DMV All Tournament Teams for Junior Nationals

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Below are my selections for the all tournament teams for the 14-17 age group. It should be noted that the teams were viewed within a small window. Any player named to the Junior National All Tournament team also made the DMV team.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>17s</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["181279"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66969ae4905b2"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Kadi played some incredible defense at the Junior Nationals. She was digging hard driven balls and popping them right to the setter's spot. Tips that fell short were prevented from hitting the floor by her pancake digs. Kadi covered the whole court with her defense. She brought a sixth sense for finding the ball. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Her passing also shined. If she shanked a pass I did not see it or remember it. Virginia Elite just missed making the gold bracket. They had so many deserving players for consideration for the All Tournament team selection it would have been tough to identify just one player. Kadi definitely stood out as one of those players.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Two teams,[program_tooltip program_id='476729' first='Paramount' last=''] and Liberty Elite from the 17s earned a spot in the gold bracket. While they both lost in the first round one player from each team earned a spot on the All tournament team. Also, Virginia Elite finished just one win away from playing in the gold bracket. Metro jumped out to three quick wins in opening pool play, but then back to back losses knocked them out of any gold bracket consideration. They did end up winning their Flight 4 bracket.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>left side - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='181298' first='Ana' last='Toumazatos'] (</strong>Virginia Elite), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='183589' first='Angelique' last='Desamours'] </strong>([program_tooltip program_id='476729' first='Paramount' last='']), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='248705' first='Zoe' last='Ryu'] </strong>([program_tooltip program_id='476729' first='Paramount' last=''])</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Right side - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='346735' first='Emily' last='Ryder'] </strong>(Liberty Elite),<strong> [player_tooltip player_id='181243' first='Evelyn' last='Jurden']</strong> (Virginia Elite)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Middle - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='568907' first='Shylah' last='Totten']</strong> ([program_tooltip program_id='450416' first='East' last='Coast Volleyball Club']), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='568893' first='Riley' last='Evans']</strong> (Liberty Elite), <strong>Sierra Evans</strong> (Metro)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Libero - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='181279' first='Kadi' last='Pynchon']</strong> (Virginia Elite)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Setter - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='181242' first='Shylah' last='Swope']</strong> (Virginia Elite), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='238357' first='Claire' last='Mo']</strong> ([program_tooltip program_id='476729' first='Paramount' last='']), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='181303' first='Isabelle' last='Bardin'] </strong>(Metro)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The two players named to the All Tournament team by USAV were <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='183589' first='Angelique' last='Desamours']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='346735' first='Emily' last='Ryder']</strong>. Libero <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='181279' first='Kadi' last='Pynchon'] </strong>played an awesome libero. The two setters <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='181242' first='Shylah' last='Swope'] </strong>and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='238357' first='Claire' last='Mo'] </strong>set 5/1s. They both run their offense so well. Isabelle set a 6/2 but stayed in the front row because of her blocking ability and played right side. While she normally hits from the right side, she can also slide over to the left side. In the games I watched <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='248705' first='Zoe' last='Ryu']</strong> deserved strong consideration for the all tournament team. When <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='181298' first='Ana' last='Toumazatos']</strong> finds herself in a zone no block can slow her down.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>16s</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["325603"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66969ae490640"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Normally Parker plays middle. For this tournament she played right side. At 6'3" her height made it difficult for teams to block her. Every set sent her way seemed to hit the floor.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">She did sprain her ankle prior to the team qualifying for the gold bracket. She walked it off and continued to play. The sprained ankle slowed her down a little but her offense remained critical for Paramount to ultimately reach the gold bracket. They lost in the first round but finished in fifth place. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It was a tough tournament for the 16U teams. Not one team finished with a match record over .500. Even [program_tooltip program_id='476729' first='Paramount' last=''], which qualified for the gold bracket finished at 4-5, the only team in the top five of the final standings under .500. The total won-loss for the 16U teams sat at 21-57 (60-122).