PGF 2017 Premier Nationals 14U

What To Watch For At 14U PGF Premier Nationals

What To Watch For At 14U PGF Premier Nationals

What To Watch For At 14U PGF Premier Nationals: Corona Angels, Batbusters Campbell, Tampa Mustangs, So Cal Choppers

Jul 31, 2017 by Chez Sievers
Get Hyped For PGF Nationals
PGF 14U Premier Nationals streams LIVE on FloSoftball August 2-4 from Fountain Valley Sports Park (Fields 1-4) in Fountain Valley, California. The 14U division features top returning teams and newcomers who will compete in an all-out brawl for the PGF Championship.

null

The PGF draw dealt a tough hand for many teams vying for the illustrious title. Top 10 teams Beverly Bandits Harkness and Firecrackers TJ face each other in the first round of bracket play in a brutal matchup.

At the top of the "A" bracket, we could see a rematch between No. 2 Corona Angels Tyson versus No.1 Batbusters Campbell 02. The two teams last saw each other at Boulder IDT where the Angels narrowly won 7-6 in the quarterfinals.

Things could get interesting at the bottom of the B bracket where we could see No. 3 Tampa Mustangs TJ and No. 4 So Cal Choppers match up in round three.

Who are the sleepers to watch for?

It's no secret that the teams out of Texas and Georgia have been climbing the ladder in talent and overall presence on the national club scene.

Teams like Impact Gold, Sudden Impact, Atlanta Vipers, Georgia Impact, and the Dirt Divas are exciting teams to watch at 14U PGF Premier. They're gritty and you can bet you will see the long ball.

[polldaddy poll="9799812"]

What To Watch For At 14U PGF Premier Nationals


Corona Angels Tyson
After finishing second last summer at PGF 14U Nationals, winning IDT Boulder and winning the fall PGF, the Corona Angels are poised to make another championship run. The 2017 14U team is led by one of the top batteries, P Sarah Willis (Auburn, 2020) and C Hannah Lerma, No. 55 in the Hot 100 and a Central Florida commit. Also on staff is lefty 2021 Savannah Hooks, who has committed to UCLA. She throws hard with great movement has performed well in championship games. She has been a go-to pitcher for the past three years and has become an excellent swing-and-miss pitcher. Other elite athletes to watch include IF Caliyah Thompson (2020), a Tennessee commit; C/OF Ryley West (2020), also headed to the Vols; SS Camyl Armendariz (2020), verbal commit to Nebraska; 1B Alexi Barroso (2020), a Michigan State pledge; and two other 2021 stars-in-the making in 2B Savannah Polamalu, a five-tool slapper committed to UCLA who can play small ball, slap, power slap, and swing away; and MIF/OF Sydney Sanders, who recently committed to Arizona State. Sanders is a tremendous power hitter who hits shots to the gaps like an 18U player. Says one prominent club coach, "This team has it all -- they can hit, has two of the best 02 pitchers in the country and don't make mistakes. They have a chance to be No. 1 when it's all said and done."

OC Batbusters Campbell
Last year Mark Campbell's team was one of the favorites to win PGF and this year is no different. In 2016, the Batbusters were stunned -- losing in the first round of bracket play -- yet they still finished third. I would expect that this year Campbell's team will be much sharper after winning the 16U USA Select Elite's World Fastpitch Championship.  Many of his players moved up to Mike Stith's team but the core of this team is one of the best in the country. Offensively, this team doesn't have many holes. In the lead off spot, No.17 Hot 100 shortstop Tiare Jennings (2020, Oklahoma) is as clutch as they come with the ability to hit to all fields with power. On defense, Jennings has demonstrated a level of maturity and savvy that is off the charts for her class. To her right, third baseman No. 2 Hot 100 recruit Zaida Puni is expected to have another spectacular PGF performance much like last year, hitting a bomb in the quarterfinals to send the Batbusters into the semifinals. In the circle, they will rely on southpaw Angelina Devoe and LSU commit Morgan Smith. This PGF the Batbusters have unfinished business attend to.

Tampa Mustangs TJ
The Mustangs are lighting up the summer after winning the TCS 14U Sparkler Power Pool TV bracket game. Goelz's team was 4-0 at the Thunderbolts Showcase beating No. 2 Bandits JT. The Mustangs team finished third at PGF 14U Nationals last summer -- the highest finishing first year 14U team -- and came oh-so-close to making the championship game as it lost in extra innings in the semis to the Corona Angels. The team doesn't lose any players although three standouts -- C Kaia LoPreste (Florida State commit, 2019) currently batting .450; 3B/UT; Jada Smallwood (2020); and 3B/UT Ashleigh Robinson -- will play in open age showcases but won't be at nationals as they aren't age eligible. Still, the returning talent and new pick-ups make the Mustangs one of the favorites to win every tournament in which they, including nationals. Leading the way is the coach's daughter, Avery Goelz (2020, Florida), a 1B/CF ranked No. 2 in the 2020 Hot 100 and a Florida commit. She is perhaps the most gifted all-around hitter in the class and can do it all on the field. Joining her is OF/UT McKenzie Clark (2020), who has offers from SEC, ACC and AAC programs and is batting .390, 8 jacks, and 17 RBIs; SS/2B Kali Reis, ranked No. 87 in the 2020 Hot 100 and a Central Florida commit; 1B/OF Taylor Woodring (2020), ranked No. 177 in her class with heavy interest from ACC and Big Ten programs; and 3B/C Emma Anthony (2020), who has ACC and Big Ten offers. A promising 2021 to watch will be OF/UT Kendra Falby, one of the fastest players in her class as she was all-state in track as a seventh-grader and is batting .529. Falby is a leadoff lefty slapper and great table-setter and is already being heavily recruited. Pitchers Payton Kinney and Devyn Mulligan, who combined to lead the team to the PGF Nationals semis, will be the keys to the team's success if the pitching matches the rest of the team's firepower. Keep a close eye on Kinney as she is 10-0 this summer beating top programs across the country. The Mustangs could take a national championship back to the Sunshine State.

