Iowa Class 5A state volleyball: Team capsules, stat leaders and predictions

CEDAR RAPIDS — Capsules for Class 5A teams at the Iowa high school state volleyball tournament.

 No. 1 Cedar Falls

Record — 41-1 

Nickname — Tigers

Coach — Matt Johnson (6th year at Cedar Falls, 235-24; 16th year overall, 538-140)

State-tournament history — 21st appearance, and fifth consecutive. 5A champion in 2017, runner-up last year

Roster

No. Name Ht. Yr. Pos.

2 Kirsten Graves 5-10 Sr. DS

4 Emerson Green 5-11 Sr. S

5 Jada Golden-Smith 5-9 Sr. MH

7 Alivia Bronner 5-7 So. DS

14 Emmy Wedgbury 5-8 Jr. OH

17 Alayna Yates 6-6 Sr. MH

21 Akacia Brown 6-0 Sr. OH

 No. 8 Waukee

Record — 35-11

Nickname — Warriors

Coach — Danielle Lynch (2nd year at Waukee, 64-26; 14th year overall, 180-123)

State-tournament history — 6th appearance, and second consecutive

Roster

No. Name Ht. Yr. Pos.

3 Kori Knox 5-3 Jr. DS

6 Lily Becker 5-6 Sr. S

7 Ellie Hemesath 5-11 Sr. MH

8 Layanna Green 5-10 Jr. MH

10 Ella Pedersen 5-9 Jr. OH

12 Kate Nelson 6-0 Sr. OH

17 Ainsley Schlicher 5-9 Sr. OH

 No. 4 Ankeny

Record — 36-5

Nickname — Hawkettes

Coach — Dave Whims (14th year at Ankeny, 544-83; 35th year overall, 1,017-163)

State-tournament history — 18th appearance, and second consecutive. Four-time champion, most recently in 2009

Roster

No. Name Ht. Yr. Pos.

5 Malea Dougherty 5-8 Sr. OH

8 Macy Weiderin 5-10 Sr. MH

10 Kaci Berhens 5-4 Sr. DS

11 McKenna Scheib 5-10 Jr. MH

12 Isabelle Vacek 5-11 Sr. MH

15 Lexi Stephens 5-4 So. DS

19 Phyona Schrader 6-0 Jr. S

 No. 5 Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln

Record — 38-3

Nickname — Lynx

Coach — Katie Darrington (4th year at CBAL, 106-65; 6th year overall, 146-85)

State-tournament history — 13th appearance, first since 2014

Roster

No. Name Ht. Yr. Pos.

1 Elaina Bohnet 5-8 Sr. OH

2 Taylan Keefer 5-5 Sr. DS

7 Julia Wagoner 5-7 Sr. OH

8 Kayla Schleifman 6-0 Jr. MH

10 Sam Christiansen 5-6 Sr. S

11 Baylee Girres 5-11 So. OH

15 Jullian Shanks 5-8 Jr. OH

 No. 2 Iowa City Liberty

Record — 34-2

Nickname — Lightning

Coach — Randy Dolson (3rd year at Liberty, 66-37; 13th year overall HS level, 346-138)

State-tournament history — 1st appearance

Roster

No. Name Ht. Yr. Pos.

0 Addie Schmierer 5-2 Jr. L

3 Lauren Roman 6-1 Jr. OH

8 Rylee Fay 5-9 Sr. S

11 Sydney Woods 5-9 So. OH

16 LeeAnn Potter 5-9 Sr. OH

20 Haley Hested 5-7 Jr. S

33 Cassidy Hartmann 5-10 Fr. MH

 No. 7 Pleasant Valley

Record — 29-5

Nickname — Spartans

Coach — Amber Hall (4th year at PV, 102-31; 9th year overall, 149-120)

State-tournament history — 11th appearance, first since 2013

Roster

No. Name Ht. Yr. Pos.

3 Claire Bebow 5-5 Sr. DS

5 Erica Brohm 6-1 Sr. MH

7 Emily Wood 5-8 Jr. OH

8 Ilah Perez-Jackson 5-9 Sr. OH

11 Sara Hoskins 5-7 Sr. DS

13 Kora Ruff 5-7 So. S

18 Kaitlyn Morgan 6-1 Sr. OH

 No. 3 West Des Moines Valley

Record — 40-4

Nickname — Tigers

Coach — Jeremy Mikesell (10th year at Valley, 333-110; 22nd year overall, 589-249)

State-tournament history — 10th appearance, and fourth consecutive. 5A semifinalist last year

Roster

No. Name Ht. Yr. Pos.

2 Jacey Spann 5-9 Sr. MH

3 Grace Hinkle 5-7 Sr. OH

4 Olivia Curry 5-8 Sr. S

7 Olivia Lombardi 5-6 Fr. L

11 Hayden Kubik 6-0 So. OH

12 Payton Lombardi 5-8 Jr. OH

14 Anna Bernhard 6-0 Jr. MH

 No. 6 West Des Moines Dowling

Record — 32-11

Nickname — Maroons

Coach — Mary Beth Wiskus (11th year, 338-113)

State-tournament history — 8th appearance, and eighth in a row

Roster

No. Name Ht. Yr. Pos.

1 Rose Fitzgerald 5-3 Jr. DS

3 Anna Flynn 5-7 Jr. L

5 Anna Godfredsen 5-11 Sr. OH

6 Allena Shimon 5-9 Sr. S

8 Grace Evans 6-1 Jr. MH

9 Piper Kirchhoff 5-10 So. OH

13 Mira Baccile 5-11 Sr. MH

Class 5A statistical leaders

KILLS PER SET

Akacia Brown, Cedar Falls 4.43

Hayden Kubik, West Des Moines Valley 4.02

Elaina Bohnet, Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln 3.87

Layanna Green, Waukee 2.69

Kate Nelson, Waukee 2.64

ASSISTS PER SET

Emerson Green, Cedar Falls 9.98

Sam Christiansen, Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln 9.67

Kora Ruff, Pleasant Valley 8.96

Lily Becker, Waukee 8.07

Allena Shimon, West Des Moines Dowling 5.82

BLOCKS PER SET

Kayla Schleifman, Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln 1.19

McKenna Scheib, Ankeny 1.02

Baylie Girres, Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln 1.02

Alayna Yates, Cedar Falls 0.96

Erica Brohm, Pleasant Valley 0.89

DIGS PER SET

Taylan Keefer, Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln 5.68

Kirsten Graves, Cedar Falls 4.30

Julia Wagoner, Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln 3.84

Sam Christiansen, Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln 3.71

Jillian Shanks, Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln 3.67

ACES PER SET

Rylee Fay, Iowa City Liberty 0.73

Phyona Schrader, Ankeny 0.62

Ilah Perez-Johnson, Pleasant Valley 0.57

Anna Flynn, West Des Moines Dowling 0.57

Baylie Girres, Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln 0.55

Class 5A predictions

QUARTERFINALS

Cedar Falls over Waukee in 3

Ankeny over Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln in 4

Iowa City Liberty over Pleasant Valley in 4

West Des Moines Valley over West Des Moines Dowling in 5

SEMIFINALS

Cedar Falls over Ankeny in 3

Iowa City Liberty over West Des Moines Valley in 5

CHAMPIONSHIP

Cedar Falls over Iowa City Liberty in 3

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