2021 Club Overview – Five:1 Athletics

<p>Five:1 Athletics continues to be a club on the rise in the state of Michigan.</p> <p>For 2021, Five:1 is up to a total of 33 teams and spans far around the mitten for its roster.</p> <p>We are starting to see their growth paying off for some of their best units on the regional stage.</p> <p>Here’s a look at how their top teams are looking thus far in 2021.</p> <h4><strong>18 Black</strong></h4> <p>This team isn’t big, with just one play over 6 feet, but they are fundamentally sound and play with a lot of cohesion. <strong>Sydney Sahr </strong>(Hillsdale College) is the lone player over 6 feet for 18 Black and she is joined by <strong>Sage Schumacher </strong>(Arkansas Tech) as a pair of explosive middles. On the outsides, Five:1 doesn’t have the size, but still has a lot of great finishers and passers. <strong>Sarah Veale </strong>(Saginaw Valley State), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="50299" first="Sage" last="Kissman"] </strong>(Ashland), <strong>Sarah Jewell </strong>and <strong>Nicole Jewell</strong> each are strong arms to work with. Veale and Kissman are coming off very impactful prep seasons. <strong>Peyton Miller </strong>(Ithaca) and <strong>Bailey Torpey </strong>(Mount Vernon Nazarene) run the offense at setter and have great chemistry with their hitters. Defensively, <strong>Grace Marshall </strong>(Cleveland State) is a great strength for the team in the back row. <strong>Ally Lasley </strong>(Lake Super State) is a also very steady defensively and from the service line.</p> <p>It’s been a lot of back-and-forth for this team thus far, but ultimately it shows that it is competitive on a state and regional level. They were the 18 Open winners in the Capitol Hill Classic in their most recent outing, giving them a lot of confidence for the busy season ahead. They were able to ride some good momentum in recent tournaments and that could carry them over some big events in the next couple of months.</p> <h4><strong>17 Black</strong></h4> <p>It’s a relatively new group to Five:1 this season, but a talented team with a lot of potential. The strength thus far has been the defensive play of <strong>Rachel Rochon </strong>(Lawrence Tech) and <strong>Ally Hawk</strong> in the back row. Both players are coming up with challenging digs and keeping the team in long rallies. <strong>Molly Pitcher </strong>and <strong>Kayla Baase </strong>have led the hitting efforts on the outside and are joined by <strong>Ella Brakke</strong> and <strong>Joey VanMeter</strong>. <strong>Emily Genau </strong>and <strong>Sheeva Hajimirza </strong>handle the middle, while <strong>Rachel Ross </strong>is able to play the middle or move to the right side. At the setter position <strong>Estella Seguin </strong>and <strong>Shelby Urquhart </strong>are capable setters that are getting a good feel for their hitters and raising their games in the early parts of the club season.</p> <p>Just like 18 Black, this team has great chemistry and has been able to produce some nice wins in-state and regionally. They are coming off a 2^nd-place finish in the Premier Division of the Capitol Hill Classic. Better things are ahead as this team continues to click together and their hitters hit midseason form.</p> <h4><strong>16 Black</strong></h4> <p>The 16 Black roster has been together for quite a few years now, so the connections are there and it has shown on the floor thus far in 2021. Ball control and defense has been the strength for this smaller squad, with <strong>Kendall White </strong>leading the way. The St. Johns product has been a standout in the prep scene for the last two years and is carrying it over to club season. <strong>Taylor Schram </strong>has been a great accessory in the back row as well. <strong>Makayla Neelands </strong>and <strong>Anna Hesse </strong>have been the primary outside hitters, while also showcasing great passing and defensive skills. <strong>Nicole Sisk </strong>and <strong>Blair Wilson</strong> are growing outside options as well. In the middle <strong>Makayla Bihlmeyer</strong>, <strong>Adriana Mileski </strong>and <strong>Ashley Lenhard </strong>all have good blocking ability and the size to be impactful at the net. <strong>Jenna Sayles </strong>is the lone setter on the roster and she is a great leader on the floor. Her confidence level is high and she is raising the game of her teammates.</p> <p>This squad has picked up a couple of tournament wins already this season and was 3^rd in the 16 Open of the Capitol Hill Classic. Wins have been racking up quickly, making a lot of people take notice of this team. They could be the biggest sleeper in the state picture for 16’s and are trying to make a name for themselves in the region. It should be interesting to see where the ceiling is for 16 Black.</p> <h4><strong>15 Black</strong></h4> <p>This team has some good size for being a 15’s unit and they have all played together for a few years, so the chemistry is there. <strong>Ava Bryant</strong> and <strong>Alyviah Wright </strong>are some very promising middles that are coming into their own. They can finish points, but also have good blocking instincts. <strong>Taylor Smith </strong>is the lone primary setter that is showing off her athleticism at the position. 15 Black has some multi-position options as well. <strong>Audrey Geer </strong>can set or move to outside, while <strong>Emily Cryderman </strong>can play outside or shift to the back row as a DS. <strong>Paige Bakker</strong>, <strong>Callie Quackenbush</strong> and <strong>Sydney Stonerock</strong> also play the outside role and are improving on their swings and explosiveness. <strong>Sydney Bell </strong>and <strong>Shailee Simon </strong>are athletics liberos that do a great job of getting to a spot and feeding a good pass.</p> <p>15 Black has had some bumps along the way early on, but has shown a lot of improvement each week. With the size the squad has, it will just be about polishing up the fundamentals for the team to hit a new gear. The team chemistry is there for this team to get hot in the coming months.</p>