Top Ten Rankings Including Player and Frosh of the Year

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This week I take another look at the new top ten teams in the Northern Virginia area this time identifying their player and frosh of the year mid-term candidates. Later this week I will take a look at the top teams in the Richmond area and some of the players leading that charge.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Again some shuffling of the top four but no changes in that group. Marshall and Stone Bridge have dropped out of the top ten and Battlefield and Rock Ridge have rolled in to replace them. There is still a good chunk of the season left so more changes are to be anticipated. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Flint Hill</strong> (17-0, 4-0 in ISL) - They continue to ram through opponents without losing a set. The USA today voted them number 22 in the country. They won their own tournament with <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='181099' first='Sydney' last='Bryant']</strong>, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='212883' first='Evie' last='Huang']</strong> and<strong> [player_tooltip player_id='180283' first='Natalie' last='Nguyen']</strong> making first team and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='233010' first='Mickhaila' last='Murray'] </strong>winning the MVP. They also swept through their foes in a tournament in Florida. The top player of the year candidate among this end of the rainbow talent is <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='181099' first='Sydney' last='Bryant']</strong>, who has filled a big hole hitting from the left side. The frosh of the year is [player_tooltip player_id='212883' first='Evie' last='Huang'], who has filled the libero role, another big hole that needed to be filled.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Langley</strong> (13-0, 6-0 in Liberty) - They have swept past their last 11 opponents, including some strong teams in Marshall, James Madison and Stone Bridge. Their remaining schedule does not look very onerous, so an undefeated season heading into the state playoffs is a strong possibility. They carry a big punch with a fabulous foursome of <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='180284' first='Chloe' last='Hokenson']</strong>, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='181307' first='Leni' last='Stanton-Parker']</strong>, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='181298' first='Ana' last='Toumazatos']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='180292' first='Riley' last='Buddie']</strong>. Chloe gets the player of the year consideration because of her ability to set. The frosh of the year is clearly setter <strong>Claire Mo</strong>. With Claire setting it allows Chloe to be an impactful hitter from the right side.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Colgan</strong> (14-1, 7-0 in Cardinal) - Their only loss was at the Endless Summer tournament in the championship game against Musselman High School, a team that won the West Virginia State championship last year and has the state Gatorade player of the year <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='181201' first='Hannah' last='Howard']</strong> playing for them. In their other games they swept through their competition like a knife through warm butter, including Battlefield. While <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='231633' first='Alexis' last='Scipione']</strong> controls the offense it is <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='181185' first='Brielle' last='Kemavor'] </strong>who controls the game, with her penetrating blocks at the net and her floor shattering spikes to the floor. <strong>Tehillah Garrison</strong> gets the frosh of the year nomination for her filling in on the outside, though it is more in a part time capacity.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Bishop O'Connell</strong> (16-1, 5-1 in WCAC) - They lost a tough 5 set match to Holy Cross last week, a team ranked number 2 in the DC area by the Washington Post. They could not stop one of the best outsides in the country <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='180288' first='Emerson' last='Sellman']</strong> in game five. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='180281' first='Erin' last='Debiec'] </strong>is ranked as the 85th best player nationally in the class of 2024 and has recently committed to Colorado State, but even she must yield to Connecticut commit <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='181098' first='Grace' last='Maria'] </strong>for player of the year consideration. Grace is number two in our Virginia 2022 rankings. She is the top passer on the team, the top hitter, second on the team in both blocking and digging and leads in aces. That gives Grace the player of the year nod. Frosh of the year is clearly <strong>Tea Stamenkovic</strong>. There may not be a class of 2026 player who hits the ball harder and her kills are starting to come in bunches as she adjusts to the varsity level.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>James Wood</strong> (12-0, 7-0 in Northwestern) - They had a big four set win against their Northwestern Division rival Millbrook, who had beaten them the last seven times. This is a young team that is led by their two sensational frosh. The leader on the team in kills is frosh <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='181302' first='Kennedy' last='Spaid'],</strong> though senior middle <strong>Ella Kelchner</strong> leads the team in hitting percentage and blocks. Kennedy though has twice as many kills as her closest competitor, allowing her to win the player of the year nomination. Second on the team in kills is the diminutive 5'4" frosh <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='181280' first='Brenna' last='Corbin']</strong>. She also is second on the team in aces and digs and is a key cog in the Colonel's passing rotation. Brenna wins our frosh of the year nomination since we do not want to give both player and frosh of the year to the same player.