What Athletes, Top Teams Are Chasing a Class 4A Title?

Who wants it? As hands raise across the state, Class 4A will have a little bit of a different look with some teams heading down to Class 3A due to enrollment numbers. There are still the familiar names who will be in the hunt, but who will be playing big matches at the US Cellular Center come the first week of November? I have a few ideas, let’s take a look at what we can expect from Iowa Class 4A.   Who Is Missing? Who is being added on? Sergeant Bluff-Luton and West Delaware are heading down to 3A after both have been consistent names in the Class 4A field. SB-L was a 2019 Champion while West Delaware was a 2020 runner up. Another state tournament team from 2020 is Humboldt who was a 3A Quarterfinalist. <img class=" wp-image-153001 aligncenter" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2021/08/DSC02478.jpg" alt="" width="494" height="329" /> The Favorite I am going to give the nod to Western Dubuque. They battled through some injuries in 2020 and finished in the final four of Class 4A and will return plenty of firepower in their lineup. [player_tooltip player_id="79259" first="Madison" last="Maahs"], one of the top assist leaders in the state is back for her Senior year as well as outside hitters [player_tooltip player_id="79233" first="Meredith" last="Bahl"] and [player_tooltip player_id="79244" first="Maddie" last="Harris"] who have been contributing on the main stage their whole career. Libero [player_tooltip player_id="79696" first="Ella" last="Meyer"] is one of the top liberos in the Junior class and will be back to provide a steady first contact. Junior, [player_tooltip player_id="132685" first="Libby" last="Lansing"] will take command at the net as a middle blocker who is coming off a Class 4A All Tournament Team performance. The Bobcats are also coming off a Class 4A state softball title in July. [caption id="attachment_153000" align="aligncenter" width="342"]<img class="wp-image-153000" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2021/08/DSC02356-e1629135207613-296x300.jpg" alt="" width="342" height="347" /> Ivester[/caption] Remember Us? Xavier Still Strong Xavier had a team full of Seniors, athletes who were committed to college programs across the country. Despite the graduation, they are still going to have a really strong team returning. They will return two terminal and dynamic middles in [player_tooltip player_id="132865" first="Maya" last="Karl"] and [player_tooltip player_id="79686" first="Anika" last="Ivester"] as well as libero [player_tooltip player_id="136422" first="Brooklyn" last="Miller"]. What people have to remember is that the athletes who were not on the court last year were practicing against a state championship squad every day in 2020. They will be hungry to take the court and prove they are once again a force to be reckoned with. [caption id="attachment_152998" align="alignright" width="415"]<img class="wp-image-152998" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2021/08/DSC00194.jpg" alt="" width="415" height="276" /> Waverly-Shell Rock[/caption] Unfinished Business Waverly-Shell Rock, Marion, and North Scott are looking for a bit of redemption heading into this upcoming season. WSR and Marion were in the state tournament in 2019, but fell in the regional finals in 2020. [player_tooltip player_id="79237" first="Avery" last="Beckett"] (South Dakota) was one of the top kill leaders across all classes as was Sophie Sedgwick for assists, they will be key for the Go-Hawks in their quest to return to Cedar Rapids. Marion will be led by a solid setter-hitter combo in [player_tooltip player_id="79251" first="Elise" last="Mehaffy"] and [player_tooltip player_id="79714" first="Avery" last="VanHook"]. Both can swing and set, two top all around players in the state. Van Hook will be a Junior, recently committing to South Dakota as well. Mehaffy will be heading to NCAA D2 Missouri S&T. North Scott will have plenty of firepower this season with two dominant pins in [player_tooltip player_id="79238" first="Ella" last="McLaughlin"] and Scout Kirschy. McLaughlin will head to Cornell in Mt. Vernon following high school. They also have an uber athletic middle in [player_tooltip player_id="103713" first="Grace" last="Graham"] who will be a force along the net offensively and defensively. Central Iowa Scramble Central Iowa and into Southern Iowa will have plenty of teams chasing each other who could get hot at the right time and make a run to the state tournament. Oskaloosa has always been close, but has the athletes to put it together starting with [player_tooltip player_id="17324" first="Faith" last="DeRonde"] who can take over a match as an outside hitter with her front and backrow play. Bondurant-Farrar has always been competitive and will have a dynamic six rotation outside in [player_tooltip player_id="79281" first="Kendall" last="Anderson"] who is tough to defend with her creative ability to score points. Winterset is also a very athletic team led by Denver commit [player_tooltip player_id="79232" first="Lauren" last="Carter"]. Carter is one of the top setters in the state, but could also swing if her team needs it. Indianola is in Class 4A this year and will have an athletic squad led by [player_tooltip player_id="41288" first="Lauren" last="Blake"] who can set and score points from one of the pins. Pella will be in this mix with attackers [player_tooltip player_id="79252" first="Bailey" last="Van Voorst"] and [player_tooltip player_id="79699" first="Jasmine" last="Namminga"]. Other Teams and Players To Have On The Radar <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Cannot wait to officially be a Redbird ❤️ <a href="https://x.com/RedbirdVB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RedbirdVB</a> <a href="https://t.co/EbWME4KcPi">pic.x.com/EbWME4KcPi</a> — [player_tooltip player_id="17332" first="Calia" last="Clubb"] (@caliaclubb) <a href="https://x.com/caliaclubb/status/1415490295672844292?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 15, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> [player_tooltip player_id="17332" first="Calia" last="Clubb"] - Clear Creek Amana The illinois State commit has been a mainstay for the Clippers. She will carry a heavy load this season in a really tough WAMAC schedule.   <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Kill by [player_tooltip player_id="79240" first="Brynlee" last="Arnold"] and Glenwood forces a TO down 9-11 but with some momentum in set five <a href="https://t.co/SH014uyO2l">pic.x.com/SH014uyO2l</a> — Chris Fitzgerald (@PrepDigChris) <a href="https://x.com/PrepDigChris/status/1323435470190219265?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 3, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> Glenwood Glenwood has been to the state tournament the past two seasons to be bounced in the quarterfinal round. They will return a dominant left handed middle/right side in [player_tooltip player_id="79240" first="Brynlee" last="Arnold"] who is committed to Omaha. [caption id="attachment_129607" align="alignright" width="366"]<img class="wp-image-129607" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2021/02/Makayla-Howard.jpg" alt="" width="366" height="245" /> Howard[/caption] [player_tooltip player_id="108429" first="Makayla" last="Howard"] - Clinton The River Queens will be battling in the MAC with the likes of Pleasant Valley and Assumption. Howard will be heading into her Junior year after 250 kills as a Sophomore.   Josie Ayala - Carroll Western Iowa is wide open with some classification changes and Josie Ayala, who had nearly 300 kills last year will be back for the Tigers.