Academy Summer League Week 2, Part 2

<p>As much as possible, each week I will feature four teams from four different parts of the state that are in multiple areas of development. The seventh and eighth teams I have viewed this summer so far at Academy have a ton of players, a ton of young talent, but an unknown future. Here’s my breakdown.</p> <p><strong>Franklin Central</strong></p> <p>There are so many things I could focus on with this group. I felt it necessary to note that new coach Emily Sellers is excited for the fall, and has a bunch of young talent to work with. Headlining the Flashes this fall will be <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="106364" first="Olivia" last="Tarter"] (’23, 5-7 OH), </strong>the only returning two-year starter. Her volleyball savvy, ability to play multiple positions and willingness to do whatever it takes showed this past Thursday, and I look forward to her success. I’m also a fan of <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="146203" first="Abby" last="Graves"] (’24, 5-7 S), </strong>who might be a work in progress, but it’s obvious that the basics are there; it’s just a matter of putting it all together with passing. That being said, <strong>Natalie Millar (’22, 5-4 DS)</strong> should be the person the Flashes rely upon to anchor that serve receive and defense. With club season almost done, one notable absence from the summer league was thumper <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="146201" first="Zyon" last="Francis"] (’24, 5-10 MB), </strong>who is fully recovered from her knee issues and is prepping to finish her club season at AAUs in Florida.</p> <p><strong>Triton Central</strong></p> <p>What a season last fall was for the Tigers. A sectional title, an Indiana Crossroads Conference trophy, and a regional final appearance. 26 wins is hard to come by at any level of volleyball in any state, let alone in a Covid year. I’m concerned chiefly about their size, yet a surprisingly positive performance from <strong>Riley Ross (’23, 6-0 MB) </strong>should keep their opponents honest. <strong>Maddy Brown (’23, 5-6 RS/OH)</strong> is a six-rotation pin, and plays primarily right side for the Tigers. On this night, Maddy was springy, had a hard jump float, and a very smart attack. Look for her to be the primary attacker in the fall. I liked watching the play of <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="146202" first="Jadyn" last="Capps"] (’24, 5-0 DS), </strong>who was the clear anchor to both serve receive and team defense. Her smooth approach to the craft will be much needed now and in the future. </p>