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Alexandria City</strong> (17-1, 8-1 in Patriot) - This team is a bit of a surprise to have climbed this high. While they have been 54-1 under the tutelage of <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='181179' first='Chloe' last='Wilmot']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='181178' first='Milan' last='Rex'] </strong>the last two years I expected a little less from them this year after watching them early in the season. <strong>Bridie Wendling</strong> has been a force from the other outside with much improved play while <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='231672' first='Annalie' last='McCarthy']</strong> has been an impactful middle. <strong>Zana Royster</strong> has been doing an excellent job in the libero role, but I was equally impressed with the serving, passing and defense of defensive specialist <strong>Casey Donahue</strong>. Tough to choose between Chloe and Milan for player of the year, but since they have no frosh on the varsity I'll let them share the player of the year nomination.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Battlefield</strong> (11-3, 7-1 in Cedar Run) - Battlefield has been hanging on the edges of this top ten but losses to Oakton, Colgan and Freedom came during top ten consideration time and left them on the outside looking in. A five set loss to Freedom puts them in second place to Patriot High in the Cedar Run District standings, but the other two losses are to top ten teams. Those three losses have also come in away games. Since we have yet to see Battlefield play we are hesitant to nominate a player of the year. They have no frosh on the varsity. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='181311' first='Skyler' last='Tennant'] </strong>swings it hard from the left side and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='209169' first='Emily' last='Dunn']</strong> is an athletic player from the right side with a fast arm swing and a good vertical. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='182776' first='Brianna' last='Clay']</strong> can be a force in the middle or move outside. Last year she was named first team All District. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='233450' first='Jaelle' last='Hinkle']</strong>, a second team nomination occupies the libero role. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Oakton </strong>(7-1, 3-0 in Concorde) - Their schedule has been a little light. Their only loss has been to Marshall, who swept them. They have beaten Battlefield and James Madison, who are strong opponents. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='209789' first='Seliz' last='Aktuglu']</strong> is their go to gal and makes this offense a threat. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='209792' first='Jocelyn' last='Shortle'] </strong>also swings from the left side and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='181188' first='Jade' last='Brooks']</strong> swings up the middle but if you need a kill Seliz gets the call. Because of that she gets first consideration for player of the year for Oakton. Frosh <strong>Julia Xu</strong> hits usually from the right side. She has good arm extension in her swing and some length in her frame that could make her an impact player in the future.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Millbrook</strong> (11-1, 6-1 in Northwestern) - The James Wood loss hurt. My coaching motto is you either win or you learn and hopefully Millbrook got an education after their loss to the Colonels. They bounced right back with a sweep of Fauquier, a team that took them to five earlier in the season. Senior setter <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='181177' first='Madison' last='Koeller']</strong> is the straw that stirs this Pioneer offense, allowing her to get the player of the year nod. Libero <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='218149' first='Giselle' last='Norris'] </strong>wins the frosh of the year vote because of her defense and ability to be part of the passing rotation. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Rock Ridge</strong> (12-3, 8-1 in Dulles) - They lost to Stone Bridge. That has been their only game against teams that are or once have been in the top ten. Rock Ridge was swept by Dominion, giving them their only District loss. They get to play them again the last game of the season. They are a half game ahead of a surging Loudoun County, who they had beaten earlier in the season. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='209791' first='Grace' last='Tucker']</strong> and <strong>Sidney Powell</strong> both made second team All District. <strong>Ankita Kamath </strong>is a solid setter. They have no frosh on the team. Since I have not seen this team play yet I'm hesitant to nominate. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Chesapeake Chirps</strong>: <strong>Stone Bridge</strong>, the defending State champions have stumbled, losing five of their last seven games. That drops them to 1-3 in the Potomac Division. A big game against <strong>Briar Woods </strong>comes on Monday....<strong>Marshall</strong> had some issues at the Titan Clash, losing three of their four games. They then lost to <strong>Langley </strong>on Tuesday to make it four of five. The good news is they are still 5-2 in the Liberty District, with both of their losses against Langley....The ten time state champs <strong>Loudoun County</strong> has awakened, winning eight of their last nine games. Their only loss during that streak was to first place <strong>Rock Ridge</strong>. They have been led by <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='209170' first='Corinne' last='Bonamassa'] </strong>in kills and serving aces. Libero <strong>Alayna Johnson </strong>has been digging everything that comes across the net, averaging just over five digs per set. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p> </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->