The Moments That Were The Prep Dig Gauntlet 2022
This past weekend at the Prep Dig Gauntlet there were plenty of moments. Moments, as our Prep Dig Scout, Breit Nelson, would say, “Whoa”. From the elite athletes to the upsets, the gatherings between matches, and the electric atmosphere, here are a few moments that might be some of my personal favorites from the Prep Dig Gauntlet.
#PDGauntlet is rolling!! Some of the top teams in the country ready to battle! pic.twitter.com/xcNxCd1Lbs
— Chris Fitzgerald (@PrepDigChris) May 28, 2022
The Overhead View
At the Milwaukee Sting Center, there is a small mezzanine level where athletes are able to store their equipment, but is also a place to watch the courts from above. To see eight courts going at once with teams from six different states was a moment. To give a brief history of the event, we started the Gauntlet at Middleton High School outside of Madison, WI in 2019, we had a great field of teams coming in 2020 before Covid came through, in 2021 we had a lot of movement when Triple Crown switched their date to Memorial Day, and in 2022 we had the field complete with some of the top teams in the country. An overlook like this to see all the teams competing was something in my fifth year at Prep Dig was exciting to take in. A lot of moving parts all coming together to make for an event that was unique and what we hope for as a result in a positive experience for athletes, coaches, parents, and officials.
The Level of Play
There were double digit Division 1 commits in the gym and that is only from the 17s age group as 16s will begin their process on June 15. We had coaches from multiple “Power 5” conferences, as well as others who are consistently making the NCAA tournament along with plenty of D2 and D3 in the building. So many next level players. Some of these athletes have been to the National Training Development Program by USA Volleyball where they have trained with some of the best in the country. They will be on programs that will be playing on the Big Ten Network, ESPN, and competing for national championships. A lot of these teams see each other on the day two and three of gold pools at a qualifier and was exciting to have them so close competing together this past weekend.
@nlightsvball 16-1 was down to 6 players but Paige Wagner speaks volumes with her “don’t worry, we got this” block. A lot of grit and ❤️ on this squad. #PDGauntlet @PrepDigChris @PrepDigEvents @PrepDig @PrepDigMN pic.twitter.com/J0akP4fq0V
— Breit Nelson (@BreitNelson) May 31, 2022
A Few Upsets
There were a few upsets along the way and some moral victories. RVA 15 Navy, a group that has played together for years got their win against Sting 15 Gold. A lot of these athletes might attend high school together and for sure compete against each other in the high school ranks, a very exciting win for that program. Northern Lights 16-1 was 0-3 in day two gold pool play and had one match left against Mission 16 Elite. They won in two sets, got their way into the gold bracket, and ended up in the final four with only six active players. An extremely gritty performance. Sting 14 Black had a big weekend, defeating a very talented Northern Lights team in three sets to win their pool, took a set off Sting 13 Gold in the crossover, and eventually finished second behind Sting 15 Gold.
@1stAllianceVBC 15 Gold has a little ball of 🔥 with Hannah Kenny. She is so athletic and explosive and made some really key plays in the 15’s Championship match today. #PDGauntlet @PrepDigChris @PrepDigEvents @PrepDig @prepdigil pic.twitter.com/VSNAYL295g
— Breit Nelson (@BreitNelson) May 31, 2022
The Michigan Elite and 1st Alliance – Double the Finals Fun
For Michigan Elite 15 Mizuno and 17 Mizuno, it was a dramatic Monday for these two squads. 15 Mizuno was faced against a long, balanced, and really polished Northern Lights 15-1 squad who was dominant all tournament. They went head to head in the semifinals and won in two sets with the second set being 25-23. In the championship against 1st Alliance 15 Gold, one of the top teams in the country, it did not look good in set one losing 25-21 with 1st Alliance in control the whole way. However, come set two, MiElite 15 Mizuno used relentless ball control and a fast paced offense to go on some big scoring runs, taking the set 25-23. They continued that momentum to grab a huge lead in set three and even had match point until the power of 1st Alliance came through with a final run to take the match 17-15. Both of these teams have an Open bid to USAV. In the 17s, MiElite 17 Mizuno had a sleepy start to their championship Monday losing to Illini Elite 25-12. However, a major bounce back with a 25-23 set two win and 15-8 finish to head to the semifinals. The semifinals was a rematch against 1st Alliance Silver who defeated them on day one which resulted in a MiElite win in two sets to advance to the championship against 1st Alliance 17 Gold. 1st Alliance 17 Gold has been one of the most dominant teams in the country this season winning the Northern Lights Qualifier, Windy City Qualifier, and a final four finish at Triple Crown. 1st Alliance 17 Gold took set one tight 25-23, but never count out the girls from Detroit. They took set two 25-22 and then found themselves up in set three. However, it was 1st Alliance who prevailed 15-11 to take the crown. Definitely an epic match up between these two clubs (who doesn’t love a Detroit vs. Chicago matchup?).
Down 5-11 in the 3rd set and you girls pulled it out! Phenomenal‼️ https://t.co/Rcdk7AB51B
— 1st Alliance VBC (@1stAllianceVBC) May 30, 2022
There could definitely be a rematch when these squads head to Indy come late June for nationals.
Reason #350 why I ❤️ 🏐 . Your teammates will dance with you any where, any time, for life.#PDGauntlet @PrepDigChris @PrepDig pic.twitter.com/8OzetiJ5px
— Breit Nelson (@BreitNelson) May 30, 2022
The Handshakes, The Dances, The Tailgating
My counterpart, Breit Nelson, is so great about getting those “Feel Good” moments as she captured some handshakes and dances over the course of the weekend. For other sports, they might look at us volleyball folks as an odd bunch (there is some truth to that), but thats our vibe and it’s what we do. Those the moments the kids and coaches embrace and the parents love, it’s what they will remember. I do happen to step outside of tournaments from time to time to make sure there is an outside world and to see people at a food truck, teams in lawn chairs hanging out, tents for teams, and bags being played was such a feel good moment where we were able to play volleyball and get a taste of Memorial Day Festivities. There were still parents hanging out Sunday night as I left the facility, still enjoying the day (tastefully of course). As much as we love volleyball, we enjoy people first, and for this event, it was a joy to see teams play at a high level, but also enjoy the camaraderie of the people involved with the sport.
Reason #529 why I ❤️ 🏐. The relationships and connections that happen through the course of a season, career, and beyond. 🤝👍🤜🤛💪 @nlightsvball @MesaiyaB #PDGauntlet @PrepDig @PrepDigEvents @PrepDigMN @PrepDigChris pic.twitter.com/GSu0f37Qzg
— Breit Nelson (@BreitNelson) May 29, 2022
Be on the lookout for more pictures, videos, and articles on the Prep Dig Gauntlet over the next week. We also were burning up Twitter with the hashtag #PDGauntlet where there were plenty of updates on the event!
We have pictures of the 14s and 16s from the #PDGauntlet – full album on our @PrepDig Facebook Page. @PrepDigEvents https://t.co/AWDWChfLWb pic.twitter.com/MJMfoQCDGe
— Chris Fitzgerald (@PrepDigChris) May 30, 2022