Chris Tobolski

How difficult was the Winter Girls Championship as an opening qualifier back in January? The three teams which earned bids there all medal this past weekend at the USAV 18s Girls Junior National Championships in Phoenix. Sunshine 18 LA – which finished first in Chicago – went undefeated in claiming the 18 Open gold medal after defeating Madfrog 18 Green in the final. FC Elite 18 Elite and Rockwood Thunder 18 Elite – which finished second and third respectively in Chicago – tied for third and walked away with bronze medals. Here’s how their weekends played out. SUNSHINE 18 LA (FIRST, 9-0) Pool: d 1st Alliance 18 Gold 25-14, 25-15; d NPJ 18 Forefront 25-11, 25-11; d PVA 18 Elite 25-13, 25-20; d MN Select 18-1 25-23, 25-20; d AZ Storm 18 Thunder 25-16, 25-20 Challenge: d Rage Westside 18 25-23, 25-23 Gold: d Skyline 18 Royal 25-21, 19-25, 15-13; d FC Elite 18 Elite 25-21, 25-19; d Madfrog 18 Green 25-18, 25-21 All 10 players returned from last year’s 17 Open undefeated gold medal squad as Sunshine 18 LA – which added four new members – looked to go back-to-back in 2022. Once more, the So Cal club proved untouchable in claiming another gold medal. Sunshine powered its way to the 18 Open championship with a 9-0 mark and lost just one set along the way in Phoenix, concluding with a sweep over Madfrog 18 Green in the final. Winners of the Girls Winter Championships in January and the SCVA 18s qualifier in March, the only match Sunshine lost all season on a national stage came against Munciana 18 Samurai in the finals of Triple Crown in February. “We knew it would be very tough,” Sunshine coach Ali Fathali Nejad said. “We got our bid early in Chicago in January. We wanted to get better and put a lot of focus on practice. We had good focus and good concentration. We knew we had a good plan and a group of talented players.” Sunshine – seeded No. 2 overall – rolled through its pool but showed some vulnerability in its challenge match against Rage Westside 18 Michelle. Outside Dani Thomas-Nathan became injured in that contest which forced a lineup change. Sunshine was able to narrowly escape 25-23, 25-23. Heading into the gold bracket, Sunshine switched from its two-libero lineup and kept Megan Verbiest in that spot while moving Ellie Geoghegan to DS in hopes of solidifying the passing. Skylar Gerhardt and Ava-Marie Lange – a junior – took turns filling in for Thomas-Nathan. With the change to the lineup, Sunshine received its biggest test of the tournament when Skyline 18 Royal pushed Sunshine to three games in the quarterfinals. Sunshine was able to take the third set 15-13. “That was a very tough match and stressful for the families,” Nejad said. “Skyline is a big team with a lot of good players. The coaches are experienced and very smart. It was an amazing game.” Sunshine then swept FC Elite 18 Elite in the semis. Once in the final, Sunshine played one of its cleanest matches of the tournament in beating Madfrog. “At this level of the sport, it really matters what you have planned,” Nejad said. “Madfrog has a really good right side hitter and very fast, very smart middle blockers. We served very well against them and we wanted to keep trying to side out. We served tough and kept their passes near the 10-foot line. That gave us a good chance to block their pin hitters and defend the ball.” Among the core lineup that was back for Sunshine was outside Elia Rubin, setter Kelly Belardi, middle blockers Lucia Scalamandre and Kennedy Hill and right side Kerry Keefe. Lange was a new addition this season, along with Gabriella Gelfound, Alex Townsend and Shannon Knight. “It’s an amazing time for our club,” Nejad said. “Everything went very smoothly this season for us. We were ready for this championship. It’s a short season for us. It was very tough going for back-to-back championships. The girls had really good preparation and good mental preparation.” *** MADFROG 18 GREEN (SECOND, 7-3) Pool: d Premier Nebraska 18 Gold 25-23, 25-17; d Gainesville Jrs 18/17 25-20, 29-27; l FC Elite 18 Elite 25-18, 18-25, 15-7; d Club V 18 Ren Reed 20-25, 25-19, 15-11; l Adversity 18 Adidas 25-21, 25-20 Challenge: d PVA 18 Elite 25-12, 25-22; d A5 Mizuno 18 Marc 25-23, 26-24 Gold: d Mizuno Long Beach 18 Rockstar 25-22, 17-25, 15-11; d Rockwood Thunder 18 Elite 25-22, 25-20; l Sunshine 18 LA 25-18, 25-21 Having picked up a qualifier victory and two more runner ups Madfrog 18 Green earned the No. 3 overall seed. Yet, the North Texas Region club was not performing like a high seed during pool play and barely escaped to the challenge rounds based on tiebreakers. From there though, Madfrog found its stride and delivered a crushing blow to top-seeded A5 Mizuno 18 Marc in challenge