Class 5A volleyball hopefuls go on the road in search of regional upsets

One word describes the 2023 calendar year in terms of big-school girls’ major team sports in the Cedar Rapids/Iowa City corridor.

Empty.

No area schools advanced to the 5A state basketball tournament last winter. Class 5A state softball, last summer, same story.

If that trend of disappointment is going to end this fall with the 5A state volleyball tournament, somebody is going to have to do it with an upset on the road.

Reigning state champion Iowa City Liberty is one of three Metro/Iowa City “big-school” teams — and one of five overall — playing in regional-final volleyball matches Tuesday night.

The 14th-ranked Lightning (19-21) face No. 7 Ankeny (23-14) for the fourth time this season.

“We’re excited to go to Ankeny,” Bolts Coach Allie Kelly said. “We know what to expect, and we’ve taken one match (of three), so we know we can compete.”

In other 5A regional finals, Linn-Mar (19-13) is at No. 1 West Des Moines Dowling (29-7), and No. 11 Iowa City High (23-9) visits No. 8 West Des Moines Valley (18-15).

In Class 4A, No. 1 Clear Creek Amana (44-0) hosts Oskaloosa (16-16), No. 3 Cedar Rapids Xavier (23-6) welcomes Waverly-Shell Rock (17-26) and No. 7 Marion (25-12) entertains No. 14 Ballard (22-8).

And in 3A, No. 1 Mount Vernon (32-4) hosts Anamosa (28-9), No. 7 Center Point-Urbana (26-9) welcomes No. 12 Mid-Prairie, No. 10 West Delaware (26-14) is at No. 8 Union Community (37-11) and No. 13 Solon (22-14) visits No. 4 Davenport Assumption (26-7).

All matches start at 7 p.m., and all winners advance to the state tournament next week at Xtream Arena in Coralville.

It was there that Liberty and Xavier claimed 5A and 4A titles a year ago.

Liberty lost most of its key ingredients to graduation, but Kelly opted to keep the same, challenging non-conference schedule.

“We’ve thrown them into the fire,” she said. “They are battle-tested, and I knew the girls would grow into it.

“I knew they were ready to compete with older girls, and they have bought into the challenge whole-heartedly.”

Defending 4A champion Xavier is favored to reach the state tournament for the eighth consecutive year.

Mount Vernon, which is chasing its sixth straight berth, meets an Anamosa squad that is trying to break through for its first tournament berth in school history.

Tuesday’s Class 5A regional finals

(All matches 7 p.m.)

LINN-MAR (19-13) at No. 1 WEST DES MOINES DOWLING (29-7)

Dowling did not make a state tournament until 2012, and hasn’t missed one since. The Maroons pursue their 12th consecutive trip, along with their first championship. These teams met at the Westside Invitational on Oct. 7, with Dowling recording a sweep, 25-18, 25-18. Both squads swept their way to the regional finals. Linn-Mar rolled past Southeast Polk behind 11 kills from junior Kate Passmore, who is averaging 3.59 kills per set this season. Dowling handled Des Moines Lincoln and is the champion of the CIML. Senior Mackenzie Dean averages 4.35 kills per set.

No. 11 IOWA CITY HIGH (23-9) at No. 8 WEST DES MOINES VALLEY (18-15)

Down two sets to one to Muscatine in the regional semifinals, City High rallied to win the last two, 25-23 and 15-10, thus earning this opportunity. Another victory would send the Little Hawks — winners of nine of their last 10 matches — to their first state tournament since 2014. Senior Claire Ernst (3.62 kills per set) and junior Emmy McComas (2.39) are City’s top attackers. Valley has four starters back from last year’s state-semifinal team. The Tigers snapped a three-match losing streak with a regional-semifinal sweep of Cedar Rapids Washington.

No. 14 IOWA CITY LIBERTY (19-21) at No. 7 ANKENY (23-14)

This is the fourth meeting between these teams. The Hawkettes won the first two, then the Lightning delivered with a 21-18, 19-21, 15-13 victory at Waverly on Sept. 30. Liberty has qualified for state four straight years and is the defending 5A state champion but was hit hard by graduation after that 2022 title run. Junior Asta Hildebrand has moved into a hitting role, and the Bolts are led in assists, blocks, digs and aces by freshmen. Ankeny has made five straight state tournaments, 20 in 23 years. Junior Kamryn Scheib leads the Hawkettes at 3.14 kills per set.

STATE

No. 15 Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln (22-19) at No. 2 Ankeny Centennial (29-6)

No. 10 Dubuque Senior (23-11) at No. 4 Pleasant Valley (26-5)

No. 12 Sioux City East (23-12) at No. 3 Waukee Northwest (23-9)

Waterloo West (17-16) at No. 6 Cedar Falls (33-6)

No. 9 Waukee (13-19) at No. 5 Johnston (31-6)

Tuesday’s Class 4A regional finals

(All matches 7 p.m.)

