Club Previews: A Look at Premier’s 17s and 18s

<p>OMAHA – Several of Premier’s top older teams got the season started last weekend in a little Great Plains Region tournament, but a few of them will be looking for bigger things this weekend at the January Thaw at the CHI Center.</p> <p>January Thaw is a USAV Qualifier for the 18s age division and draws some of the top 18s teams in the nation to Omaha. Premier 18 Gold will be competing in the 18 Open division while Premier 18 Black will compete in the 18 USA division as both look for bids to USAV nationals.</p> <p>Premier 17 Black is competing in the 17/18 Club division – which is not a qualifier.</p> <p>Here is a look at the 17s and 18s teams for 2019 for Premier.</p> <p><strong>Premier 18 Gold</strong></p> <p>A large portion of the Premier 18 Gold team has been playing together for several years, making it one of the most cohesive units on the volleyball court in the area.</p> <p>At setter, Premier 18 Gold has Omaha recruit Sami Clarkson of Omaha Concordia and Ashley Straub of Omaha Marian.</p> <p>Because of the ability of its pins to play back row, Premier 18 Gold rolls with just one back row specialist – but it’s a great one in Iowa State recruit Jaiden Centeno of Millard West. Straub is likely to see action as a DS as well throughout the season.</p> <p>There is a wide variety of flexibility along the net for Premier 18 Gold. The group of Northwest Missouri State commit Sydney McDermott (Skutt Catholilc), Hailey Peterson (Millard West), Missouri Western commit Jessica Hendrix (Papillion-LaVista South) and Nebraska-Kearney recruit Bailey Wilson (Millard West) can either play in the middle or on the right side.</p> <p>Pin hitters for Premier 18 Gold include Jacksonville State recruit Taylor Pribyl (Omaha Concordia), Wyoming recruit Hailey Zuroske (Omaha Marian), Creighton recruit Megan Skovsende (Skutt Catholic) and Allie Kerns (Millard North).</p> <p><strong>Premier 18 Black</strong></p> <p>Premier’s second 18s team feature some outstanding players as well.</p> <p>Hastings College commit Jaisee Stinson of Millard South is the team’s setter along with Concordia University commit Breanna Green of Millard West, who is likely to also see playing time as a defensive specialist. Omaha Marian product Tatum Kuti can also set as well as play in the back row or even on the right side.</p> <p>Elise Volk of Omaha Concordia can play at the pin or as a back row specialist and Iowa Central CC commit Karli Eckert of Papillion-LaVista is a pure back-row player for Premier 18 Black.</p> <p>Omaha Concordia’s Haley Alharithy can play in the middle or right side, as is the case with Bellevue West’s Madelyn Madsen – who is the only junior on the team. Elkhorn South’s Catherine Lentsch can also play in the middle or right side as can recent Bellevue University commit Nicole Meyer of Elmwood-Murdock.</p> <p>On the outside, Premier 18 Black has Hastings College commit Claire Larson of Millard South.</p> <p><strong>Premier 17 Gold</strong></p> <p>Premier’s top 17s team is loaded with some of the top juniors in the state.</p> <p>At setter, Premier 17 Gold has both Arkansas State recruit Izzy Lukens of Millard North and South Dakota recruit Brooklyn Schram of Papillion-LaVista.</p> <p>The only true back-row player on the team is Gretna libero Kenedy Schaecher.</p> <p>In the middle, Premier 17 Gold has Army commit Paige Fixemer of Millard South and either Omaha recruit McKenna Ruch of Millard North and Millard West’s Gabi Nordaker capable of playing in the middle or on a pin.</p> <p>Papillion-LaVista South’s Sophie Hendrix can play at either pin or as a defensive specialist for Premier 17 Gold while Chloe Paschal is an outside hitter/defensive specialist.</p> <p>Premier 17 Gold has a pair of outstanding right side attackers to work in a two-setter offense. Nebraska-Kearney recruit Ibi Green of Elkhorn South and Meredith Mueller of Omaha Marian occupy those two spots.</p> <p><strong>Premier 17 Black</strong></p> <p>Here is the roster for Premier 17 Black:</p> <p>Allana Arkfeld, jr., Denison (Iowa)<br /> Savannah Brym, jr., Omaha Brownell-Talbot<br /> Emma Crouch, jr., Elkhorn<br /> Bri Eilderts, jr., Omaha Marian<br /> Grace Schiemann, soph., Millard West<br /> Lexy Booth, jr., Elkhorn South<br /> Claire Buford, jr., Elkhorn<br /> Hannah Domandle, jr., Millard West<br /> Sarah Montague, jr., Omaha Marian<br /> Stella Shotkoski, jr., Skutt Catholic</p> <p><strong>Premier 17 Red</strong></p> <p>Here is the roster for Premier 17 Red:</p> <p>Isabella Denniston, jr., Nebraska City<br /> Logan Gronewold, jr., Lincoln Northeast<br /> Claire Koch, fr., unknown<br /> Rachel Russell, soph., Nebraska City<br /> Delanie Vallinch, soph., Papillion-LaVista South<br /> Chloe Gilgen, jr., West Harrison (Iowa)<br /> Allie Hinman, soph., Papillion-LaVista<br /> Katelyn Malick, jr., Omaha Marian<br /> Daytan Vallinch, jr., Papillion-LaVista South<br /> Sammie Ziebarth, jr., Papillion-LaVista</p>