Mid America Volleyball 17 Elite, Blue, Hammerhead Overviews

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Each club does things different. At Mid America Volleyball, the Select, Elite, Blue and and Black teams are the traveling teams. Any shark-named team is a non-travel team that generally does not go further than 45 minutes from the Jeffersontown Facility. This club generally produces solid players and this year is no different.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Elite</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The team led by Kelly Hollis is off to a 16-9 start on the season. The 17 Elite team won the Skyline Tournament 17-18 Girls Division on Feb. 8 at Spooky Nook in Hamilton, Ohio and took third in the MAVA Kick-Off Classic.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Four defensive specialists in Christian Academy - Louisville sophomore Ryleigh Parker, Collins senior [player_tooltip player_id='484546' first='Sofia' last='Aspillaga'], Sacred Heart junior Camryn Jarrell and Atherton junior [player_tooltip player_id='758754' first='Payten' last='Goodman'] start things off as defensive specialists. LKY Home School junior [player_tooltip player_id='758094' first='Mandy' last='Kvamme'] then sets up the offense.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bullitt East junior 5-10 [player_tooltip player_id='827204' first='Madilyn' last='Hider'] gives the team size in the middle with Spencer County junior McKenna Kays playing in the middle and right side. Spencer County senior [player_tooltip player_id='806097' first='Kaylee' last='Rawlings'] plays outside and right side hitter with Ballard junior outside hitter [player_tooltip player_id='805673' first='Hannah' last='McFarland'] and Elizabethtown junior opposite hitter Charleigh Whelan rounding out the roster.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The next event is the Nike Gauntlet on Feb. 28 and March 1 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center. The team plays in the 17 Club Division.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Blue</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 17 Blue team is 16-10 after winning twice in the MAVA Club Challenge on Sunday.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Spencer County junior [player_tooltip player_id='806488' first='Lydia' last='Parnell'] and LKY Saints Homeschool junior Ella Acquisto begin things as defensive specialists. Oldham County junior [player_tooltip player_id='756659' first='Maggie' last='Rye'] plays that position plus outside hitter. Eastern junior setter Avery Corbitt then sends balls to the hitters.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bullitt East junior Grace Varney at six feet even gives 17 Blue size in the middle. Ballard junior Jordan Svoboda is a middle blocker with Fern Creek junior Mia Romero playing middle and right side hitter. Collins junior [player_tooltip player_id='727140' first='Mackenzie' last='Wilson'] is an outside/opposite hitter and Seymour (Indiana) junior Rachel Stanfield is also an outside hitter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jenna McCauley is the team's head coach. The next tournament is the Bluegrass Invitational from March 6-8 in the 17 Classic Division.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Hammerhead</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This team features two nice defensive specialists in Bullitt East junior [player_tooltip player_id='948863' first='Aubrey' last='Brown'] and Fairdale junior Kyleigh Salmon. Waggener junior Samantha Tellez Sanchez also had a nice season passing the ball as an outside hitter and setter. Collins junior Avery Helm is also a defensive specialist with Elizabethtown junior [player_tooltip player_id='721924' first='Morgan' last='Hunley'] playing defensive specialist and outside hitter. Rock Creek Academy (Indiana) junior Gwen Burton plays outside hitter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Brown junior [player_tooltip player_id='740976' first='Kate' last='Kelley'] and Corrine Walker play outside hitter. Mia Newman, Eliza Stephens and Lilly Riggle round out the roster.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jessica McCain is the team's head coach. The team next plays in the Thoroughbred Challenge in Louisville on March 14 and 15.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Players to Watch</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["806097"],"_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-699b92c3087af"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Rawlings takes good steps away from the net to set up her attack. She can put the right touches to the back row and shove balls mid-air to the middle of the court. Rawlings can even angles balls off blocks. Rawlings also makes nice first touches and serves aggressively. Rawlings had 93 kills, 79 digs and 56 aces to help Spencer County to a winning season in the fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["758094"],"_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-699b99e6b4d23"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Kvamme has really improved the precision of her sets this club season. Kvamme can put balls on target in the middle and at the pins. Kvamme also runs effective tandems. Kvamme can send tough serves across the net and does a great job keeping plays alive. Her control needs some work in addition to not leaning as much on various sets to tip off defenses. However, her lefthanded abilities give the 17 Elite an added bonus to work with.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["727140"],"_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-699b84671b012"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Wilson (pictured) saw significant action on varsity as a junior and made some things happen at the pins. She finds different ways to hit over and around blockers to different zones on the court. She is a sound swing blocker and makes good first passes.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["948863"],"_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-699b99e6b4d9a"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Brown helps give the Chargers solid play in the back row. Brown times up hitters then sets up nicely in her defensive position. She has nice control to jumpstart the Bullitt East offense. Brown only dives when necessary to keep plays alive. Brown had 183 digs to help the Chargers go 21-12 and drive to the 6th Region semifinals.</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 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 -->