H-Town Showdown #4 – 16s – The Outside Hitters

<p>One of the most comprehensive and interesting events in the Houston club volleyball scene, the H-Town Showdown held its fourth stop in 2022 this past weekend, with competition taking place in two different venues across the city.</p> <p>The fourth weekend of the event reunited 40 teams in the 16s division and another 19 in the 18's division. Competition took place in two different venues and we headed to the [program_tooltip program_id='431337' first='Texas' last='Tornados'] club on Saturday, where 24 teams of the 16s division competed in the morning.</p> <p>As usual, we're presenting our positional breakdowns during the week and in today's article, we'll list some of the most powerful outside hitters who were on the court.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Ally Tribe – Texstar 16 – HS: Columbus – 2023</strong></p> <p>A scoring machine for her Texstar 16 team, Ally Tribe was one of the top offensive players in the tournament. At 6'1”, she's really proficient at the net, combining power and skill in an impressive way. She's the kind of player that will stand out for bouncing the ball in a given play and hitting a very sharp angle on the next one.  Tribe is very confident in her game and will keep swinging even after making a mistake or getting blocked. She's also a very good server and is capable enough to play solid volleyball on the backcourt too.</p> <p><iframe src="https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/14852844/6171d031042788091805fb41" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Addison Menefee – HJV 16 National – HS: Ridge Point - 2025</strong></p> <p>A six-footer with outstanding potential and the ability to play on either side of the net, Addison Menefee was among the top outside hitters of the tournament mostly for her offensive punch. Long and athletic, she has tremendous firepower on her right arm, a good shot variation and makes very few mistakes. She displayed impressive progress from the last time I had watched her play, almost three months ago, and is now more comfortable with passing.</p> <p><iframe src="https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/15378590/626329e84205f90f38508c94" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Avery Ameen – Catalyst 16 Green – HS: George Ranch – 2024</strong></p> <p>Avery Ameen was among the most complete players in the tournament with her excellent all-around game. The 5'8” outside hitter was a key piece in Catalyst 16 Green's backcourt game with solid passing and very good defense, but also held her own at the net. Ameen was the team's most used scoring option thanks to her ability to alternate from hard hits to tips and roll shots.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Kennedy Jones – [program_tooltip program_id='431337' first='Texas' last='Tornados'] 16 Adidas – HS: Langham Creek – 2024</strong></p> <p>An athletic freak, Kennedy Jones is the kind of player that impresses every time she goes up to hit the ball. Her hangtime is truly off the charts and that combined with her 5'10” frame, quick right arm and excellent shot selection makes of her a game-changer on offense. She's very confident at the net and will want the ball when the match is on the line, being the go-to scoring option in whatever team she plays at, especially when they're out of system.</p> <p><iframe src="https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/15034717/626e1d1402b1540d489b8f3f" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Addison Moss – Texas United 16 Red – HS: Dawson – 2024</strong></p> <p>Addison Moss's excellent all-around game was crucial for her Texas United 16 Red team in the tournament. The 5'9” outside hitter is very complete and active on the court, being a centerpiece for her team when at the net or the backcourt. Offensively, she has a lot of resources and alternatives to score points, combining a powerful right arm with an interesting ability to tool the block or use tips. Moss is very consistent throughout matches and is also extremely reliable, making very few mistakes when considering her usage rate.</p> <p><iframe src="https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/15633084/625c5dc6b3d2f10a10fa7d27" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Emerson Cykoski – Woodlands Revolution 16 Black – 2024</strong></p> <p>Emerson Cykoski impressed with her efficiency when it came to scoring points. She's not extremely tall at 5'9", but gets off the floor really well and makes contact with the ball at a very high point. Cykoski has a wide array of options on her offense and is totally unpredictable, making life harder for opposing blockers. She's also a solid sever.</p> <p><iframe src="https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/17214220/626ec0d2d468a80cf4520600" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>