Papillion-LaVista South), Brooke Frederickson (North Bend), Clara Lamb (Omaha Westside), Sydney McDermott (Skutt Catholic), McKenzie Michalek (Papillion-LaVista), Hailey Petersen (Millard West), Delaney Saucier (Skutt Catholic), Reahgan Stueve (Missouri Valley, Iowa). The team is coached by Nate Mongan, Rick Welch and Darcy Barry. In the 18 USA division, Banzai 181 got a difficult draw as the #47 seed out of 48 teams. Banzai is in a pool with IL HPSTL 18 Elite, Coast 182, TIV 18 Mizuno Kelly, Kairos Elite 18 Beta and HJV 18 Elite South. Members of the Banzai 181 team are: Sydney George (Ralston), Anna Heck, Alicia Hogan (Omaha South), Abigail Mancuso (Ralston), Jennifer Moenning (Ralston), Lydia Permenter (Ralston), Eryn Reesman (Millard West), Mia Shepoka, Sakura Shiroyama, Ryanna Valdiva and Peyton Young. The team is coached by Bo Yong, Cassidy Yong and Serena Yong. There are two teams from Nebraska in the American division of the tournament. Nebraska Elite 18 Envy won its bid at the Northern Lights qualifier that was held in Omaha. It comes into the tournament as the #31 seed out of 64 teams. In its initial pool will be Momentum 18 Staci, SRVC Storm 18 and Coastal 18 Blue. Members of the Nebraska Elite 18 Envy team are: Makenna Freeman (Omaha Westside), Olivia Galas (Omaha Gross), Ally Glaser (Papillion-LaVista), Julianna Kalil (Omaha Duchesne), Megan Kreps, Madison Lihs (Clarinda, Iowa), Michaela Puck (Bennington), Rose Reed-Bouley (Omaha Gross) and Bryn Stansberry (Bennington). The team is coached by Andrea Jensen and Tony Carrow. Premier 18 Black is seeded #58 in the tournament and it will have Stingray 18 Black, 1st Alliance 18 Black and Renaissance 18 Black in its initial pool. Members of the Premier 18 Black team are: Haley Alharithy (Omaha Concordia), Karli Eckert, Hailey Folkers, Taylor Heinin (Elkhorn South), June Johnson (Mead), Jada Key (Millard West), Claire Larson (Millard South), Lauren Maciejewski (Papillion-LaVista) and Elyse Splichal (Bellevue West).