So Cal Choppers Fausett
Last year, the Choppers finished tied for fifth at PGF Nationals and this year were co-champs with Corona Angels at Boulder IDT. Nevertheless, the team will be a favorite to go all the way this year with star pitcher Jesse Fontes, the No. 20 player in the 2020 Hot 100. Fontes throws a screwball and curve and has ice in her veins on the mound, but Fausett admits the workhorse, who pitched 11 games at PGF last year, wore out at the end of Nationals last summer. However, that shouldn't be a problem this summer as the team picked up a strong 2020 pitcher in Ava Justman, who has a killer change-up, screw, and riseball and is hearing from schools in the SEC and Oregon. She pitched for 3D last summer and stunned one of the PGF 14U Nationals tournament favorites -- the OC Batbusters 02 team -- when she defeated them 1-0 in the first round of bracket play. The one-two combo of Fontes and Justman should keep the Choppers in most games independent of the offense, but the bats and speed are more than up to the task as well. RF Lauryn Carter is No. 55 in the 2020 Hot 100 because she can do it all as a five-tool player and is hearing from most Pac-12 schools. Also keep an eye on a player the Choppers' coaches are really high on: Allie Enright, a 2021 centerfielder that Fausett says is "special" and "plays like the Tasmanian Devil." One of the fastest players on the team, she is sought after by schools in the Pac-12. And the power game is there, too. Or as the coach puts it, "We have some ball-smashers," such as 5-foot-11 1B Grace Keene (2021) who is a big, tall player who can crush the ball.

Firecrackers TJ
TJ Houshmandzadeh played in the NFL. He knows talent and how to motivate players; his Firecrackers team was one of five first-year 14s to qualify for PGF last summer, and the SoCal-based program will return again this year. One fellow coach says of the team, "The Firecrackers are very good... they could beat anyone in the country at any time and have proven it." Over the last year, the Firecrackers won the TCS Fireworks Sparkler NIT and were invited to the Colorado Jr. Sparkler Power Pool. Good teams attract good players, and Houshmandzadeh is finding great talent across California, but for one of his top players he doesn't have to look far -- his daughter, Kennedi, who is a shortstop committed to LSU and ranked No. 36 in the 2020 Hot 100. She has tremendous defensive range and a great arm and is one of the top middle infielders in the nation. The defense is further strengthened by C Ryleigh Carricaburu, a Michigan verbal who came in at No. 33 on the 2020 Hot 100 and has the arm to throw out the fastest runners while hitting with great power. The pitching is anchored by 2020 Grace Uribe, who throws in the low 60s and at 5-foot-10 is athletic enough to play the outfield and hit from both sides. Uribe visited Texas in January and is hearing from Pac-12 and Big Ten schools as well. Two young 2021s to watch are P Amanda Johnson -- who moves the ball well up and down and has good bloodlines as her mother Debbie DeJohn pitched at Florida State -- and 2B/P Taylor Stephens -- who is drawing SEC and Pac-12 interest as a pitcher/hitter with excellent athletic tools.

Beverly Bandits Harkness
You pretty much can't have a top 10 in any age division anymore without including at least one Beverly Bandits team, and for good reason: they're talented, deep, and well-coached. Ramsey Harkness returns as the head man for the Premier 14 team and will stay with the team as it moves up through the program. The Bandits have a healthy balance of pitching, speed, and power. In the circle, Estell Czech, a 2020 committed to Pitt, is a lefty who has only pitched for three years but has as much upside as anyone with her nasty change-up and a nice overall array of pitches. The speed and athleticism starts with CF/2B Hallie Wacaser, a Florida State verbal and the No. 65 ranked player in the 2020 Hot 100. Speed also comes from 2B/CF Kalista Case (2021) and SS/UT Easton Lotus (2021), both of whom are uncommitted but will see their stock skyrocket this summer. 1B/OF Gabby Altobelli (2020), committed to Wisconsin, is the power threat along with Wacaser and SS/UT Anna Holloway (2021). Another key contributor to the team is 3B/SS Cassidy Grimm (2020, uncommitted), who was No. 84 in the Hot 100 and is a fierce competitor who one coach says is "as tough as nails and not afraid of anything." Like many Bandits hitters, she has excellent foot and bat speed.