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Left side - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='238356' first='Morgan' last='Reeves'] </strong>([program_tooltip program_id='476729' first='Paramount' last='']), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='227251' first='Morgan' last='Williams']</strong> (Metro), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='303701' first='Caydence' last='Doolan'] </strong>(Metro)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Right side -<strong> [player_tooltip player_id='325603' first='Parker' last='Sutherland'] </strong>([program_tooltip program_id='476729' first='Paramount' last='']), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='301696' first='Nadiya' last='Johnson']</strong> (Metro)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Middle - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='229773' first='Evie' last='Ballengee'] </strong>(Academy Diamond), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='325599' first='Raegan' last='Lentz']</strong> ([program_tooltip program_id='476729' first='Paramount' last=''])</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Libero - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='325602' first='Alexa' last='Smith']</strong> ([program_tooltip program_id='476729' first='Paramount' last='']), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='374421' first='Miranda' last='Ball']</strong> (Maryland Juniors)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Setter - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='235322' first='Avery' last='Prendergast'] </strong>([program_tooltip program_id='476729' first='Paramount' last='']), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='321677' first='Charis' last='Burge']</strong> (Metro), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='333651' first='Sydney' last='Ray']</strong> (Virginia Juniors)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Defensive specialist <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='325602' first='Alexa' last='Smith']</strong> made the all tournament team. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='325603' first='Parker' last='Sutherland'] </strong>can play both right side and middle. Metro and [program_tooltip program_id='476729' first='Paramount' last=''] dominated this list, [program_tooltip program_id='476729' first='Paramount' last=''] because they earned a place in the gold bracket and Metro for playing Open. Both <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='303701' first='Caydence' last='Doolan']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='227251' first='Morgan' last='Williams']</strong> hit well from the left side during the couple games I watched. When <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='321677' first='Charis' last='Burge']</strong> runs a 5/1 <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='301696' first='Nadiya' last='Johnson']</strong> gets an opportunity to play six rotations. She proved tough to stop on offense. While <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='229773' first='Evie' last='Ballengee']</strong> played for a North Carolina club she attends high school in Virginia and commutes to play for Academy Diamond.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>15s</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["296486"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66969ae4906a7"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Some of the better teams knew Taylor was the player to stop with the Paramount offense. Paramount does not run quicks in the middle with her. They prefer setting her higher "2" sets. She saw a number of triple blocks that challenged her. At the Open level teams never make it easy.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Against teams that put up two blocks she just hits the ball to where the pin blocker does not go up. If Paramount continues to play at the higher levels Taylor needs to hit the quicker sets to achieve offensive success in the middle. Otherwise, she needs to move to the outside.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Because she blocks so well Paramount loses that production from the middle. But the higher sets in the middle limit her offensive contribution.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>While no team made the gold bracket there were a number of teams that played well, just missing the opportunity to qualify for gold. Metro, Virginia Juniors and Maryland Juniors all finished in the top 20. Even [program_tooltip program_id='476729' first='Paramount' last=''] went off on a four game winning streak in the Open Division to finish one game over .500. Overall, a very good performance by many of the 15U teams.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Left side - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='333650' first='Louise' last='Neuhart']</strong> ([program_tooltip program_id='476729' first='Paramount' last='']), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='357402' first='Coco' last='Lewis'] </strong>(Virginia Juniors) and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='385968' first='Macie' last='Murray']</strong> (Metro)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Right side - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='238595' first='Sofia' last='Delarosa'] </strong>([program_tooltip program_id='476729' first='Paramount' last=''])</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Middle - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='296486' first='Taylor' last='Harrington']</strong> ([program_tooltip program_id='476729' first='Paramount' last='']), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='568901' first='Alli' last='Robinson'] (</strong>Metro)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Libero - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='438070' first='Camryn' last='Coulther']</strong> (Virginia Juniors), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='437443' first='Kaniyah' last='Ball'] </strong>(Metro)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Setter - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='298857' first='Ingrid' last='Smith']</strong> ([program_tooltip program_id='476729' first='Paramount' last='']), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='206729' first='Megan' last='Phan'] </strong>(Virginia Juniors), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='478903' first='Barrett' last='Bolter'] </strong>(Metro)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There were times in the middle when <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='296486' first='Taylor' last='Harrington']</strong> hit against three blockers. Few hit the ball harder than <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='385968' first='Macie' last='Murray'].