State volleyball: Class 5A capsules, stat leaders, predictions

Capsules, stat leaders and predictions for the Class 5A qualifiers at the state volleyball tournament this week at the U.S. Cellular Center.

No. 1 WEST DES MOINES DOWLING (42-5)

* Nickname: Maroons

* Coach: Mary Beth Wiskus (7th year, 216-62)

* Tournament history: 4th appearance, and fourth in a row.

Starters

No. Name Ht. Yr. Pos.

1 Tessa Mendoza 5-8 Sr. S

3 Kalley O'Donnell 5-6 Sr. DS

4 Kara Grossman 5-9 Jr. OH

9 Erin Hughes 5-11 Sr. OH

10 Anna Harman NA So. OH

11 Morgan Meilander NA Jr. OH

15 Mykal Sadler 6-1 Sr. MH

No. 12 DUBUQUE HEMPSTEAD (25-11)

* Nickname: Mustangs

* Coach: Travis Wills (2nd year, 47-22)

* Tournament history: 16th appearance. Two-time champion, most recently in 2003.

Starters

No. Name Ht. Yr. Pos.

6 Alana Cooksley So. S

9 Nikki Houtakker Jr. MH

14 Morgan Kluesner Jr. OH

17 Elizabeth Fleckenstein Jr. OH

23 Kasey Davis Sr. OH

24 Makayla Doyle Sr. MH

31 Hope Splinter Jr. L

No. 5 JOHNSTON (29-10)

* Nickname: Dragons

* Coach: Rick Brooks (22nd year, 585-210)

* Tournament history: 9th appearance, including four in a row. Champions in 2007.

Starters

No. Name Ht. Yr. Pos.

7 Claire Nesheim 5-8 Jr. OH

8 Sarah Walljasper 5-10 Jr. OH

12 Anna Miller 5-9 Jr. S

13 Taryn Knuth 6-3 Jr. MH

15 Jennah Johnson 5-9 So. OH

19 Denise Ssozi 5-9 Sr. OH

25 Alisha Rusch 5-3 Jr. DS

No. 7 ANKENY CENTENNIAL (36-5)

* Nickname: Jaguars

* Coach: Jessica Rinehart (3rd year, 110-17)

* Tournament history: 3rd appearance. Defending 5A champions.

Starters

No. Name Ht. Yr. Pos.

2 Kylee Macke 5-7 Jr. L

7 Lauren Rieck 6-1 Sr. MH

8 Kristen Utley 5-7 Sr. S

10 Tasha Vipond 6-1 Sr. MH

12 Haley Matter 5-11 Sr. OH

16 Hannah Oakie 5-6 Sr. DS

18 Savana Johnson 5-10 Sr. OH

No. 2 BETTENDORF (33-2)

* Nickname: Bulldogs

* Coach: Diane Lechtenberg (30th year, 652-279)

* Tournament history: 11th appearance, fourth straight. 5A runners-up last year after back-to-back titles in 2012 and 2013.

Starters

No. Name Ht. Yr. Pos.

2 Josie Herbst 5-10 Sr. OH

3 Margaret Micka 5-9 Sr. OH

4 Claire Leonard 5-11 Jr. MH

5 Alexa Ito 5-5 Sr. L

6 Karlee Scheib 5-7 Sr. DS

10 Megan Sharkey 5-10 Sr. S

16 Maggie Runge 6-1 Sr. MH

No. 11 IOWA CITY WEST (27-11)

* Nickname: Women of Troy

* Coach: Randy Dolson (2nd year at West, 55-23; 30th year overall)

* Tournament history: 12th appearance. Back-to-back champions in 2010 and 2011.

Starters

No. Name Ht. Yr. Pos.

7 Emma Norris 5-9 Jr. OH

10 Ali Tauchen 6-0 Jr. MH

11 Emily Halverson 6-2 Jr. MH

17 Maddie Fay 5-9 Jr. S

22 Keimoney Lang NA So. DS

24 Chandler Haight 5-9 So. OH

26 Colby Greene 6-2 So. OH

No. 3 CEDAR FALLS (36-4)

* Nickname: Tigers

* Coach: Matt Johnson (2nd year at Cedar Falls, 65-16; 12th year overall, 367-131)

* Tournament history: 17th appearance, including a runner-up finish in 2006.

Starters

No. Name Ht. Yr. Pos.

1 Erin Hendrickson 5-5 Sr. L

10 Tayah Mahi 5-10 So. S

12 Emma Gerdes 5-10 Sr. OH

14 Taylor Lynch 5-11 So. OH

15 Grace Burken 6-2 So. MH

16 Claire gerdes 6-1 So. MH

19 Alicia Harrington 6-0 Sr. OH

No. 9 CEDAR RAPIDS KENNEDY (29-9)

* Nickname: Cougars

* Coach: Michelle Goodall (17th year at Kennedy, 425-218; 25th year overall)

* Tournament history: 18th appearance. State champion in 1979.

Starters

No. Name Ht. Yr. Pos.

3 Brinley Milbrath 6-2 Sr. MH

5 Emma Boote 5-8 Jr. OH

8 Macy Anderson 6-0 Sr. OH

9 Kendal Meier 5-7 Jr. DS

12 Tianna Drahn 5-7 Sr. L

14 Paige Franck 5-8 Jr. OH

20 Anna Fluent 5-10 Sr. S

PREDICTIONS

* Quarterfinals

West Des Moines Dowling over Dubuque Hempstead in 4

Ankeny Centennial over Johnston in 5

Bettendorf over Iowa City West in 4

Cedar Rapids Kennedy over Cedar Falls in 5

* Semifinals

Ankeny Centennial over West Des Moines Dowling in 5

Bettendorf over Cedar Rapids Kennedy in 4

* Championship

Bettendorf over Ankeny Centennial in 4

LEADERS

Kills per set

Kasey Davis, Dubuque Hempstead 4.28

Josie Herbst, Bettendorf 3.90

Denise Ssozi, Johnston 3.89

Mykal Sadler, West Des Moines Dowling 3.40

Taryn Knuth, Johnston 3.31

Assists per set

Tayah Mahi, Cedar Falls 10.63

Megan Sharkey, Bettendorf 9.75

Tessa Mendoza, West Des Moines Dowling 9.62

Alana Cooksley, Dubuque Hempstead 9.11

Anna Fluent, Cedar Rapids Kennedy 8.81

Digs per set

Hope Splinter, Dubuque Hempstead 4.96

Kylee Macke, Ankeny Centennial 4.28

Kalley O'Donnell, West Des Moines Dowling 4.03

Madi Ford, Iowa City West 3.98

Alexa Ito, Bettendorf 3.88

Aces per set

Denise Ssozi, Johnston 0.82

Megan Sharkey, Bettendorf 0.67

Josie Herbst, Bettendorf 0.62

Tianna Drahn, Cedar Rapids Kennedy 0.53

Kasey Davis, Dubuque Hempstead 0.47

Blocks per set

Tasha Vipond, Ankeny Centennial 1.39

Lauren Rieck, Ankeny Centennial 1.25

Cynthia Wolf, Cedar Falls 1.00

Mykal Sadler, West Des Moines Dowling 0.91

Taryn Knuth, Johnston 0.90

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