Kansas and Missouri Teams in Kansas City

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The [program_tooltip program_id='428794' first='Power' last=''] Pools get much of the attention at the Triple Crown NIT tournament taking place this weekend in Kansas City. Every year there is a team who fights through the other route to find themselves in the mix come the last day. Today we want to see what other teams from Kansas and Missouri will be attempting to be this year's success story.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>18U Division</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We have a couple of teams from the greater Kansas City area set to play in the 18 division. <strong>[program_tooltip program_id='428892' first='PVA' last=''] 18 Elite</strong> had a good showing in Northern Lights and has clinched a bid in the National division come April. Expect [player_tooltip player_id='171295' first='Elinor' last='Engel'] and [player_tooltip player_id='150075' first='Jaya' last='Johnson'] to set the tone in the middle. <strong>[program_tooltip program_id='428889' first='Dynasty' last=''] 18 Black</strong> will also join the party and look to have a competitive weekend of play. This team gets good defensive play from [player_tooltip player_id='119225' first='Abigail' last='Christian'] and [player_tooltip player_id='150067' first='Heidi' last='Devers']. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We hop over to Missouri and the west side of the state where both <strong>Rockwood 18 Elite</strong> and <strong>Navy</strong> will venture down I-70. 18 Elite placed second in their bid weekend and had a 7th place showing in Chicago at the Windy City Qualifier. [player_tooltip player_id='102554' first='Juliette' last='Myrick'] to [player_tooltip player_id='123472' first='Caitlyn' last='Little'] has been a successful connection over the years. The Navy squad has been consistent this winter with three 5th-place finishes in events. A couple of pins to keep an eye on would be [player_tooltip player_id='101698' first='Kirstyn' last='Loyd'] and [player_tooltip player_id='123657' first='Abigail' last='Siess']</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jumping back to Kansas and in the state capital <strong>Topeka Impact</strong> heads east on I-70 for the action. They have a bid under their belts for April and have a lot of championship talent on their team. They finished 5th in the open division at MLK Qualifier. [player_tooltip player_id='120008' first='Brooklyn' last='DeLeye'] is a household name but watch out for [player_tooltip player_id='120044' first='Taylor' last='Russell']. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Two teams will embark will up I-35 from the southern part of Kansas with <strong>[program_tooltip program_id='432164' first='Fight' last='Club'] 18-1 </strong>and <strong>Shockwave 18 Black</strong>. [program_tooltip program_id='432164' first='Fight' last='Club'] has a Liberty bid and will put a competitive team on the court. [player_tooltip player_id='122207' first='Maliyah' last='Johnson'] is a scoring machine and [player_tooltip player_id='120021' first='Payton' last='Benoit'] is a tremendous defender. Shockwave will ride Madeline Schrandt on the outside and the ball control of [player_tooltip player_id='120023' first='Jordan' last='Bruckner'] and [player_tooltip player_id='152180' first='Ally' last='Larkin'].</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>17U Division</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We will start this division with the Missouri teams from the St. Louis area. Both <strong>HPSTL 17 Royal </strong>and <strong>[program_tooltip program_id='428799' first='Rockwood' last='Thunder'] 17 Navy</strong> are in the mix. The 17 Royal team earned a bid not long ago in their bid weekend tournament with a second-place finish. [player_tooltip player_id='150037' first='Grace' last='Killion'] and [player_tooltip player_id='124849' first='Nadia' last='Wasilewski'] are weapons on the outside. Rockwood earned a bid at Northern Lights with a third-place showing. [player_tooltip player_id='150039' first='Claire' last='Fulton'] can be a factor at the net. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>417 Juniors</strong> earned a spot in their region [program_tooltip program_id='428794' first='Power' last=''] league and are ready to face new competition. They have a roster of players who had strong high school seasons this fall for their respective teams. [player_tooltip player_id='124850' first='Rilynn' last='Finley'] and [player_tooltip player_id='150036' first='Reagan' last='Baade'] are a couple of those players. Kansas City is well represented with <strong>[program_tooltip program_id='428892' first='PVA' last=''] 17 Elite, [program_tooltip program_id='430200' first='KC' last='[program_tooltip program_id='428794' first='Power' last='']'] 17 Red, Mavs KC 17-1, and Pohaku 17-1.