Penn State’s Happy Valley Throwdown is this Saturday, and there are many highly anticipated matchups scheduled. Here is our preview of the teams going and the expectations they all hold.
Penn State
Penn State will enter their home tournament looking to rectify an 0-3 performance at Akron’s WAR VIII tournament. Star player Hunter Stewart, who missed WAR, should be back and ready to go for the Nittany Lions. This return, along with home-court advantage, will play a key part in PSU’s success on Saturday. Playing two top teams in OSU and JMU with a full roster, should tell the league right where this team stands after their shaky start to the year.
Ohio State
Ohio State will make their first trip to the East Coast region since pre-Covid to play a packed schedule of 4 games. The Buckeyes will miss some star players at this tournament due to injuries, but nonetheless, they will look to show off their depth and strong rookie class in Happy Valley. You can bet that last year’s nationals loss to Penn State is fresh on the mind of every returning Buckeye dodgeballer.
James Madison
While this will be JMU’s second tournament of the year, it will be their first true test. Much like Penn State, JMU will have a lot to prove about how well they stack up with top teams in the league. As one of the most animated and confident teams in the league, expect JMU to put on some entertaining matchups this Saturday.
Virginia
Virginia will enter Saturday looking to continue to gain valuable game experience for their young roster. The Cavaliers will struggle with numbers this tournament, providing a good opportunity for new players to step up as they get their first taste of Ohio Region dodgeball this year. Despite being short-handed, Virginia could still realistically end the day 2-1 given their schedule.
Kent State
Kent will look to continue exceeding expectations this year at the Happy Valley Throwdown. The Golden Flashes will also have a loaded 4-game schedule, and after Saturday they will have played every East Coast region team this year. Kent should not be taken lightly by any opponent, and many people who have seen them play would not be surprised by some upsets this weekend.
Streaming & Schedule
Check out court 1 streams on Ohio State Dodgeball’s YouTube!
