West Delaware, Marion lead 4A rankings

Brett Mather isn't convinced.

'There are teams out there that are better than us right now,' said Mather, the volleyball coach at West Delaware High School.

The Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union feels otherwise.

West Delaware is the No. 1 team in the Class 4A preseason volleyball rankings, released today by the Girls Union. The Hawks return four starters from last year's team, which finished 45-3 and reached the 4A state championship match.

Among them are seniors Carlee Ketchum, a first-team all-state setter, and Addison Brooks, a second-team all-state hitter.

There is turnover atop all five classes. None of them are led by a defending state champion.

Bettendorf (38-1) was the 5A runner-up last year; the Bulldogs were upset by Ankeny Centennial in the championship match, but return five Division-I commitments.

Half of the top 10 teams in 5A hail from the Mississippi Valley Conference.

Iowa City High (24-11) is second, Linn-Mar (27-12) is third, Cedar Rapids Kennedy (28-12) is fifth, Iowa City West (28-12) is seventh, Cedar Falls (28-11) is ninth.

City High and West reached the state tournament last year. Linn-Mar will be bolstered by the presence of all-stater Amanda Ollinger, who moved from Cedar Rapids Jefferson last winter. And Kennedy has D-I commits in Anna Fluent, Brinley Milbrath and Macy Anderson.

The Wamac Conference is projected to be a beast again this fall, with three teams in the top four of the 4A rankings, and three rateds in 3A.

Marion (34-8), which pushed West Delaware to a five-set state semifinal last year, is second to the Hawks in the preseason ratings. The Indians bring back five starters, including Minnesota-Crookston commit Alyssa Thomas, a first-team all-state outside hitter.

Mather said, 'I think Marion is better than us (right now). They have more offensive weapons than we do.'

Clear Creek Amana is No. 4. The Clippers (27-10) were 4A semifinalists in 2014.

Nevada leads the 3A list. The Cubs (38-10) were semifinalists last year, and return all of their hitters.

Last year's 3A runner-up, Mount Vernon (33-8) is No. 2 behind hitters Kaitlyn Volesky and Wynne Vandersall. Union (24-12) and West Liberty (37-6), both of which reached the state tournament last year, start at No. 3 and No. 4. Center Point-Urbana (23-15) is 11th; defending champion Solon (33-8) is 13th.

Unity Christian headlines a strong lead pack in 2A. The Knights (32-6) bring back five starters, led by Anna Kiel (4.65 kills per set). The next three are Western Christian, Sumner-Fredericksburg and four-time defending champion Dike-New Hartford. West Branch is sixth.

Iowa Star Conference rivals Janesville and Tripoli are 1-2 in 1A. Both reached the state semis last year.

PRESEASON STATE VOLLEYBALL RANKINGS

(Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union)

Class 5A

1. Bettendorf (38-1 in 2014)

2. Iowa City High (24-11)

3. Linn-Mar (27-12)

4. West Des Moines Dowling (39-7)

5. Cedar Rapids Kennedy (28-12)

6. Johnston (38-7)

7. Iowa City West (28-12)

8. Ankeny Centennial (44-3)

9. Cedar Falls (28-11)

10. West Des Moines Valley (37-12)

11. Ankeny (35-7)

12. Cedar Rapids Prairie (23-14)

13. Southeast Polk (30-11)

14. Pleasant Valley (22-10)

15. Dubuque Hempstead (20-14)

Class 4A

1. West Delaware (45-3)

2. Marion (34-8)

3. Sioux City Heelan (31-14)

4. Clear Creek Amana (27-10)

5. Waverly-Shell Rock (32-20)

6. Indianola (32-10)

7. Carroll (22-10)

8. Dallas Center-Grimes (24-14)

9. Harlan (41-2)

10. Clinton (15-17)

11. Lewis Central (23-15)

12. Charles City (41-5)

13. Adel ADM (22-14)

14. Dubuque Wahlert (15-21)

15. Pella (19-20)

Class 3A

1. Nevada (38-10)

2. Mount Vernon (33-8)

3. Union (24-12)

4. West Liberty (37-6)

5. Carroll Kuemper (20-9)

6. Davenport Assumption (18-13)

7. Sioux Center (31-9)

8. Forest City (35-8)

9. Waterloo Columbus (15-20)

10. Algona (28-13)

11. Center Point-Urbana (23-15)

12. North Polk (21-12)

13. Solon (33-8)

14. Spirit Lake (28-10)

15. Humboldt (23-9)

Class 2A

1. Unity Christian (32-6)

2. Western Christian (44-4)

3. Sumner-Fredericksburg (31-3)

4. Dike-New Hartford (41-3)

5. Eddyville EBF (35-3)

6. West Branch (34-6)

7. Tri-Center (21-9)

8. Grundy Center (29-10)

9. Lake Mills (46-4)

10. North Cedar (29-12)

11. Wapsie Valley (29-7)

12. Lawton-Bronson (29-9)

13. Treynor (26-9)

14. Denver (29-13)

15. Nashua-Plainfield (26-8)

Class 1A

1. Janesville (25-12)

2. Tripoli (27-14)

3. New London (35-8)

4. LeMars Gehlen (23-15)

5. Central Lyon (38-4)

6. Grand View Christian (28-11)

7. Springville (26-14)

8. Bellevue Marquette (32-4)

9. Iowa Valley (24-8)

10. Bedford (30-14)

11. Sidney (17-13)

12. Fort Madison Holy Trinity (48-4)

13. Harris-Lake Park (20-14)

14. Don Bosco (12-16)

15. Westwood (19-11)

l Comments: (319) 368-8857; jeff.linder@thegazette.com