GJNC 18 Open Preview: Missouri and KC Metro

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Baltimore is the scene. The 18s season is coming to an end but not before these ladies experience one final national with the USAV Girls Championships taking place this upcoming weekend. Though my focus has shifted to Missouri in the last couple of months, I can't leave out the teams on the Kansas side in the Kansas City Metro that have players on the Missouri side of the state line. Here are the teams who qualified in the open division.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>KC [program_tooltip program_id='428794' first='Power' last=''] 18 Black</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Dave Johnson and his KC [program_tooltip program_id='428794' first='Power' last=''] 18 Black team wasted little time getting their bid, winning the MLK Qualifier in January. They weren't a one-hit wonder, following that up with a strong showing and a title at Northern Lights. Triple Crown showed they are more than capable of competing with the top teams across the country after a 5th-place finish. [program_tooltip program_id='428794' first='Power' last=''] had a front-heavy schedule so they should be well rested and ready to compete. They aren't the biggest team in the 18 Open division but they do many things well starting with ball control with Mya Bolton, which allows setter Janelle Green to utilize her weapons in Alea Goolsby, Rachel Van Gorp, and Jillian Huckabey on the pins. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[program_tooltip program_id='428799' first='Rockwood' last='Thunder'] 18 Elite</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Like KC [program_tooltip program_id='428794' first='Power' last=''], Rockwood took the suspense out of the air by finishing in second at MLK and getting their bid out of the way. They ended up being another team to "qualify" multiple times with top finishes at additional qualifiers. To prepare for nationals, they participated recently in the Under Armour 18U Championships in Kentucky and finished 9th, going 6-2. Rockwood is an experienced team, with players who have been playing together for years. [player_tooltip player_id='124215' first='Olivia' last='Hasbrook'] has been a staple in the back row. The team has many viable options for scoring with [player_tooltip player_id='124222' first='Allison' last='Risley'], [player_tooltip player_id='153933' first='Jordan' last='Smith'], Claire Morrisey, and [player_tooltip player_id='153929' first='Maya' last='Witherspoon']. The two-setter offense features mainstay [player_tooltip player_id='124219' first='Alyssa' last='Nelson'] and new addition this season [player_tooltip player_id='124225' first='Sammi' last='Bergjans'].</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Mavs KC 18-1</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Mavs KC 18-1 captured their bid at the Southeast Qualifier in February. They were hungry after just missing out on a bid in January in Kansas City. They also boast another top-10 finish at Lone Star. The team mixed new players this year but you wouldn't know from the production on the court. Kelsey Schenck has been a top-performing setter for years and has a high volleyball IQ on the court. She can go to the middle and find players like Tatum Grimes or shoot to the pin for [player_tooltip player_id='124853' first='Mikalah' last='Davis'], Seeane Brewer, and Keliah Rivers. In the back row, Remi Nuss, Sydney Wiliams, and Emmy Sher are all players capable of making defensive highlight plays. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Pohaku 18-1</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Boston was good for Pohaku, as they traveled to the Northeast and came back with an open bid. They also showed they are capable of making some noise this weekend after an 11th-place finish at Triple Crown President's Day Weekend. Like most teams, they are a team that can be dangerous when they can stay in system. This starts in the middle with the ability to feed Jada Ingram and Alexis Alexander the ball. Both bring [program_tooltip program_id='428794' first='Power' last=''] behind their swings and if they get going they can open things up for their pins. Setter Ava Martin has been a top setter in Kansas City and will look to run a balanced offense by getting Ava Spachek and Mary Burke going. This team features an abundance of high-quality defenders with many to choose from in Sylvia Bunde, Riley Ourth, Claire Jones, and Sophia Bond. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->