Top Players From The Top Finishers In 17s At Central Zone

Of the seven divisions listed for the 17-and-under age group, six had at least one team finish in the top ten. Of those six, two actually won the whole thing. Here are six game changers from six different clubs that turned heads this past weekend.    Finishing 2nd in the 17 Open division this past weekend, Rev's 17-1 really showed out and showed up. Hayden's contribution is simple---hit high and hard, bring pace with every ball, and be a pain when blocking at the net. Check, check and check. Hayden's seriousness about the game is obvious from 0-0, and her mental approach to hammer away regardless of who's blocking her will serve her well in her future. It's also important to note that she's the only class of '27 kid on this roster filled with '26s.     Finishing 9th in the 17 Premier Red division, Avery is a six-rotation, primary passing outside that hits all angles and makes up for her size by attacking at her max jump and reach every time. When a hard-hit shot isn't required, her volleyball IQ helps her find a controlled way to score points for her squad. Do not let her stature fool you---multiple authors from PrepDig (including this one) have mentioned her hard-hitting and no-quit personality on the court, and that she plays bigger than her frame.     Winning the 'ship of any division is tough, as NIVA's top 17s team did last weekend in the 17 Premier Blue division. With a mixture of kids from different states, Lanie fits right in with the speed in her footwork and the height of her attack touch. No, this is not a traditional-looking middle, and she could probably take some solid reps on the right side too, but her presence for this squad is obvious, but does that even matter? Lanie scores points, makes positive plays and was vital to this championship run.     Another winning squad, this time in the 17 Club White division, is Circle's 17 White team (17-3). Macyn was a huge part of that championship team, and is more known for her defense than offense, which works well with this roster. Her attacks are calculated pushes and tips, which might not look like a "normal" middle attack, but still scores points regularly for both her high school squad and her club team. I like that she always finds a way to score, no matter where the ball is set.     Springy and explosive, Alana helped her 17 Onyx (17-2) team to a 9th place finish in the 17 Club Green division. Her size may make her look lithe, but her max attack touch with those long arms is a repeatable (and successful) scoring movement for her arm. Going over and often tooling off of blocks regularly, Alana is just tough to defend, as her calling card is a high and deep attack that frustrates opponents.     The bronze medal winners from the 17 Club Blue division play at Monon Select, a regional branch of the Academy. Long, lean and terminal, Darcy can hit exceptionally high with her size foot frame and super long arms. Her length is her strength, but realistically that whip of an arm swing looks so natural that it doesn't need tweaking. I'd like to see a little more defense and serve receive from her, so that her stock can rise from where it currently resides. For now, however, a six-foot pin attacker that can easily play three rotations at the next level is what you get from Darcy.

Of the seven divisions listed for the 17-and-under age group, six had at least one team finish in the top ten. Of those six, two actually won the whole thing. Here are six game changers from six different clubs that turned heads this past weekend.