Celebrating Hoosiers: Qualified 16s Teams, Part 1

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This is a special year for Indiana-based teams, as over twenty from the Hoosier State have qualified for GJNCs this coming June and July. Their hard work has not gone unnoticed, and we're using the last few days and the next few days highlighting their successes. Here are two teams with six athletes that can make a difference for their own squads and possibly influence college recruiters to look their way.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Circle City 16 Purple</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The top 16s team at Circle is the only 16s team from Indiana that qualified in Open, a feat unto itself, considering the level of play in this age group nationwide. This squad doesn't go without their leader, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='435850' first='Anabelle' last='Schembra'].</strong> A fully in-control 5-1 setter, Miss Schembra has added to her "Rolodex of skills" over the past two years, and her transfer to Circle from Team Indiana has brought her even more successes. Able to get any pass and make it hittable, she also defends her position well, is tough from behind the baseline and has the ability to attack on two and score points regularly. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='443864' first='Chloe' last='Moss']</strong> is a fun middle to watch, as her size makes her easily overlooked. Springy and quick, Chloe is always up and ready to attack in transition---quicker than most of the lumbering middles she goes against in this open division. Her footwork is perfected to the point that you don't even notice how fast it is; almost second-nature, which is not common in this age group. Already part of the ten foot club, Miss Moss gets up quick and terminates even quicker when given the chance. <strong>Jenna </strong><b>Dit</b><strong>tmer</strong> is a primary-passing, six-rotation outside that can take over a match if you let her. A complete five-tool outside (serve receive, floor defense, attack, block and serve), Jenna has the talent and potential to earn a high-level commitment from a high-level school this summer. No-nonsense and serious about her craft, Jenna is the prototypical six-rotation outside from Indiana.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">NIVA 16 Purple</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The top 16s team from northern Indiana this season, NIVA's 16-1 has a collection of kids showcasing what earned them a National bid to GJNCs. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='771809' first='Payton' last='Wulf']</strong> is a physical and strong attacker that can put balls away in the middle with finesse as well as she can with brute strength. Smart and with good vision, Payton finds holes and weaknesses in defenses and blocks regularly, and makes scoring points in the middle look easy. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='771810' first='Anna' last='McCullough']</strong> is a six-rotation outside that has quick-twitch written all over her. Capable of hammering over, around and through blocks on the attack, it seems as if she gets better and stronger every time I've seen her this spring. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='752513' first='Leighton' last='Brown']</strong> might be more of a hybrid attacker because of her size, but still finds ways to score points from either pin as well as in the middle. She excels as an M2, and is in her element when attacking balls that are spaced away from the setter. Although her block is a bit narrow for this level, Miss Brown makes up for it with great anticipation, fronting her hitters and wrapping her hands around the ball. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->