18s GJNC Preview: DaKine Warriors 18 Surf
The most important tournament of the year for the class of 2021 players is just in front of us as the 2021 USAV Girls 18s Junior National Championship is set to happen from April 23-25 in Columbus, Ohio, and as…
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Continue ReadingThe most important tournament of the year for the class of 2021 players is just in front of us as the 2021 USAV Girls 18s Junior National Championship is set to happen from April 23-25 in Columbus, Ohio, and as many as 280 teams from the entire country are expected to compete in the five divisions.
Even though the high school season is still ongoing in Washington for a few divisions, the state will be represented in the tournament with four teams making the trip out East and this week we’ll present them and analyze their most important players.
The DaKine Warriors 18 Surf will be Washington’s sole representatives in the 18 National Division and here’s what you can expect from them:
The top team of the DaKine Volleyball Club located out of the Tacoma area, the Warriors 18 Surf team secured its berth to the GJNC with their victory at the Puget Sound Region U18 Challenge Bid Tournament in March. Head coach Gregory Finel’s team currently stands 17 wins and only three losses in the season.
Here are their key players:
Riley Rabedeaux – Outside Hitter – HS: North Kitsap – 2021
Riley Rabedeaux plays volleyball with a lot of passion and power. The DaKine Warriors 18 Surf outside hitter is a very intense player and that high-energy level paired with her 5’11” frame and a heavy arm resulted in a very strong offensive player. Rabedeaux has a very high contact point and hits the ball hard in any direction she wants. She’ll take her game to Adams University in the summer.
Morgan Halady – Middle-Blocker – HS: Kingston – 2021
Morgan Halady’s dominant presence can be felt at the net regardless if she’s hitting or blocking. Offensively, the 6’2” middle-blocker takes advantage of her tremendous reach to hit over the top of opponents’ blocks. She starts her approach really slow and then exploded to add a lot of power to her hits. Her big frame is also very effective when blocking as she pairs it with great reading of the game and suffocating hand placement.
Rebecca Kjenstad – Outside Hitter – HS: Stadium – 2021
A 5’9” outside hitter with a solid well-around game, Rebecca Kjenstad is one of those players who make their teams click. She’s capable of helping DaKine Warriors 18 Surf in a lot of different ways just like she does with her high school team Stadium. Kjenstad is very efficient at the net and has a well-diversified and intelligent offense. She also has big responsibilities in the team’s passing and defensive systems and typically fulfills them to perfection.