2019 Motor City Madness Breakdown & Predictions

<p>The 2019 Mizuno Motor City Madness event is set to take place this weekend from around the Detroit area. The event gives local teams a chance to be showcased while volleyball fans can see some rising stars from around the Midwest and Canada. Here's a preview of what to expect in some of the featured divisions.</p> <p><strong> </strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline"><strong>18 Open</strong></span></p> [caption id="attachment_23651" align="alignright" width="300"] Maddy Chinn[/caption] <p><strong>Teams: </strong>FaR Out 18 Black (LK); FIVE1 VBC 18-ADIDAS (LK); HRVCHurricanes 18Blk (CA); Impact VBC Smack 18 Open (HO); Legacy 18-National (LK); MiElite 18 Elite East (LK); MiElite 18 Elite West (LK); MiElite 18 Mizuno (LK); MKE Sting 18 Black (BG); MKE Sting 18 Gold (BG); MVA 18 National Black (LK); Preds 18U Girls Purple (CA); TeamD 18-Red (LK); Unified 18-1 (LK), Detroit Success (MJ); Dead Frog 18 Black (LK)</p> <p><strong>Overview: </strong>FaR Out 18 Black, Michigan Elite 18 Mizuno and Milwaukee Sting 18 Gold come in with the best resumes and potential, but the likes of MVA 18 National Black, TeamD 18-Red and Impact VBC Smack 18 also have the potential to top the field. The 18 Open features a really solid crop of future Division 1 talent.</p> <p><strong>Players To Watch: </strong>Dru Kuck, L (Milwaukee Sting 18 Gold/Kansas State); Madeline Chinn, OH (Michigan Elite 18 Mizuno/Purdue); Lindsay Taylor, OH (FaR Out 18 Black/Miami Ohio); Jordyn Gates, S (FaR Out 18 Black/Arkansas); Natalie Risi, OH (Michigan Elite 18 Mizuno/Ball State); Alayna Jansky, OH (Milwaukee Sting 18 Gold/Eastern Michigan); Wren Macaulay, S (Michigan Elite 18 Mizuno/New Hampshire); Maggie McCrary, MB/RS (FaR Out 18 Black/Miami Ohio); Andelyn Simkins, OH/RS (FaR Out 18 Black/Western Michigan); Ryann Jaqua, OH (Dead Frog 18 Black/Toledo); Avolyn Lepo, MH (MVA 18 National Black/Oakland); Emma Szypszak, OH/MB (Milwaukee Sting 18 Black/Florida Gulf Coast).</p> <p><strong>Prediction: </strong>FaR Out 18 Black takes it. Their challenging schedule this season should have them prepared to prevail this weekend.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline"><strong>17 Open</strong></span></p> [caption id="attachment_28955" align="alignright" width="195"] Addie VanderWeide[/caption] <p><strong>Teams: </strong>FIVE1 VBC 17-ADIDAS (LK); Impact VBC Smack 17 Open (HO); Inside Out 17Mizuno Black (LK); MiElite 17 Elite East (LK); MiElite 17 Elite West (LK); MiElite 17 Mizuno (LK); MVA 17 National Black (LK); Pgh Elite 17 Elite (KE); TeamD 17-Red (LK).</p> <p><strong>Overview: </strong>MVA 17 National Black looks like it could be the team to beat while Michigan Elite 17 Mizuno could be right on its heels. This nine-team field is pretty wide open with PGH Elite and Impact VBC being a pair of out-of-state contenders.</p> <p><strong>Players To Watch: </strong>Francesca McBride, OPP (Michigan Elite 17 Mizuno/Florida); Sarah White, S (PGH Elite 17 Elite/Ohio State); Paige Gallentine, L (Michigan Elite 17 Mizuno); Gracie Gorsline, DS (MVA 17 National Black); Addie Vanderwiede, OH (MVA 17 National Black)</p> <p><strong>Prediction: </strong>MVA 17 National Black has been the most consistent in this group in terms of winning and I think that will continue in Pontiac.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline"><strong>16 Open</strong></span></p> [caption id="attachment_39279" align="alignright" width="300"] Julia Bishop[/caption] <p><strong>Teams: </strong>FaR Out 16 Black (LK); FIVE1 VBC 16-ADIDAS (LK); Impact VBC Smack 16 Open (HO); MiElite 16 Elite East (LK); MiElite 16 Elite West (LK); MiElite 16 Mizuno (LK); MVA 16 National Black (LK); MVP 16-1 (OV); Pgh Elite 16 Elite (KE); TeamD 16-Red (LK); Unified 16-1 (LK).</p> <p><strong>Overview: </strong>Michigan Elite 16 Mizuno and FaR Out 16 Black should be eyeing each other up in this field and it won't take long for the two to cross paths, as they meet Saturday at 10 a.m. MVA 16 National Black could play a potential spoiler.</p> <p><strong>Players To Watch: </strong>Julia Bishop, S (Michigan Elite 16 Mizuno); Aubrey O'Gorman, MB (FaR Out 16 Black/Michigan State); Mikayla Haut, OH (Michigan Elite 16 Mizuno); Maradith O'Gorman, OH/RS (FaR Out 16 Black/Michigan State); Lydia Harper, S (FaR Out 16 Black/Miami Ohio); Sophie Plate, OH (MVA 16 National Black); Rachel Jennings, L (Michigan Elite 16 Mizuno); Ashley Nordmann, OH/MH/OPP (Michigan Elite 16 Mizuno); Kaylin Collins, OH (Michigan Elite 16 Mizuno); Mackenzie Gross, OH (MVA 16 National Black); Tatum Otolski, MH (MVA 16 National Black).</p> <p><strong>Prediction: </strong>FaR Out and Michigan Elite should have some good showdowns this weekend when they cross paths and I think the title comes down to one of those two. Michigan Elite will have the home-court advantage, which could give it that little boost.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline"><strong>15 Open</strong></span></p> [caption id="attachment_36239" align="alignright" width="197"] Ava Brizard[/caption] <p><strong>Teams: </strong>Dunes 15 Black (HO); FaR Out 15 Black (LK); FIVE1 VBC 15-ADIDAS (LK); MiElite 15 Mizuno (LK); MVA 15 National Black (LK); Pgh Elite 15 Elite (KE); TeamD 15-Red (LK); TI Elite 151 (HO); Unified 15-1 (LK).</p> <p><strong>Overview: </strong>Michigan Elite 15 Mizuno comes in as the favorite, but the home-town team will be challenged by Indiana-based squads, TI Elite 151 and Dunes 15 Black.</p> <p><strong>Players To Watch: </strong>Ava Brizard, OH (Michigan Elite 15 Mizuno); Sarah Sylvester, OPP/MH (Michigan Elite 15 Mizuno); Brooke Dzwik, OH (FaR Out 15 Black); Serena Nyambio, MB (Michigan Elite 15 Mizuno); Anna Leigh Alford, S (FaR Out 15 Black); Kimani Johnson, OH (Michigan Elite 15 Mizuno); Chloe Fornetti, L (FaR Out 15 Black); Hannah Bitely, S (MVA 15 National Black); Evelyn Doezema, RS (MVA 15 National Black)</p> <p><strong>Prediction: </strong>Michigan Elite has a really talented roster of rising stars and I think this will be a good showcase for them. I like 15 Mizuno to take the crown.</p>