Monday’s best: 5 area Iowa high school volleyball regional matches to watch (Oct. 22, 2023)

Underrated? It’s sure starting to look that way.

Dyersville Beckman is on a tear. Ranked 11th in Class 2A, the Blazers have won 14 straight matches. They captured the River Valley Conference North Divisional title, then followed that with the RVC tournament crown.

Beckman (31-7) is one of three ranked teams still standing in the 2A Region 6 bracket; it will face No. 10 Wapsie Valley (27-18) in a semifinal at 7 p.m. Monday at Fairbank in the area’s premier match.

Here are five of Monday’s best area regional semifinals:

No. 11 Dyersville Beckman (31-7) at No. 10 Wapsie Valley (27-18)

Class 2A Region 6

These teams have become regular postseason combatants. Beckman won a five-set regional match in 2021, then Wapsie earned a regional-final sweep last year. You rarely lump Beckman with “under the radar,” but that’s certainly the case this fall. Senior Reese Osterhaus (1.94 kills per set) and junior Anna Knepper (9.02 assists per set) were first-team all River Valley North Division selections. Wapsie has five attackers over 100 kills this season, led by sophomore Taylor Buhr (3.19 per set). The winner will face No. 5 Sumner-Fredericksburg (26-13) or Bellevue (18-13) in a regional final Wednesday.

West Branch (17-16) at Lisbon (28-6)

Class 2A Region 7

West Branch overcame a 2-1 deficit to outlast No. 14 Iowa City Regina in five sets in the quarterfinals Wednesday. The Bears controlled action late, winning the fourth set 25-19 and fifth by a 15-8 count. Emily Coleman contributed 14 kills and five blocks. Lisbon, meanwhile, swept Jesup behind Ava Czarnecki’s 25 kills. Czarnecki averages 5.74 kills per set; she and Mykala Luzum-Selmon, neither of which are taller than 5-foot-7, contribute about 80 percent of the Lions’ kills. The victor draws No. 4 Denver (32-10) or Waterloo Columbus (19-22) in a regional final Wednesday.

HLV (16-17) at Lynnville-Sully (16-12)

Class 1A Region 5

HLV notched one of the biggest upsets in the 1A tournament series so far, taking down No. 13 Gladbrook-Reinbeck (the 2022 state runner-up) in a five-set regional semifinal Wednesday. Ema Roberts put down 21 kills, Addy Schaull contributed 22 digs, and the Warriors won the fifth set, 15-11, to nail down their fifth consecutive win. A balanced squad, Lynnville-Sully won the teams’ regular-season match in five sets at Victor on Sept. 14. No. 4 Conrad BCLUW (32-10) or Sigourney (17-8) will play the survivor in a regional final Wednesday.

Central City (24-11) at No. 5 North Tama (24-15)

Class 1A Region 7

North Tama is becoming a bit of state regular, and the Redhawks are favored to advance for the fifth time since 2017. Three starters are back from last year’s state squad, including back-row standouts Addison Hochstetler and Kylie Calderwood. The North Tama roster contains only one senior. Central City swept its first two regional matches to get this opportunity. Coletta Wade had 13 kills and Belle Whitson contributed 31 assists in a one-sided win over WACO. The winner advances to face No. 10 Don Bosco (22-16) or Wapello (21-13) in a regional final Wednesday.

North Cedar (19-14) at No. 12 Edgewood-Colesburg (28-13)

Class 1A Region 8

Tri-Rivers Conference tournament champion Ed-Co stumbled early in its regional-quarterfinal match, dropping Game 1 to Easton Valley before breezing through the next three sets for its 12th consecutive win. Audrie Helmrichs and Marin Gaul combine for 6.4 kills per set. North Cedar upset Calamus-Wheatland in five sets (17-15 in the fifth) behind 21 kills from Maya Benhart and 22 digs from Claire Dennis. The Knights won a postseason five-setter over Ed-Co last year. The winner meets No. 3 Fort Madison Holy Trinity (29-10) or Burlington Notre Dame (26-14) for a state-tournament berth Wednesday.

Monday’s complete area schedule

CLASS 2A REGIONAL SEMIFINALS

(All matches 7 p.m.)

Region 6

Bellevue (18-13) at No. 5 Sumner-Fredericksburg (26-13)

No. 11 Dyersville Beckman (31-7) at No. 10 Wapsie Valley (27-18)

Region 7

Waterloo Columbus (19-23) at No. 4 Denver (32-10)

West Branch (17-16) at Lisbon (28-6)

CLASS 1A REGIONAL SEMIFINALS

(All matches 7 p.m.)

Region 5

Sigourney (17-8) at No. 4 Conrad BCLUW (32-10)

HLV (16-17) at Lynnville-Sully (16-12)

Region 6

Starmont (16-11) at No. 6 Janesville (26-11)

Tripoli (14-19) at No. 9 Saint Ansgar (22-6)

Region 7

Central City (24-11) at No. 5 North Tama (24-15)

Wapello (21-13) at No. 10 Don Bosco (22-16)

Region 8

Burlington Notre Dame (26-14) at No. 3 Fort Madison Holy Trinity (29-10)

North Cedar (19-14) at No. 12 Edgewood-Colesburg (28-13)

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com