MICDS Tournament Preview and Players to Watch

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The start of the season is upon us with a couple of good tournaments this weekend. Here is the tournament preview for the MICDS Tournament at Legacy VTC in Fenton. We will highlight some players to keep an eye on and predict the final.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With the winner of each pool making the semifinals, this should be a tough tournament for the winner.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Pool A</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Pacific</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Nerinx Hall</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Seckman</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Belleville West, IL Pool<strong> Winner</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Pool B</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Rosati- Kain</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>St. Pius X (Festus)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Duchesne</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Centralia, IL <strong>Pool Winner</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Pool C</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>MICDS</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Farmington <strong>Pool Winner</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hillsboro</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Belleville East, IL</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Pool D</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Fox</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Blair Oaks <strong>Pool Winner</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Althoff, IL</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>North Point</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Players to Watch:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='170037' first='Caroline' last='Tomlinson'] – 5'11” – Middle – Pacific</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Tomlinson can get hot and run off a lot of points while in the front row. She is a quick and feisty middle who wants to smash the ball whenever she gets set. She moves well to the pins to block and makes a quick transition.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='171210' first='Ella' last='Gaona'] – 5'6” – Libero – Nerinx Hall</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Florida State recruit will be critical for the Markers this season. A dynamic libero commands the court and plays the libero role to a T. Ella will take up much of the passing lanes, and her quickness allows her to get up a lot of balls that generally go down.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='168037' first='Hannah' last='Leftridge'] – 5'10” – Outside – St. Pius X</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Leftridge will be the go-to hitter this year for the Lancers after finishing last year with 301 kills. The best part of her game is her passing and defense, which could get her a high-level offer if she chose to play libero in college.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='185607' first='Ella' last='Nikodym'] – 5'10” – Setter – Duchesne</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The tallest player on the team for the Pioneers will run the show. Ella has great hands; her accuracy is solid and provides a big block on the right pin.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='168922' first='Jade' last='Roth'] – 6'1” – Middle – Farmington</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Lindenwood recruit is fun to watch when the passing is on point for the Knights. An athletic middle that is quick and powerful out of the middle has a great vertical. She is a ball bouncer if the ball is set to her perfectly.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='152154' first='Bella' last='Uzzle'] – 5'4” – Libero – Hillsboro</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Uzzle led her team in digs and serve receptions last year and will do the same this season. She is a speedy libero that gives her team every opportunity to score when she's the first contact.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='124226' first='Autumn' last='Bax'] – 6'0” – Rightside – Blair Oaks</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bax is the big gun for the Falcons on the correct pin, and the lefty led Blair Oaks to the Class 3 Championship last year. Long, power lefty gives teams fits with her sharp cross-court shots and gives the Falcons a massive blocker on the right pin.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='195372' first='Catherine' last='Woolf'] – 6'0” – Outside – North Point</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>An under-the-radar player is developing into a tremendous six-rotation player for the Grizzlies. Watch out for her line shot! The kid can slam it from anywhere on the court, plays solid defense, and is a primary passer.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Semifinals</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Belleville West wins Pool A</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Centralia, IL wins Pool B</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Farmington wins Pool C</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Blair Oaks wins Pool D</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Championship</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Blair Oaks vs. Centralia, IL This one should be a dandy to watch as both teams return solid cores from last season. Blair Oaks will pull out the championship 2-1 with [player_tooltip player_id='124226' first='Autumn' last='Bax'] putting on a show.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->