Tuesday’s best: 5 area Iowa high school volleyball regional matches to watch

Cedar Rapids Washington is in the midst of its best volleyball stretch in a decade.

The Warriors’ 9-23 record won’t immediately wow you, but consider this — the team has won seven of its last 12 matches, including two straight against Cedar Rapids Kennedy.

Washington will host the Cougars (11-26) in a Class 5A regional quarterfinal at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Each 5A region will feature one quarterfinal, every 4A bracket will have two. Everybody in 3A begins the postseason trail Tuesday.

Here are five of Tuesday’s best area matches:

Cedar Rapids Kennedy (11-26) at Cedar Rapids Washington (9-23)

Class 5A Region 6

It looked like just another down season when Washington was in the midst of a 14-match losing streak. But the Warriors have sprung to life, and their late run earned them a first-round home date. Seniors Breanna Franklin (2.81 kills per set) and Mya Messenger (5.46 assists per set) have keyed the surge. Wins have been hard to come by for Kennedy after a 6-3 start. Senior Kylie Johannes paces the Cougars’ attack with 2.71 kills per set.

Oelwein (15-16) at Monticello (22-9)

Class 3A Region 5

There’s no mystery what Monticello will try to do. The River Valley Conference North Division runner-up Panthers will feed junior Jayden Kuper, who ranks second in 3A in kills per set (5.18) and leads the class in swings (13.5 per set). She is terminating at a .274 rate. Oelwein is enjoying its most successful season since 2012, when it went 23-11. The Huskies will be battle-tested, competing in the North Iowa Cedar League East Division.

Vinton-Shellsburg (16-24) at West Delaware (24-14)

Class 3A Region 5

These Wamac Conference cross-divisional rivals meet for the fourth time this season; West Delaware won the first three matches, claiming six of seven sets. A key member of the Hawks’ 2021 state-championship team, junior Brooke Krogmann is now their money player, averaging 3.02 kills per set, hitting .270 and amassing 35 blocks. Vinton-Shellsburg’s identity comes on the defensive end, where senior Julie Johnson has posted 5.90 digs per set.

Independence (18-22) at Roland-Story (24-11)

Class 3A Region 5

Roland-Story has won nine of its last 10 matches and finished second in the Heart of Iowa Conference. But don’t count the Mustangs out; this looks a lot more like an even match that the records might indicate. Indee has played a superior schedule (the other five teams in the Wamac Conference East Division are ranked), and the Mustangs have three capable hitters in seniors Allison Kleve and Marie Gorman, and sophomore Morgan Ristvedt.

Mediapolis (14-14) at Tipton (18-17)

Class 3A District 8

Tipton has experienced extreme highs and lows in recent years. In 2018, the Tigers won 39 matches and reached the 3A state championship match. Two years later, they won three matches. The program is back on the upswing now behind senior Avary Calonder, who is averaging 4.09 kills per set. The Tigers were part of a super-competitive River Valley Conference South Division clump of six teams, tying for fourth with a 3-3 mark.

Tuesday’s complete area schedule

CLASS 5A REGIONAL QUARTERFINALS

(All matches 7 p.m.)

Region 1

Des Moines North at Des Moines Lincoln

Region 2

Waterloo East at Iowa City West

Region 3

Cedar Rapids Jefferson at Ames

Region 5

Davenport Central at Davenport North

Region 6

Cedar Rapids Kennedy at Cedar Rapids Washington

Region 8

Council Bluffs Thomas Jefferson at Urbandale

CLASS 4A REGIONAL QUARTERFINALS

(All matches 7 p.m.)

Region 5

Mason City at Decorah

Waverly-Shell Rock at Webster City

Region 7

Maquoketa at Western Dubuque

Pella at Bondurant-Farrar

Region 8

Mount Pleasant at Keokuk

Burlington at Fort Madison

CLASS 3A REGIONAL QUARTERFINALS

(All matches 7 p.m.)

Region 4

Hampton-Dumont/CAL at New Hampton

Clear Lake at Osage

Waukon at Dubuque Wahlert

North Fayette Valley at Crestwood

Region 5

Iowa Falls-Alden at Union Community

Independence at Roland-Story

Vinton-Shellsburg at West Delaware

Oelwein at Monticello

Region 6

Saydel at Mid-Prairie

Chariton at Monroe PCM

West Marshall at Center Point-Urbana

Centerville at Albia

Region 7

Williamsburg at Mount Vernon

South Tama at Benton Community

Camanche at Anamosa

Grinnell at West Liberty

Region 8

Washington at Davenport Assumption

Davis County at Fairfield

Central Lee at Solon

Mediapolis at Tipton

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com