SoCal Cup National Showcase
- Thread starter Outworker
- Start date
Growthegame
New member
They did. Was told final day they beat Bay to Bay top team, Balboa Bay top team, and Pac Rim. Over the 3 days the did not lose a game and only lost 2 sets total over the entire tourney.
3 players got all tourney team - Cole Young, Jonah Gilbert, and Nate Zini. From what I heard they were all playing great as a team against some of the top teams out west!
Will be interesting to see how they do at Nationals.
3 players got all tourney team - Cole Young, Jonah Gilbert, and Nate Zini. From what I heard they were all playing great as a team against some of the top teams out west!
Will be interesting to see how they do at Nationals.
I saw Gilbert and Young play in the Ohio state playoffs. Gilbert was a man among boys, 104 swings with 50 kills in the state semifinal. Young's team was knocked out in the semis, very underutilized to the point an average viewer would have thought he wasn't very good. Don't know anything about Zini.
Growthegame
New member
Zini from PA. 2 kids on 18s team from PA - libero going to UCLA and Zini - right side going to St Francis.
MyNameIsDoug?
Well-known member
Vanguard always draws some kids from places that aren't exactly close which is interesting. Fenwick's setter, Luers, is on this 18s team, Moeller's 6'9" middle plays for them in whatever age group he's in and Pung from St. X. Bit of a drive to make multiple times a week (assuming they practice 2-3 times per week), but it seems to be working out for them okay.
Growthegame
New member
Libero from PA is a Junior. All rest of 18 team seniors.
Brambleberry
Active member
The 18-2 team has a handful of juniors on it playing up.
I'd expect a drop-off next year, because I think this year's Vanguard team was a once in a decade type skill level. Jonah Gilbert's and Cole Young's aren't exactly growing on trees around Ohio.
I'd expect a drop-off next year, because I think this year's Vanguard team was a once in a decade type skill level. Jonah Gilbert's and Cole Young's aren't exactly growing on trees around Ohio.
Growthegame
New member
Agree. I’m sure Vanguard will find guys again outside of central Ohio. Seems like they do each year. And after watching teams playing in central Ohio this year - junior class seems light in terms of high level guys.
Cleanshands
Member
I agree on the drop nationally. Definitely the best offensive team from vanguard in recent memory.
Don’t count out next years teams though. Libero is back. Blaine is the 17s outside invited to u19 national camp with Jonah and Luke. He didn’t play much due to covid. And they train and recruit well.
They already replaced a couple of middles on 16s and really like some of the young OHs in house.
Luers was not the starting setter or even on the 18s team at open gyms. They gave him feedback and he worked hard before tryouts.
Cole was a bench sitting basketball player before vanguard recruited him. This is only his second year playing.
This years 18s is a bit different than previous years when several younger players were used. Much more experience and size. Size doesn’t hurt.
Don’t count out next years teams though. Libero is back. Blaine is the 17s outside invited to u19 national camp with Jonah and Luke. He didn’t play much due to covid. And they train and recruit well.
They already replaced a couple of middles on 16s and really like some of the young OHs in house.
Luers was not the starting setter or even on the 18s team at open gyms. They gave him feedback and he worked hard before tryouts.
Cole was a bench sitting basketball player before vanguard recruited him. This is only his second year playing.
This years 18s is a bit different than previous years when several younger players were used. Much more experience and size. Size doesn’t hurt.
Brambleberry
Active member
You seem familiar with the Vanguard program. Any early guesses to who might be on the 18 Gold team next year? I can start with some of the players I assume will be on it
L - McDonough
OH - Jones
OH - ?
MH - ?
MH - ?
OPP - Tucker
S - Culpepper
Bench - ?
L - McDonough
OH - Jones
OH - ?
MH - ?
MH - ?
OPP - Tucker
S - Culpepper
Bench - ?
Cleanshands
Member
I think their 17s move up with McDonough. The opportunity is for the juniors. This past year was their first 5 days/wk practice. Let’s see what happens in Indy/Nationals and open gyms.
Vanguard 17s were very inconsistent at Indy. Way to many hitting errors. Jones was very inconsistent, hit a bomb and then 3 out. They can be really good and really bad.
They are playing USA. Didn't receive a bid for open. Agree with Coach, there shouldn't have been that much inconsistency with the team. Way to many errors.