Back in January 2013, former NCDA Chief of Content Sam Hiller posted his choice of what six players he would take into overtime. The list that Sam compiled included Spencer Jardine, Camden Fullmer, Wes Hopkins, Felix Perrone, Brett Hadwin, and Eric Paul. This is certainly a stellar group of dodgeball players.
In the latest Average Joes’ Podcast Sean Smith, Jacob Leski, and myself gave our opinion on what six players we would choose for overtime. Here is my list, with more in-depth explanations for each choice. Keep in mind I did not choose any player from my own team (GVSU). Here’s my overtime roster in no particular order:
Brent Gromer – JMU
Brent has been considered a top-notch player in this league for some time now, and he certainly is deserving of the credit he is given. Gromer has been a leader for JMU for the past few seasons, helping them become one of the consistent powerhouse teams in the NCDA. His skill set is certainly one that would transition over into an overtime 6 v 6 setting.
Brent combines dependable catching skills with a great throw. He throws with above average speed, but what makes him dangerous is the movement / dip on his throw. This skillset gives him the ability to get outs consistently even if the opponent has a ball to block with. Overall, Brent has proved to be one of the most dangerous players in the league, and he is an easy choice for my overtime roster.
Colin O’Brien – MSU
The captain for Michigan State is another player very deserving of this recognition. I’ve have mentioned this in the past, but to be clear, Colin has absolutely made the transition from a good player to a great one. Colin doesn’t have an extremely powerful throw, and you won’t see him try to throw through people at all, but this has not hindered his ability to be a dominant performer.
O’Brien is one of the most accurate throwers in the league in my opinion, and he always plays with great strategy in order to put his team in the best position to win. On top of that, Colin is making a serious case for being the best catcher in the league. What makes him great is his ability to get low very quickly to make a catch that would normally be at his ankles, in a situation where most players would either get hit in the legs, or attempt to dodge the ball. O’Brien is a great all-around player, which is the reason he makes my overtime six.
Brett Hadwin – CMU
Staying in the Michigan region, I’ll give Brett the nod as a member of my overtime roster. He has been one of the most recognized players in the NCDA for several seasons, and deservedly so. Brett combines an above average arm with extremely strong catching skills.
I have had the pleasure of competing against him several time this year, and he has consistently been a dangerous competitor for Central Michigan. Hadwin is one of the most exciting players in the league. What I mean by this is that he has the ability to shift the momentum of a game all by himself. Often you will see Brett come up a spectacular catch and follow it up with a head shot on an opponent, shifting the games momentum in his team’s favor. Brett is certainly a player that can make a huge impact in any game thanks to his skill set, and that is why he is part of my OT roster.
Joey Cardella – JMU
Joey is the second player from James Madison on my list, joining Brent Gromer. While Gromer is known more as an all-around performer, Cardella has the reputation as a top catcher. Joey is someone who is very dangerous to throw at thanks to his ability to catch a throw located anywhere around him, especially a low throw that would usually just hit the ground in front of him
Joey is not just a skilled catcher, but he is someone who is aggressive in looking for opportunities to catch an opponent’s throw. Along with his catching, Joey has a good arm, and plays very smart. He is a great asset to JMU’s team, and clearly one of the best players in the NCDA.
Niko Nodal – DePaul
Niko, as I’ve mentioned in the past, is one of the more underrated dodgeball players in the NCDA. He has a great all-around skill set, which makes him an easy choice as a top six player in my opinion.
Niko is a standout for DePaul, but also has excelled in Elite Dodgeball tournaments in the past. He is another player with great movement on his throw, and he has great anticipation on the dodgeball court, meaning he always sets himself up for success. Niko would be a very tough player to go against in an overtime situation.
Jonathan Shaw – TU
I have not had the chance to see Towson play any games yet this season, but based off what I’ve seen from Shaw in the past, I think he is worthy of a spot on my overtime six. Jon has been a star player for TU for a few years now, and it is no surprise why.
Jon is a player that doesn’t have one defining strength, but is good in all aspect of the game. He has good movement on his throw, which is harder than it looks. He also has the ability to catch when called upon to do so. If you placed Shaw on the roster of one of the top teams in the league I think it would be a scary sight. Shaw is a productive player that is arguably one of the best in the NCDA right now, and he makes my list of top six overtime roster players.
I’ll finish this article off by saying that there are many deserving candidates, but ultimately I decided to stick with these six performers. Feel free to comment with your own opinions, I’d like to hear your opinions!
Jon still can’t catch
I can catch on command, just go back to worrying about your broken toe on the sideline, which I played on by the way. # seanisjealous
#TeamChemistry
It’s all in love
Somehow we get along