Small-but-mighty Starmont seeks state volleyball return

When the Starmont Stars look across the net, they invariably look up at their opponents.

'That's the way it has always been with this group,' Starmont Coach Robert Goedken said. 'All through junior high and high school, we've generally been the smallest team on the court.

'But we're not scared to play the taller teams. I preach that defense is going to win a lot of matches.'

And it could get the fourth-ranked Stars back to the state volleyball tournament.

Vertically challenged Starmont (29-5) tangles with No. 9 Iowa Valley (28-10) in a Class 1A regional final Tuesday. First serve is 7 p.m. at Center Point.

It's one of five area matches involving Gazette area teams. Also in 1A, No. 2 Springville (37-2) meets No. 14 HLV (16-7) at Williamsburg, No. 8 North Tama (28-7) faces Coon Rapids-Bayard (21-13) at Nevada, and Lansing Kee (21-14) takes on No. 7 Tripoli (24-13) at Cresco.

In Class 2A, 11th-ranked Iowa City Regina (27-8) faces No. 12 Wilton (34-5) at West Liberty.

Winners advance to the state tournament Nov. 7-10 at the U.S. Cellular Center. Of Tuesday's area hopefuls, North Tama, Iowa Valley, HLV and Kee each are seeking their first state bid.

Starmont made its maiden voyage last year and looks to get back with a lineup that has no hitters taller than 5-foot-9. Hayley Goedken, Robert's junior daughter, leads the team in hitting (3.47 kills per set, .441 kill efficiency). She's a middle hitter, and she's 5-5.

The Stars have won 21 of their last 22 matches, but Goedken expects a challenge from Iowa Valley.

'They'll definitely be the toughest match we've seen in the tournament,' he said. 'It looks like they match up with us well.'

When Regina last met Wilton on Sept. 19, the match went five sets before the Regals prevailed 16-14 in the finale.

'It was as close as it could possibly be, and this one could be the same,' Regals Coach Jordyn Akers said. 'I think it's going to come down to who comes with more heart.

'Defense is going to have to be huge for us. Our blocking and passing will have to be on.'

Springville takes a 16-match win streak to Williamsburg. The Orioles have a senior cast of characters — Mikayla Nachazel, Rylee Menster, etc. — who have enjoyed massive success in basketball and volleyball, and are seeking their third straight ticket to downtown Cedar Rapids.

Tuesday's regional volleyball finals

(All 7 p.m.)

CLASS 2A

No. 11 Iowa City Regina (27-8) vs. No. 12 Wilton (34-5), at West Liberty

Overview — These rivals from the River Valley Conference South Division get together for the second time this season; Regina captured the first match in a five-set thriller (16-14 in the fifth) Sept. 19 at Wilton. Both teams have a big junior hitter: Wilton's Aubrey Putman is fifth in 2A in kills (4.63 per set) while Regina's Alex Wiese (4.03) ranks 15th. Wiese, who missed last season with a torn ACL, is the daughter of IGHSAU Hall of Famer Stephanie (McCannon) Wiese, who led West Point Marquette to the 1A state title in 1991.

CLASS 1A

No. 8 North Tama (28-7) vs. Coon Rapids-Bayard (21-13), at Nevada

Overview — North Tama is a win away from its first state-tournament appearance. The Redhawks rallied from a two-set deficit to get past Montezuma in a regional-semifinal thriller — it was 15-13 in the fifth. Sophomore Katie Kopriva averages 4.72 kills per set, a rate that ranks third-best in 1A. Junior Karly Jans adds 3.39 kills per set. Coon Rapids-Bayard made one previous state appearance, in 2008. The Crusaders have won eight of their last nine matches.

Lansing Kee (21-14) vs. No. 7 Tripoli (24-13), at Cresco

Overview — These are very good times for girls' athletics at Kee High, and the volleyball team can make them even better by reaching the state tournament for the first time. The Hawks will have to get past one of the state's most tradition-rich programs to do it; Tripoli has made 17 state trips since 1998, winning 11 championships in that span. Each of Kee's last two matches went five sets, including a regional-semifinal upset of No. 10 Dunkerton. Softball star Kendra Cooper leads Kee with 2.74 kills per set. Tripoli's Kennedy Drewis rates seventh in 1A at 4.43 kills per set.

No. 4 Starmont (29-5) vs. No. 9 Iowa Valley (28-10), at Center Point

Overview — Starmont made its first state appearance last year, and now looks to make it two in a row. A junior-dominated outfit, Starmont is one of the state's smaller teams in terms of height. Yet, Hayley Goedken and Madilyn Vaske both average more than 3 kills per set. Goedken has not missed a serve this season in 296 tries. Regan Janssen posts 10.05 assists per set. The champion of the South Iowa Cedar League, Iowa Valley hopes to break through and reach state for the first time. Caleigh Smith leads the Tigers with 3.53 kills per set. Both teams swept their first two regional matches.

No. 2 Springville (37-2) vs. No. 14 HLV (16-7), at Williamsburg

Overview — After reaching the state tournament three of the last four years (including a run to the semifinals last year), Springville is after more this time behind an uncommon senior class. Mikayla Nachazel (2.82 kills per set) leads a balanced lineup that has three others at 2 or more, and Madi Wagaman pilots the attack at 8.76 assists and 2.73 digs per set. Macie Boots paces HLV's attack with 3.28 kills per set. The Warriors have made major progress since a five-win campaign last year and hope to cap it with their first state trip in school history.

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