A look at the remainder of volleyball’s conference-tournament week

It’s one night now, not two. No more pool-to-bracket format.

Still, the Wamac Conference volleyball tournament remains a snake pit.

Conference-tournament season began Tuesday, when Cedar Rapids Xavier captured the championship pool of the Mississippi Valley Conference event.

All 12 Wamac teams are together in the one bracket of Thursday’s tournament, which begins at 4 p.m. at Marion High School.

Half of them are ranked, led by Class 3A No. 1 Mount Vernon (36-4), the East Division champion. Clear Creek Amana (34-6 and rated No. 4 in 4A) won the West.

Barring upset, CCA will bump into 3A No. 3 West Delaware (33-5) in a semifinal at 7 p.m.

The championship match is scheduled for 8 p.m.

River Valley Conference

The top four teams from both of Monday’s divisional tournaments (Dyersville Beckman won the North Division; Mid-Prairie claimed the South) gather Thursday at Maquoketa High School to determine the overall conference championship.

Ranked No. 3 in Class 2A, Beckman (29-6) has a toughie right away in the first round against West Liberty (24-14) at 4 p.m. Also at 4, 3A No. 10 Wilton (29-6) faces Cascade (15-18).

In the bottom-bracket quarters at 5 p.m., 3A No. 8 Mid-Prairie (28-7) meets Bellevue (15-13), and 3A No. 12 Anamosa (29-6) — the regular-season North Division champ — tangles with 2A No. 9 Iowa City Regina (20-13).

Semifinals are scheduled for 7 p.m., the championship at 8.

Tri-Rivers Conference

Pool play is Thursday at four sites — Lisbon, Wheatland, Springville and Delhi — with the top two teams from each advancing to bracket play Saturday at Arlington.

Only four of the 15 teams are above .500, and none of them are ranked.

Springville (20-7) and Lisbon (24-7) were divisional champions and met in a non-divisional match Sept. 12. The Orioles won it in five sets.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com