Six For ’26: Six Athletes From Team Pineapple You Need To See

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Moving right along in our club tour around the state, these young ladies from the Fort Wayne area might not be the biggest team in their respective divisions, but they'll be bringing it this month with the start of the club season. Here are six athletes from the class of 2026 that are worth the price of admission.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">17/18 Black</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This is truly a mixed and older team for <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='216344' first='Ava' last='Johnson'] ('26, 5-9 DS/L, Heritage)</strong> to be a part of, but from the looks of it, she'll be used well. She's a left-back defender and is quick to the ball. Her anticipation keeps her on her feet so that she's ready for the next contact. I like her active feet and quiet platform, as those qualities will serve her well at the next level.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">16 Black L</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The top 16s team at [program_tooltip program_id='430155' first='Team' last='Pineapple'] is absolutely loaded with talent. Let's start with <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='226809' first='MaryKate' last='Scheumann'] ('26, 5-10 OH, Bellmont),</strong> who is the definition of six-rotation passer. She should never come out, as evidenced by her Second Team All-State honors at the end of the fall. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='497777' first='Alyssa' last='Gumbel'] ('26, 5-8 OH, Bellmont)</strong> is another Brave that should have "athlete" put next to her name instead of the position she plays. In high school season, she was the quicker-than-you middle who played a little right side and hit every zero tempo ball in front of or behind the setter. In club, she's looking to be a pin attacker, probably preferring a faster-tempo offense. She's springy and athletic, and beats most blocks with that speed and athleticism. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='497775' first='Addison' last='Shippy'] ('26, 5-10 MB, Carroll)</strong> might look undersized, but makes up for it in length and jumping ability. She defends from pin to pin with her speed and long strides, and has all of the angles covered when she attacks in front of the setter. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='378468' first='Savy' last='Walker'] ('26, 6-1 MB, Homestead)</strong> should be the other middle on this roster, and can be the M1 at the next level with that size and strength of hers. This seems to be a recurring theme---she's got speed and explosiveness for days, and should beat bigger blocks with just that. Running this offensive show is <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='300206' first='Sophia' last='Gisslen'] ('26, 5-9 S, Carroll), </strong>who is probably ready to run a 5-1 in college <em>right now.</em> Her high and deceptive hands are only bettered by her impeccable footwork to get to the ball and her situational awareness. She defends her position well, is tough behind the baseline, and has all the tools to be the leader of this bunch.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->