Grand Prix Greats – 18s Division
Only a week out from the Pentagon Grand Prix Tournament in Sioux Falls, South Dakota — and the buzz of the caliber of play within the 5 sided arena hasn’t died down. Each age level brought new and interesting match…
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Continue ReadingOnly a week out from the Pentagon Grand Prix Tournament in Sioux Falls, South Dakota — and the buzz of the caliber of play within the 5 sided arena hasn’t died down. Each age level brought new and interesting match ups from teams out of MN, SD and NE — all fighting for the coveted 1st Place Trophy and a Waived Entry Fee to AAU Nationals in Orlando.
These 10 Players stood out to us as we watched the 18s battle all weekend — making our list for the “Grand Prix Greats – 18s Division.”
SETTERS:
AMBER BRETWISCH – KOKORO 18-1s — MINNESOTA STATE UNIVERSITY, MOORHEAD
Standing only at 5’8, Bretwisch plays well above her height. Quick to the ball and a strong floor leader, Amber finds a way to better the ball in any situation. She has great decision making skills and her skill set requires the opposing blockers to stay home and avoid releasing too early, or she will make them pay with a quick tempo to the middle from the 10′ line.
CARLY WEDEL – Kandi Elite 18-1s — SOUTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY
Wedel doesn’t fit any of the “standard setter molds” you see nowadays. Standing at 6’2″ — she puts teams in a tizzy wondering if she’s going to dump, attack or set the ball. When her team is in system, she is lethal. A quiet leader with a ton of competitive fire — she helped lead the Kandi Elite 18’s to the Championship of the Grand Prix before losing to Kokoro 18-1s. They didn’t go down without a fight though — Wedel showed her presence at the net with several booming blocks all weekend long against top-notch outsides heading to play college ball in the fall.
OUTSIDES:
MADDY GUETTER — SWMNVB 18-1s — AUGUSTANA UNIVERSITY
Falling just short to Kokoro 18-1s, SWMNVB made them earn every point in the semi-finals…and Guetter was a huge reason why. Anyone that watches her immediately falls in love with her game. A lighting fast arm-swing and solid ball control made her one of the top players – across all positions – at the Grand Prix. The reigning MVP for the 18s Division at AAU Nationals, Guetter proved to be just that and more. She is bound to have a super solid career at Augustana in the Fall and is definitely a player to watch if you get the opportunity.
CAITLIN SCHNEEWEIS — MN NORTH 18-1s — UNIVERSITY OF MARY
A true “banger.” There’s no other way to describe Caitlin. She did it all for MN North, who was short several players due to injury and prom last weekend. Schneeweis unloads on every ball that she hits — and it can be heard from courts over. Her heavy swing is a rarity these days — but she was giving defenses fits with her shot selection. Although they finished 5th — she is definitely deserving as one of the top outsides at the Grand Prix.
RIGHT SIDES:
TAYA BELLER — NEBRASKA JUNIORS 18-BLACK — WAYNE STATE
The reigning Prep Dig Class D-1 Player of the year — Beller did NOT disappoint at the Grand Prix this past weekend. Mostly playing outside due to players being gone — Beller can RIP a ball. A huge force at the net, she was all over the place. Blocking, hitting and defending – it was fun to watch her step out of her comfort zone and play a new position.
IZZY ROUFS — Kandi Elite 18-1s — CENTRAL CONNECTICUT STATE
A newcomer to Kandi Elite ‘s already stacked 18s team, Roufs was a force to be wreckoned with over the weekend. Standing at 6’2″ — she plays 6 rotations and is used heavily in the front and back row for KEVC. As impressive as her hits are, it’s her blocking that grabbed our attention. She flies over the net and seals — at one point scoring 4 points (including a 1 on 1) in a row on ace blocks to secure the semi-final and send them into the championship.
MIDDLES:
REECE KOEHLER — KOKORO 18-1s — SETON HALL UNIVERSITY
It’s hard to talk about 18s Middles from the Midwest and not mention Reece Kohler. A standout prep and club player — she’s heading to Seton Hall University in the fall. Great off one foot and a very disciplined blocker — Reece has a very high IQ for the game and always seems to be in the right place. All weekend long she controlled the net for Kokoro — earning her a spot as a Grand Prix Great.
PIPER ASCHE (AUGUSTANA UNIVERSITY) & SYDNEY OLSON (GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS COLLEGE) —
Kandi Elite
18-1s
When discussing the top middles — you gotta go with the ones that led their team to the championship match. Asche and Olson are a perfect compliment to each other. Asche is so smooth off one foot — quick to the pin on a slide, she demands the ball and is a “go-to” for KEVC. Olson, on the other hand, is one of the best blockers I have seen in the 18s division. Rarely does she leave a hole — and she is a workhorse in transition. These two are a super combination for KEVC and a huge reason that they have been successful over the years.
BRO’S:
MIA SCHNAIBLE — SWMNJRS 18-1s — UNCOMMITTED 2020
Watching her play, you would never know that Schnaible was a 2020. She is calm and poised — just doing her job over and over again. Coming from a strong prep program in Marshall, MN, Mia has a beautiful platform and works hard to get her body in good position, allowing her team to run a fast offense to their hitters.
BROOKLYN BOLLWEG — KAIROS 18-ADIDAS — UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH DAKOTA
It’s no surprise that Bollweg is headed to one of the top teams in the Summit League with the way that she plays. Gritty and hard working, Brooklyn kept her team in many matches just because of her pure hustle. Strong ball control skills allowed her to put her setter in a good position to run the tempo offense that they love.