</strong> Pohaku has looked strong early this season behind the setting of [player_tooltip player_id='119689' first='Ava' last='Martin']. Mavs KC has been getting good defensive play at the net and behind the block. [player_tooltip player_id='150069' first='Fiona' last='Vandyke'] will be one of many players making plays for [program_tooltip program_id='428892' first='PVA' last='']. [program_tooltip program_id='430200' first='KC' last='[program_tooltip program_id='428794' first='Power' last='']'] 17 Red will be in the mix with their good ball control. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Shockwave 17 Black</strong> has a team when hot can be dangerous. They are loaded on the pins and have a quality setter. The players in the middle are key to their success this weekend. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>16 U Division</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We will start our 16s with <strong>Topeka Saints 16-1</strong>. The Topeka Saints isn't a large program but we have noticed over the years they have put together some very good teams with talented players who advance to play at the next level. [player_tooltip player_id='205566' first='Maegan' last='Mills'] and [player_tooltip player_id='219725' first='Jo'Mhara' last='Benning'] are solid pin players and [player_tooltip player_id='219715' first='Campbell' last='Chabot'] is one of the top 2025 setters in the state.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[program_tooltip program_id='428799' first='Rockwood' last='Thunder'] 16 Navy</strong> represents the east side of the Show Me State. [player_tooltip player_id='207269' first='Mallory' last='Sell'] will be a featured part of the team's offense. <strong>Mavs 816 16-1 </strong>will be in the mix based on the Missouri border with Kansas. [player_tooltip player_id='219776' first='Madeline' last='Sallee'] and [player_tooltip player_id='493090' first='Kamryn' last='McDonald'] can affect a match at the net both offensively and defensively.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The trio of Kansas City teams in <strong>Mavs KC 16-1, [program_tooltip program_id='430200' first='KC' last='[program_tooltip program_id='428794' first='Power' last='']'] 16 Black, and [program_tooltip program_id='428892' first='PVA' last=''] 16 Elite</strong> will make the short trip downtown. All three of these teams were among the top four in [program_tooltip program_id='428794' first='Power' last=''] league qualifying. [player_tooltip player_id='173393' first='Caroline' last='Clayton'] and [player_tooltip player_id='154041' first='Logan' last='Parks'] are among two of the top players in the class in the country. [program_tooltip program_id='430200' first='KC' last='[program_tooltip program_id='428794' first='Power' last='']'] has been getting lights-out defensive play from [player_tooltip player_id='185632' first='Alex' last='Klukvin'] and [player_tooltip player_id='173372' first='Lily' last='Wedman'] is making good decisions from the setter position. [program_tooltip program_id='428892' first='PVA' last=''] also has displayed a good defense behind [player_tooltip player_id='261113' first='Macey' last='Jackson'] and [player_tooltip player_id='219709' first='Summer' last='Anderson']. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>15 U Division</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>All of the Heart of America teams represented qualified for their [program_tooltip program_id='428794' first='Power' last=''] League. The two Mavs teams, <strong>Mavs KC 15-1</strong> and <strong>Mavs 816 15-1 </strong>stood undefeated after the first play date a couple of weekends ago. <strong>[program_tooltip program_id='428892' first='PVA' last=''] 15 Elite, [program_tooltip program_id='430200' first='KC' last='[program_tooltip program_id='428794' first='Power' last='']'] 15 Black, and [program_tooltip program_id='428889' first='Dynasty' last=''] 15 Black</strong> complete the other local teams who will take part in the action-packed weekend. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Wichita will be represented by <strong>Shockwave 15 Black</strong> and <strong>[program_tooltip program_id='432164' first='Fight' last='Club'] 15-1</strong>. St. Louis will send [program_tooltip program_id='428799' first='Rockwood' last='Thunder'] 15 Elite and 15 Navy. We will spend a lot of time around the 15s courts as we get to know some of the players in this age division. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->