The 2018- 2019 season comes to an end and it is time to announce the Midway Conference selection team. This year’s conference consisted of: University of Nebraska Lincoln (UNL), DePaul University, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, (SIUE), Ball State University (BSU) and the University of Wisconsin Platteville (UWP). This list consists of the top twelve in the conference which was voted on by their peers. A special thanks to the captain’s that help me out with this. Let’s take a look at the results and see who impressed this year!
MVP: Erik Zander (UWP)– #3 on the list last year. Following this 2018-2019 season, Erik Zander has been in the NCDA for 7 years. That is what makes him such a dominate player. Erik has what I like to call a, “very high dodgeball IQ.” Erik will use his knowledge of the sport to command his team both on and off the court. Besides him leading the team he can also take on an entire team by himself with ease like I’ve never seen any one do. How Erik can do so has a lot to do with his blocking. He has an uncanny ability to block close to everything that comes his way no matter how many balls are thrown at him. Lastly, his ability to team throw with anyone is second to no one. He could be playing with someone for the first time and team throw with them and they would have great chemistry. It is almost as if they have been playing with each other forever.
-Written by Tomas Zander
2. Tomas Zander (UWP)– This individual was #7 on the list last and has improved to being one of the top players on UWP’s squad. His catching improved tremendously as he dropped very few in game situations. Tomas’s throw was even more spot on than last year and he threw even harder. He used his speed to his advantage and was one of the players on the court that teams looked to get out of the game first. With him on the court, he was a distraction to the other teams which allowed for players like me to come in and connect when players were not paying attention. It gave us the advantage we needed in our games. Well, the biggest question of the Midway was finally answered, which Zander was deemed more valuable. Look at the list and see who is on top, this list shows again who is the more talented Zander, sorry Tomas!
-Written by Erik Zander
3. Jacob Binder (DePaul)– He is an excellent leader on the court, as well as being a great throwing arm for the team. He can definitely make catches when it counts too. His leadership will be missed as he graduates this year.
This individually was just an honorable mention last year and it is easy to see why he is number three on this list.
-Written by Sam Gilroy
4. Kevin Fyre (BSU)– In just a short time, he has brought his club along ways and has been able to help his team be competitive. His experience in different forms of dodgeball brought skills and knowledge to the court that his team was able to utilize. BSU was not a team that you could sleep on and he was a part of the reason why. He has a cannon of an arm and it was hard to predict where his throw would go next to take down his next victim. Coupled with his ability to catch it made him a well rounded player which is why he is why he is on this list.
-Written by Erik Zander
5. Kyle Kent (SIUE)– He is their best catcher on the team and he was one of the players that I had to tell my team to not throw alone at. If we were going to throw at him it had to be a team throw because every time someone solo throwed at him, he would catch it. His leadership skills helped to make his team competitive every single point and his teammates followed his lead and listened well.
-Written by Erik Zander
6. Troy Kramer (SIUE)– Only a honorable mention last year, he was able to show and prove to the Midway conference that he was deserving of more and his play on the court proved it. This individual was very agile and had the ability to run you down with his quickness. Troy’s throw is one of the strongest in the conference and his ability to catch made him a tough opponent to go against.
-Written by Erik Zander
7. Joel Luciano (DePaul)- I would say that Joel Luciano could be a star player on any teams roster. His throws are solid and on a good day he can swing points with his ability to make catches. If anyone is trying to take him out they better not be throwing alone. He was #10 on the list last year and has shown that he deserved higher than that this year.
-Written by Sam Gilroy
8. Kyle Reinke (UWP)- This individual has made great strides in only just one year. He is a top notch catcher for UWP and plays tremendously well as a team player. He has caught some of the best on this list and was able to catch arguable one of the best throwers and alumni that UWP has ever had. He is never afraid to square up and go for the catch. He is always trying to improve and if he can develop his throw next year he is going to one tough player for UWP.
-Written by Erik Zander
9. Jonathan Huebner (UNL)– He was a big part of the success that UNL had this year and he will be a big part of where of it growing and being successful in the future. He is one of the best blockers in the conference which allowed him to keep a point alive and give his team a fighting chance. Jonathan does an excellent job of leading on the court as well as orchestrating team throws. His arm is strong and accurate which allowed him to get outs when they were needed. I can’t wait to see what he is able to do next year.
-Written by Erik Zander
10. Zach Jung (SIUE)– This guy had the strongest arm on his team and it came packing with some heat. It was fast and it was one that you did not want to be blind sided by. He played fast and looked for catches when they came his way. He had excellent court presence and with another year he is only going to get better.
-Written by Erik Zander
11. Jessica Blum (UNL)– She is only in her freshman year and has shown how talented that she can be. Jessica is one of the best catchers on UNL and is not afraid to go for any thrown her way. For her, it does not matter the distance on the court the ball comes from. It can be coming in hot from three feet or from distance and she will snag it up. Next year she is only going to get better at catching and if she can develop a throw she will be an impressive play to watch on the court.
-Written by Erik Zander
12. Christian Prato (DePaul)– Christian Prato is an excellent catcher and amazing team player. His catching ability has really extended many close points for us, especially at nationals. He’s also a player I can always count on when I’m looking for backup at the throw line.
-Written by Sam Gilroy
Honorable Mention
- Cameron Pearce
- Sam Gilroy
- Tanner Obermeier
- Mark Liedtke
- Austin Kurey
- Daoud Ganama
Final Thoughts– There is your list for the the top players in the Midway conference. An incredibly talented bunch of individuals who love to play the game of dodgeball the way it should be played. The Midway Conference is getting more talented every year and next year the conference is only going to get better. So many individuals are looking to improve and show what they got. Next year’s list is going to be even harder to make and I’m exciting to see what it brings. What do you think of the list? Do you think anyone is missing? Let us know and comment below.