New blood atop the Tri-Rivers West: Central City, Ed-Co meet Thursday with first place at stake

The 2022 version of Edgewood-Colesburg volleyball was this:

Good team, without the good record.

“Finishing 16-20, that was hard for the team to look at,” Vikings Coach Dana Kopren said. “They felt they were better than that.”

This year, they are. And they’re part of a movement of new blood atop the Tri-Rivers Conference West Division.

“I kind of thought it would come down to this,” Kopren said, referring to Thursday’s match, in which the Class 1A 12th-ranked Vikings (15-10, 4-0) visit Central City (14-7, 4-0).

It’s a matchup of two ascendant programs with different identities.

Central City is oriented around its middle hitters, most notably senior Bailee Weber (3.19 kills per set, .359 kill efficiency) and sophomore Macie Lupkes (2.48, .367).

“Bailee is a middle, but she plays all six rotations for us,” Central City Coach Danielle Clark said. “Macie has really come on for us. She played club ball last summer and gained a lot of confidence.”

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Then there’s Ed-Co, of whom Clark said, “It’s all about their outsides. We have to know where (Audrie) Helmrichs and (Marin) Gaul are.”

That duo accounts for nearly two-thirds of the Vikings’ kills.

One of the area’s top multisport senior athletes, Helmrichs averages 3.66 kills per set, Gaul 2.30.

“We use them a lot in tight situations,” Kopren said. “But they’ve learned that they can’t do it all by themselves, and we’re learned how to disperse the love.

“We have to play composed and confident. Our keys are serving and passing. If we don’t serve and don’t pass, we can’t have the big hit.”

Thursday’s winner will own sole possession of the Tri-Rivers West lead with two matches left to play.

RVC South and Wamac East: Winners all around

In terms of top-to-bottom depth and toss-up matches, two area leagues — the River Valley Conference South Division and the Wamac Conference East Division — stand out.

All seven teams in the RVC South are at .500 or above overall, and sport an overall non-district record of 90-35 (.720).

Mid-Prairie (19-3, 3-1) and Wilton (17-6, 3-1) share the divisional lead, but both will face stern challenges Thursday.

The Golden Hawks, probably underrated at No. 9 in Class 3A, travel to 3A No. 15 Tipton (14-10, 3-2), while the 2A 12th-rated Beavers (17-6, 3-1) play at 3A No. 13 West Liberty (18-7, 2-2).

Class 2A No. 13 Iowa City Regina (19-8, 3-2) also is in title contention and closes league play at Mid-Prairie on Oct. 5.

The six Wamac East squads are a combined 88-38 (.698) against non-divisional foes.

Mount Vernon (3A No. 2, 19-2, 4-0) wrapped up a share of the divisional title Tuesday, thanks to its sweep of Independence and a five-set mini-upset by 3A No. 10 Center Point-Urbana (17-8, 2-2) over 4A No. 8 Marion (16-8, 3-1).

The Mustangs will visit Marion on Tuesday.

Solon (15-11, 1-3) and West Delaware (21-8, 2-2) are ranked eighth and 11th in 3A.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com