Setters in Class 2A Making Some Noise!

Heading into regional matches next week, who is putting up huge numbers with assists? There are so many great setters in Iowa and on the way to and at the state tournament is where they get to show their best stuff. Let’s look at who is leading things heading into their Regional Tournaments. <div class="card-body"> [caption id="attachment_112245" align="alignleft" width="150"]<img class="size-thumbnail wp-image-112245" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2020/10/DSC01089-1-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /> [player_tooltip player_id="108422" first="Madelyn" last="Norton"] of Dike-New Hartford[/caption] [player_tooltip player_id="108422" first="Madelyn" last="Norton"] (2023, S) of Dike-New Hartford in the North Iowa Cedar Central Conference is leading Class 2A in assists heading into the Iowa State Regional Tournament starting next week. She has 1033(!) assists so far this season giving her 9.7 APS, 99 kills with a ..298% efficiency, 38 total blocks, 2.3 DPS(248), and 36 service aces with an 89% serve efficiency. Her favorite targets this season have been Payton Petersen (2024, OH) with 4.7 KPS and a .373% efficiency, Jadyn Petersen (2024, OH) with 3.3 KPS and a .269% efficiency, Ellie Knock (2023, MH) who is a 6’1" hitter getting 1.6 KPS with a .298% efficiency, and Maryn Bixby (2024, MH/OH) who has 1.2 KPS with a .289% efficiency. I am guessing this team will go far in the Regional tournament. Their record overall is 48-1 and they are winning their conference 6-0. They begin regional play on October 20th against either East Marshall or Pella Christian at Dike-New Hartford High School. Good luck in regional play! Leah Wessels (2022, S) of Beckman Catholic in the WaMaC-East Conference has 944 assists so far this season giving her 10.3 APS, 56 kills with a .348% efficiency, 24 total blocks, 1.6 DPS(150), and 16 service aces with a 97.5% serve efficiency. Her favorite target this season has been [player_tooltip player_id="79239" first="Kiersten" last="Schmitt"] (2022, RS/S) with 5.4 KPS(488). The Trailblazers’ overall record this year is 29-10 and their conference record is what looks to be a three-way tie with a 4-1 record. They begin regional play on October 20th against either Bellevue or North Cedar at Beckman Catholic High School. Congratulations and good luck at regionals! [caption id="attachment_108298" align="alignright" width="150"]<img class="size-thumbnail wp-image-108298" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2020/09/DSC00274-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /> Willis and Lebo[/caption] Ellery Luhring (2024, S) of Grundy Center in the North Iowa Cedar-West Conference has 895 assists so far this season giving her 8.4 APS, 51 kills with a .201% efficiency, a team-high 61 total blocks, 2.6 DPS(276), and a team-high 36 service aces with a 94.6% serve efficiency. Her favorite targets this season have been Carlie Willis (2024, OH) with 3.8 KPS and a .283% efficiency, Lainy Thoren (2022, MH) with 2.6 KPS with a .227% efficiency, and Shirley Monaghan (2024, OH/S) hitting 2.0 KPS with a .131% efficiency. The Spartans overall record this year is 27-15 and their conference record has them in a three-way tie for second at 3-2. The Spartans start regional play on October 20th in the Class 2A - Region 7 Quarterfinal against Jesup. Good luck, Spartans! [caption id="attachment_115572" align="alignleft" width="150"]<img class="wp-image-115572 size-thumbnail" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2020/11/DSC03052-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /> [player_tooltip player_id="132847" first="Reese" last="Johnson"], S, Denver, at the Iowa State Tournament.[/caption] [player_tooltip player_id="132847" first="Reese" last="Johnson"] (2022, S) of Denver in the North Iowa Cedar-Central Conference has 874 assists so far this season giving her 9.4 APS, 83 kills with a .308% efficiency, 26 total blocks, 2.5 DPS(231), and a team-high 64 service aces with a 94% serve efficiency. Her three best targets have been [player_tooltip player_id="108448" first="Kayla" last="Knowles"] (2023, OH) who has 3.5 KPS and a .240% efficiency, [player_tooltip player_id="132849" first="Allison" last="Bonnette"] (2022, OH) who has 2.9 KPS with a .263% efficiency, and Jessica Gergen (2024, MH) who has 1.8 KPS with a .342% efficiency. The Cyclones have an overall record of 33-7 and a second-place conference record of 5-2. They begin regional play on October 20th against Eagle Grove or Belmond-Klemme in a Class 2A - Region 5 Quarterfinal at Denver High School. Good luck, Cyclones! [caption id="attachment_115756" align="alignright" width="150"]<img class="size-thumbnail wp-image-115756" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2020/11/DSC02847-e1605201763922-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /> [player_tooltip player_id="79666" first="Ellie" last="Anderson"], 2023, OH, South Hardin High School.[/caption] Emma Salvo (2022, S/RS) of South Hardin in the North Iowa Cedar-West Conference has 781 assists this season giving her 9.3 APS, 40 kills, 12 total blocks, 2.3 DPS(190), and 47 service aces with a 92.2% serve efficiency. Her two best targets have been [player_tooltip player_id="79666" first="Ellie" last="Anderson"] (2023, OH/RS) with 2.9 KPS and Rylee Nelson (2022, MH) with 2.0 KPS. This doesn’t tell the whole story though and we might be left to think that those numbers are not that high, and they are not. But Salvo can set over 7 players on her team and have them hitting over 1 kill per set every set. That is how they are their conference champions this season, going undefeated in conference matchups and ending with a record of 5-0 and an overall record of 30-4 for the 2021 season. They begin regional play on October 20th against either Ogden or Madrid in a Class 2A - Region 3 Quarterfinal at South Hardin High School. Good luck, Tigers! </div>