Indiana's Best 16s Team: Boiler Juniors 16 Elite Gold

I've talked about updated individual rankings, positional breakdowns, stock risers and new kids joining the rankings. What I haven't mentioned is the "team" aspect of our fine athletes here in the Hoosier State. In just one short month, this squad has won the prestigious 15/16 division of the Mideast Power League, took home the gold medal in 16 Open at the tough Bluegrass Invitational in Louisville, and recently finished second in the 16 Open of the Mideast Qualifier here in Indianapolis, earning their bid to GJNCs in Las Vegas this summer. Not a bad month, by anyone's standard. Today, we're featuring the top 16s team in Indiana, Boiler Juniors' 16-1. Here they are, from first contact to termination.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">First Contact</h2>   You can't do anything without a brilliant first contact. Libero [player_tooltip player_id='260998' first='Ellie' last='Hepler'] ('26, 5-6 DS/L, Warsaw) is a left-back queen on both her high school and club teams, and is the clear choice for floor general of this highly-touted squad. In serve receive, it is easy for her teammates to defer to her, since she can pass half the court in any situation. Passing comes from ALL of the defenders, however, so don't look past either [player_tooltip player_id='216039' first='Ava' last='Tester'] ('26, 5-7 DS/L, Fishers) or [player_tooltip player_id='260992' first='Bella' last='Widmer'] ('26, 5-7 DS/L, Benton Central). Although Bella is more of a right-back player right now, both of these two could easily play any of the three back row positions, and would probably be the libero on any other 16s team in the state. With all three in mind, there are commonalities---calm platform, active and wide base, consistent arc to the passes and willingness to sacrifice the body to keep the ball in play on every point, every time. It's as if cloning defenders is a thing with this group, as all three look both identical in mechanics and work ethic.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Second Contact</h2>   Only one setter is required with this group, and her name is [player_tooltip player_id='210192' first='Lexi' last='Shondell'] ('26, 5-8 S, McCutcheon). With older sister already on the roster at Purdue, it does not surprise me in the least that Lexi is cut from the same cloth. She's already setting an impressively fast offense, which proves problematic even for the best of defenses. Defending her position doesn't look like a chore at all; she sets a block well, makes her first contact a decent ball for a defender to handle, and has enough volleyball acuity to understand what to do in every defensive situation. Behind the baseline, she's a sniper, and even without aces Lexi can put teams out-of-system, making her job that much easier in transition. If (and this is a big "if") her own passers aren't quite on, she keeps the sets in tempo and turns out-of-system into points with ease.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Middles</h2>   You have to have huge kids to play in the middle for 16 open, right? RIGHT?!? Not so fast, folks. Neither of these two athletes are over six feet, and both more than make up for it in speed and jumping ability. [player_tooltip player_id='210189' first='Bre' last='Morgan'] ('26, 5-11 MB, Hamilton Southeastern) has future M2 written all over her, and is as quick in transition as she is springy when she attacks in front of the setter. Her high and fast arm swing can hit any angle, and she makes opposing middles look slow in comparison. And just in case you find a way to handle Miss Morgan, the other three rotations see perennial AAU MVP [player_tooltip player_id='210191' first='Reese' last='Resmer'] ('26, 6-0 MB, Noblesville) who is even longer in her reach, higher in her jump, and can crush balls behind the setter with ease. She's just as fast as the tempo of sets thrown at her by Lexi, and finds ways to score points regardless of where the ball is set. Those long arms of hers also make her look taller than her six foot frame would suggest, and more than a few opponents in the last month or so have found that fact out the hard way.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Pins</h2>   All four of the kids listed here shouldn't be pigeon-holed into one position, whether it be outside or right side. What you should know from this group is that all four, at any time, can score points regularly. The more terminators you have, the more likely the defenses are leaving someone else with one less defender to account for, adding to the points scored, which happens in bunches with this group. [player_tooltip player_id='260995' first='Caroline' last='Ward'] ('27, 6-0 RS, Tri-West) is THE right side for this roster, and her high-flying attacks are terminal and with pace. She is already over ten feet in her attack touch, and is blindingly fast. Watching her play, you have to remind yourself that she's a year younger than the rest of this roster. [player_tooltip player_id='260996' first='Chase' last='Lemming'] ('26, 5-10 OH, Seeger) has long arms to maximize her attack height, long strides to stretch out her transition, and is a full-go player with all of the tools and the talent to be a six-rotation passer at the next level. Living closer to Illinois than Lafayette, Chase is a hidden gem of an outside that will be a steal for anyone interested in having her. [player_tooltip player_id='261036' first='Madison' last='Miles'] ('26, 6-0 OH, Hamilton Southeastern) already has a state championship ring on her finger, and is looking for a little more hardware later this summer. Another member of the ten-foot club, she makes gravity look irrelevant and hits a heavy ball for someone that looks lithe. Add to her quick arm swing the heavy ball that she hits, and she's more than capable of terminating at the next level. Finally, the glue that keeps the entirety of this squad together is [player_tooltip player_id='260994' first='Calista' last='Foster'] ('26, 5-9 OH, Benton Central). She also has a sister that will be on Purdue's roster this coming fall, so the bloodline and work ethic are already there. There has already been more than one occasion in the last month alone where Calista has had to shoulder the load offensively for this roster, and she does it with ease. I'd like to use the phrase "in the zone", but that would be inappropriate because of how often Miss Foster takes over a match. To regularly welcome the pressure of high-level volleyball on this stage, then ask for more from her, is something that cannot be taught, let alone put into practice at this (or any other) age. She's the top six-rotation athlete in this class, full stop.

I've talked about updated individual rankings, positional breakdowns, stock risers and new kids joining the rankings. What I haven't mentioned is the "team" aspect of our fine athletes here in the Hoosier State. In just one short month, this squad has won the prestigious 15/16 division of the Mideast Power League, took home the gold medal in 16 Open at the tough Bluegrass Invitational in Louisville, and recently finished second in the 16 Open of the Mideast Qualifier here in Indianapolis, earning their bid to GJNCs in Las Vegas this summer. Not a bad month, by anyone's standard. Today, we're featuring the top 16s team in Indiana, Boiler Juniors' 16-1. Here they are, from first contact to termination.