California teams to watch at Arizona Volleyball Festival
Phoenix, Arizona – It’s getting hot out in the desert…and not just because of the weather! The convention center serves as host to over 600 teams at the volleyball festival, with teams ranging from 12s to 18s who will duke…
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Continue ReadingPhoenix, Arizona – It’s getting hot out in the desert…and not just because of the weather!
The convention center serves as host to over 600 teams at the volleyball festival, with teams ranging from 12s to 18s who will duke it out in two waves from June 19th to the 26th. Which California teams have what it takes to make it to the podium?
Up first in the first wave are the 12s and 13s. In the 12s division, Seal Beach 12 Black is seeded first and they will likely be a contender for the final. A team that has played in top half of the PVL all season, they’ve been on a roll the last half of the season. They finished fifth in the Red Rock Rave in the USA division and won the gold division of the PVL a few weeks ago. They will likely be led by the consistent play of their outsides, Makayla Artolachipe and Vivienne Irwin, who both have solid all-around skills. Middle blocker Devyn Mertz is also one to watch and puts up a big block for Seal Beach. Other contenders from California are Prime 12 Adidas and Wave 12 Maricris. Both teams finished ninth at the Red Rock Rave in the American division and also both teams competed in the PVL this season.
In the 13s division, T-Street 13 Spencer is seeded at the top to start the tournament. They had a very strong season, playing in the premier division of the PVL and finishing eleventh overall in the PVL. Additionally, they had top ten finishes in Red Rock Rave, the Salt Lake City Showdown, and at the SCVA regional bid tournament. Another top contender from California will be Surfside 13 PV Legends Loria. They have been very consistent all season and finished eleventh at the Lone Star Classic and had top ten finished at the Pacific Northwest Qualifier and the SCVA Regional bid tournament. It would not be a surprise should these two teams end up in the gold bracket on the final day of the competition.
In the 14s division, Surfside 14 Legends Jess will be a contender for the podium. They finished ninth at the PNQ, eleventh in the SCVA regional bid tournament, and 21st overall in the PVL. Opposite, Avery Junk, has been solid on the pin for them and was a standout at the JVA west coast cup a few weeks ago. Also look for SCVC 14 RX and Sunshine 14 South Bay to be competitive at the tournament as they have both had solid seasons in the PVL and could dangerous for competitors. In the 15s division, Coast 15 Steve, will likely be competitive. They have been fairly consistent all season long, playing in the PVL and finishing ninth at the Red Rock Rave in the American division.
In the 16s division, Surfside 16 MB Legends will be a team from California looking to make their mark in the tournament. They played in the PVL and also the ultra-competitive Triple Crown tournament earlier this season. Icon 16 Adidas is also a competitive team from California. They also played in the PVL this club season. In the 17/18s division, Apex1 17 Black will be a top contender from California to try to make it to the podium. They finished 28th overall in the PVL and 5th in the 17 premier division at the Las Vegas Classic earlier this season. They also played in the JVA West Coast Cup in the open division. Their libero, Britney Mendoza, is quick in the back row picking up a lot of balls in defense. Middle blocker, Ryleeh Tuaolo, also puts up a big block and moves well across the net.