What’s happening this week in Michigan: Seven tournaments to check out
If you are looking to catch some prep volleyball on Saturday, you have a lot of good options to consider. Here’s seven noteworthy tournaments that caught my eye for the weekend that features some of the best teams in each…
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Continue ReadingIf you are looking to catch some prep volleyball on Saturday, you have a lot of good options to consider. Here’s seven noteworthy tournaments that caught my eye for the weekend that features some of the best teams in each division.
Rockford Rumble Invite – Saturday at Rockford
A solid group of teams come together for the Rockford Rumble on Saturday. Listed to compete by the Rams is Grand Rapids Christian (No. 1 D2), Lowell (No. 2 D1), Mattawan (No. 4 D1), Hudsonville (No. 6 D1), Lakewood (No. 2 D2), Byron Center (No. 18 D1), South Christian (No. 20 D2) and others. Grand Rapids Christian has already looked impressive against some of these teams and it should be interesting to see if the Eagles can lay claim to being the best team in any division when they meet up with top D1 teams like Lowell, Mattawan and Hudsonville, as well as D2’s second-ranked Lakewood. The Red Arrows suffered a three-set loss to Hudsonville last week, but can avenge that loss and solidify itself as a top program in D1 this year.
Program Cup – Saturday at Michigan Elite
In one of the unique events each year, freshmen, junior varsity and varsity teams from the same school will combine in attempt to win the Program Cup, this weekend at Michigan Elite. While there will be a varsity tournament, the Program Cup winner is decided by the best combined effort from all three levels. This year’s event includes Marian (No. 3 D1), Jenison (No. 19 D1), Utica Eisenhower (No. 22 D1), Detroit County Day (No. 5 D2), among other solid non-ranked teams. Marian has looked good with a relatively young squad thus far and is the favorite coming in. Country Day has as much hitting talent as anyone, but this will be a good test for the Jackets to see where they stand in regards to defense and passing.
Grand Haven Invite – Saturday at Grand Haven
The Bucs have a nice mix of teams from varied divisions to compete in Saturday’s Grand Haven Invitational. Grand Haven (No. 5 D1) comes in as the top-ranked team in our rankings, but the field includes Cadillac (No. 6 D2), Northville (No. 16 D1), Montague (No. 14 D2) Forest Hills Northern (No. 23 D1), Fruitport (No. 25 D2), Leland (No. 4 D4) and others.
Flushing Tournament – Saturday at Flushing
This tournament features some teams looking to gain some momentum after a few bumps in the road to open the year. Notre Dame Prep (No. 10 D2) leads the field as the Irish continue to get a feel for their young roster. Centreville (No. 3 D3) is a team that has come out fast to open the season and this tournament gives the Bulldogs a chance to really make a splash. Flushing and Sterling Heights Stevenson are teams competing that aren’t currently ranked but still have the potential to win this tournament.
Cereal City Invitational – Saturday at Battle Creek Lakeview
A mix of strong teams from every division get together in Battle Creek on Saturday at BC Lakeview hosts this annual event. This year’s tournament features D1 contender Bedford (No. 24), D2 contenders Niles (No. 9) and Marshall (No. 18), as well as the top two teams currently in Division 4 in top-ranked Mendon and second-ranked Battle Creek St. Philip. This is a big field with a lot of other contenders that should make for some exciting matches throughout the day. It will be good tests for Mendon and St. Philip, who will be eager to show they can play well above the D4 classification.
Oxford Varsity Tournament – Saturday at Oxford
No team has been more surprising thus far in division one than Oxford, and the Wildcats can continue to build on their current momentum this weekend when they host a 12-team tournament. The Wildcats (No. 11 D1) will welcome OAA Red foes Lake Orion (No. 14 D1) and Clarkston (No. 16 D1), while also bringing in Plymouth Christian (No. 6 D4).
Birch Run Tournament – Saturday at Birch Run
One event that features a nice mixture of D2, D3 and D4 programs will be held at Birch Run. The Panthers (No. 15 D2) welcome in the likes of North Branch (No. 7 D2), Pewamo-Westphalia (No. 12 D3), Valley Lutheran (No. 13 D3) and Oakland Christian (No. 7 D4) in a 16-team event. This should be a highly-competitive tournament and a good test for the smaller programs.