Ranking the Top 16 Chesapeake Teams for 2023
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Last year the top 15 teams were Metro, Blue Ridge, Liberty, MVSA and Virginia Elite. For the most part this should transfer to the 16 age group. Liberty lacks rosters on their website so we can’t comment on them. As…
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Continue ReadingLast year the top 15 teams were Metro, Blue Ridge, Liberty, MVSA and Virginia Elite. For the most part this should transfer to the 16 age group. Liberty lacks rosters on their website so we can’t comment on them. As usual, it all starts with Metro.
Metro
Highlights
This team brings back the same players from the 15 group that advanced to the gold bracket in the American Division of Junior Nationals, finishing fifth. They do add an important new piece in Leni Stanton-Parker Leni Stanton-Parker 6'0" | OH Langley | 2025 State #116 Nation VA , who ranks number two in our class of 2025. For her high school team she spent most of her time at middle, but also hit outside. The Class 6 voted her to the All State second team, just one of two sophomores voted to the team. Where she plays will depend on the team’s greatest need.
Metro seems to be covered at the middle with returnees Sierra Evans Sierra Evans 6'2" | MB John F. Kennedy (MD) | 2024 State VA and the 6’4″ Caitlin Johnson Caitlin Johnson 6'5" | MB Freedom | 2025 State VA . They also used Kristen Moore Kristen Moore 6'2" | RS Virginia Academy | 2025 State VA in the middle, as well as right side. Their two main outsides also return in Madison Smith Madison Smith 6'1" | OH Homeschool | 2025 State VA and Sarah Jeremias Sarah Jeremias 5'11" | OH Holy Cross | 2025 State VA . Madison did not play high school since she schools at home but she did attend the National Team Development Program (NTDP). Sarah played a back up role for Good Counsel last year. A lot of options here.
Metro returns one of the best liberos in the Virginia area in Evie Huang Evie Huang 5'6" | DS/L Flint Hill | 2026 State VA . The Washington Post selected her to the All Met first team, the only frosh to be voted to the team. She took over the libero role for VISAA state champion Flint Hill and they lost just one set the whole year. She ranks number six in our class of 2026.
Jada Aksu Jada Aksu 6'0" | RS Georgetown Day | 2025 State VA ranks number five in our class of 2025. She remains the offensive juice for this team. The Washington Post voted her to their All Met second team, the only sophomore named to the first or second team. Her powerful left handed swing fits perfect for the right side. She also puts up a good block and hits well from the three meter line.
Isabelle Bardin Isabelle Bardin 6'3" | S Flint Hill | 2025 State #121 Nation VA and Ryan Hicks Ryan Hicks 5'11" | S Broad Run | 2025 State VA return as the setters. Isabelle set for Flint Hill and earned a spot on the VISAA state second team. Both players stand close to 6 foot so they could be used in the front row for blocking. With Kristen Moore Kristen Moore 6'2" | RS Virginia Academy | 2025 State VA and Jada Aksu Jada Aksu 6'0" | RS Georgetown Day | 2025 State VA as right side options they may both have to yield the front row in a 6/2 offense.
Blue Ridge
Last year many of these players participated in the 15 Premier AAU championships in Orlando, Florida . They won their first 12 matches of the tourney and found themselves in the gold medal championship match. It came down to a third and deciding set. The team battled but lost 20-18. It had to be fun to play in that match.
Blue Ridge returns the two left sides from that team. The dup could be the most formidable left sides among the 16s. Ada McCoy Ada McCoy 5'11" | OH Musselman (WVA) | 2025 State VA ranks number eight in the class of 2025 while Kennedy Spaid Kennedy Spaid 5'11" | OH James Wood | 2026 State VA ranks number 1 in our class of 2026. Both led their high schools to state championships. They also carry height to the position, each standing 5’11”.
Brenna Corbin Brenna Corbin 5'5" | DS/L James Wood | 2026 State VA ranks number 5 in our class of 2026, but sits atop as the number one libero. She played on the same high school team as Kennedy, hitting outside for the team. Her contributions for Blue Ridge will be as a libero. She possesses a good serve and carries excellent instincts on the court. Her ability to pass on the beach carries into the indoor game.
Kendall Watcher and Allie Lynch will share setting duties running a 6/2. Kendall also sets for Musselman High, a teammate of Ada McCoy Ada McCoy 5'11" | OH Musselman (WVA) | 2025 State VA . They yield in the front row to stronger hitters in Calla Petz Calla Petz 5'9" | OH Heritage | 2024 State VA and Kylie Appleton for the right side.
