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Highlands Performance 16 ROX Wraps Best Ever Season

By Inger Condit, 07/21/18, 8:15AM CDT

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Heading into the 2018 Season 15 ROX and 16 ROX had high goals and given their accomplishments during the year both teams were impressive.

Club Directors, trainers and Head Coach Grace Mize all knew the 16 ROX team at Highlands Performance could be special and just as needed Coach Grace set out making needed adjustments throughout the season to continually improve peaking at USA Volleyball Girls Junior Nationals in Detroit the first several days of July 2018. This team had experienced some great successes to follow upon having qualified for Nationals after winning Nothern Lights in the two previous consecutive years at 14s and 15s. Reaching the HOA Regional Championships in mid-March the girls just got after it and won every match until the finals punching their ticket for Nationals 2018! Not satisfied with the previous two years they just continued their season long process of adjustments and improvement. Entering Nationals the team was perhaps a little unknown, but quickly started to take care of business going undefeated on Days 1 and 2 setting up the opportunity to win their Pool and place in the Challenge Round. In the Challenge Round they faced HOA rival Shockwave defeating their regional foe setting up for Highlands Performance first ever spot in the Gold Bracket at Nationals! The team had an amazing season, they finished T-5th at Nationals just missing the Semi-finals against a very good SA Magic team. This may have provided them just the right edge as the girls all await another chance to play together as 17 ROX. 

Before wrapping up on 16 ROX and their great season we also want recognize the season had by the 15 ROX team. Like 16 ROX, this team had also won a qualifier the previous season at Colorado Crossroads and had earned their higher bid in the National Division in 2017 through their 4th Place finish at HOA Powerleague. With high expectations the girls again swept through Colorado Crossroads taking the Championship and bid to Nationals with convincing 2 set wins over St. Pete and Attack (TX) in the the Semi's and Finals both teams who later earned bids for the 2018 Nationals. From here 15 ROX entered the Open Division in 2 of the 3 remaining qualifiers to seek out the opportunities among the highest division. At Nationals the 15 ROX girls finished T-30th not reaching their high goals but capping off a outstanding season. 

Highlands Performance 16 ROX of the 2018 season stands at the top of many successful Highlands teams. These girls and coaches reached the Gold Bracket at Nationals, finished 5th in the American Division and were awarded with 76th Place in the final National Rankings of the 2018 Season by Prep Volleyball. This is an amazing accomplishment for the team and club, They are the first Highlands team to finish as a ranked team. Congratulations!!

15 ROX was also recognized with Honorable Mention in the final National Rankings.

The players and coaches on both of these teams and all the Highlands Performance teams look forward to the coming 2019 season.

We wish to say congratulations and thank you all for a great 2018 and see you again soon on the courts!!