play on its way to a runner up finish, falling to Sunshine 18 LA in the title match. “We struggled on Day 1,” Madfrog coach Matt Sipes said. “We lacked energy and focus and we were kind of going through the motions. That being the case, the fact we made it through not playing up to our potential I actually felt confident going into the challenges.” Sunshine defeated Madfrog in three games in the final of the SCVA 18s Qualifier in March. Madfrog played that contest without outside Maya Duckworth and right side Mia Moore. Both were back for Junior Nationals, though Moore was still playing in a limited capacity. Unfortunately for Madfrog, it wasn’t able to flip the script and cap its revenge tour that began with the challenge rounds. Still, the silver medal was the first time Madfrog as a club earned an 18 Open medal and Sipes hopes it’s a sign of what’s to come. “We’ve been very successful,” Sipes said. “I feel we are the

It was a blast watching some of the very best players in the country competing this past weekend at the USAV 18s Girls Junior National Championships. vballrecruiter.com was on hand for the duration taking in all the action. We release the list of the top outsides we witnessed over the three days in Phoenix. Chelsea Thorpe, 1st Alliance 18 Gold – Thorpe is committed to Ohio State and should do well as a Buckeye. She’s 6-3 with a physical arm. When she connects, you can almost feel it from the sideline. Alexis Shelton, CUVC 18 Premier – Unfortunately, Shelton missed much of the season due to injury. She was a welcome presence in the lineup in Phoenix. She’s 6-2 with a big arm who can pound down loud kills. She’s committed to Oklahoma. Ava Martin, PVA 18 Elite – This Creighton recruit is the go-to hitter on the left and can carry the offensive load at times. She’s 6-1, jumps well and is relentless as she brings the heat over and over. Jordan Middleton, AZ Storm 18 Thunder – Though it was rough for AZ Storm not breaking pool, Middleton carries a heavy load on offense regardless. The 6-1 USC signee can unleash thudding winners all over the court with her loose swing. Elia Rubin, Sunshine 18 LA – The 6-0 Stanford signee is the best all-around player in the country and performed like it consistently in Phoenix. She passes lights out and defends with tenacity. Her back-row attacks are almost unstoppable and she has every shot in the book to beat defenses with when she’s front row. Jasmine Dulan, Dynasty 18 Black – At 5-8, Dulan – who is headed to Missouri – is constantly going against bigger blocks. Though she’s undersized, she jumps well and has a lively arm. She’s aggressive with it and doesn’t back down. She also has strong ball control. Cheridyn Leverette, A5 Mizuno 18 Marc – What a weapon Leverette is. The 6-1 UCLA commit is a high-flyer who touches 10-3 and has the pace and power to overwhelm defenders and blow up blocks. Maya Duckworth, Madfrog 18 Green – A six-rotation stalwart Duckworth is a bit undersized at 5-9 but the Iowa State commit doesn’t back down from anyone. She’s a smart hitter with a wide variety of shots. She’s also a strong passer and helps anchor the back row. Courtney Jones, Circle City 18 Purple – A 6-0 outside committed to Lipscomb, Jones is a key feature of the offense. She gets up well and takes hard, aggressive swings. She’s relentless on the attack and doesn’t let up. Emma Donley, Rage 18 Westside – A 6-2 junior committed to Cal, Donley is part of a strong outside duo for Rage. She’s a consistent and reliable scorer with the ability to carry the offense during stretches. Grayce Olson, Rage 18 Westside – Olson – a 6-4 UCLA commit – is long with a big arm who can crush it. She’s a featured part of the Rage attack and go can on runs where she’s simply unstoppable. Lucy Trump, Tri-State 18 Elite – This 6-0 outside is part of strong incoming class for Notre Dame. She’s a strong all-around player with solid ball control skills and she’s a smart hitter who knows how to score in a variety of ways. Rylen Reid, Adversity 18 Adidas – It’s hard to find someone who looks like they are having more fun playing than Reid. The 6-0 outside is committed to Florida Gulf Coast and plays with endless spirit. She also has a solid arm that generates plenty of pace. Jacqueline Bardin, Metro 18 Travel – Bardin’s jumping ability allows her to play taller than her 5-11 frame. She has a fulid arm and ability the ability to let loose when the opportunity is there. She’s headed to Davidson. Laila Ivey, Metro 18 Travel – A 6-1 Maryland commit, Ivey can sky. She gets in the air quickly and can unload on the ball with her fast arm swing. Adonia Faumuina, Mizuno Long Beach 18 Rockstar – Faumuina is capable of pounding down impressive winners with her