2024 Iowa high school state volleyball tournament: Area capsules and predictions

CORALVILLE — An in-depth look at the eight teams in The Gazette’s coverage area that will be competing in the state volleyball tournament this week at Xtream Arena:

CLASS 4A

No. 1 Cedar Rapids Xavier (28-4)

Coach — Amy Weiland (2nd year, 52-11)

Tournament history — 13th appearance, ninth in a row. Saints won 4A titles in 2020 and 2022.

Statistical leaders

* Kills per set — Libby Fandel, 4.75

* Assists per set — Josie Smith, 10.68

* Digs per set — Carissa Timmerman, 2.96

* Aces per set — Fandel, 0.76

* Blocks per set — Macie Lupkes, 0.95

First-round opponent — Saints will face No. 12 Sergeant Bluff-Luton (21-13) in a 4A quarterfinal at 4 p.m. Monday.

No. 4 Clear Creek Amana (37-7)

Coach — Jackie Clubb (11th year, 313-131)

Tournament history — 6th appearance, third consecutive, highlighted by a 4A runner-up finish in 2022.

Statistical leaders

* Kills per set — Averie Lower, 3.75

* Assists per set — Emily Henderson, 8.53

* Digs per set — Kylie Koehn, 3.02

* Aces per set — Henderson, 0.40

* Blocks per set — Sariah Sherman, 0.73

First-round opponent — Clippers will face No. 5 Pella (39-7) in a 4A quarterfinal at 6 p.m. Monday.

CLASS 3A

No. 1 Mount Vernon (42-4)

Coach — Maggie Willems (14th year, 430-141)

Tournament history — 19th appearance, seventh consecutive. Mustangs have won four championships, most recently in 2019.

Statistical leaders

* Kills per set — Chloe Meester, 4.85

* Assists per set — Sydney Huber, 10.87

* Digs per set — Eryn Jackson, 3.75

* Aces per set — Jackson, 0.70

* Blocks per set — Cali Whitaker, 0.79

First-round opponent — Mustangs will face No. 8 Mid-Prairie (33-8) in a 3A quarterfinal at 10 a.m. Tuesday.

No. 3 West Delaware (38-6)

Coach — Brett Mather (31st year overall, 1,008-258; 29th year at West Delaware, 978-236)

Tournament history — 15th appearance, first since 2021. Champions in 2015 and 2021.

Statistical leaders

* Kills per set — Hannah Cantwell, 2.70

* Assists per set — Natalie Mensen, 5.28

* Digs per set — Olivia Halverson, 3.33

* Aces per set — Cantwell, 0.36

* Blocks per set — Lauren LeClere, 0.62

First-round opponent — Hawks will face No. 6 Davenport Assumption (33-8) in a 3A quarterfinal at 12:25 p.m. Tuesday.

No. 8 Mid-Prairie (33-8)

Co-coaches — Sherry Evans and Zeb Evans (123-82)

Tournament history — 3rd appearance, first since 2004.

Statistical leaders

* Kills per set — Jovi Evans, 3.46

* Assists per set — Evans, 5.74

* Digs per set — Dakota Mitchell, 5.46

* Aces per set — Mitchell, 0.58

* Blocks per set — Callie Huber, 0.45

First-round opponent — Golden Hawks will face No. 1 Mount Vernon (42-4) in a 3A quarterfinal at 10 a.m. Tuesday.

CLASS 2A

No. 3 Dyersville Beckman (35-6)

Coach — Todd Troutman (28th year, 734-232)

Tournament history — 10th appearance, first since 2021. Blazers are two-time runners-up.

Statistical leaders

* Kills per set — Ava Burkle, 2.65

* Assists per set — Anna Knepper, 5.12

* Digs per set — Alexie Hogan, 5.20

* Aces per set — Alli Scherbring, 0.41

* Blocks per set — Miley Manternach, 0.83

First-round opponent — Blazers face No. 6 South Hardin (26-8) in a 2A quarterfinal at 4:25 p.m. Tuesday.

No. 8 Iowa City Regina (24-14)

Coach — Lauren Hansen (4th year, 89-52)

Tournament history — Fourth appearance, first since 2017.

Statistical leaders

* Kills per set — Reese Naeve, 7.56

* Assists per set — Nora Wilhelm, 9.56

* Digs per set — Addison Bollier, 6.93

* Aces per set — Ella McLaughlin, 0.43

* Blocks per set — Adalee Klein, 0.42

First-round opponent — Regals face No. 2 Eddyville EBF (34-2) in a 2A quarterfinal at 2:25 p.m. Tuesday.

CLASS 1A

No. 5 North Tama (25-15)

Coach — Channing Halstead (11th year, 265-127)

Tournament history — Fifth appearance, all since 2017.

Statistical leaders

* Kills per set — Kruiz Ewoldt, 3.68

* Assists per set — Zoey Rausch, 4.64

* Digs per set — Addison Hochstetler, 4.97

* Aces per set — Cayleigh Heller, 0.59

* Blocks per set — Ewoldt, 0.17

First-round opponent — Redhawks face No. 4 Oakland Riverside (38-3) in a 1A quarterfinal at 8 p.m. Tuesday.

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The Gazette’s Iowa high school state volleyball tournament picks

CLASS 5A

Quarterfinals

Pleasant Valley over Waukee in 3

Indianola over West Des Moines Dowling in 5

Ankeny Centennial over Cedar Falls in 4

Ankeny over Waukee Northwest in 5

Semifinals

Pleasant Valley over Indianola in 4

Ankeny Centennial over Ankeny in 5

Championship

Pleasant Valley over Ankeny Centennial in 5

CLASS 4A

Quarterfinals

Cedar Rapids Xavier over Sergeant Bluff-Luton in 3

Clear Creek Amana over Pella in 5

Sioux City Heelan over Carlisle in 4

North Scott over Glenwood in 3

Semifinals

Cedar Rapids Xavier over Clear Creek Amana in 4

North Scott over Sioux City Heelan in 4

Championship

Cedar Rapids Xavier over North Scott in 4

CLASS 3A

Quarterfinals

Mount Vernon over Mid-Prairie in 3

Dubuque Wahlert over Carroll Kuemper in 4

Western Christian over Sioux Center in 3

West Delaware over Davenport Assumption in 4

Semifinals

Mount Vernon over Dubuque Wahlert in 3

Western Christian over West Delaware in 4

Championship

Mount Vernon over Western Christian in 5

CLASS 2A

Quarterfinals

Denver over Boyden-Hull in 4

Dike-New Hartford over Aplington-Parkersburg in 4

Eddyville EBF over Iowa City Regina in 4

Dyersville Beckman over South Hardin in 4

Semifinals

Dike-New Hartford over Denver in 5

Dyersville Beckman over Eddyville EBF in 5

Championship

Dike-New Hartford over Dyersville Beckman in 4

CLASS 1A

Quarterfinals

Ankeny Christian over Don Bosco in 3

North Tama over Oakland Riverside in 5

Janesville over Saint Ansgar in 5

Conrad BCLUW over Fort Madison Holy Trinity in 5

Semifinals

Ankeny Christian over Don Bosco in 3

Janesville over Conrad BCLUW in 5

Championship

Ankeny Christian over Janesville in 3

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com