Northern Kentucky Junior Volleyball 18s, 17s Teams Preview

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The [program_tooltip program_id='430241' first='Northern' last='Kentucky Junior Volleyball'] club has put together several solid teams in the top two age groups.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>18 Blue</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This is the lone team for the club in this age group this year. It features nine seniors looking to end their high school careers on high notes. The only exception is Beechwood sophomore Teegan Becker, who gives the team size at 6-2 at the middle blocker and outside hitter positions.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Things start with first passes. Two liberos lead the way there with Simon Kenton senior [player_tooltip player_id='210627' first='Tori' last='Chasteen'] and Dixie Heights senior [player_tooltip player_id='590128' first='Hannah' last='Wilson']. Highlands senior [player_tooltip player_id='395942' first='Ella' last='Cox'] and Cooper senior Makenna Depue will set or play right side hitters.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Campbell County senior Jadeyn Hartman will play outside or middle hitter with Highlands senior Sydney Shomaker playing outside or right side hitter. Batavia 6-4 senior Savanah Adkins and Highlands senior [player_tooltip player_id='486907' first='Lyla' last='Bottom'] will also play middle and outside hitter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The head coach is Vicki Fleissner. The team heads to the KIVA Icebreaker in Louisville on Jan. 11 and 12 to open the season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>17 Blue</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This team is filled with a number of players that led their teams on deep postseason. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The most notable ones are the three Scott players that helped the Eagles to the state semifinals in [player_tooltip player_id='586599' first='Morgan' last='Justice'] along with two triplets [player_tooltip player_id='500587' first='Ryann' last='Grigsby'] and [player_tooltip player_id='604595' first='Payton' last='Grigsby']. Justice will play middle and outside hitter with [player_tooltip player_id='500587' first='Ryann' last='Grigsby'] playing the familiar setter role. All three will see some action at outside hitter with [player_tooltip player_id='604595' first='Payton' last='Grigsby'] also playing some defensive specialist.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Highlands junior [player_tooltip player_id='503792' first='Ava' last='Muzumdar'] will also set and play right side hitter with teammate [player_tooltip player_id='590640' first='Liz' last='Perkins'] playing both the middle and outside hitter spots. The Bluebirds made the region semifinals while St. Henry made it back to the 9th Region championship for the second straight year. Junior Gianna Butler played on that team for the Crusaders and will play outside hitter and defensive specialist for this team with teammate Taylor Erpenbeck playing middle and right side hitter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>McNicholas junior [player_tooltip player_id='621290' first='Lauren' last='Radtke'] is the team's lone libero. She helped the Rockets make it to the Division IV region championship game. Two other right side hitters round out the roster. Ryle junior Madison Arstingstall will also play outside hitter and Notre Dame 6-1 junior Reagan Carman will also play middle hitter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jay Chung is the head coach and Carlie Wise is the assistant coach. The team opens the season in Indianapolis in the Central Zone Invitational on Jan. 25 and 26.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>17 White</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Highlands has three more players on this team. They are defensive specialist/setter Madison Barlow, defensive specialist Mia Perron and setter/outside hitter Audrey Sorrentino.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Two promising outside/right side hitters on this team are Campbell County junior Sydney Lyons and Dixie Heights junior [player_tooltip player_id='603784' first='Madison' last='Offner']. One of Lyons' Campbell County teammates in junior Abagayle Shelton is also on the team.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ryle junior Alexis Barnes hopes to contribute at setter and defensive specialist. Two outside hitters round out the roster in Scott junior [player_tooltip player_id='586657' first='Reagan' last='Cummins'] and Oak Hills junior Lily Stewart.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Eric Justice is the head coach of this team and Payton Justice is the assistant coach. The team opens the season in Indianapolis in the Central Zone Invitational on Jan. 25 and 26.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>17 Black</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Newport Central Catholic junior [player_tooltip player_id='693877' first='Piperlyn' last='Kramer'] and Walton-Verona sophomore Laken Fugate lead this team. Kramer turned into a valuable defender for the Thoroughbreds in the fall and Fugate split time at setter. Both could have similar roles with this team if not taking some swings at outside hitter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Simon Kenton sophomore Lillie Laughlin could also set if not play defensive specialist. Highlands sophomore Amelia Frommeyer could also play defensive specialist along with Anderson junior Anna Thon. Thon could also take some hits from the outside.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Three hitters round out the roster. Two play for Bishop Brossart in outside hitters Claire Decker and Madison Dozier. Decker could also play on the right side and Dozier the middle. The other hitter is Beechwood right side/outside hitter Norah Kratzenberg.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Aryah Myrick is the team's head coach. The team also opens the season in Indianapolis in the Central Zone Invitational on Jan. 25 and 26.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Players to Watch</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["486907"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67566eb08cfaf"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Bottom hopes to have a solid ending to her playing career during club season after a solid senior season for the Bluebirds. Bottom excelled in the middle on the short sets. Bottom smacked them hard to the back row on one play, then softly pushed them to the side on the next play. Bottom finished her senior season with 212 kills, 63 assisted blocks, 15 solo blocks and 34 aces, helping Highlands go 29-10, winning an eighth straight 36th District crown and making it to the region semifinals for the first time since 2019.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["604595"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67567208854a1"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Grigsby (pictured) turned things up several notches her junior season turning into a nice option offensively for the Eagles. Grigsby makes things happen at the net and the back row offensively. She can push balls to the corners making teams defend the entire court. Grigsby does a great job laying out to dig up balls. Grigsby showed she can handle hard shots from solid hitters in the state tournament. Grigsby had 392 digs, 169 kills and a team-high 81 aces, helping Scott to a 31-12 record, a second straight 37th District title, a 10th Region crown and a state semifinal appearance this past fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["621290"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67567208854f7"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Radtke provided the Rockets some big defensive support this past season. She controls the back row well diving after hard and softly hit balls alike. She squares her arms up to balls well making consistent two to three-point passes. Radtke had 163 digs and 47 aces helping the Rockets to an undefeated Co-Ed Greater Catholic League title, a 22-5 record and a spot in the Division IV region title game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["603784"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-675677bf7febc"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Offner brings a nice outside presence that will be good for the new head coach to work with for the Colonels next fall. Offner has shown she can do a number of things out there mixing up her speeds to put balls down in the middle and the back rows. She can even hit them off blockers and out of bounds for points. Offner had 112 kills for Dixie Heights this past fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["693877"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-675677bf7ff15"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Kramer hopes to take even more steps her senior year trying to help return the Thoroughbreds return to their consistent, winning ways. She helped NewCath form a solid defense with her consistent passing in the back. Kramer also showed she can send her serves to different parts of the court, earning the Thoroughbreds a number of points. Kramer had 281 digs and a team-high 70 aces for NewCath this past fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Note from the Writer</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Mike Graham has been writing for Prep Dig for nearly a year and has enjoyed getting to know the volleyball scenes in both Kentucky and Ohio. If you liked the story, please copy and paste to X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook. You may also follow us at @prepdigkentucky or @prepdigoh on Instagram in addition to @PrepDigKy or @PrepDigOH on X. If you feel someone in Kentucky or Ohio needs coverage, please email Mike at pnmikeg@yahoo.com. You may also follow him on X @GMCgrah or Instagram @g.michaelgraham. Subscriptions give you access to exclusive content. For a 30% discount, enter code graham30 at checkout.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->