On championship day, like 15 Open was Wednesday at AAUs in Orlando, just about every player who steps on the court could be featured or written about in one way or another. Teams don’t make it to the gold bracket without the contributions of many and that’s what makes it so challenging to select just 10 players for the Day 4 All Red Hat Team.
The goal is to highlight a daily team consisting of two players from each position – outside, middle, right side, setter and libero – who were our absolute favorite players of the day. Favorite doesn’t mean only a 5-star recruit or a familiar name. These are players who stood out to us for a variety of reasons, from amazing play to great energy or attitude or making key hustle plays. These are daily all-stars who really stood out the most to us for one reason or another.
DAY 4 ALL RED HAT TEAM
Amelia Mancino OH WPVC 15 Armour Black: It was a solid day for Winter Park, which swept Rev 15-1 Fuego before falling to Legacy 15-1 Adidas in the quarterfinals. Mancino was part of our Day 3 Show Stoppers. She’s an undersized pin who knows how to deliver against bigger blocks. She’s a feisty attacker, from swinging hard to blow blocks up or swiping off hands to cause frustration. She keyed WPVC’s close out of Rev, scoring three kills and a block late in Game 2.
Reese Poerner OH Skyline 15 Royal: Poerner is a total gamer. She’s not the biggest or hardest hitter in the Skyline lineup, but she provides lots of value because of the way she allows for roster flexibility and more. She can play on the left or the right and Skyline was utilizing her on the former on Day 4. She also provides her share of offense and you know it’s frustrating to opponents that Skyline has yet another player who can deliver when called upon as she did reliably.
Alia Schoonover MB Mintonette Sports m.51: I talked about the middle duos from Skyline, Legacy and Boiler Jrs – and for very good reason – earlier in the tournament and I would be remiss to not include the Mintonette pair here after their performance on Day 4. Schoonover is an offensive threat, capable of scoring in different ways, from the quick or getting out on the slide and letting loose. Defenses need to stay honest when she’s front row or else Mintonette is going to make them pay in system.
Isabelle Thomas MB Mintonette Sports m.51: Thomas might not be the same threat offensively, but she changes the dynamic in the opposite way when she checks in. She’s a strong, physical blocker who is a wall at the net. She might not match other middles inch-for-inch, but she times her blocks well and was providing much-needed defense at the net for Mintonette.
Taylor Clarke RS Skyline 15 Royal: Having a dominant right side is a game-changer and that’s why they next two made the cut. Clarke – a 4-star recruit from the Class of 2025 – is such a force across the front row with her ability to get up and blast balls. The lefty hits at ridiculous angles and causes so much stress on defenses to have to cover the whole court.
Caroline Ward RS Boiler Jrs 15 Gold: Ward – a 5-star recruit from the Class of 2027 – has already been on the All Red Hat Team this tourney but what can I say? She would be a marvel and force in 16 Open. With her length and jumping ability, she’s as much a next-level talent as anyone can be. At times, she’s a shut down blocker with the way she can swallow a ball up with her long arms. On the attack, good luck. She leaps effortlessly and has a rocket for an arm. It’s a lethol combination.
Lexi Shondell S Boiler Jrs 15 Gold: There were so many strong settting performances that any of them could have been written up here. Shondell – a 4-star recruit – has such great on-court demeanor and poise and that’s a big reason I’m going with her. She has total command of the offense and when in system Boiler Jrs is nearly impossible to slow.
Madison Wehr S GP 15 Rox: GP fought off Top Select 15 Elite in three sets and then hung tough against Skyline before falling in the quarterfinals. Wehr showed her stuff in both matches. She ran a 5-1 against Top Select and was part of a 6-2 against Skyine. She’s a bit undersized compared to the other setters but she has nice hands and does well locating and connecting with all her hitters.
Mallory Johnson L Far Out 15 Black: Far Out outlasted A5 15 Bob before running into Mintonette in the quarterfinals and getting swept. Johnson makes her second appearance on the All Red Hat Team. She’s such a smooth operator. She plays under total control. She never gets rattled and, as one opposing coach mentioned, always seems to be in the right spot.
Emma Cugino L Mintonette Sports m.51: There were really good liberos not only competing in the gold bracket but in the tournament overall. Cugino stood above all. She’s a lights-out passer and defender. She’s steps ahead of the play and rarely gets caught out of position. She also plays with lots of fire and determination as she’s not backing down from the biggest hitters coming her way.
