Nationals Notes: Chesapeake Success at Nationals
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There have been five 16 and 17 teams that have achieved success at the Nationals, defined as getting to a bronze medal bracket or higher. One team achieved the honor of competing in the gold bracket. Below is their journey…
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Continue ReadingThere have been five 16 and 17 teams that have achieved success at the Nationals, defined as getting to a bronze medal bracket or higher. One team achieved the honor of competing in the gold bracket. Below is their journey to get to Monday.
Paramount 17 (Gold – Nationals)
When you look at this team they don’t have any 6’0″ leapers from the left side that can bounce the ball high over the protected netting with their spikes in the hitting lines. But they get the job done. As in 8-0 (16-3). Those three losses happened in first games and the team was resilient enough to win the next two to remain undefeated going into the gold bracket.
That undefeated string has been kept alive by the killing machine, right side 6’3″ Helen Frankovich Helen Frankovich 6'3" | RS Justice | 2023 State VA . When the team is in need of a point it seems Frankovich gets the call. Middle Sadie Wright perhaps gets the second call. She is impressive putting the quick sets to the floor without the ball being touched. She has also done a good job blocking and moves well from pin to pin.
The outsides may not have the height but they have the skills to put the ball away and are another alternative. Hannah Howard Hannah Howard 5'8" | DS/L Musselman (WVA) | 2023 State VA stands only 5’7″ but she hits the ball hard and gets her kills. She also plays a solid defense. Rylah Robinson Rylah Robinson 5'10" | OH J. W. Robinson | 2023 State VA is not much taller but she rifles balls into the back row. In the final game she got the kill to put Paramount ahead 25-24 to keep the winning streak intact.
The setting is shared by Chloe Wilmot Chloe Wilmot 5'9" | S Alexandria City | 2023 State VA and Madeline Stewart. Both are very accurate as they dish the ball outside or to the middle. Chloe is so smooth whether she is back setting, setting the middle or pushing it outside.
I have not given Haley Gill Haley Gill 5'7" | DS/L Dominion | 2023 State #197 Nation VA a lot of credit at the libero position. She is just all over the court playing defense. Just as impressive is DS Carley Zimmet. She plays like a second libero when she is out on the court.
Metro 16 (Bronze – Open)
This may be a disappointment for Metro, who were the fifth seeded team entering the tournament. Sometimes it is when you take your losses that seals your fate.
Metro started the first two days of the tournament 5-0. They made some magical wins coming back from a 12-9 deficit in their first match to win 15-9 and down 24-21 in their first game of their third match before winning 27-25. They also lost a 23-17 lead in their last set of the game to fall behind 24-23 before pulling it out 27-25.
The magic wore off when they got sent to the pool of death as the number one seed against two teams who were also number one seeds at the start of pool play, Dynasty and OT Jason. Dynasty lost two matches on the first day but won the rest to earn their appearance in gold. Metro lost both matches in the pool of death and dropped to bronze.
Metro 17 (Bronze – Open)
Their appearance could have been a little higher if they could have gotten one more point in that 42-40 loss against Club V. They had won the first match so one more point and it could have been the silver bracket.
Safi Hampton Safi Hampton 6'1" | OH Hammond (MD) | 2023 State #34 Nation VA was just incredible in the games I watched. Someone made reference to her being the Harper Murray of Metro, quite the compliment. Brielle Kemavor Brielle Kemavor 6'5" | MB Charles J. Colgan | 2023 State #148 Nation VA was a dominant force in the middle.
Paramount 16 (Silver A – National)
They lost their setter Paige Ahakuelo Paige Ahakuelo 5'8" | S James Wood | 2024 State VA early in the second match and finished the first day 0-2. Paige came back healthy in day two and they won three, giving them an opportunity to play for the gold bracket.
On that third day they lost two heartbreakers to HPSTL 28-26, 25-23. They still had the opportunity to play in the gold bracket if they could beat Absolute Black in the Challenge match. Paramount came up short 25-23 and 25-21.
This team is led by Kiylah Presley Kiylah Presley 6'0" | OH Bishop McNamara | 2024 State #114 Nation VA and Lameen Mambu Lameen Mambu 6'0" | OH Chantilly | 2025 State #64 Nation VA . Presley plays middle but Paige doesn’t worry about giving her quick sets. She puts the ball high in the middle and Presley buries it to the court. Mambu is a go to on the left side and is set frequently when she plays back row.
Many in this group played in the Open Division last year at 15s and went 0-9 (1-18). This has got to be a better result, even though they are playing in National.
Virginia Jrs (Silver A – Freedom)
Of their eight games, seven of them went three. Only the first match was a two game set. In their challenge match a win against SF Tremors would have given them an appearance in the gold bracket. They lost game three 15-10.
Virginia Jrs is powered on offense by outside Grace Maria Grace Maria 6'2" | OH Bishop O'Connell | 2023 State #150 Nation VA and middle Jasmine Okeoma. They have a setting tandem of the smaller Ava Ray in the back row and the taller Kelsey Holmes Kelsey Holmes 6'0" | S Reservoir (MD) | 2023 State VA in the front row. The libero Sofia Hardy played scrappy defense, passed well and showed sweet hands when she was forced to set out of system.