New Names in 14s Open Bracket at Champions Cup

<p>After watching the teams play in the open division at the Champions Cup this weekend, I reviewed my notes. I had notes about so many players that were new and talented. This is the write up of those notes, and just know, I had more of them but could not write about every player at the event this weekend, so I chose the top of my list to include here. Heat 14 Flame won the 14s Open division at the Champions Cup, so let's see who impressed from their team and others the most this weekend.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-thumbnail is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/01/Maddie-Sue-Strebe.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1" alt="" class="wp-image-744014" style="width:170px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='739524' first='Maddie' last='Sue Strebe'], class of 2029.</figcaption></figure>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='739524' first='Maddie' last='Sue Strebe']</h2>   <p>Strebe is a DS/L from Kaukuana class of 2029, playing for Heat 14 Flame. She is a great server and had many aces that I witnessed at the Champions Cup tournament. She is great at tossing the ball into the donut on her opponent's court. She knows what her opponents are doing and takes full advantage of every opportunity. My final note about Strebe says that she is a point earner above all else.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-thumbnail is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/01/Reese-Lillie1.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1" alt="" class="wp-image-744027" style="width:164px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='740009' first='Reese' last='Lillie'], class of 2029.</figcaption></figure>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='740009' first='Reese' last='Lillie']</h2>   <p>Lillie is a libero from Hortonville playing for Heat 14 Flame, class of 2029. She has a great platform and makes many saves when her team is in the thick of it. She is impactful and can really turn things around for her team. She is a smart athlete and I cannot wait to see her growth in the next few years. She is going to be even more amazing after a couple more years of experience.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-thumbnail is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/01/Kayla-Fournillier-Adina-Depagter.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1" alt="" class="wp-image-744003" style="width:172px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='739949' first='Kayla' last='Fournillier'], class of 2029 and [player_tooltip player_id='739559' first='Adina' last='DePagter'], class of 2029.</figcaption></figure>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='739559' first='Adina' last='DePagter']</h2>   <p>DePagter is an outside hitter from Appleton East playing for Heat 14 Flame, in the graduating class of 2029. This athlete has a super vertical and a really hard swing. She is the damaging kind of hitter and can make a defense hesitate to engage, which is only to her team's advantage. She has a high volleyball IQ and knows where to go with the ball to make it hurt the most.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='739949' first='Kayla' last='Fournillier']</h2>   <p>Fournillier is a middle blocker from Xavier Middle School, playing for Heat 14 Flame, from the 2029 graduating class. She is super athletic and has that block from above thing down. She is really tough to get past if trying an attack in the middle or on your right side, she is always ready and willing to engage. She hits hard and has great follow-through, making her a nasty part of anyone's day on the court.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-thumbnail is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/02/Savannah-Wendrick.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1" alt="" class="wp-image-507208" style="width:164px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='739528' first='Savannah' last='Wendrick'], class of 2029.</figcaption></figure>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='739528' first='Savannah' last='Wendrick']</h2>   <p>Wendrick is a middle blocker from Neenah playing for Heat 14 Flame, class of 2029. She has big blocks, a heavy hand, and makes smart plays. She has great timing and honestly, that is one of the hardest things to learn when so young. Now that she has that down, she will be able to learn even more dangerous skills quickly, making her a top player in the next couple of years.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-thumbnail is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/12/118-Kendall-Frei.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1" alt="" class="wp-image-726612" style="width:181px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='522500' first='Kendall' last='Freier'], class of 2029.</figcaption></figure>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='522500' first='Kendall' last='Freier']</h2>   <p>Freier is an outside hitter for FVP G14 Regional. Freier had what my daughter and I used to lovingly refer to as a bump kill. That means she was on the ball and dug something up when in the back row that translated into points for her team without much effort, just some quick thinking and a good play. She is great at serve-receive and can play all over the court. Wherever she is needed, she can play and make an impact.