With a 12-player rotation, Beckman is deep, rested and engaged at state volleyball tournament

CORALVILLE — Who orders the most subs?

Is it Jimmy John’s? Jersey Mike’s, perhaps?

How about Todd Troutman?

With an effective rotation of 12 players, somebody is always coming in or out for the Dyersville Beckman volleyball team.

“It’s crazy,” said Troutman, the Blazers’ veteran coach. “We’re always finishing with a front-row kid.

“Nobody is going all (six rotations), other than (libero Alexie Hogan), and she can handle it. They go hard for three rotations, then go get a break.”

The Class 2A third-ranked Blazers just keep coming at you. And that depth was on full display in a quarterfinal sweep of No. 6 South Hardin at the state tournament Tuesday afternoon at Xtream Arena.

“We have a lot of players, a lot of options that we can go to,” senior Katelyn Schmitt said. “It feels good to go hard, then take a break and cheer from the bench.”

Beckman (36-6) advanced to face No. 2 Eddyville EBF (35-2) in a 2A semifinal at 4:25 Wednesday afternoon. It did so by closing strong in each of the three sets.

“We kept pushing,” Hogan said. “We wanted to get it done in three.”

The opener was tied 18-18 before Beckman rattled off seven points in a row. Schmitt closed it with a sequence of block-block-kill.

Beckman scored 11 of the final 17 points of Game 2, then stormed back from an early 11-5 deficit in the finale.

Schmitt had back-to-back kills in a pivotal four-point surge that put the Blazers in command, 21-18.

Schmitt and freshman Joy Burkle led the Blazers with nine kills apiece. Ava Burkle added seven.

Anna Knepper posted 18 assists and 13 digs.

With all of these able bodies, it creates some intense competition away from the public eye.

“They really get after it in practice,” Troutman said. “It’s phenomenal. I try to get them out of the gym before they kill each other.”

Alli Sheldahl paced South Hardin (26-9) with 13 kills.

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Photos: Dyersville Beckman vs. South Hardin in Class 2A state volleyball quarterfinals

Troutman has coached at Beckman since 1986, with one brief interruption. He piloted the Blazers to runner-up finishes in 2001 and 2019, and will be honored with the IGHSAU Golden Plaque of Distinction on Thursday.

He would like another piece of hardware Thursday even more.

“I’d make that trade right now,” he said.

Dyersville Beckman 3, South Hardin 0

(25-18, 25-18, 25-22)

Class 2A State Quarterfinal, at Coralville

Serving: South Hardin 52-59 (.881), Beckman 71-74 (.959)

Aces: South Hardin 1 (Ava Salvo), Beckman 7 (Alli Scherbring 4)

Kills: South Hardin 32 (Alli Sheldahl 13), Beckman 37 (Joy Burkle, Katelyn Schmitt 9)

Assists: South Hardin 29 (Ava Paige 28), Beckman 35 (Anna Knepper 18)

Blocks: South Hardin 3 (Sheldahl 1.5), Beckman 10 (Scherbring 3.5)

Digs: South Hardin 43 (Abby Teske 15), Beckman 57 (Alexie Hogan, Knepper 13)

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com