Tri-State Elite 17s Teams Continue to Reload

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>While many teams in this age group have seen players go to other clubs, these two [program_tooltip program_id='430852' first='Tri-State' last='Elite'] teams return the majority of their 16 teams from last spring. That should leave both in the running for some national championships in</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Blue</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This group won several tournaments last season using an eight-player rotation a good portion of last season as 16 Blue. Those eight players return with Beechwood junior outside hitter [player_tooltip player_id='484442' first='Isabel' last='O'Brien'] coming over from [program_tooltip program_id='430243' first='NKYVC' last='']. O'Brien and fellow Beechwood junior outside hitter [player_tooltip player_id='456263' first='Rachel' last='Lewandowski'] led the Tigers to the in-season All "A" State championship in the fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ryle junior [player_tooltip player_id='334217' first='Francesca' last='Hansel'] and Fenwick junior [player_tooltip player_id='793691' first='Emerson' last='Moser'] return to start things in the back along with Seton sophomore setter [player_tooltip player_id='582224' first='Penelope' last='Reisman']. Reisman will distribute balls to two teammates off Seton's two-time Ohio Division I state championship team in middle blocker [player_tooltip player_id='480837' first='Charley' last='Moeddel'] and outside hitter [player_tooltip player_id='835588' first='Makenna' last='Meibers'].</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Two players off Seton's Girls Greater Catholic League rivals round out the roster. Ursuline junior [player_tooltip player_id='434971' first='Jillian' last='Forrest'] will pack power in the middle with Saint Ursula junior [player_tooltip player_id='480821' first='Maisie' last='Jones'] doing the same on the outside.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The team plays in the first round of the Mideast Power League on Jan. 3 and 4 in the Munciana Volleyball Club in Yorktown, Indiana. Dink Bean is the team's head coach this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>White</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This team retained eight players off last spring's 16 White squad and one more came from the TSE 16 Gray team. The other two came from a rival squad from across the Ohio River. All 11 players are juniors at their respective schools.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The two defensive specialists come from the GGCL in Seton's Meredith Hughes and St. Ursula's Poppy McPeek. Two of the setters played against each other in the fall both coming from the 35th District in Beechwood veteran [player_tooltip player_id='456668' first='Skylr' last='Estep'] and Notre Dame's [player_tooltip player_id='798218' first='Ellie' last='Osterkamp']. The other setter is Harrison's Kenna Farris.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The team lists one middle blocker in [player_tooltip player_id='846383' first='Annabel' last='Comer'] from Ohio Division IV state champion McNicholas, but has five outside hitters. One came over with Comer in Notre Dame lefty [player_tooltip player_id='484450' first='Leah' last='Bowman']. Another is another McNicholas player in [player_tooltip player_id='435359' first='Kennedy' last='Haucke'].</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Two of the other three outsides are from the GGCL in Mount Notre Dame's [player_tooltip player_id='560929' first='Dylan' last='Kozma'] and St. Ursula's Madison Stoneking, who played on 16 Gray last spring. The other one is Summit Country Day's Allie Shaw.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The team also plays in the first round of the Mideast Power League on Jan. 3 and 4 in the Munciana Volleyball Club in Yorktown, Indiana. Former Xavier University player Kelly Franxman is the team's head coach this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Notable Players</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["484442"],"_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-694c87ae1670e"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">O'Brien should not have any issues fitting into the 17 Blue team. O'Brien played in the Open Division a good bit in her previous club. She dazzles in a number of ways on the court and will get a good number of swings on this loaded team. O'Brien takes rips from both the front and back rows. She does her best to pound balls into seams. Defensively, O'Brien uses her great range to keep plays alive. O'Brien had 314 kills, 296 digs and 64 aces in the fall, helping Beechwood go 33-6, win the All "A" State championship and advance to the 9th Region semifinals for the first time since 2017.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["334217"],"_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-694c8d63daf86"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Hansel owns the back row making the routine passes time and time again. Hansel uses her range to track down balls, yet remain under control. Hansel has so much experience against high-level Open Division competition that well-struck balls bounce of her arms like ping pong balls straight to setters. Hansel is not afraid to lunge back if needed to track down shoves to corners. Hansel adds in a tough line drive jump serve. Hansel had 222 digs and 43 aces in the fall, helping Ryle go 22-14, win a sixth straight 33rd District championship and drive back to the 9th Region semifinals.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["480821"],"_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-694c8d63daff5"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Jones (pictured) gives St. Ursula and TSE 17 Blue sound, consistent play in the front row. Jones attacks seams on the outside with authority. Jones also sends balls hard downline and to the one and two zones on crosses. Jones is also very aggressive on blocking and serving. Jones times her blocks well then lunges at balls after contact to emphatically deny them from coming across. Jones also smacks hard jump serves to different parts of the court. Jones had 183 kills and 40 blocks in the fall, helping the Bulldogs go 17-9 overall, driving to the Ohio Division I region championship game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["484450"],"_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-694ca53aa6871"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Bowman gives opponents fits with her unique angles hitting from her strong right side. Bowman sees the court and makes great decisions on the fly. Bowman smacks hard crosses and can tip balls to wide open spots on the floor catching opponents by surprise. Bowman is tough on tandems and her passing has come a long way over the years. Bowman had 90 kills in the fall, helping Notre Dame go 32-8, win another 35th District crown, a fourth straight 9th Region crown and finish state runner-up.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["560929"],"_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-694ca67a008d0"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Kozma hopes for a strong club season and keep that momentum going for her senior season for the Cougars. Kozma saw action in 25 games for Mount Notre Dame in the fall. Kozma takes quality swings from the pins. Kozma smacks crosses to the two zone and pounds balls off blockers for big points. Kozma puts overpassed balls to open parts of the court.</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 two years 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 or even have feedback on the Kentucky rankings, 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 -->