Celebrating Winners: 16 Open At Central Zones

Want a subscription to PrepDig? Use code Kyp30 for 30% off of your annual subscription! And don't forget to follow @KypPDIN on X for all of your Indiana high school and club volleyball news!   The weather horrors persist, but so do we. The largest two-day tournament in the country had to cut down to a single day because of severe weather that STILL affects the great majority of the Midwest to this day. No matter; there was still plenty of exceptional volleyball to be played on Saturday, especially in the 16 Open division. With wins over Academy's 16-1, Carolina Rogue's 16-1, Boiler Juniors' 16-1 and Munciana's vaunted 16 Nighthawks, it was clear to all in attendance that Circle City's 16 Purple squad earned their “queen for a day” title. Here are the players on that roster, representing two classes and the large majority of who might be the first off of the recruiting board this summer.    A regular in the PrepDig Showcase circuit, Blaine is a high-flying, hard-hitting and springy outside that can terminate at will in-system. She has her all-around game working—-that pass-to-attack that coaches covet from their outsides is rounding out her entire skill set quite nicely. Well-trained, well-disciplined and well-coached, Blaine is a top-20 recruit for good reasons, and should only get better from here.     A 1st Team All-State honoree and responsible for the biggest jump of success in all of 4A volleyball in Indiana, Miss Utterback has all of the five tools (attack, block, serve, serve receive, floor defense) that one could ask for in an all-around player at the Division I level. It helps that two family members have also moved on to Division I ball (UC Davis and Louisville, respectively), but neither of those two had to shoulder the load quite as much as Audrey has. Explosiveness, strength and an astronomically high volleyball acuity, it feels like the newest Utterback has been here forever, and still has all of this club season PLUS TWO MORE YEARS to go.     Big, physical and a difference maker in the middle, Jordyn has been the biggest (literally) improvement to the bronze-medal winning squad at 15 Open from GJNC's a year ago. Taking up a ton of space on the block, she's tough to get past. On the attack, her long arms and solid transition help her take advantage of her height on a consistent basis. Frankly, you can't teach 6'4”, but you CAN teach 6'4” to be the major Division I prospect that Jordyn has developed into already. Now, it's a matter of refinement, which is scary considering how good she already is.     The engine that makes this offense go, Charlee's also part of Plainfield's meteoric rise this past fall. Her combination of location, tempo and situational setting makes for an exceptional combination of next-level setting. She also defends her position well—-she'll not only defend first, but make that first ball settable for the defender taking the second contact. A bronze medal from last spring in 15 Open and a 4A state runner up trophy this past fall, Miss Groninger has already tasted success on the biggest stages volleyball has to offer, and is relentlessly looking for more.     One of three potential liberi on this roster, Stella has been wearing the special jersey at Avon since her freshman year, and worn it well. She takes long strides to get to where the ball is, will hit the floor when necessary, and always makes a settable pass out of that first contact. That relentless work ethic, coupled with a lack of fear when sacrificing her body, makes for a top-notch libero for the next level.     From west of Indianapolis comes a long, lean and consistent middle that excels on defense and is slowly developing that offensive attack point to match her height. More of an M2 at this time, McKenna's quick transition and long strides set her apart from other middles at this height that haven't figured it out yet. I'm more a fan of her comportment—-steady, consistent, reliable, and without flair. She does her job, does it well, and moves on to the next point quickly. Works for me, and it CERTAINLY works for this roster of winners.     The third and final middle listed on the roster is the smallest of the three, but probably the most well-rounded. Finley can be explosive in front of or behind the setter on offense, and uses her extra-long arms to consistently defend her position at an above-average level. Constantly positive and relentlessly active in transition, Finley is the middle that rounds out any middle blocking stable at the next level—-the kid that can do it all, do it well, and finds ways to improve herself and those around her regularly.     Nora is one of many solid defenders coming from two-time defending 3A state champ Roncalli that belong at the next level. With active feet, longer-than-she-looks strides and a calm platform, Nora's ability to stay in system is her calling card. More than capable of being the libero on pretty much any other roster, Miss Smith has improved a ton in the last year-plus. In short, expect that ranking number to rise by the end of club season.     Playing up a year on 16s, the first of two class-of-‘29 Gabbys on this list has the DS/L position locked down. From a family of volleyballers (older sister is a class of ‘26 OH), Gabby's length sneaks up on you. Even in the showcases of ours she's attended, she seems unassuming when not playing. Once the whistle blows, it's as if she GROWS length and strength, and is an absolute gamer once within the 900 square feet. As part of the next generation of passers, she will anchor Westfield for years to come, and is only tapping into what looks to be massive potential.     Of the pin hitters on this roster, this Gabby might be the most physical. With a rare combination of youth and power, Miss Gilliard has that innate ability to put weight behind the ball when attacking, making her that much harder to defend. She can also terminate from either pin—-size, explosiveness, pace and heft behind the ball show Gabby's maturity is far beyond other pin attackers in her class, and she's still only a freshman.

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