easy swing. At 6-1, she’s one of Beach’s best offensive options. She’s headed to USC. Mele Corral-Blagojevich, Mizuno Long Beach 18 Rockstar – A Class of 2023 four-star recruit, Corral-Blagojevich is a six-rotation outside. She has a powerful arm to go with a mix of off-speed shots. She also can change momentum in a hurry with her hard serving. Ana Julia Bleeker, OT 18 Felix – An undersized outside at 5-9, Bleeker is a heady attacker who knows how to use the block and read defenses. She also is a steady and consistent passer that might allow her to play libero at the next level. She’s committed to Georgia. Kathryn Randorf, AVC Cle Rox 18 Rox – A former middle blocker, Randorf – a Northwestern commit – has shined since moving to the outside. She’s 6-1 with a huge arm to punish defenses with. Caroline Jurevicius, AVC Cle Rox 18 Rox – A five-star junior, Jurevicius is committed to Nebraska. It’s easy to see why. She’s athletic, can put up a big block and has a great arm that produces some of the biggest kills in the gym. Emily Hellmuth, Skyline 18 Royal – At 6-3 and touching 10-3, Hellmuth is an offensive force. She’s long and can go over blocks. Or her she can tool them with her fluid swing. She’s committed to Pepperdine. Janet deMarrais, Skyline 18 Royal – Missouri is getting a strong hitter in deMarrais. The 6-2 outside hits hard with her aggressive swing and she’s not one to back down. Lilly Wachholz, Vital 18-1 Gold – It was a tremendous weekend for Vital, which is helped out by the play of the 6-3 Wachholz. She’s a physical outside who hits a heavy ball. She’s headed to Iowa State. Brielle Warren, Hou Skyline 18 Royal – Warren has the potential to be a force at

Before heading off to play at their respective colleges, players gathered in Phoenix for the USAV 18s Girls Junior National Championships over the weekend. There was plenty of excitement to follow and vballrecruiter.com spent three days chasing it. Below, we bring you the top right sides we saw performing during our time there. Maya Cappellino, A4 Volley 18 Joaco – A bit undersized at 5-11, this lefty was swinging aggressively and challenging bigger blocks with success throughout the weekend and proved to be one of A4’s more reliable options. Kerry Keefe, Sunshine 18 LA – A six-rotation opposite, Keefe is a threat front and back row. At 6-2, she’s long and can hit over blocks, off of them or around them. She has a whippy arm which generates plenty of pace. She’s committed to Duke. Avry Tatum, Wave 18 Kevin – A 6-3 six-rotation opposite and physical hitter, Tatum is the go-to in the Wave offense with her big arm. She can deliver momentum-shifting kills. She’s committed to Cincinnati. Logan Lednicky, Hou Skyline 18 Royal – This 6-2 lefty is committed to Texas AM. She has a great swing and can let loose when attacking. She’s a great option on the right who can hit high and cause defenses tons of trouble. Kennedy Martin, FC Elite 18 Elite – What a next-level prospect Martin is. She’s a 6-6 junior already committed to Florida. She’s still raw and developing and that’s scary. Her size alone makes her a presence on the right side. She can easily go over blocks at times while slowing down would-be attacks with her length blocking. Madison Pietsch, Rage 18 Westside – A 6-2 lefty committed to USC, Pietsch can be difficult to stop when she’s on. She has a wide variety of shots and with her length can hit tough angles to defend. Jalyn Stout, Gainesville Jrs 18/17 – A junior playing up, Stout is a key contributor to the Gainesville offense. She’s 5-10 with a nice jump and smooth swing. She takes aggressive cuts at the ball and isn’t afraid to challenge bigger blockers. Sienna Ifill, Northern Lights 18-1 – Ifill is an athletic right side who at 6-1 can touch 10-3 and is committed to Marquette. She can put up a nice block. A lefty, she also can whip the ball down with her quick swing. Laura Williams, Mizuno Long Beach 18 Rockstar – This 5-11 right side can be a force at times in the Beach attack. She has a lively arm and can pound down winners with it. She’s committed to Oregon State. Anna Herrington, OT 18 Felix – A 6-0 Boston College commit, Herrington can crank it when she gets it going. She has a big arm and hits a heavy ball. Her scoring abilities helped OT balance out its attack. Mia Soerensen, AVC Cle Rox 18 Red – A lanky 6-4, Soerensen had her moments for AVC. She’s a lefty with a fluid swing that can create plenty of pace when she gets a hold of one. She’s headed to Kent State. Madison Scheer, Rockwood Thunder 18 Elite – A 6-1 Auburn recruit, Scheer carries a powerful arm that can penetrate blocks and overpower defenders. She’s a featured part of the RT attack and was a reliable option on the right.

