Five Teams That Could Shake Up Beast Of The East

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Beast of the East brings 32 strong volleyball teams into one colossal tournament.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With eight pools of four teams formed in the first stage, tournament managers attempt to seed equally throughout each pool.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>That means the top 2 teams in each pool are typically forecasted to reach the gold bracket.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>But, each year there is a team that has other ideas in mind.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With such a strong field, there is likely to be a 3 or 4 seed that breaks through to the gold bracket and perhaps beyond that.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here's five teams that could fit that bill quite easily.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2><strong>Portage Central (Pool H)</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A 24-win team as it is, the Mustangs are accustomed to winning. They've also tested themselves against the best the West side of the state has to offer. Now, they want to show what they've learned against the likes of Dakota, Novi and Bloomfield Hills. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='173620' first='Cece' last='Jilek'] </strong>has a big opportunity to make a name for herself in this event. The senior outside is an explosive player that knows how to finish a point. Sophomore <strong>Lauren Khoenle</strong> can get a lot of eyes on her as well. As a 2025 outside hitting prospect, she's got a great all-around game. She could be a difference maker to help get Portage Central into the gold bracket.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2><strong>Grand Rapids Christian (Pool G)</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Eagles may be a bit down this year, but they are still a Division 2 powerhouse that has championship success bred into the program. You can't count them out of this tournament. The Eagles have been taken their lumps in a loaded Grand Rapids area volleyball scene, but you've also seen them improve as the season has went on. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='66327' first='Makenzie' last='Ritsema']</strong> can be a handful at the net, while <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='110324' first='Grace' last='Spoelma'], Hanna Bredeweg </strong>and <strong>Madison Peal </strong>are scrappy players that won't let GRC go down quietly.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2><strong>Brighton (Pool A)</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Bulldogs have a sub. 500 record, but it's just because they constantly play against the top teams in the state. The Beast of the East will not be an overwhelming environment for them. While beating Marian may be a lot to ask, Brighton has already taken a set from Lakeland this season. It's done the same against the likes of Skyline, Novi, Saline and Northville. The talent is there, but playing at a high level consistently hasn't been. Perhaps Saturday is when we see it. Junior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='110298' first='Lea' last='Gage'] </strong>will be one of the top combo players (setter/OPP) at the tournament. She can make plays everywhere on the court. Junior <strong>Sophie Lerch</strong> has also put in a lot of work in the back row and shown improvement through the season as a libero.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2><strong>Grand Haven (Pool E)</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Grand Haven is another that has taken on a really tough schedule, so its record is reflective of that. However, the Bucs have elevated their play to match their competition in a number of close sets. They also own a win over Novi earlier in the season. The potential is there, it's just a matter of maintaining the consistent level of high play for multiple sets. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='108715' first='Kam' last='Burbridge'] </strong>is as tough of a middle as we will see this weekend, and she's surrounded by talented hitters on the outside and spry defenders in the back row.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2><strong>Grand Blanc (Pool C)</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It's going to be a challenge for the Bobcats to break through in Pool C with Saline and Forest Hills Northern in its path, but I've seen what Grand Blanc can be at its best, and that is a team that can play with anyone. It's a team that has beaten Dakota and taken a set from Clarkston. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='66316' first='Remi' last='Madison'] </strong>doesn't have to take a back seat to anyone at the Beast of the East when it comes to overall play as an outside. She's as good as it gets when on her game. The key will be finding that consistent surrounding support to give the Bobcats some balance.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->