Texas Impact Gold
Great athleticism is the calling card for Cheyenne Mata's Impact Gold team which tied for 13th at PGF Nationals last summer and won the 14U USA Select Elite's World Fastpitch Championship over the Diamond Sports Hotshots. The Impact is deep with players who can play multiple positions and many can run 2.8 home-to-first or faster. Six on the team are triple threat slappers who can dominate the small game led by UT JaNaiya Thomas, a do-it-all player who was one of the first 2021s to commit when she verbally committed to Houston. She has 2.65 home-to-first speed while OF Haleigh Carter (2021), MIF/OF Ryleigh Mata (2021), and OF Mya Holmes (2021) all have speed in the 2.7 range. Each of the trio is getting heavy interest in-state; in addition, Mata has a pair of offers and Holmes is looking at SEC schools like LSU and Texas A&M. The pitching runs three-deep with Megan Lee (2020), a power pitcher who throws in the mid-60's; Raelin Chaffin (2021), who hits 63 mph on the gun and has Big 12 offers and SEC interest; and lefty spin pitcher Madyson Blake (2020), who was rated No. 174 in the 2020 class by FloSoftball and has several offers already.

Atlanta Vipers Holbrook
Jason Holbrook's Vipers squad is loaded with talent, so much so that it has been invited to PGF Nationals this year after finishing ninth at ASA Nationals as a first-year 14U team last summer and repeating as the Georgia ASA champs. Holbrook has been a head coach for 12 years and has experienced assistants in Denny Pritchett, who played Major League Baseball with the Cardinals, and Emily Payne, who played at Georgia State. The Vipers have perhaps the top one-two lefty pitching duo in the age division with Haley Pittman (Auburn, 2020), a Florida star who had over 120 Ks in high school ball this spring, and Skylar Trahan (South Carolina, 2020). Add to the mix P Madison Kerpics, who came over from the Thunderbolts this fall and has committed to Louisville, and you have a staff and team that will be competitive game in and game out. And catching them all will be the No. 12 ranked player in the 2020 Hot 100, Emily Wilkie, who is committed to Florida. The glut of riches doesn't stop there: 2020 outfielders Jahni Kerr and Aaliyah White are lefty slappers who can fly and are both being heavily recruited by ACC, SEC, and Big Ten schools. Additionally, Megan Bloodworth is rated as one of the best hitters in the 2021 class and has visited South Carolina, Alabama, and Florida already.

Georgia Impact Newland
The Impact finished third as a second-year 12U team at PGF Nationals two years ago and took third at PGF 14U Platinum Nationals last summer. With pretty much everyone coming back (11 returners), this team is loaded with talent in the all the key spots. Add to that an upgrade in pitching with three new standout pitchers and Scott Newland's team is poised to have its best year ever. Among the returners are several 2020 Hot 100 players: all-world SS Riley Blampied, an Alabama commit ranked No. 6; OF Allison Newland, No. 67 in the Hot 100; and a verbal to LSU and P/MIF Amber Linton, ranked No. 49 and currently uncommitted but getting SEC and ACC interest as a 5-foot-11 intimidating presence on the mound. Two more committed returners to watch are lefty 3B/2B Zoe Laneaux (Mississippi State, 2020) and 2B Zaquia Dumas (Michigan State, 2020). The new talent expected to take the Impact to the next level includes SS/OF Aniyah Black, who was first team all-state in Georgia as a freshman last fall, and P Leah Powell (2020), who recently moved to the Peach State from Minnesota. She throws in the mid-60s and has a drop ball that is hard to put the bat on. A sleeper to watch is P Abby Gravlin (2020), a 5-foot-9 new addition who had major Power Five interest until a broken ankle last February took her off the recruiting map for a bit, but she's healthy now and has regained her fastball speed at 64 mph with her spin and movement being better than ever.

Jersey Intensity KOD
Kevin O'Donnell's Jersey Intensity program is strong at every level and the 14U age team is no exception, having finished in the top 15 last year and looking stronger in 2017 with some key additions. The team had a great fall finishing with dominating performances at the Diamond 9 Sun Classic in Orlando and the Surf City Pre-Thanksgiving Showcase in Huntington Beach. Leading the team is OF Jayda Kearney, ranked No. 21 in the 2020 Hot 100 and a Georgia commit. She is a five-tool player with tremendous power and speed. Also disruptive to the opposing defenses will be 2020 OF Lanay Bates, a James Madison commit who is a triple threat with blazing speed and who should swipe a ton of bases this summer. P Kate Mulchahey (2020) took the Intensity deep into the week at PGF Nationals last year and has added some more pitches to her repertoire to shut down hitters. Complementing her in the circle will be 6-foot pitcher Jessie Rooney (2020), whose stock is soaring as colleges are discovering her big upside. Add to that duo is a 2021 pitcher in Kayla Gallagher, who has great spin and location to keep batters off-balance. With those three, you will have a dominating staff that should make the Intensity one of the favorites in any tournament they're in this year.


Get More From FloSoftball!

Sign up for the FloSoftball newsletter for instant access to: Breaking News, Live Streams, Rankings, Technique Videos and more!