Gateway League 16s Roundup

<p>With the 2021 Gateway League over half-way completed, there are five 16s teams that stand above the rest. While competition has been combined with the 16s, 17s, and 18s, it has provided extra competition for these 16s teams listed. Gateway League has one more two-day installment with tournament play being the last thing to happen. Gold, Silver, and Bronze will each consist of all three age-ranges, making the Gold bracket a slug-fest of the top teams in central Missouri. <br /> Here we take a look at the top 16s teams, in no particular order:</p> <ol> <li>[program_tooltip program_id='428799' first='Rockwood' last='Thunder'] 16 Elite<br /> - 16 Elite is such a fun team to watch. With one of the fastest offensive systems for any 16s team, Rockwood has rolled through its competition this Gateway season. Through 12 matches, they have only dropped one set in a 24-26, 25-16, 15-12 win over HP Illinois 16 Elite. What sets this team apart is its ability to rely on any player to produce for them. A loaded roster that is well-rounded on both defense and offense, 16 Elite looks to keep its unbeaten record through tournament play. <ol style="list-style-type: lower-alpha;"> <li>12-0 overall; 24-1 in sets played</li> <li>2-0 wins over Missouri Juniors 17s and [program_tooltip program_id='428799' first='Rockwood' last='Thunder'] 17 White</li> <li>Impact players: [player_tooltip player_id="101699" first="Jordyn" last="Lochmann"], [player_tooltip player_id="102553" first="Layne" last="Witherspoon"], [player_tooltip player_id="123459" first="Mia" last="Berg"], [player_tooltip player_id="102554" first="Juliette" last="Myrick"], [player_tooltip player_id="102557" first="Ava" last="Roth"], [player_tooltip player_id="102552" first="Madison" last="Smith"]</li> </ol> </li> <li>Missouri Juniors 16s<br /> - This team is fun to watch. After a tough Gateway League debut, going 3-3 the first weekend, Missouri Juniors has won seven straight matches without dropping a set. With losses to [program_tooltip program_id='428799' first='Rockwood' last='Thunder'] (0-2) and HPSTL 16 Orange (1-2), this team consistently improves each time they step on the court. MO Juniors spreads the ball well and gets healthy contributions from all of its hitters. One of the better blocking teams, Juniors gets great touches to be able to run a fast offense in transition. With this being their first time in Gateway League, Missouri Juniors has established themselves as a competitive group. <ol style="list-style-type: lower-alpha;"> <li>10-3 overall; 21-7 in sets played</li> <li>2-0 wins over HP Illinois 17 Select and [program_tooltip program_id='428799' first='Rockwood' last='Thunder'] 17 Carolina</li> <li>Impact players: Anna Wekenborg, Abbigail Wieberg, Emma Whitson, Madison Threlkeld, Jordyn Butler, Kenzie Sorrels</li> </ol> </li> <li>HPSTL 16 Orange<br /> - One of the better "2s" teams in the region, High Performance 16 Orange can compete with the best. Running a 6-2 offense, 16 Orange gets most of its production from the pins. One of the best things about this team is the players' ability to play multiple positions. It is because of this, that 16 Orange has been able to adapt and survive against tough competition. With two of their losses coming to [program_tooltip program_id='428799' first='Rockwood' last='Thunder'] 16 Elite and HPSTL 16 Royal, this team has hung with some of the best.  <ol style="list-style-type: lower-alpha;"> <li>9-3 overall; 18-10 in sets played</li> <li>three set win over Missouri Juniors 16s and 2-0 win over HP South 18 Diamond</li> <li>Impact players: Britney Nguyen, Tayah Burnett, Sophia Shaver, Avery Scheiner</li> </ol> </li> <li>HPSTL 16 Royal<br /> - Man oh man this team is good. With multiple heavy pin hitters, 16 Royal crushes their opponents and crushes them fast. Not only an offensive powerhouse, this team's defense is one of the best. Playing against multiple 17s and 18s teams, 16 Royal has been battle-tested going into the final segment of Gateway League. With losses to [program_tooltip program_id='428799' first='Rockwood' last='Thunder'] 16 Elite, HP Illinois 18 Elite, and [program_tooltip program_id='428799' first='Rockwood' last='Thunder'] 17 Navy, this 16s team has been gaining a lot of experience.  <ol style="list-style-type: lower-alpha;"> <li>8-4 overall; 18-10 in sets played</li> <li>wins over HP Illinois 17 Elite, HPSTL 16 Orange, and [program_tooltip program_id='428799' first='Rockwood' last='Thunder'] 16 Navy</li> <li>Impact players: [player_tooltip player_id="123471" first="Emma" last="Blaine"], [player_tooltip player_id="102461" first="Brianna" last="Wortman"], Ella Gaona, [player_tooltip player_id="102462" first="Addison" last="Kersting"]<br /> <br /> </li> </ol> </li> <li>[program_tooltip program_id='428799' first='Rockwood' last='Thunder'] 16 White<br /> - For this being Rockwood's third 16s team, this team is very good. Although they haven't competed against most of the teams listed in this article, 16 White has handled their business thus far. With a loss to HPSTL 16 Royal, this team has been riding high the last two Gateway installments.  <ol style="list-style-type: lower-alpha;"> <li>9-2 overall; 18-6 in sets played</li> <li>wins over Hometown Hitters 18s and HPSTL 17 Orange</li> <li>Impact players: Makenna Bollinger, Giovanna Bonifacio, Mia Maddock</li> </ol> </li> </ol>