What If Iowa High School Tournaments Were Condensed to Groups of 4? We Have Some Ideas

I’m not saying things will be different, but they could be different. With new social distancing rules, plenty of unknown ahead, will that mean a change in how tournaments are structured at the high school level? I love the buzz of a Saturday morning tournament where the gym is full, it’s loud, and after that first match where teams wake up a bit there is plenty of high-quality volleyball played in a short amount of time with a variety of teams all over the state. These matchups would be similar to what we see at the college level where they play typically two matches that are best three out of five. Some are two in one day and others are spaced over the course of a weekend. Would this be a new way to provide quality matches with limited numbers and travel? We have a few ideas if that is the case. [caption id="attachment_95441" align="alignright" width="437"] Assumption[/caption] Catholic School Chaos - Dowling Catholic (Rotating Host) Council Bluffs St. Albert, West Des Moines Dowling, Cedar Rapids Xavier, Davenport Assumption Four different classes, but all high powered programs and ones who will be looking to raise a gold trophy at the end of the season in their respective classes. St. Albert has one of the most dynamic and exciting athletes in [player_tooltip player_id="79012" first="Allie" last="Petry"] who will head to Iowa State. Dowling Catholic has one of the most balanced teams in the state and will contend for a Class 5A title, weapons at every position. Xavier has the depth and a loaded Senior class with one of the top uncommitted Class of 2021 outsides in [player_tooltip player_id="17226" first="Elyse" last="Winter"], and Assumption will be back and hungry for more in 2020 with a physical and athletic lineup led by the Schubert sisters in [player_tooltip player_id="17244" first="Emma" last="Schubert"] (Class of 2021) and [player_tooltip player_id="79708" first="Ava" last="Schubert"] from the Class of 2023 who is one of the top attackers in her class with a big swing lefty swing from the right side.   [caption id="attachment_95444" align="alignleft" width="455"] Nevada at the 2019 State Tournament[/caption] Cy-Hawk Series - Held at Xtream Arena Coralville Liberty, Gilbert, Ames, City High West High, Roland Story, Nevada, Iowa City Regina Iowa and Iowa State meet every year in volleyball so why not have the Story County schools meet up with the schools from Iowa City. There is plenty of talent to go around and a new the Xteam Arena in Coralville would be perfect. Liberty and Nevada are two teams who made state tournament appearances in 2019 and Gilbert will be a favorite to get to the state tournament with a solid group of Seniors this upcoming season. Madison Geise will be a top athlete to watch from the Class of 2022 for Roland Story.     [caption id="attachment_95445" align="alignright" width="405"] Union[/caption] Black Hawk County Tournament - Held at West Gym at Northern Iowa Cedar Falls, Hudson, Union, Janesville Columbus, West, East, Don Bosco Who doesn’t love West Gym? The history of UNI athletics and the small confines that provides an intimate atmosphere where it doesn’t take many fans to make this place sound loud. Take the metro schools with Cedar Falls and Waterloo (Maybe a Walnut Ridge and NU High recognition night?!?!) and throw in a few others to make two groups of four that would be an ultimate battle. I know Janesville and Union are right on the border of Black Hawk County (but who isn’t in the Cedar Valley). I know others have a county tournament and there is definitely a neighborhood feel to it with some athletes being cousins across the net or club connections.   [caption id="attachment_95443" align="alignright" width="396"] Ankeny Centennial[/caption] Metro Challenge - Held at Knapp Center - Drake University Ankeny, Centennial, Waukee, Valley Urbandale, Des Moines Christian, SE Polk, Roosevelt The Des Moines Metro Area once again will be loaded with talent and putting all these teams together would be fun to see especially in a facility like the Knapp Center on the campus of Drake University. [player_tooltip player_id="17214" first="Phyona" last="Schrader"] of Ankeny and [player_tooltip player_id="17322" first="Hayden" last="Kubik"] of Valley are the top recruits in the Class of 2021 and Class of 2022. Waukee will have plenty of depth in the Senior class led by [player_tooltip player_id="17246" first="Layanna" last="Green"]. Keep tabs on Urbandale Class of 2023 outside hitter [player_tooltip player_id="79678" first="Lily" last="Dykstra"], she can hammer with the best of them and the J-Hawks will definitely be in the mix for this upcoming season.   Wild West Tournament - Held at Tyson Events Center in Sioux City [caption id="attachment_95442" align="alignright" width="416"] Unity Christian[/caption] Sergeant Bluff-Luton, Western Christian, Glenwood, Sioux Center Unity Christian, Winterset, MOC-Floyd Valley, Sioux City East Heelan, Tri-Center, Red Oak, Underwood The Tyson Event Center in Sioux City is accustomed to big events with the NAIA national tournament held each year bringing in some top volleyball from all over the country. This tournament could be split into three different courts with teams from the Northwest Corner down to the Southwest Corner. Bringing Glenwood up to battle with some of the top Northwest Iowa teams would be a treat behind Class of 2021 St. Cloud State commit [player_tooltip player_id="41305" first="Elle" last="Scarborough"] as well as one of the rising 2022 middle/right sides in [player_tooltip player_id="79240" first="Brynlee" last="Arnold"]. Unity will be a threat come state tournament time like they always are, but so will Winterset in Class 4A along with MOC and Jazlin De Haan. Lineya Wells will be a top outside hitter for Sioux City East for her Senior season. Underwood and Tri-Center will be teams who will compete in their respective classes while Heelan will be much improved and Red Oak coming off a state tournament appearance in 2019. Another team I’d love to have in this group would be Abe Lincoln who graduated plenty of Seniors, but always seem to reload.