Ava Dickerson plays a solid middle, providing a combination of offense with her hitting and defense with her blocking. She also played in Orlando for the silver medal Blue Ridge team.
MVSA Sparks
Last year this team played in the 15 Freedom Division in the USAV Junior Nationals, fighting their way into the gold bracket. They finished fifth after losing their opening match. That match went to a deciding third set where they came up short 15-13.
The most dynamic player for the Sparks remains the 6’0″ lefty swinging Ema Djordjevic Ema Djordjevic 6'0" | OH Richard Montgomery | 2025 State VA . She plays left side but may perform better on the right. The team normally rotates their setters out but they still need Ema’s offense in the game to hit back row, so they keep her on the left. She also passes well. Opposite Ema swings Jordyn Palazzo. She gets over looked at times because all eyes are on Ema, but she can bring the heat.
One of the top liberos in the Chesapeake region is Kareena Rathnam Kareena Rathnam 5'3" | DS/L Winston Churchill | 2025 State VA . At 5’3″ her height stands as the smallest on the team, but in terms of her play in the back row the offense would struggle without her. She passes well and her defense reigns supreme. Her serve also travels across the net like a bullet, resulting in an accumulation of aces.
The middles and right sides carry some height. Corinne Howard is the only player of that group less than 6 foot. At 5’11” she brings an aggressive approach to the game, blocking high over the net and driving sets to the floor. Corinne plays the game with aggression. Claudia Balfour, Caroline Kaye and Caitlin Doherty complete the right side and middle positions.
Iris Duan and Katie Tomaszewski feed the hitters. Both yield to taller players when it comes to front row play, but their importance to the team offense should not be ignored.
Other Teams in the Hunt
Paramount has offensive pieces in middle Simone Schaefer Simone Schaefer 5'11" | OH Riverside | 2025 State VA , left side Adriana Perodin and right side Skyler Tennant Skyler Tennant 5'11" | RS Battlefield | 2025 State VA . Claire Mo Claire Mo 5'10" | S Langley | 2026 State VA set for powerhouse Langley as a frosh and the 2026 plays up for Paramount. Sadee Gedse Sadee Gedse 5'6" | DS/L Oakton | 2025 State VA stands out as one of the top liberos in the area.
Virginia Juniors seems to have more players than positions for their outsides. Alexis Ewing Alexis Ewing 6'3" | OH Bullis | 2025 State VA , Destini Pickett Destini Pickett 5'10" | OH Forest Park | 2025 State VA , Racquel Frazier Racquel Frazier 6'1" | OH St. Johns | 2025 State VA and Angelique Desamours Angelique Desamours 5'9" | OH bullis | 2025 State VA all played left side for their high schools. Alexis has tremendous potential. At 6’3″ she has the potential to be a dominating player on the outside but still needs some refinement in her swing. Skylar Johnson, Sydney Mayfield Sydney Mayfield 5'10" | RS Bullis | 2025 State VA and Zoe Strachan Zoe Strachan 6'0" | RS Forest Park | 2024 State VA all played right side for their high schools. That is seven players for four positions. Megan Phan Megan Phan 5'7" | S Bullis | 2026 State VA will set for this contingent. Like Claire Mo Claire Mo 5'10" | S Langley | 2026 State VA from Paramount she belongs to the class of 2026.
Virginia Elite has two quality setters in Shylah Swope Shylah Swope 5'10" | S Herndon | 2025 State VA and Adalene Rodgers Adalene Rodgers 5'11" | RS Potomac | 2025 State VA . Their main offensive weapon is left side Ana Toumazatos Ana Toumazatos 6'1" | OH Langley | 2025 State VA . Evelyn Jurden Evelyn Jurden 6'2" | RS West Springfield | 2025 State VA falls just shy of 10 feet in her approach jump. She can set or hit outside. The 6’1″ Olivia Hatcher Olivia Hatcher 6'0" | OH Bishop Ireton | 2025 State VA is listed as a middle but she hit outside for her high school. All total they have seven players ranked within the top 50 of the class of 2025.
Chesapeake Chirps: Gatorade Players of the Year from the Chesapeake Region include Milan Rex Milan Rex 5'11" | S Alexandria City | 2023 State #147 Nation VA (Virginia), Emerson Sellman Emerson Sellman 6'4" | OH Academy of Holy Cross | 2024 State #5 Nation VA (Maryland) and Pam McCune Pam McCune 6'2" | MB St. Johns | 2023 State #186 Nation VA (DC)….Macaria Spears won it for Texas. Last year she played for Flint Hill High School and Metro.