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-thumbnail is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/02/Norah-Van-Camp.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1" alt="" class="wp-image-507138" style="width:171px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='522400' first='Norah' last='Van Camp'], class of 2029.</figcaption></figure>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Norah Van Kamp</h2>   <p>Van Kamp is an outside hitter for FVP G14 Regional. She is a 6-rotation player with a great platform and a high volleyball IQ. She is deadly when hitting and great when blocking. She is an integral part of her team and they count on her when times get tough to bounce them back into the set or to make a great play to stop the other team's momentum. She is truly a gem of a player and I can only see huge growth for her going forward.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='749431' first='Ellie' last='Berra']</h2>   <p>Berra is a right-side hitter for the 14 Rally team. She is scrappy and quick. She can get to anywhere on the court with ease and time to spare. She can handle out-of-system balls easily and makes them useful for points. This kind of speed is not typical and will make her dangerous at all levels of play.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='750000' first='Ali' last='Chestelson']</h2>   <p>Chestelson is a middle blocker for the 14 Rally team. This one is tough and strong. She knows how to use her hands as battering rams at the net. She will win all/most jousts at the net and make her opponents pay for trying her. She has great timing and speed and uses that to her advantage when working at the net. She is an impressive athlete.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='731987' first='Jada' last='Fink']</h2>   <p>Fink is a setter for FDL Fusion 14 Purple. She has great timing and soft hands and can pass the ball with ease to her hitters. She seems to have invested the time to learn how her hitters like the ball and she was especially impactful when setting the athlete below this one when she is playing in the middle.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='732377' first='Liberty' last='Gessner']</h2>   <p>Gessner is a middle blocker for FDL Fusion 14 Purple. She has good hands and good timing. She works hard at the net trying to get her hands in the way of any hitter on her opponent's team. She has a good rapport with her setter listed above and these two working together get things done. She hits what she is dished hard and can knock her opponents down when they receive what she sends over the net. She is an impactful player and tends her net with diligence.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='735584' first='Susanna' last='Nelson']</h2>   <p>Nelson is a DS/L for FDL Fusion 14 Purple. She has a great platform and can get digs off the floor that are hit hard. She is on her toes and ready to rock and roll at all times. She is a smart athlete and places herself well for playing blocks of her hitters coming back over the net. She has a high volleyball IQ and can anticipate where she is needed.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='737769' first='Samantha' last='Timmers']</h2>   <p>Timmers is an outside hitter for 414 - 14 Elite. She uses a full body slap that is beautiful to behold. If you only knew how many times I hear coaches yell, swing through! Timmers swings through and is so young she that her development as a player is well on its way to great. She hits mean and accurate and will only get better as she gets older. She is scrappy and can make sloppy play look artistic. She is an impactful player for her team and stopped her opponent's momentum in more than one set. </p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Keira Farnia</h2>   <p>Farnia is a middle blocker for Madtown 141 Select. She has a long reach and if you hit what could be described loosely as an overpass her direction, she is knocking it to the ground with speed and strength. She is a great blocker and always has her hands in her opponent's way. She has a good connection to her setters and her timing is excellent.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Elisabeth Guld</h2>   <p>Guld is a libero for Madtown 141 Select. She is tiny at this point in her life, but do not let that fool you. She is mighty on the court. She has the best platform of any athlete I saw today...in any age group. She is the saving grace in a lot of rallies for her team. She can receive any ball that I saw hit to her today and she handles them with ease. I do not give this praise lightly, I did not see a shanked ball off of her platform at all today. She is so well trained it is a little intimidating. She is fast on her feet and will get to every ball about to hit the ground. She was very impressive and not even in high school yet! </p>

After watching the teams play in the open division at the Champions Cup this weekend, I reviewed my notes. I had notes about so many players that were new and talented. This is the write up of those notes, and just know, I had more of them but could not write about every player at the event this weekend, so I chose the top of my list to include here. Heat 14 Flame won the 14s Open division at the Champions Cup, so let's see who impressed from their team and others the most this weekend.