The final day of 16 Open competition at AAU in Orlando was all about the heavyweights. With seven of the top eight seeds all in the hunt for the gold medal, it was really the best of the best facing off for the right to be called national champions.

Making it out ahead of the pack was top-seeded A5 Mizuno 16 Gabe, which proved to be the best after sweeping third-seeded Tri-State Elite 16 Blue, 25-17, 25-21, in the championship match. Earning the bronzes were No. 2 seed OT 16 Jason and Capitanas 16, the No. 5 seed. It completed a nearly perfect run for A5, which finished 12-0 and 24-1 in sets. The only frame A5 dropped came in its three-set victory over Capitanas in the semifinals, 25-17, 20-25, 15-10.

It was an interesting last day of action from the standpoint that six of the eight teams in the quarterfinals all suffered their first loss of the tournament in the quarters or semis. Munciana 16 Moana, City 16 Gold and Momentous 16 Dan tied for fifth and all faced their first defeat in the quarters. The other fifth-place team – Shockwave 16 Sean – ended the tourney with a 6-5 mark. Capitanas and OT Jason didn’t lose until the semis, while Tri-State didn’t lost until the final. For OT Jason, it hadn’t dropped a set until getting swept by Tri-State, 25-17, 25-22, in the semis.

A5 also started off as the highest team in our 16s National Rankings, coming in at No. 3. OT Jason sat at No. 8, while Tri-State was No. 10. All three medaled, along with Capitanas, which is unranked as a Puerto Rican club.

Shockwave was the lowest-seeded team to make it the farthest. Shockwave opened as the No. 36 seed overall and faced A5 in Day 1 pool play. The two sides met again the quarterfinals, with A5 sweeping, 30-28, 25-17.

Munciana, the No. 4 seed to open and ranked No. 11 nationally, had a shot at the semis and a medal but was topped by Capitanas in three, 20-25, 25-21, 15-10, in the quarters. Similarly, Momentous, the No. 6 seed, also was close enough to taste the semis but fell to Tri-State in three, 25-18, 21-15, 15-11, in the quarters.

A5, OT Jason and Capitanas turn around and head to USAV GJNC in Indy next. A5 starts off as the No. 2 seed there. OT Jason is the No. 4 seed in Indy. Interestingly, Capitanas is the No. 6 team in Pool 6.