GJNCs 14 Open: Players who are sure to make a splash in high school this year

It is hard to believe another club season has come to an end, but 2024 sure gave us a lot of talent to cover. One of the most exciting divisions to watch at USAV Nationals this year was 14 Open. It was loaded with tons of incredible players, most of whom will just be starting high school this season! The future of high school volleyball is so bright all around the country, thanks in part to these talented young ladies.    In order to win an Open National Championship, you have to have incredible defense and [program_tooltip program_id='428889' first='Dynasty' last=''] 14 Black brought the best in my opinion. The anchor of that stifling defense was Linnes, who had absolutely no fear in the back row. Time and time again she stood her ground, digging some absolute lasers in left back, especially from the opposition's right-side attack. The hard driven digs she made over and over kept the energy high for her team down the long stretch of nationals, and really frustrated and wore down opposing teams over time. What I really loved about Haedyn is her ability to pass at this age. This [program_tooltip program_id='428889' first='Dynasty' last=''] team is loaded with weapons, so when they were in system, they were almost impossible to stop, and with Linnes on the floor they were able to be in system A LOT of the time. This young DS has a bright future ahead of her in high school!     Azaria is that high flying, lefty that every team is hoping will show up as a freshman at tryouts this fall for their high school program. It's hard enough to find a left-handed hitter who knows the game at 14 years old, but even more of a challenge to find one who can jump out of the gym and flat put the ball away. Ehima is able to do all of these things and what struck me the most was her ability to find the hole in the block, no matter how small it was. A5 14-Helen used their right-side hitter more than any other team I watched over the tournament, and it was quickly apparent why they did. Azaria hits very efficiently and did not commit many errors. What really got her team going? Every time the opposing middle was late to close, she would straight bury the ball near the 10' line, so the defense did not even have a chance to dig it.     Looking for an OH who can literally DO IT ALL? Then Natalia is the young lady you are looking for. When I watched her play, I tried to find a deficiency in her game, but she was solid all the way around, in all 6 rotations. What immediately stood out was her energy and joy playing the game. She is an absolutely spark plug and gets after it on both the offensive and defensive sides of the game, including blocking. At this age level blocking isn't typically a skill you see players really go after, but Marciante is the exception - she has a knack for reading the hitter and diving into the seam when she is at the net. On offense, Natalia can hit EVERY shot - line, hard cross court and an incredible cut shot that is basically impossible to defend. Lastly, in the back row she is a never say die defender; this is the type of 6 rotation OH every team needs!     Another Tribe 14 Cardinal standout is [player_tooltip player_id='552707' first='Lia' last='Ray']. When you put her and Marciante together you have an incredible, six rotation, 1-2 punch in the class of 2028. What really set Lia apart for me was her defensive ability - this young lady can cover a TON of court and truly wore her opponents down when I watched. She almost made it impossible for the other team to score with the way she covered the floor from middle back. Add to that her ability to hit hard and effectively from the pipe position and you have a player that you do not want to take out of the game, like ever. On offense, her toolbox is endless. I witnessed her hit down the line, deep cross court corners, tips right over the block, roll shots to the middle of court AND a sharp cut shot that landed right along the net in zone 4. Not many 14-year-olds have the shot selection she does, and I cannot wait to see that develop over the next few years!     Mya may be listed as an OH, but she is a true utility player. She can swing from anywhere, and when I say anywhere, I don't just mean any position along the net. I also mean any tempo, whether quick or high, Lee can put the ball away. In fact, I haven't seen many class of 2028 OHs who can hit the 2-ball like her. What makes her so dangerous is that she is so quick to the ball when hitting it makes it hard for the opposing blockers to pick her up and put hands in front of her. Mya's length and jumping ability also make her a force at the net when blocking; she caused havoc for her opponents, especially in the middle, where they were forced to tip or off speed a majority of the time when she was front row. Lee is that powerful leaper and heavy arm of an outside hitter that any high school (and college) would be excited to have on their squad.

It is hard to believe another club season has come to an end, but 2024 sure gave us a lot of talent to cover. One of the most exciting divisions to watch at USAV Nationals this year was 14 Open. It was loaded with tons of incredible players, most of whom will just be starting high school this season! The future of high school volleyball is so bright all around the country, thanks in part to these talented young ladies.