On the Road: MN North
Only a couple days ago President’s Day tournaments took place all across the country. The ASICS Classic in Omaha, Nebraska in one of the most well known. This year they reached their targeted capacity with over 400 teams. Thousands…
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Continue ReadingOnly a couple days ago President’s Day tournaments took place all across the country. The ASICS Classic in Omaha, Nebraska in one of the most well known. This year they reached their targeted capacity with over 400 teams. Thousands of players and their families made the trip to Omaha in search for stiff competition, exposure and fun. MN North made the long trip to play.
They brought four teams, the top for each age: 18-1, 17-1, 16-1, and 15-1. The rest of the club stayed and played locally. For the most part, the teams were placed well into the numerous divisions. The 18-1 competed Club, 17-1 in Club, 16-1 in Open, and 15-1 in Club too.
The 18-1’s team is a skilled squad but found themselves undersized against most competitors. They finished 24th in the Club division. This was a fair representation of their talent. Previous events of this size have had inconsistent results with 13th place finish at the Big City Luau (club) and 38th place at NLQ (american). They did have a great three match win against a tough Alpine Volleyball Academy 18-1, before facing them again in tournament play. Overall, it was great exposure and experience for the team.
Onto the 17-1′s. The Club division was a great fit for them as they were able to go undefeated for the first days of play. They only lost in the semi round to Midwest Volleyball Power 17 Red. The match lasted three sets. If they could have cut down on their errors early on, they would have moved on to the championship. They ended with a strong 5th place finish. Top performers included:
- Claire Walsh – Grand Rapids; 2021 OH
- Brenna Stark – Esko; 2021 S
- Zoie Johnson – Esko; 2021 MB/OH
Perhaps their most capable team, the 16-1’s, did well in the Open division against elite teams. They got off to a rough start with tight losses to Club One and Absolute 16-1 Adidas. This team showed determination to compete with the best; five of their eight matches went to three sets. And in those drawn out matches, they almost always came out on top (3/5.) This is a testament to their athleticism and skill. They didn’t have the tallest players or hardest hitters, but they played a smart, consistent style of ball. They ended the weekend in 9th place after three consecutive wins. Top performers included:
- Bailee Hess – Hermantown; 2022 DS
- Payton Rodberg – Proctor; 2022 OH
- Hannah Reichensperger – Northeast Range, 2022 MB
- Emma Markovich – Grand Rapids; 2022 S
Lastly, the 15-1’s fared well in the Club division with a tie for 9th place. The young team won five of their seven matches and surprisingly didn’t have to play any familiar Minnesota teams. Top performers included:
- Emilie Rish – Hermantown; 2023 MB
- Savanna Hering – Superior; 2024 OH
- Kaitlin Lattner – Esko; 2023 S/RH