Electric 17 Open Northern Lights Featuring Kansas and Missouri
The 17s are ready to start the bid season in Omaha for the Northern Lights Qualifier and expect the fireworks to be set off immediately with the Kansas and Missouri teams expected to field teams. The overall top season is…
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Continue ReadingThe 17s are ready to start the bid season in Omaha for the Northern Lights Qualifier and expect the fireworks to be set off immediately with the Kansas and Missouri teams expected to field teams.
The overall top season is Mavs KC 17-1. This team had success a season ago but their biggest offseason pickups are arguably their coaches in veterans Beau Barnthson and Eric Leone. They coached the Mavs KC 18-1 team to a triple qualifying season a year ago. They have one of the top setters in the country in Logan Jones Logan Jones 5'10" | S Carl Junction | 2023 State #57 Nation MO . They also return dynamic pin, Lily Dudley Lily Dudley 5'10" | OH Rock Bridge | 2023 State #192 Nation MO , on the left, and Betsy Goodenow Betsy Goodenow 6'0" | RS St. Thomas Aquinas | 2023 State #92 Nation KS on the right. They added a big middle in Aisha Aiono Aisha Aiono 6'3" | MB Liberty | 2023 State MO .
The top seed in Pool 2 and another team coming off of a strong 2021 are Rockwood Thunder 17 Elite. They are deep in every position with players like Ava Roth Ava Roth 5'6" | DS/L Jefferson R-7 | 2023 State MO defensively, , and Caitlyn Little Caitlyn Little 5'10" | OH Lafayette | 2023 State MO on the pins. Juliette Myrick Juliette Myrick 5'11" | S Eureka | 2023 State #100 Nation MO is one of the top setters in the state for her class.
Mavs 816 17-1 are the second behind Rockwood as they hope to finish top 2 in pool play to keep their bid hopes alive. Ashlyn Bellamy Ashlyn Bellamy 6'1" | OH Lee's Summit | 2023 State MO is one of the premier pins in the state and will be depended on to fill it up along with Shaye Koski Shaye Koski 5'10" | OH Park Hill | 2023 State MO . Rachel Bingham Rachel Bingham 6'0" | RS Shawnee Mission East | 2023 State KS comes over from KC Power to provide depth. Tori Creason Tori Creason 5'9" | S Shawnee Mission NW | 2023 State KS is a solid playmaker and look for Sidney Kacsir Sidney Kacsir 5'6" | DS/L Mill Valley | 2023 State KS to keep the back row clean.
Dynasty 17 Black will look to emerge from their pool still in bid contention after day 1 as a two-seed. They have to easily be the two seed I would bet on to grab a bid. They are a dangerous team behind setter Ashley Mullen Ashley Mullen 5'10" | S Liberty | 2023 State #9 Nation MO and middle Calissa Minatee Calissa Minatee 6'0" | MB North Kansas City | 2023 State #25 Nation MO . If you add in the ball control of Caitlyn Cobb Caitlyn Cobb 5'6" | DS/L Blue Valley | 2023 State KS and Heidi Devers Heidi Devers 5'4" | DS/L St. James | 2024 State KS , this team has all the pieces to hold up the big trophy on Monday.
Coming from St. Louis, HPSTL 17 Royal get to duke it out with the before mentioned Dynasty team in pool play. They are another team who found success a season ago and can escape out of this pool as a top 2 team. Addison Kersting Addison Kersting 5'11" | S St. Charles | 2023 State MO , Brianna Wortman Brianna Wortman 5'10" | OH Francis Howell | 2023 State MO , and Elise Paul Elise Paul 6'0" | MB Lutheran South | 2023 State MO are all familiar faces you’ll see on the court for this squad.
Predictions: We saw a few times a year ago when three teams in our coverage area all walked away with bids. I don’t know if we want to go all three first time out but we like Mavs KC 17-1 and Dynasty 17-1 to be in contention on the final day.