Hawks seek to scratch 7-year itch

 On the surface, it's a fact that seems unfathomable.

The fact is this: It's been seven years since West Delaware has won a Wamac Conference volleyball tournament championship.

"Believe it or not, huh?" Hawks Coach Brett Mather said. "I think that just shows the strength of the conference."

Marion High School hosts the event's climax Thursday night. Eight teams are in the championship bracket, and five figure to have a chance to be standing at night's end.

"We knew it would be set up tough," said Marion Coach Roxanne Paulsen. "Whoever wins it, they're going to have to beat three quality opponents."

Take Marion's trail, for example. To win it all, the Class 4A 11th-rated Indians (23-13) will have to beat 3A No. 9 Independence (31-5) -- possibly the state's most improved team -- in the first round, then probably 4A No. 2 Solon (26-2) in the semifinals, then likely 4A No. 3 West Delaware (33-4) or 3A No. 6 Mount Vernon (22-8) in the final.

Yikes.

Quarterfinal matches, in both the championship and consolation bracket, are set for 4 p.m. and 5 p.m., with semifinals at 6:30 and the final at 7:15.

It could be an evening fraught with long three-setters. Marion is accustomed to going the distance; four of the Indians' six Wamac West matches went five games.

Solon has won the last two Wamac tournament titles. West Delaware is a slight favorite this time around, based on the Hawks' four-set win over the Spartans last week in a match that determined the East Division regular-season title.

"We don't have the one person that's going to score all the points," Mather said. "We have a lot of disciplined girls that aren't afraid to get into long rallies. They want to play their game and make the other team adjust to them."

MVC: HEMPSTEAD FAVORED TO REPEAT

Dubuque Hempstead has the most returners back from a team that won last year's Mississippi Valley Conference tournament.

Thus, the Class 5A third-ranked Mustangs (27-4) are solid favorites to repeat Saturday at Cedar Falls.

"They're a very dynamic team," said Iowa City West Coach Kathy Bresnahan. "There's a lot of youth in this conference, and you never know when a young team is going to have its breakout moment."

Cedar Falls High School will split the action with Ross Nielsen Fieldhouse on the campus of the University of Northern Iowa. Pool play begins at 9 a.m., with bracket action scheduled for about 2:30 p.m.

Hempstead has clinched a share of the MVC Mississippi Division title. Class 4A No. 4 Cedar Rapids Xavier (24-8) has done likewise in the Valley Division.

Other ranked teams are 5A No. 9 Iowa City West (20-8) and No. 10 Cedar Falls (23-8).

West is two years removed from back-to-back state championships.

"This is kind of a funny group," Bresnahan said. "They don't play with a lot of emotion, but they're competitive and they play within themselves."

AND ELSEWHERE ...

* The Tri-Rivers Conference tournament begins Thursday with pool play, and will crown its tournament champion Saturday at Central City.

Thirteen Tri-Rivers teams are split into four pools (at Spingville, Lisbon, Wyoming and Bellevue). Pool champions only advance to Saturday.

Semifinals are 10 a.m., followed by the third-place and championship matches.

Springville (22-10) edged Lisbon (22-6) for the West Division championship; Midland (13-11) won the East.

* Instead of a conference tournament, the River Valley Conference will hold a night of North-vs.-South matchups Thursday.

In the battle of divisional champions, North Cedar (15-11) plays at West Branch (23-7). 

SETTING THE AREA CONFERENCES

Mississippi Valley Conference

9 a.m. Saturday at Cedar Falls (CFHS & Ross Nielsen Fieldhouse)

Pool A -- Dubuque Hempstead, Cedar Rapids Prairie, Cedar Rapids Jefferson, Dubuque Wahlert

Pool B -- Cedar Rapids Xavier, Cedar Rapids Kennedy, Linn-Mar, Dubuque Senior

Pool C -- Iowa City West, Cedar Rapids Washington, Waterloo East

Pool D -- Cedar Falls, Iowa City High, Waterloo West

Wamac Conference

4 p.m. Thursday at Marion High School

Championship Bracket

West Delaware vs. Maquoketa, 4 p.m.Mount Vernon vs. Western Dubuque, 5 p.m.Solon vs. Dyersville Beckman, 4 p.m.

Independence vs. Marion, 5 p.m.

Semifinals: 6:30 p.m.; Championship: 7:15 p.m.

Tri-Rivers Conference

Thursday, multiple sites; 10 a.m. Saturday at Central City High School

Springville Pool -- Springville, Maquoketa Valley, East Buchanan

Lisbon Pool -- Lisbon, North Linn, Alburnett, Central City

Wyoming Pool -- Midland, Cedar Valley Christian, Easton Valley

Bellevue Pool -- Bellevue Marquette, Calamus-Wheatland, Clinton Prince of PeacePool winners advance to Saturday's semifinals

River Valley Conference

North-vs.-South Night, Thursday at multiple sites

North Cedar at West Branch

Camanche at Iowa City Regina

Cascade at West Liberty

Monticello at Tipton

Northeast at Durant

Bellevue and Mid Prairie at Wilton