Club Team Spotlight: NPJ 18-1 Forefront & NPJ 17-1 National

North Pacific Juniors 18-1 Forefront The NPJ 18-1 Forefront team has risen to prominence in the 18U Division, always one of the top competitors in the CEVA region. Led by club director Adam Ellis and assisted by Mike Gee, the team continues to produce top athletes for Oregon and Washington. The roster this season is no different, stacked with lots of talent. [caption id="attachment_175674" align="alignleft" width="224"]<img class="wp-image-175674 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2022/01/sydney-harrington-action-224x300.jpg" alt="" width="224" height="300" /> Photo: Ed McReynolds[/caption] SETTING The only underclassman on the team is sophomore standout [player_tooltip player_id="126024" first="Alexis" last="Haury"], the #1 2024 recruit in Oregon, and #3 nationally for 2024. She was just awarded the prestigious honor of being named Oregon Gatorade Player of the Year, impressive for any athlete, but almost unheard of for a sophomore to be named this. [player_tooltip player_id="91243" first="Sydney" last="Harrington"] {pictured} (Virginia Commonwealth commit) is also on the roster as a setter, so she could be splitting time with Haury, running a 6-2. Harrington was recently nominated for Oregon Player of Year and was a Mid-Willamette First Team All-League selection and 5A First Team All-State honoree, after running a 5-1 for 5A State champions West Albany. [caption id="attachment_175676" align="alignright" width="222"]<img class="wp-image-175676 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2022/01/hailey-heider-hitting-e1642718475362-222x300.jpg" alt="" width="222" height="300" /> Photo: Ed McReynolds[/caption] FRONT ROW Expect a lot of the sets to be fed to powerhouse outside hitters [player_tooltip player_id="91217" first="Hailey" last="Heider"] {pictured} and [player_tooltip player_id="91206" first="Ashli" last="Edmiston"], who were named co-5A Player of the Year. Heider returns to this team, playing for Forefront as a junior. However, you can expect her to take on a much bigger offensive and defensive role for the team this season. Edmiston is new to NPJ this season, having previously played for Athena Volleyball Academy. Also on the pins, but more likely on the right side, will be [player_tooltip player_id="91259" first="Jamie" last="Seward"] (Austin Peay commit) and [player_tooltip player_id="91242" first="Emmi" last="Marks"] (Corban commit). In the middle, they will have powerhouses [player_tooltip player_id="116493" first="Ella" last="Nordquist"] (Western Oregon commit), [player_tooltip player_id="91228" first="Isabella" last="Snyder"], and [player_tooltip player_id="91239" first="Gracie" last="Boeder"]. [caption id="attachment_175677" align="alignleft" width="150"]<img class="wp-image-175677 size-thumbnail" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2022/01/shealyn-setting-e1642718580560-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /> Photo: Ed McReynolds[/caption] BACK ROW [player_tooltip player_id="91216" first="Shealyn" last="Cecil"] {pictured} was a Three Rivers First Team All-League and 6A Second Team All-State selection as the primary setter for the West Linn High School Lions, 6A State champions. However, when she decided to make the move from OJVA to NPJ this season, they will look to Cecil to fulfill a new role: as the designated libero. Also on the roster as a defensive specialist is Washington athlete Emily Wood.   North Pacific Juniors 17-1 National The NPJ 17-1 National squad, practicing out of Salem, OR, is led by head coach Traci Stephens and assisted by AJ Francis. With a decent number of returners from the NPJ 16-1 National team from last season, plus a few studly newbies, this team is definitely one to watch. [caption id="attachment_175931" align="alignleft" width="160"]<img class="wp-image-175931 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2022/01/maddie-corpe-setting-e1642796442129-160x300.jpg" alt="" width="160" height="300" /> Photo: Ed McReynolds[/caption] SETTING Running the offense since 12s, [player_tooltip player_id="91313" first="Madison" last="Corpe"] {pictured}, from McNary High School, is back for her junior season. However, usually with this group running a 6-2 alongside Corpe is [player_tooltip player_id="91362" first="Hayden" last="Hamilton"], who ended up moving to Bend in 2021. This being said the team needed another setter to fill that hole in the roster. The team has added Hayden Pinard, a Southwest Conference Second Team All-League selection, from Roseburg High School.       [caption id="attachment_175936" align="alignright" width="224"]<img class="wp-image-175936 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2022/01/amyah-semau-action-224x300.png" alt="" width="224" height="300" /> Photo: Fanta Mithmeuangneua[/caption] FRONT ROW The team is not short on offensive power with lots of it at their disposal. Another returner to this group for many seasons will be [player_tooltip player_id="91326" first="Kayleigh" last="Carpenter"], a six-rotation outside hitter, and recent Boise State commit. With [player_tooltip player_id="126029" first="Kendyl" last="Arnett"] staying in 16U to play with her grade level, on the 16-1 National team, the team has added pin hitter [player_tooltip player_id="91317" first="Amyah" last="Semau"] {pictured}. Semau saw significant playing time on the outside for State champions West Linn High School. They will also have bouncy Brooksie Isham, explosive [player_tooltip player_id="164244" first="Emily" last="Blagg"], athletic [player_tooltip player_id="91325" first="Ella" last="Smith"] and powerhouse [player_tooltip player_id="164245" first="Tessa" last="Zimmerman"]. All four of these athletes can play anywhere across the front row, so it will be exciting to see who plays middle and who plays elsewhere! [caption id="attachment_102038" align="alignleft" width="150"]<img class="size-thumbnail wp-image-102038" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2020/07/sarah-jones-action-shot-150x150.png" alt="" width="150" height="150" /> Photo: Ed McReynolds[/caption] BACK ROW The back row is in good hands for this NPJ team, with returner [player_tooltip player_id="91321" first="Sarah" last="Jones"] {pictured}, the starting libero for the Sprague High School Olympians. Also added to the roster is newbie [player_tooltip player_id="91311" first="Kennedy" last="Cheung"] who has spent her club career at OJVA until this season. Cheung is the starting libero for the Westview High School Wildcats. Now the question is, who will be sporting the libero jersey? Or will they continue to run two liberos, as they have done for the first tournament? Only time will tell.