Team of the Week: North Creek Jaguars-Week One!
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Week 1 of the Washington high school volleyball season was packed with action, and the North Creek Jaguars out of the 4A Kingco league is our first Team of the Week for their dominant season-opening play. The Jaguars started the…
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Continue ReadingWeek 1 of the Washington high school volleyball season was packed with action, and the North Creek Jaguars out of the 4A Kingco league is our first Team of the Week for their dominant season-opening play. The Jaguars started the season with a road sweep of a talented Lake Stevens squad, then took the tournament title at the Bellevue Invitational defeating Skyline, Lakeside, Bellevue, and Lake Stevens again 2-1 for the championship. North Creek features excellent dual right side/setters with Mariyah Young Mariyah Young 5'8" | OH North Creek | 2024 State WA and Simone Grieser Simone Grieser 5'11" | RS North Creek | 2024 State WA , six rotation outsides Quincy Moran Quincy Moran 6'0" | OH North Creek | 2024 State WA and Madyn Cervellera Madyn Cervellera 6'0" | OH North Creek | 2024 State WA are skilled, high-level athletes, and libero Sydney Naldrett is a senior stalwart in the back row. Here is a closer look at several of the standouts for the Jaguars this week, along with two other squads who also had a great start to the season.
Young is a verbal commit to Norfolk State next season, and the 5’8 senior displayed her versatile game in Week 1. The setter/opposite/outside filled the stat sheet against Lake Stevens in the season-opening win with 16 assists, 9 digs, 9 total blocks, 2 kills, and an ace. Young was a difference maker as a blocker, along with senior middle Ena Hadzikadunic who added 9 total blocks of her own.
Highlights
One of two six-rotation senior outsides, Moran will play next season at Eastern Washington University. Long and athletic, Moran plays solid defense and has excellent location on her serve, adding to her obvious talents as an attacker. She attacked well from the pipe, scoring to the deep corners and keeping it away from the middle blockers.
Highlights
the the
Sydney Naldrett
Sydney Naldrett
17 Digs in your first senior season match against a State Tournament level squad gets you noticed, and Maldrett stood out in week one. She holds her platform when passing, and works to keep her setters out of the net even when digging hard shots. Maldrett ran down balls off the block, stood in tough against big arms on the pin and kept the offense moving with solid setting when she handled the second ball.
You would not have thought Grieser did not set regularly during the club season, considering the NPJ senior and Wichita State commits’ comfort handing the ball during week one. Left handed with strong hands, Grieser played gritty defense and dished out double digit assists against Lake Stevens. She also brought the hammer when she had the chance, racking up 5 kills on just 7 attempts.
Highlights
Cervellera is an uncommitted 2024 attacker and she can attack over the block and absolutely launch rockets at an opposing defense. Her serve game is sneaky good and she mixed up hard pace with precise short serves at the weekend Bellevue tournament to go on long runs for the Jaguars. Along with all of the front line for North Creek, she is a strong blocker and gets across the net with her press to cause problems for attackers. She delivered some huge momentum building kills against Lake Stevens and during tournament play, Cervellera is a fun player to watch.
Highlights
TWO MORE TEAMS THAT WON THE WEEK:
WENATCHEE: Champions of the large school division Yakima SunDome Volleyball Festival, the Panthers topped Kamiakin and Lynden on the way to the title without dropping a set. Wenatchee is bolstered by the return of Sasha Dandridge Sasha Dandridge 5'10" | OH Wenatchee | 2024 State WA who missed the 2022 season. Senior Dandridge is an attacker who can detonate from the pin.
MANSON: The Trojans took home the small school title at the SunDome Festival, matching Wenatchee by not dropping a set on their march to the championship. Genna Torres is digging every ball in sight and Stella Peterson is a tremendous all-around player. Here is the eye-popping stat line for Petersen in Monday night’s win over rival Chelan: 32 kills, 20 digs, and 6 aces. Get some ice for that arm!