Ten Athletes You Need To Know At The Iowa State Tournament

Let the games begin. Prep Dig will be heading to it’s second state tournament in as many weeks with full coverage of the Wisconsin state tournament last weekend. This week, we will be taking a look at the Iowa State Tournament with a little preview of players to take a look at this week. Some of them may be committed, others are just starting to make a splash on to the scene as Freshman of Sophomores. Get to know ten players and a little bit about their teams heading into the Iowa State Tournament. Morgan Middleton - Clarion-Goldfield Dows - Sophomore Middleton leads the Class 3A field with over 400 kills and is only a Sophomore. Hitting .337, the six rotation outside is definitely on the list of a deep class of 2021 pin hitters. CGD survived a gauntlet of a regional to make it to the state tournament defeating Iowa Falls-Alden in five sets and Union in four. Jazlin De Haan - MOC-Floyd Valley - Sophomore De Haan is a six foot Sophomore for the Dutch that is leading her team back to the state tournament. De Haan is averaging over four kills per set. The Dutch come from Sioux County which will also feature the likes of Hull Western Christian and Unity Christian in the 2A field. Emily Holterhaus - Pella - Senior Holterhaus led her team back from an 0-2 deficit to Clear Creek-Amana to get back to the state tournament. The Northern Iowa recruit who excels in multiple sports, leads the Class 4A field in kills with over 528 kills and is hitting just under .400. Holly Cooksley - Independence - Senior Independence is back. After surviving the rigorous WAMAC conference schedule and the other talented tournaments of Eastern Iowa the Mustangs are making a return trip to Cedar Rapids. Cooksley leads the 3A field with just over 10 assists per set. Her main target is Madison Larson who has 442 kills on the year. They will face Dubuque Wahlert in the opening round Tuesday morning. Brooklyn Hundt - Tri-Center, Neola - Senior Olivia Maasen - Tri-Center, Neola - Senior The duo of Hundt and Maasen are quite the 1-2 punch for Tri-Center, Neola who will be finish their high school career under the bright lights of the US Cellular Center. With over 300 kills each, they have have lost once in the past month which was to state qualifier Treynor. Ella Caffrey - Wilton - Freshman Running a 5-1 as a setter can be quite the daunting task at times, but when you’re a Freshman it adds a whole different element. Wilton upset Grundy Center to make it to the state tournament. Caffrey is averaging just over 8 assists per set with her main target being Western Illinois recruit Aubrey Putman. Saari Kuehl - Gladbrook-Reinbeck - Sophomore Kuehl is rising as another top 2021 outside hitter who plays six rotations and is a threat to score anywhere on the court. Kuehl ranks second in the 1A field behind Bree Thompson of Janesville in kills with over 400 and has over 200 digs to go with it. GR will be facing off against Janesville in the first round which will be a match up of two highly talented outside hitters. Haley Bush - Waukee - Senior Bush from Waukee has been one of the major key factors in their run to state and defeating Urbandale who defeated them earlier in the season. Bush has 310 kills, good for over 3.5 per set. Waukee has a number of wins over state tournament teams in all classes. Kaci Behrens - Ankeny - Junior The libero from Ankeny is at the top of the class for digs in the Class 5A tournament. The Class 5A tournament is loaded with high powered college players and Behrens will be one of the top liberos in the state to take a look at. Averaging over six digs per set is quite the feat. Tuesday morning will be a double duo of Ankeny and West Des Moines teams with Centennial taking on WDM Dowling Catholic and Ankeny taking on WDM Valley. Riley Olson - Osage - Senior Olson and the Senior class from Osage will be heading to Cedar Rapids for the third straight year. In 2017 they advanced to the semifinals before being defeated by Sioux Center. Olson has had quite the success on the high school and club circuit, with the storybook ending in Cedar Rapids. Olson is averaging just over 9.5 assists per set and is extremely solid defensively at the net and backcourt. Olson has had the privilege playing under her mom, Andie Olson and will be heading to Grand View.