The weekend run at the USAV 18s Girls Junior National Championships is over. It doesn’t mean the coverage has stopped. vballrecruiter.com spent three days roaming the courts and taking in the action. It led us to creating a list of the top liberos we saw competing. Ella Voegele, MN Select 18-1 – We like the awareness Voegele – who is committed to UNC-Greensboro – plays with. She covers well and was passing consistently when targeted. Megan Verbeist, Sunshine 18 LA – The USC commit is an easy-going dynamic passer with the ability to make some spectacular saves. She isn’t often challenged in serve receive but when she is she rarely misses her mark. Gracey Janes, Dynasty 18 Black – Dynasty has to compete on the strength of its passing and ball control. Janes is fiery at times and does her best to pump up teammates after big kills. She’s committed to Rockhurst. Tatum Thomas, AZ Storm 18 Thunder – A Grand Canyon commit, Thomas is a gamer. She’s quick and covers ground in a hurry. She can been seen flying all over the court in pursuit of the ball. Emma Farrell, A5 Mizuno 18 Marc – Farrell should excel at Wake Forest, where she is signed. She’s an exceptional talent who takes ownership of the position like few do. She’s absolute nails out of serve receive and is super steady and on point with her defending and ball control. Saige Damrow, FC Elite 18 Elite – A five-star junior committed to Wisconsin, Damrow has an unassuming nature about her. She has a laidback demeanor and is super smooth. She rarely misses a play and is as automatic as they come out of serve receive. Skylar McCune, Premier Nebraska 18 Gold – McCune will help make up a strong back row when she gets to Creighton. Though Premier Nebraska had a tough go in Phoenix, McCune shined at the position with her pin-point passing and ability to keep rallies alive. Gillian Grimes, Adversity 18 Adidas – Grimes recently announced she’s headed to Penn State at the next level. Grimes helped fuel a great run for Adversity with her standout play. She’s spirited and plays with a feistiness. Jordyn Schilling, Mizuno Long Beach 18 Rockstar – A West Virginia recruit, Schilling is the key part of the Beach defense. She’s steady out of serve receive. She also reads and anticipates well which helps her be in the right spots to make plays. Naylani Feliciano, Skyline 18 Royal – Skyline boasts a really strong back court, with Feliciano one part of a dynamic duo. She’ll suit up for Miami in the fall and will bring a strong court sense and speed to the next level. Emily Canaan, Skyline 18 Royal – Canaan has long been one of the better liberos in the class and is committed to Florida. She’s an intense competitor who plays all out and is steady and consistent with her passing. Gala Trubint, Coast 18-1 – Trubint is part of big incoming class for USC. She’s a calm and stoic libero who is unflappable. She has a high IQ and can frustrate hitters with her ability to pick their shots off. Zoria Heard, Madfrog 18 Green – A Texas AM-Corpus Christi commit, Heard had a strong weekend in the Madfrog back court. At times, it seemed like she was everywhere keeping rallies going and helping slow down would-be attackers. Madison Hoffman, Rockwood Thunder 18 Elite – Rockwood Thunder came together to grab a bronze medal, including the play of Hoffman. The Wingate commit was steady all weekend in anchoring the defense and providing consistent play. Emma Halter, Team Indiana Elite 18.1 – Opponents that know about Halter – a Texas commit – work so hard to keep the ball away from her that she can go stretches without touching the ball. Still, she’s a dynamic player with all the tools to star at Texas. She passes dimes and is a scrappy defender who can hit the floor to make a save.

