Top Middle Blockers in the 18’s Delta Region Qualifier

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of the most competitive tournaments in Arkansas is the Delta Region Bid Qualifier. Any team in the Delta Region that has not yet received a bid from a national tournament, is allowed to participate in this tournament where the top 3 finishes will receive a bid to nationals. This tournament was in Little Rock, Arkansas this year and hosted 7 different teams across the region. This includes 5 teams from Arkansas and two teams from Memphis. After watching some great volleyball, these are the middles that stood out to me. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["750006"],"_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-67ba6105595c4"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Stamps is a part of [program_tooltip program_id='581540' first='501' last='Volley'] 18.2 National that placed 5th and went 1-3. [player_tooltip player_id='750006' first='Sahara' last='Stamps'] is a class of 2026 that is playing up on the 18's team due to her quick arm swing that gave the blockers not much time to put their hands over the net and stop her. When 501 was in system, the set went to Stamps every time. Her team trusted Stamps to put the ball down when given. Stamps also put up a wall at the net. Her offense gave 501 many points and runs throughout the tournament.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["748204"],"_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-67ba673417fc7"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='748204' first='Lydia' last='Pitts'] is a part of strong FSJ 18-1's team. No ball is coming over the FSJ's side of the court without Pitts hands getting on the ball. Pitts has a big arm swing and an even bigger block. Pitts ability to read the setter and read the hitters makes it difficult for those to hit around her block. Pitts scored many points from her blocks in the semi finals match. Pitts also has a strong arm swing that makes it difficult for the back row to pick up. Pitts has the ability to swing through the block and tool the hands. Pitts closed the pins block really well by taking the right footwork and making big steps.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Ariana Woods","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'1u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"32924","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Lake Cormorant High School","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Memphis Volleyball Academy","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67ba6734180f9"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Ariana plays on MemphisVBAcademy 18 Red which is a power house in the Delta Region. Woods is from Mississippi. Making It to the semi finals could not have been done without Woods. Woods height makes her a dynamic blocker as well as a dynamic attacker. Woods is able to make a high contact point and snap her wrist which makes it difficult for the opposing back row to pick up. Woods is able to run many of plays out of the middle and go thumb up and thumb down which made it difficult for the opposing team to block her.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["749625"],"_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-67ba68609c388"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Red is on Ozark Jrs 18 National team out of Fayetteville. Red's high IQ led to many kills for the Ozark team. Red's timing out of the middle was a great connection with her setter. Red had the ability to see where the other side of the court was open and place the ball there. She switched up from hitting, to tipping over the middle block, to tipping into the deep corners. Red also could read the opposing teams setters and hitters very well which gave her time to set up with her blocks to create a wall at the net. Red demanded every ball and put nearly every ball away with her strong arm, high contact point, and snap to her wrist.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Wendy Chinglong","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'10u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"32924","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Eldon High School","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Northwest Arkansas Juniors Storm","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67ba6a810e80e"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Chinglong is a dynamic middle blocker on the NWAJS 18-2's team. Each swing Chinglong took the harder her attacks got. Chinglong is a difficult attacker to block due to her long arms and high contact point. Though not the tallest middle blocker out there, her long arms and high contact point puts her swinging over the opposing teams block. This is also due to her strong and quick approach that beats the block. Chinglong is an underclassmen playing up on the 18's because she can make plays and score out of the middle. Chinglong's long arms also made it difficult to swing around which led to a lot of blocking points for NWAJS.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->