There was a strong area flavor on the Sioux Falls-based Kairos Elite 15 Adidas team that won the 15 Club Division at the AAU Junior National Volleyball Championships at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando.
Elese Paplow and Emma Haren of Jackson County Central, Sam Untiedt and Emma Rasche of Heron Lake-Okabena and Trystn Maras of Windom are all on the championship team.
Untiedt was named Most Valuable Player and Rasche was named to the all-tournament team.
There were 179 teams entered in the division the Kairos team won. The team went 13-1 in matches in the tournament and had a set record of 26-6.
They won their first five matches before a tough 2-0 loss to Eastside Cleveland (25-23, 28-26).
Adidas would then win its final eight matches, including a 2-1 win over the Eastside Cleveland Juniors team they had lost to earlier in the tournament (23-25, 25-22, 15-10).
Paplow is returning home Sunday, but Haren has an opportunity to stay and be a part of the Kairos 16 Adidas team at the national tourney. That 16s Adidas team had won its first three matches in the tournament, losing only one set.
Other JCC connections
Sadie Voss plays for the Kairos 17 Adidas team that placed ninth out of 139 teams in the 17 Premier Division.
They went 10-1 in matches and 21-7 in sets.
Their only loss was 2-1 (23-25, 25-15, 15-12) to eventual champions NOLA Kasey.
Andria Benson is playing for the Kairos 17 Beta team that begins play in the tournament Sunday. Her sister, JCC graduate Abby Benson, is an assistant coach on that team. Abby also coaches with the Kairos 18 Adidas team.