</strong> Developing an effective change of pace would enhance her game. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='568901' first='Alli' last='Robinson']</strong> has improved her blocking game. She plugs up the middle so well. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='438070' first='Camryn' last='Coulther']</strong> surprised me with her quality libero play. She moves quickly around the court always displaying positive energy. Barrett and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='292644' first='Caycee' last='Chhum']</strong> were toss ups for the setter position. Barrett surprised me with the quality of her sets so she earned the selection. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>14s</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Just like the 15Us, there were no 14U teams to earn their way into the gold bracket. Surprisingly, the only club to finish over .500 was [program_tooltip program_id='450416' first='East' last='Coast Volleyball Club'] from the Old Dominion Region. They accomplished that in the competitive National Division. The [program_tooltip program_id='476729' first='Paramount' last=''] second team finished at .500 playing in the Freedom Division and Liberty Elite playing in the American Division also finished .500.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Left side - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='536719' first='Katherine' last='Mitchell']</strong> (Metro), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='536727' first='Chika' last='Onukwugha']</strong> (Metro), <strong>Eiren Scott</strong> ([program_tooltip program_id='476729' first='Paramount' last=''] (Maureen), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='610473' first='Catherine' last='Warren']</strong> (Liberty Elite)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Right Side - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='536721' first='Ana' last='Woods']</strong> (Metro)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Middle - I<strong>ndia Starr</strong> ([program_tooltip program_id='450416' first='East' last='Coast Volleyball Club']), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='617109' first='Margaret' last='Manzer'] </strong>([program_tooltip program_id='450416' first='East' last='Coast Volleyball Club']) <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='545725' first='Abisola' last='Adeyemo']</strong> (Maryland Juniors)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Libero - <strong>Liley Ro</strong> (Metro), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='612401' first='Leigha' last='Harsh'] </strong>(Liberty Elite)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Setter - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='630678' first='Iris' last='Jin']</strong> ([program_tooltip program_id='476729' first='Paramount' last=''] Cozad), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='536724' first='Ariel' last='Callwood'] </strong>(Metro) </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Both <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='617089' first='India' last='Starr']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='617109' first='Margaret' last='Manzer']</strong> stood out as the dominant offensive players on the East Coast team. They also blocked well. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='545725' first='Abisola' last='Adeyemo']</strong> made herself known in the middle with her powerful hits. The two left sides that clearly rose above the other teams were<strong> [player_tooltip player_id='536719' first='Katherine' last='Mitchell'] </strong>and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='536727' first='Chika' last='Onukwugha']</strong>. Even though she played on the second team <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='630678' first='Iris' last='Jin'] </strong>impressed with her hands.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>The Bracket Winners</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I don't know if they handed out medals to the bracket winners. Below were the local teams that won their brackets.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Metro 17 - Won Flight 4 in the National Division.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Club 540 16 - Won Flight 7 in the National Division.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>MVSA Sparks 16 - Won Flight 9 in the American Division.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>MVSA Charge 15 - Won Flight 7 in the National Division.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Maryland Jrs 15 - Won Bronze B in the American Division</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[program_tooltip program_id='476729' first='Paramount' last=''] Cozad 14 - Won Flight 1 in the Freedom Division</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Liberty Elite 14 - Won Flight 6 in the American Division</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[program_tooltip program_id='498081' first='Loudoun' last='Elite'] 15 - Won Flight 2B in the Patriot Division</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Academy 16 - Won Flight 13 in the Patriot Division</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->