WAVERLY-SHELL ROCK (17-26) at No. 3 CEDAR RAPIDS XAVIER (23-6)

The reigning 4A state champion, Xavier is heavily favored to return to the state tournament for the eighth consecutive year. Three starters are back from last year’s title team, including first-team all-stater Libby Fandel (4.91 kills per set), a junior. The rest of the wealth is spread among juniors Carley Jonker and Taylor Rexroth and 6-foot-2 senior Ava Turner. WSR upset Charles City in a five-set regional semifinal, and the Go-Hawks have made a habit out of odd-year qualification for the last decade (they were runners-up in 2021). Senior Katelyn Eggena paces them at 2.05 kills per set.

No. 14 BALLARD (22-8) at No. 7 MARION (25-12)

Ballard has its sights on its first state-tournament appearance, but will have to bump traditional power Marion to get there. The Wolves chase their third consecutive state berth, and their seventh in 10 years. Three starters are back from last year’s qualifying team — senior hitters Michaela Goad and Sophia Paulsen, and senior libero Natalee Hartman. Listed at 6-foot-2, Goad is good for nearly 4 kills per set. Marion swept Western Dubuque in the regional semifinals; Ballard beat Pella in three straight. The Bombers are balanced, with four attackers between 120 and 182 kills.

OSKALOOSA (16-16) at No. 1 CLEAR CREEK AMANA (44-0)

Last year’s 4A state runner-up, Clear Creek Amana brought back all seven starters for 2023 and was expected to dominate. The Clippers have delivered; their perfect match record features a glowing 95-4 slate in sets. CCA rolled through the Wamac Conference West Division and captured its first Wamac tournament title. Led by Drake recruit Bliss Beck (3.82 kills and 1.07 blocks per set, .474 kill rate), the Clippers are hitting .259 as a team. Meg Berkland (4.73 digs per set) is an elite libero. Oskaloosa swept Burlington in the regional semifinals.

STATE

No. 13 Dallas Center-Grimes (20-12) at No. 5 Adel ADM (26-3)

No. 11 Glenwood (30-10) at No. 2 Indianola (35-4)

Knoxville (27-9) at No. 4 North Scott (25-4)

No. 10 Norwalk (25-14) at No. 8 North Polk (29-9)

No. 12 Sioux City Heelan (28-14) at No. 6 Lewis Central (30-2)

Tuesday’s Class 3A regional finals

(All matches 7 p.m.)

No. 10 WEST DELAWARE (26-14) at No. 8 UNION COMMUNITY (37-11)

These teams collided nearly two months ago at the Independence tournament, with Union claiming a straight-sets victory. Both programs are accustomed to deep postseason runs, with Union advancing to state nine times since 2010 and West Delaware qualifying 14 times in 20 years. Five starters are back from the Knights’ 2022 state squad, with senior Gracie Klima (4.18 kills per set) emerging as the top net threat. Union has won its last eight matches. West Delaware swept No. 14 Monticello in a quicker-than-expected regional semi and is led at the net by junior Brooke Krogmann (3.06 kills per set).

No. 12 MID-PRAIRIE (31-10) at No. 7 CENTER POINT-URBANA (26-9)

It has been a little while (2015) since CPU advanced to state; a longer while (2004) for Mid-Prairie. Look through CPU’s schedule, and you can’t find anything that resembles a “bad” loss. The Pointers are Stormin’ indeed, with 14 wins in its last 15 matches (the one setback was against 4A No. 1 Clear Creek Amana). CPU has a rising star in junior right-sider Sydney Maue (3.07 kills per set), an Arkansas commit. Mid-Prairie is just 7-6 in October, but possesses one of the state’s best back-row players in junior Dakota Mitchell (nearly 6 digs per set). Sophomore Jovi Evans leads the team in both kills and assists.

ANAMOSA (28-9) at No. 1 MOUNT VERNON (32-4)

Volleyball success has been rare at Anamosa, but the Blue Raiders have enjoyed a breakthrough this fall. Their 28 wins are by far the most in the Varsity Bound era. To reach their first state tournament in school history, they’ll have to pull a major upset over the top-ranked team — and the top player in 3A. That’s junior Chloe Meester, who has committed to Louisville and owns hefty hitting stats (5.18 kills per set and a .370 kill efficiency). Classmate Sydney Huber contributes more than 10 assists per set. Three of the Mustangs’ losses have come to 2A giant Dike-New Hartford. Anamosa’s top two hitters are juniors Reise Neuhaus and Lola Holub.

No. 13 SOLON (22-14) at No. 4 DAVENPORT ASSUMPTION (26-7)

The last time Solon reached the state tournament (2014), it came home with the Class 3A championship. The Spartans face an extremely challenging regional-final draw against the defending 3A state champs. Four starters are back for the Knights, including top attackers Maggie Johnson (senior) and Ellah Derrer (sophomore) and junior setter Ellie Schubert. Solon has three attackers averaging more than 2 kills per set in juniors Yazmine Sell and Grace Erwin, along with sophomore Jozie Lahr. Both teams have been tested by outstanding competition all year — the Knights in the Mississippi Athletic Conference, the Spartans in the Wamac East.

STATE

No. 9 Dubuque Wahlert (17-12) at No. 6 New Hampton (31-5)

Forest City (27-5) at No. 3 Western Christian (28-13)

No. 15 MOC-Floyd Valley (19-11) at No. 2 Cherokee (28-6)

Red Oak (26-12) at No. 5 Des Moines Christian (36-7)

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com