Capitol Hill Classic 20th: 17 Open Favorites

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It may not be the biggest tournament in the country, and it has the unfortunate luck of being the same weekend as Triple Crown, but the Capitol Hill Classic is one of the biggest on the East Coast, and with around 1,000 teams, it's no slouch. I'll have a few pieces coming this week, some of the best at different positions, some of the best unsigned players, a couple more niche pieces, but to start off, I'm just going to go with some of my favorite players of the weekend to get us started.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["290176"],"_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-6994cbf292f7b"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Kieran used to play at Metro on that team that finished 2nd in the country last year, but the trouble with stacked teams like that is there are so many stars battling for playing time. She came home to the club she played at when she was younger and in my opinion is an absolutely dangerous addition. She joins a team with some great players and stars already, but in my opinion out shined most players on both sides of the court all weekend. The first thing I thought when I saw her was "How did Metro let THAT one get away?" She's one of my favorite builds of players, athletic all 6 Right Sides that can get up and pound the ball, block well, and give you great defense all over the court. I've got a little list of them over the past year, and she may be the most complete of all of them. You name it, she did it this weekend, laid out and dug tips, hammered home cross and line shots, solo blocked OH from the other team, she was everywhere and changed the game. She's going to get more exposure this year, but if someone doesn't jump on her soon, they are going to be really upset they missed out on one of the true jewels of the DMV. Fantastic player, and a great kid too. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["752400"],"_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-6994cbf29301a"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">As I mentioned before, I have some favorite styles of player. Here's another in that RS mold. Autumn was an absolute monster all weekend. She was a solid blocker, she played good defense. She had an absolute cannon of a shot, and she was everywhere. She's got height, vertical AND wingspan, which almost doesn't seem fair to have all three, and she knew how to use it. My favorite part was probably her IQ, she knew when to hit line, when to hit cross, when to tip, and when to tool, she was playing chess while other girls were playing checkers. I am absolutely floored that she is uncommitted still. It should be a crime, and hopefully out of the dozens of coaches up and down the rows of 17 Open a few of them made plans to try to lock her up asap, or run the risk of seeing her start for the other team, that would be a mistake. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["908869"],"_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-6994cbf29306e"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Seems to me that the RS is getting pretty deep around here. Naomi has been on my radar for years, I was just looking for a good time to feature her, and now that a bunch of coaches got a good view of her this weekend, seems like a good time for it. Naomi is a little shorter than the other girls so far, she's in that tweener build I reference a lot, but like I say all the time, height is only one component, and seeing that she touches 10 foot with her vertical and has good wing span, that should take care of some of those complaints. Did I mention that she's a lefty? Oh yeah, there's that, where teams consistently line up for the block, only to realize too late they are in the wrong spot as the ball goes inside and not outside the block. All weekend long Naomi was dropping some powerful shots on opponents, 10 foot line, back corner, line, cross, she used it all. Now that you all know who she is, you're going to hear a lot more about her, that athleticism and power is going to draw a lot of college interest. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["861538"],"_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-6994cbf2930bb"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">This is a fun one for me, a player that emailed me and asked me to stop by and give her a look during the week. Just so happened she was playing a couple courts away and right in my main path so I dropped by to watch a couple times. She's a lefty setter running a 6-2 for 757 out of Southern VA and was fun to watch. She was in playing DS when I first got there so I got to see some good defense and solid passing, it's not uncommon to see Setters and DS moving to the other position, so I didn't think much of it, then she went back in to set in the next rotation and I got to see some good athleticism, and solid hands when she was setting. As a lefty setter, they tend to have that fun one handed dump, which I got to see once too. Serving she had a nice little run with some good spot serving. Overall, it was a good watch, and someone that should be making the official ranking list at the next revision. I'll have a little more on her later on with a setter themed post I have in mind. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["265167"],"_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-6994de29241c6"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Laila is just fun to watch. She moved onto the loaded 17T team this year where they also have [player_tooltip player_id='437443' first='Kaniyah' last='Ball'] playing Libero, but adding another star to that team just creates depth that is unheard of. Laila was all over the place this weekend winning the MVP award for 17 Open, covering the back court as a DS, and in another game I caught she was playing OH, where I've heard she plays in HS too. Got to love a back court player with good vertical. I think the new meta in VB this year is going to be back row attacking, which should be right up Laila's alley with her hitting skills and vertical. I saw more and more teams using it this weekend when the block got thick. It'll be fun to watch this team on the road to nationals and see if they can avenge last season's final game, but adding Laila is a good way to start that path. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Stay tuned over the next week or so. I've got some more content ideas coming up, some of my favorite players in different age groups first. Maybe some positional analysis after that. You'll feel like you were there by the time we are done, complete with sore feet and back, water bottle, and backpack, optional. Can't wait for next year!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->