Wednesday’s area Iowa high school volleyball 2A and 1A regional finals (Oct. 29, 2025)

It’s official: Reese Naeve is in postseason mode.

The powerful, prolific attacker from Iowa City Regina posted 24 kills in the Regals’ Class 2A regional-semifinal sweep of West Burlington on Monday.

And who can possibly forget the last time Naeve played in a regional final? The Iowa State University commit knocked down 39 kills (good enough for a .479 hitting efficiency) in last year’s four-set triumph over Pella Christian.

It’s regional-final time again Wednesday throughout the state in 2A and 1A. Eighth-ranked Regina (29-13) faces No. 10 Sumner-Fredericksburg (26-14) in a 2A match at Center Point.

Elsewhere in area 2A matches, No. 5 Dyersville Beckman (31-7) meets No. 13 Jesup (23-10) at Manchester and No. 6 Union Community (37-12) collides with No. 12 Wapsie Valley (23-17) at Cedar Falls.

In 1A, No. 11 Springville (26-12) tangles with No. 9 Gladbrook-Reinbeck (26-13) at Van Horne and No. 3 North Tama draws No. 13 Cedar Ridge Christian (21-10) at Waterloo West.

Thumbnails on each of the five:

Wednesday’s Class 2A regional finals

(All matches 7 p.m.)

No. 5 DYERSVILLE BECKMAN (31-7) vs. No. 13 JESUP (23-10)

(At Manchester)

A 2A state semifinalist last year, Beckman is favored to make it back-to-back appearances for the first time since qualifying three straight years from 2019 through 2021. The Blazers swept all seven of their River Valley Conference North Division matches, then did the same in their first two regional contests. Beckman has a composite kill efficiency of .278, and is piloted by junior setter Paige Fangman (10.63 assists per set). Jesup perennially has a competitive team, but the last two seasons have been a new, higher level for the J-Hawks, who seek their first state appearance. Senior Sara Mead averages 2.82 kills per set and terminates at a .335 rate.

No. 6 UNION COMMUNITY (37-12) vs. No. 12 WAPSIE VALLEY (23-17)

(At Cedar Falls)

Four of the five teams from the NICL East Division are in action Wednesday, and these are two of them. Union claimed the division title at 4-0, which included a four-set victory over Wapsie on Sept. 23. If the Knights prevail as expected, it will be their 11th state trip in 16 years. They are predominantly a junior-dominated outfit led by hitters Bianca Grimm and Taylen Smith, along with setter Hinley Mast. Both teams got to this point with two straight regional sweeps. Wapsie Valley has qualified for state eight times — four in 2A, four in 1A.

No. 8 IOWA CITY REGINA (29-13) vs. No. 10 SUMNER-FREDERICKSBURG (26-14)

(At Center Point)

After a modest start, Regina has more than lived up to expectations through the second half of the season, winning 17 of its last 20 matches. That includes postseason sweeps of Danville and West Burlington. Naeve is averaging 6.12 kills per set (56 percent of the Regals’ output) and owns a .336 kill efficiency. Nora Wilhelm averages 8.96 assists per set, Addison Bollier 6.83 digs per set. Sumner-Fredericksburg has reached three state tournaments in the 2020s and is led offensively by 6-foot freshman Hannah Buhman (3.59 kills per set, .313 efficiency). The Falcons were NICL East Division runners-up.

STATE

No. 1 Denver (46-1) vs. Bellevue (17-10), at Independence

No. 2 Dike-New Hartford (37-9) vs. No. 15 Treynor (27-11), at Ankeny

No. 3 Hinton (27-2) vs. No. 11 Emmetsburg (25-4), at Orange City

No. 4 Grundy Center (34-9) vs. No. 14 Woodward-Granger (29-10), at Story City

No. 7 Oakland Riverside (38-0) vs. No. 9 Aplington-Parkersburg (27-10), at Van Meter

Wednesday’s Class 1A regional finals

(All matches 7 p.m.)

No. 3 NORTH TAMA (27-13) vs. No. 13 CEDAR RIDGE CHRISTIAN (21-10)

(At Waterloo West)

North Tama has owned this series to the tune of 15-0 since 2008, and that domination includes a pair of wins this season (though the Regents did win one set Sept. 6. The Redhawks were champions of the Iowa Star Conference South Division; CRC was second behind Janesville in the North Division. Kruiz Ewoldt (3.63 kills per set) and Addison Hochstetler (4.19 digs per set) are returning all-staters for the Redhawks. CRC took care of Montezuma in a straight-set regional semifinal while North Tama swept North Mahaska.

No. 9 GLADBROOK-REINBECK (26-13) vs. No. 11 SPRINGVILLE (26-12)

(At Van Horne)

Springville looks to return to state for the first time in 2022, the end of a 10-year span that featured eight appearances. The Orioles have won 12 consecutive matches, all against Tri-Rivers Conference competition, and this will be a significant step up. University of South Dakota basketball commit Rowan Jacobi has taken more than 1,000 swings this season, averaging 5.58 kills per set with a .398 kill efficiency. Gladbrook-Reinbeck seeks its first state trip since three consecutive appearances from 2020 through 2022 and is led by senior Kennedy Brant (3.91, .351).

STATE

No. 1 Saint Ansgar (27-4) vs. Coon Rapids-Bayard (25-2), at Algona

No. 2 Janesville (30-11) vs. IKM-Manning (29-8), at Fort Dodge

No. 4 Fort Madison Holy Trinity (36-6) vs. No. 5 Dunkerton (36-6), at West Liberty

No. 6 Conrad BCLUW (35-8) vs. No. 7 Ankeny Christian (21-13), at Nevada

No. 8 Sidney (21-9) vs. Remsen St. Mary’s (21-8), at Mapleton

No. 10 East Mills (32-4) vs. No. 14 Council Bluffs St. Albert (17-15), at Glenwood

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com