Early adjustments have Clear Creek Amana volleyball clicking once again

Jackie Clubb scarcely recognized her team in its season-opening volleyball match, and it wasn’t just because 11 players (including four starters) had graduated.

“I felt good about our lineup coming into the season,” said Clubb, coach at Clear Creek Amana. “But this was a new pressure for some of the kids, and we probably needed to be more organized.”

CCA was swept by Center Point-Urbana on opening night, Aug. 27. Last year, the Clippers didn’t suffer their defeat until their 47th match, in the Class 4A state semifinals.

“There were a lot of factors going into (the CPU) match. That just wasn’t the group I’d seen all summer,” Clubb said.

With a few adjustments and a bit of urgency, the Clippers quickly kicked it into gear, and have won 14 consecutive matches.

Included was a 5-0 showing at the Grinnell Invitational (Aug. 31) and 6-0 at Anamosa last Saturday.

“We changed the lineup a little,” Clubb said. “I was asking too much out of some kids, not enough from some others.”

Clubb has traditionally used a 6-2 offense, but has shifted to a 5-1 this season, with junior Emily Henderson running the show.

Henderson averages 8.0 assists per set.

With Bliss Beck — the 2024 Gazette Female Athlete of the Year — departed (she’s at Drake University now), junior Averie Lower becomes the featured attacker.

The 5-foot-11 outside hitter is averaging 4.13 kills per set and owns a .251 kill efficiency.

“Averie is doing a really nice job, and the support staff around her is fitting in,” Clubb said. “I’m not expecting her to be Bliss, but she’s doing a very nice job.”

Bailey Simpson (1.70 kills), Elizabeth Timmerman (1.57) and Sariah Sherman (1.33) also are quality weapons.

Ranked No. 4 in Class 4A, CCA is one of eight rated teams in Saturday’s Caroline Found Invitational at Iowa City West.

Countdown to outdoor match at West Delaware on Tuesday

It’s going to be more than just a novelty.

When Class 3A No. 1 Mount Vernon visits No. 12 West Delaware in the first outdoor high school match in state history, it’s a matchup of two of the area’s most consistent winning programs.

First serve is scheduled for 7:30 Tuesday at Brown Field in Manchester, weather permitting.

Preliminary forecast is for a temperature of 75 at match time with wind out of the southeast at 10 miles per hour and a 15-percent chance of rain.

Mount Vernon (14-2 overall, 1-0 Wamac Conference East Division) is unbeaten in 10 matches against Iowa competition. Sydney Huber is tied for the state lead in assists, at 10.7 per set.

West Delaware (13-0, 1-0) has earned invitational titles at Independence and Vinton, and have another tournament Saturday at Parkersburg. The Hawks are one of 14 remaining unbeatens statewide.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com