Brambleberry
Active member
I heard CVA has boys teams this year, anyone know if they'll be any good?
Unfortunately for them, no.
I heard CVA has boys teams this year, anyone know if they'll be any good?
I agree with just about all of your comparisons.
Where we disagree is the setting and Libero spots.
I think Platfoot will be the clear best setter in the state. From what I saw age is a non factor.
Also IMO, Huber is an outstanding defender, but I'm taking Gallagher in serve receive. The combination defensively of Mikesh, Gallagher, Platfoot and Pung should be fun to watch.
The other piece that is missing is Mark Bruns for Vanguard. He is a 6'7" lefty Opposite that is one of the 3 most dynamic pin players in the state(maybe not best, but most dynamic). The other 2 being Buelow and Rose.
I like Albers, I'm interested to see how his winter goes.
The three Air City guys that jump out to me are Dawson Walker, Rose, and Foy. Those 3 are a good start to any roster.
Very nice analysis above. Agreed on all points
I believe last year Attack 17-1 and Vanguard 17-1 played twice and Attack won both times. (Maybe it was just once, but Attack won) Vanguard adds Pung, Mikesch, and Platfoot. Attack adds C Kiser, Huber, McCarthy, and Devolve
Random question here:
I noticed that Dejon Clark is no longer listed on the OSU roster? Did he quit? Was he cut? Does anyone have any information on this??
Random question here:
I noticed that Dejon Clark is no longer listed on the OSU roster? Did he quit? Was he cut? Does anyone have any information on this??
Back injury wasn’t healing. Decided to hang it up.
First big tournament this weekend in Cbus.
In 18 Open, the top seeds of each pool are Vanguard, Attack, Indy Assault, PVC, and Fury.
Who comes out on top? PVC has been pretty good in recent years.
Guessing it’s going to be vanguard vs attack in the finals with vanguard winning a close one... pvc and air city for the two 3rd place teams
Attack 17 took advantage of a very kind draw to make it to gold. They do have a couple of strong players though.
Don't think the injury was serious, but don't want to speculate on that sort of stuff.
I saw most of the teams, here is how I would have ranked them:
1. Vanguard
2. PVC
3. Attack 18
4. Air City
5. Fury 18
6. Steel City
7. Fury 17
8. Attack 17
I’d rank exactly the same (for this weekend). Vanguard 18 Albertson had a tough draw and I think overall PVC is a better team. PVC crushed VG in the first game and VG squeaked out the second 26-24 luckily having the lead throughout the game. At one point VG was up 5 late in the second. The third game was a true battle In which VG prevailed and I give them huge kudos. I think PVC would beat VG 8 of 10 times. Was told first time VG 18 won this tourney. Just my thoughts.
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The tourney has only been going on for what, 4 years? And, I know the first couple years Saint Louis Hi-Performance was there (and won the tourney) - so not altogether surprising that Vanguard hadn't won it yet - but obviously nice that they did.
Unfortunately, I think the competition level was not high enough for STL HiP to keep coming in for the tourney, which sucks because that's a great club to get to play without having to go to a bid tournament... Sorry for that tangent
Found this link on Youtube of Vanguard vs PVC highlights. https://youtu.be/y3UMUQpo1LQ
Vanguard played with 2 Middles added the week before the tourney. One had never played in a volleyball tourney ever. One had never won 4 matches in a tourney. Great job to players and coaches.
Mikesh was moved for favorable hitting matchups midway through first day. This allowed more size up front against big hitters.
PVC had 2 commits to PSU - Number 1 and Number 5. Both Hitters. Check them out in the video. Very impressive.
Talked with PVC setter. "key was we couldn't stop Vanguard's middles".
Vanguards ball control showed up in sets 2 and 3 which allowed them to run offense. Platfoot ran offense at high speed often creating solo hitting opportunities.
Don't sleep on a match between Vanguard and Attack 17's. Both are really talented. VG17 had a tough bracket with 2 Gold finalists. Both teams have size. Would be fun to watch.
I also saw the semifinal game between Vanguard and PVC. Incredible competition as it went to 31-29 in set 3.
As NE Ohio guy, it’s obvious that our part of the state is FAR behind Columbus and Cincinnati for boys’ volleyball.
My opinion is that the girls’ programs in NEO are overall slightly better than elsewhere in Ohio, but there’s zero comparison, in the aggregate, on the boys’ side.
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High school sports tend to be cyclical, I'd expect Ignatius and Ed to struggle this coming year, but won't be down for long
Did Ignite fold?
It's really tough for a new club to crack in an established area like Cincinnati or Columbus. In Cincinnati, for example, all the meaningful players from the area all already play for Attack. Kids with talent tend to want to play with other kids that have talent when given the choice to. It's tough for the newer clubs to convince a really good hitter to play for them when the setting won't be nearly as good. They're only really able to get the 2nd and 3rd tier kids that aren't priorities for Attack and VG, which leads to further cementing their reputation as a club without much talent, making it harder to get the next wave.are there just not enough kids playing club? or is it a lack of quality players? like Bramble was saying, a NE team can win D1 state championship but no one can get a decent team together up there for club?
it seems there would be enough talent in the NE to compete at least with Air City every year...
Are the players split between Phoenix and Elite, thus diving the talent pool?
interesting to think about.
i'm generally in favor of more clubs so one club doesn't have a monopoly on the area, and gives more kids the opportunity to play. however, in Cincinnati and Columbus you obviously only have 1 big club in each city, and that seems to be working.
I just get nervous of the politics in club volleyball that could leave a good player on the outside looking in, with nowhere else to play. But maybe the answer for the NE is that one of the clubs needs to absorb the other or something.
In Cincinnati we've seen Classics, Thunder and now CVA try to carve out a spot in the market, but Attack rolls along anyway. Similar in Cbus with VG brushing off competition from other clubs.