There was an overwhelming collection of talented players who spent three days competing at the USAV 18s Girls Junior National Championships this past weekend in Phoenix. With so many stars around it’s not an easy task standing out. Below, vballrecruiter.com highlights the top setters we watched in action throughout the weekend. Bergen Reilly, Kairos 18 Elite – The Nebraska commit is silky smooth and moves the ball around to all her hitters effortlessly. A junior who is a five-star recruit, Reilly has great hands, a calming demeanor and the ability to make the players around her better. Sophie Skinner, 501 Volley 18 National – Part of last season’s Under Armour All-America game, Skinner runs a nice offense. She has nice hands and a consistent delivery. Kelly Belardi, Sunshine 18 LA – Few things fire up the Sunshine players like this 5-9 setter delivering a block. It’s not her forte obviously but few can move the ball around with the ease of Belardi. Sunshine passes well and is often in system and that allows Belardi to go to work creating one-on-one looks for her hitters with her soft touch and pin-point delivery. She’s headed to Stanford. Maddie Waak, Hou Skyline 18 Royal – Waak is a 5-11 setter on her way to LSU. She has strong command of the position and how to run an offense. She’s effective getting everyone involved when Hou Skyline is in system. Jordan Karlen, Capital 18 Adidas – An undersized setter at 5-9, Karlen has a smooth delivery and clean sets. She dishes with consistent accuracy to all her hitters. Harmony Sample, S/RS, Madfrog 18 Green – The Notre Dame recruit makes tremendous contributions as a two-way player. She’s a sharp setter with great touch who rarely misses delivering in the hitting window. She’s also a big-time attacker with nice hops and a lively arm to damage defenses with.  Havannah Hoeft, Rage 18 Westside – A Class of 2023 setter, Hoeft is a bit undersized at 5-7 but that doesn’t keep her from being effective. She has nice hands and consistently puts her hitters in good spots to score. She’s adept at moving the ball around and not over relying on any one hitter. Katie Hurta, S/RS, Adversity 18 Adidas – What a piece to the puzzle Hurta is for Adversity. A 6-1 Penn State commit, she’s a tremendous two-player. She has great hands and a strong sense on defense when she’s setting. She’s also a reliable scoring option with a great swing who can produce some big kills. Ava Sarafa, Mich Elite 18 Mizuno – This four-star recruit who is committed to Kentucky is a junior who was brought up from the 17s roster. She helped form a 6-2 package in Phoenix. She’s super smooth and can keep defenses guessing with her ability to set from different positions and angles. Rosemary Archer, Skyline 18 Royal – A 6-0 Pepperdine commit, Archer is a gamer. She plays hard and is a very consistent setter who rarely misses her location. Mattie Gantt, Madfrog 18 Green – Gantt – a 5-11 University of Texas at El Paso commit – really helped stabilize the setting position for Madfrog. She is part of a 6-2 and has solid hands to go with a strong ability to move the ball around to her various hitters with reliable accuracy. Natalia Hagopian, Mizuno Long Beach 18 Rockstar – A bit undersized at 5-10, this Northeastern recruit spent time running a 6-2 but moved into a 5-1 role later in the year. She was a key part of Beach’s run to the quarters. She does well connecting with all her hitters and keeping defenses off-balanced. Cameron Berger, Vital 18-1 Gold – An at-large recipient, Vital took advantage in reaching the quarters. Another undersized setter at 5-10, Berger is a hustler on the court and shows strong leadership in directing the offense. She’s a Class of 2023 setter committed to Michigan State. Leah Wilton-LaBoy, Absolute Black 18-1 – A 5-9 setter committed to Utah State, Wilton-LaBoy plays with a lot of passion and energy. She’s feisty and knows how to get her hitters involved her smarts and ability to run a wide variety of sets. Addison Beagle, Dynasty 18 Black – On her way to Drake, this 5-11 setter helped Dynasty reach the challenge rounds with her keen sense and sharp location. Dynasty is undersized and needs to run tempo and put its hitters in favorable positions and that’s what Beagle does. Katie Dalton, FRVBC 18-1 Black – At 6-1, Dalton has all the skills to shine at Kansas, where she is signed. She’s tall with nice footwork and a competitive attitude.