The championship of the 16 Club division in the AAU Junior National Volleyball Championships went to a Fort Wayne outfit, Empowered Volleyball Academy, on Tuesday.
Empowered 16 Elite Black went undefeated in the tournament, finishing 13-0, and beat Illini Elite, which was also unbeaten entering the match, 27-25, 25-19 to capture the title.
The tournament was held in Orlando, Florida, at the Orange County Convention Center and was the 52nd annual iteration of what has become the world’s largest volleyball tournament, with more than 6,500 teams competing.
The victorious Empowered team was coached by Natasha Nestleroad, whose staff of assistants included former Carroll volleyball standout Kassandra Till.
On the roster were several players who have already made their mark on the local high school volleyball scene, including Darcy Ritchie, from West Noble, who was a high honorable mention selection on The Journal Gazette’s All-Northeast Indiana team, and Amelia Kesterke of Lakewood Park Christian who was an honorable mention pick.
Empowered finished first in a division that featured 159 entrants. The team played all 13 of its matches over a four-day span, including four matches each Monday and Tuesday. It lost just one set Tuesday on the way to the title.
The group from the Summit City prevailed in tightly contested clashes with EVA 16 Blue (24-26, 25-21, 18-16), VAQUERAS 16F Mario (25-18, 22-25, 21-19), and River City Jrs 16 Navy (23-25, 25-23, 15-11).
Hudson Lake affected by dredging project
Public access to Hudson Lake may be disrupted beginning in early July through the fall due to a dredging project aimed at improving boating access.
The project, funded by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources Lake and River Enhancement program and Hudson Lake Conservation Association, will hydraulically pump sediment from the access channel and a navigation channel between the lake’s east and west basins to an upland area on the northwest end of the lake.
This may result in temporary blockage or restrictions near these sites due to dredging equipment or piping on the lake.
The DNR advises lake users to plan accordingly and boat responsibly near any obstacles until the completion of the project.
JG calling for more outdoor experiences
Fishing and hunting are enjoyed by young and old, but those are not the only pastimes for residents of northeast Indiana. Bird watching, hiking, camping, and all manner of sports activities are done daily.
The Journal Gazette would like to showcase all manner of recreational activities on the weekly Recreation page.
The Journal Gazette’s Outdoors experience feature lends a forum for readers to share their love of all things outdoors, or indoors, with their neighbors.
If you have an outdoor experience you’d like to share, email your stories and photos to The Journal Gazette at jgsports@jg.net. Please provide full names, ages, hometowns, type of animal and when and where caught.
Photos must be jpegs.
