MWPA Releases Week 2 Players of the Week

The Michigan Water Polo Association (MWPA) has named eight District players of the week for week two

Grand Haven's Jordyn Rademaker, East Grand Rapids' Barbara Bart, Birmingham Groves' Joelle Allen, and Ann Arbor Huron's Emma Kaipainen headlined the girls players of the week. For the Boys, Hudsonville's Cooper Randall, Rockford's Ben Seymour, Birmingham Groves' Will Dinkeloo, and Ann Arbor Pioneer's Gabe Sanchez-Burks are the players of the week. Read about each below.

District 1, Girls | Jordyn Rademaker - Grand Haven Buccaneers

In a busy week for the Buccaneers, Jordyn Rademaker paced the offense with 21 goals, a pair of field blocks, three drawn exclusions and six assists for Andrew Thorsby's squad. The Buccaneers scored a win over Portage on Thursday where Rademaker did a ton of damage as she paces the young Grand Haven squad. She also had 15 steals - makes sense for someone whose mascot is a literal pirate. Seriously look at that logo. Unreal stuff for Grand Haven.

District 1, Boys | Cooper Randall - #1 Ranked Hudsonville Eagles

This is not the last time we'll say this in this post - look at the extension and elevation on this stop by Cooper Randall. If you can play that high above the water, you're living large. He did - allowing one goal and helping the #1 ranked Eagles to a pair of shutouts last week for Josh Ahrendt's Eagles. The Eagles did graduate a lot of offense last year but remain deep and with some pretty impressive talent, but certainly, Cooper here will be a big part of their hopes to repeat again.

District 2, Girls | Barbara Bart - #8 Ranked East Grand Rapids Pioneers

That's just a sick stat-line for yet another member of the All-MWPA Name team (Barbara Bart is a cool name). 18 goals, 20 steals, and a combined 11 DRAWN PENALTIES between exclusions and five meters, to go with a "measly" (sarcasm) eight assists. Barbara Bart is what you call a black hole: go near it, bad things will happen. She will take the ball from you. If she has the ball you will end up in the corner or watching her shoot. Basically a no-win situation - nice type of player that we're sure Raheem Brown is happy to have.

District 2, Boys | Ben Seymour - #3 Ranked Rockford Rams

Mr. Seymour has been a fairly stingy customer early on for Rockford. This week, he allowed five or less three of their five games. He helped the Rams to wins over #8 Zeeland, #3 Grand Haven and #7 Birmingham Groves. Craig Peterman's active goalie has eight steals, three helpers and a pair of blocked five meters early on. That's impressive - especially when you consider how good goalkeeping has been so far this season on both sides of the state.

District 3, Girls | Joelle Allen - (RV) Birmingham Groves Gators

District three was largely quiet this week - but in one game, Joelle Allen was anything but. She scored four times, had three steals and a pair of assists in an overtime win for the Gators. Birmingham Groves has had some solid early results, under Claire LaSota - including one top ten victory by near double digits and an out-of-region road win. Joelle Allen and the Gators return to action mid next week and look to keep the momentum rolling.

District 3, Boys | Will Dinkeloo - #7 Ranked Birmingham Groves Gators

You're looking at the graphic - red cap, okay it's a goalie. You're looking at the graphic and his stats....two goals? He only allowed two goals? Nope. How about THIS DUDE SCORED TWO! (Disclaimer - they came in the field, but still that's sick skill). He also had 24 saves, seven takeaways and an assist for Bob Sala and Steve Curry's Gators in a really stiff week of competition. He's following one of Groves' greatest goalies in program history (Max Zalewski) and is just a sophomore - he's following the act quite well - his coaches note he's working outside of their sessions with goalkeeping coaches. Dude is dedicated.

District 4, Girls | Emma Kaipainen- #2 Ranked Ann Arbor Huron River Rats

You can't hope to stop her. Heck, you can't even hope to contain her. It was just a matter of days before she was going to win one of these. The reigning All-American Emma Kaipainen played two games, averaged five goals, five and a half steals, drew two exclusions and dropped a pair of assists for Mary Chatigny's Rams. Also look at that photo - the shot blocker is not in a bad place - pretty good technique. But the sheer extension out of the water on Kaipainen gives her so much power and extra length. Ridiculous.

District 4, Boys | Gabe Sanchez-Burks #2 Ranked Ann Arbor Pioneer Pioneers

Yesterday we talked about the unbridled swag of being the "Pioneer Pioneers," (IT'S STILL SO COOL), but look at the front of Gabe's cap here. It has the old school Pioneer Wagon logo on it. Pioneer is just too cool. Also pretty cool - what Gabe Sanchez-Burks did for Don Packard's Pio's last week. He scored 11 times, had 15 steals, four assists and scored a sudden-death overtime goal. Literally nothing better than a golden goal, we can only imagine the amount of cool-ness in that moment.

About District Players of the Week: District Players of the Week are nominated by head coaches weekly through a form including statistical and circumstantial information. The District Players of the Week are chosen by an impartial group if there are multiple entrants within each District.