Club Team Previews: Rev 17-1 and Academy 17-1
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I finally get the opportunity to watch a club tournament in person. This week will be filled with the teams I will see at the Shootout at Capitol Sports Center on Sunday, January 9. Today’s athletes are from the Raptors…
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Continue ReadingI finally get the opportunity to watch a club tournament in person. This week will be filled with the teams I will see at the Shootout at Capitol Sports Center on Sunday, January 9. Today’s athletes are from the Raptors and the Tsunami, respectively.
REV 17-1 RAPTORS
The club programs in central Indiana are varied but numerous, despite its small metro area population (relatively speaking to other high-level club-filled cities). In a short amount of time, Rev has built itself into a nice little club filled with athletic talent. JaNyah Henderson JaNyah Henderson 5'11" | MB Cy Ranch | 2023 TX (’23, 5-11 MB, Fishers) does it for me in the athleticism department, jumping out of the gym and one of the faster transition middles in the area. She certainly plays longer and taller than her frame suggests. Margo Hernandez (’23, 5-9 S, Fishers) runs the 5-1 show, and has a ton of volleyball talent in her own family with her sister Mallory spending her last season at Georgia and her brother Aaron recently signing to play at Ball State. Margo’s abilities to make the setting position look easy, and will have plenty of weapons to feed. Elle Patterson Elle Patterson 6'0" | OH Tri-West | 2023 State IN (’23, 6-0 OH/RS, Tri-West) can play either pin and hit every shot on each. Gabby Gilbert Gabby Gilbert 5'10" | RS Pike | 2023 State IN (’23, 5-11 OH, Pike) is a heavy-armed pin attacker as well, and uses brute strength to put balls away, a stark contrast to Elle’s finesse. Abby Herman Abby Herman 5'6" | DS/L Mount Vernon | 2023 State IN (’23, 5-8 DS/L, Mount Vernon) will compete for the libero jersey, and her first contact will be key in this roster’s success this spring.
ACADEMY 17-1 TSUNAMI
So. Much. Talent. The big get bigger, as the 17-1 at Academy is once again looking down on its competition, literally. You have Mya Ayro Mya Ayro 6'0" | OH Greenwood | 2023 State #189 Nation IN (’23, UConn commit) attacking over blocks with pace. Alexis Thatcher Alexis Thatcher 5'11" | S Bishop Chatard | 2023 State #194 Nation IN (’23, Samford commit) can go get tight passes that a lot of setters in this class just can’t. Raegan Burns Raegan Burns 5'4" | DS/L McCutcheon | 2023 State #106 Nation IN (’23, Kansas commit) just came off of a state championship run and is an amazing first-contact option. There are so many other big and strong athletes to name for the Tsunami. Avery Hobson Avery Hobson 6'1" | OH Hamilton Southeastern | 2023 State IN (’23, 6-0 OH, Hamilton Southeastern) knows nothing but winning at her high school, and should take one of the left pins in the offense. Jessica Pickett Jessica Pickett 6'5" | MB Carmel | 2023 State IN (’23, 6-4 MB, Carmel) is an absolute force in the middle, and her strength leads her development. Gabby Weihe (’23, 6-1 MB, Noblesville) is the “other” middle, and is springy and fast on the jump, which matches perfectly with her whip of an arm swing. Maeve Perry Maeve Perry 6'2" | RS Brebeuf Jesuit | 2023 State IN (’23, 6-2 RS, Brebeuf) is a big lefty option that can, curiously enough, play middle in a pinch as well. Probably the biggest surprise to this roster is the name Ashby Willis (’23, 6-0 OH, homeschool), who, if memory serves, played on KIVA’s top 16s team last spring and was a primary-passing six-rotation outside. What a roster. I’m looking forward to watching them this Sunday.