January Update: Front Runners and Darkhorse Teams 14s & 15s
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It’s early in the year but we have had the chance to see plenty of teams play in a couple of tournaments and watch them play against some solid competition. We are taking a look at some 14s and 15s…
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Continue ReadingIt’s early in the year but we have had the chance to see plenty of teams play in a couple of tournaments and watch them play against some solid competition. We are taking a look at some 14s and 15s teams that are front runners and those that could be darkhorses. The rankings and numbers are coming from the AES system club volleyball uses. It has its own algorithm and reasons for why teams are where they are.
Front Runners for 14s & 15s
14s-
Tulsa Power 14-1 is currently ranked #1 in the region and is 13-3 in matches on the season. Going 6-0 at Tulsa Attack and 5-2 at the prestigious Kansas City MLK tournament gives plenty of reason why they are a top team in the state. They are a strong serving team and hard-working in transition.
UPVBC 14 Open is currently ranked at #2 in the region and is 9-4 overall. They have competed in two tough tournaments to open their season. They finished 3rd overall in the open division at Redlands Rendezvous and 5th at the Kansas City MLK tournament. This team has some impressive size for a 14s team. Pair this with coaching from a 6A head coach and a D1 university coach, they will have this team fighting for a national bid this season.
Charge 14UA is currently ranked at #16 in the region, but they are the highest nationally ranked team in the 14s division from Oklahoma. Coach Sam Lindsey does a great job every year with her teams. They have only competed in one tournament so far, Redlands Rendezvous. They finished 2nd in the open division, beating quality teams like Rise 14-1 and Ozark Juniors 14-1. This team will head to Texas and Arizona for their next two tournaments. Look for them to be in the top five in the region and fight to earn a national bid as well.
15s-
Rise 15-1 is currently ranked 3rd in the region and 80th in the nation. They sit at 10-1 on the season. They went 5-0 at the ORU Early Bird and then followed it up with a 5-1 weekend at Tulsa Attack. Chesnie Caudill, their 6 rotation OH, continues to be the go-to player for them. They have developed a more balanced attack from the first tournament to the second. This is allowing all hitters easier opportunities to score.
Peak 15-1 is currently ranked 5th in the region and 12th in the nation. They sit at 6-0 after winning the 15 open division at Redlands Rendezvous. Players like Livia Ward, Victoria Gray Victoria Gray 5'10" | OH Community Christian | 2024 State OK , and Morgan Manning have been mentioned in multiple articles and for good reason. This team is full of driven athletes and that mindset is tough to battle against in a match. They will look to take home the 16s division championship this weekend at the Adidas Classic.
Tulsa Power 15-1 is currently ranked 6th in the region and 40th in the nation. They are 13-2 after winning the 17s division at Tulsa Attack and finishing 5th at the Kansas City MLK tournament. Players like Juliana Borchers, Kynli Kirkendoll Kynli Kirkendoll 6'0" | MB Jenks | 2024 State OK , and Ava Wilson make for a huge front row. It is intimidating for opposing hitters to hit at. This team will be attending three different national qualifiers before regionals to try and earn a bid. We predict they will bring home at least one, if not two, national bids.
Dark Horse team for 14s and 15s
14s- (Peak 14-1) Edmond North head coach Jaclyn Burroughs will train this group up and have them rolling more and more as the season progresses. This may be a team ranked 520th in the nation but they WILL move up as they continue to rake in the wins. This team has some of the best players in the state at this age.
15s- (UPVBC 15 Open) After placing 5th in the open division at Redlands Rendezvous, they got back on track in a big way at the Kansas City MLK tournament. They went 8-1 on the weekend and placed 3rd overall. They didn’t just gain wins, but also great experiences, winning multiple 3rd sets and extra point situations: 33-31 27-25 against DYNASTY 15 Gray and followed that up in the next match with a 16-14 3rd set win to advance to the semi-finals of the gold bracket. They will be battle-tested and ready for the back half of the season.