10 things we've learned from the Iowa high school volleyball season so far
Dike-New Hartford. Cedar Falls. Western Christian. Dubuque Wahlert. Mount Vernon. Fort Madison Holy Trinity.
Those are a few of the names high school volleyball fans are accustomed to seeing at the state volleyball tournament every November.
Well, there's a new kid on the block this season, one that has its eyes set on the big prize.
North Tama is quietly putting together a solid season, coming off a Class 1A semifinal appearance last year in the Redhawks' third trip to state in the last five years.
North Tama is just one of the many storylines of interest through the first month of the Iowa high school volleyball season. Here are 10 things we've learned so far:
North Tama is putting itself on the volleyball map
Head coach Channing Halstead, in her ninth year at the helm, has the program buzzing along in high gear. The RedHawks are led by seniors Jadyn Rausch and Shae Ewoldt, a pair of returning all-state players. The Redhawks' only loss has been to Class 2A's 10th-ranked Grundy Center.
New London has been a surprise
New London is on its third head coach in as many seasons, but the Tigers have been one of the pleasant surprises in the state. Jackie Housman, a New London graduate, has the team off to a 4-3 start. But don't let that record deceive you. Class 1A's 15th-ranked Tigers swept 11th-ranked Holy Trinity on the Crusaders' home floor and pushed two-time defending Class 1A Burlington Notre Dame to the brink last week. New London is the kind of scrappy, defensive-minded team that no one wants to see in their bracket come regionals.
Dike-New Hartford is strong again
Dike-New Hartford is the two-time defending Class 2A state champion and looks poised to make it three in a row. But Western Christian will have something to say about that. Led by twins Jadyn and Payton Petersen, the Wolverines have lost just one match, falling to Class 5A's sixth-ranked Ankeny Centennial in a tournament during the first week of the season.
Twins lead Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont
Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont is looking for a return trip to state for the first time in five years. Led by twins Molly and Katie Shafer, the Rockets have a pair of NCAA Division I-caliber athletes to build around. The Rockets took their lumps Saturday at the Southeast Polk tournament, going 1-3, but they were without starter Cooper Champaux, who was attending a wedding. Still, Molly put down 55 kills and Katie put up 69 assists.
Des Moines Christian takes it up a notch
Des Moines Christian has been a power in numerous sports, but now appears ready to challenge for a volleyball state title. The Lions, a state qualifier last year, are ranked No. 1 in Class 3A. The Lions' lone loss was to Dike-New Hartford on Sept. 3 at a tournament in Mount Vernon. Des Moines Christian lost three starters from a year ago, but Chloe Prewitt and Hadley Hardersen both have more than 145 assists.
Xavier's size will be a factor
Cedar Rapids Xavier always seems to be in the top five in Class 4A and this year is no exception. The Saints are top-ranked in 4A and lost to third-ranked North Scott this past weekend. Xavier has plenty of size, with four players 5-foot-11 or taller. Senior Anika Ivester, a 6-foot-4 middle hitter, has 26 blocks.
North Scott is a worthy challenger in 2A
The North Scott tournament was one of the premier events in eastern Iowa and the host Lancers staked their claim to the top spot in 4A by winning all four matches, including a sweep of top-ranked Xavier. The event also featured Burlington Notre Dame, Class 5A's 14th-ranked Bettendorf and Illinois power Moline.
Tons of talent at SE Polk tournament
The Southeast Polk tournament last weekend was a mini-state tournament. Of the 15 teams in the event, seven of them were ranked in the top 13 in their respective classes, including four in Class 5A. Waukee Northwest, ranked seventh in 5A, won the event.
Pleasant Valley is still a force
Pleasant Valley was hit hard by graduation, losing five starters from last year's Class 5A state championship team. Don't tell that to the Spartans, though. They lost to Dike-New Hartford early in the season and absorbed a pair of losses this past weekend to Class 4A's second-ranked Marion at the Linn-Mar tournament. Despite that, the Spartans still sit atop the Class 5A rankings.
Don't pay attention to records
Don't look now, but the current Class 5A rankings have seven teams with .500 or below records. That oddity can be attributed in part to the competitive balance in the class. All of the teams come from tradition-rich volleyball conferences and play tough non-conference schedules.
Matt Levins is a sports reporter for the USA Today Network in Burlington, Iowa, who has covered local sports for 32 years at The Hawk Eye. Reach him at mlevins@thehawkeye.com.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa high school volleyball storylines to follow this season
