2023 Little Hawkeye Season Preview

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepdig.com/2023/07/central-iowa-metro-league-23-season-preview/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CIML '23 Season Preview</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepdig.com/2023/07/mississippi-athletic-conference-23-season-preview/">MAC '23 Season Preview</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepdig.com/2023/07/mvc-mississippi-division-23-season-preview/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MVC Mississippi Division Preview</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepdig.com/2023/07/mvc-valley-division-23-season-preview/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MVC Valley Division Preview</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepdig.com/2023/08/missouri-river-conference-23-season-preview/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Missouri River Season Preview</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepdig.com/2023/08/wamac-2023-season-preview/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">WaMac Season Preview </a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Believe it or not, the Iowa high school volleyball season begins Monday with the official start of practice. Matches will be here in just weeks.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In getting ready for a new season, it's good to look back. While we're sure to witness breakout performances from individuals and teams within our borders, plenty of familiar faces return.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I considered different ways to go about this process, landing on organization of evaluations by conference. Beating programs within close proximity of you has never gone out of style.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In the Little Hawkeye Conference, programs are chasing defending champion Indianola, which is coming off its first state tournament appearance since 2014. The '23 team is built to go farther than the Class 4A quarterfinals, where it dropped a five-setter to Western Dubuque last fall. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Indianola was the third different LHC member to make the state tournament in as many years. Oskaloosa ('21) and Dallas Center-Grimes ('20) proceeded it. Pella and Dallas Center-Grimes made it in '18. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Pella Christian ('10) and Newton ('72) will be looking to end long state tournament droughts. Norwalk and Grinnell are trying to make it for the first time in the history of their programs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Indianola Well-Stocked</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Indianola welcomes back a sound core from last year's squad. Senior [player_tooltip player_id='193202' first='Tori' last='Runyan'] (874 assists, 171 digs) along with juniors [player_tooltip player_id='215466' first='Aspen' last='Nelsen'] (372 kills, 228 digs in '22) and [player_tooltip player_id='215470' first='Camryn' last='Overton'] (261 kills) form the foundation of that. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Senior Macy Wente and junior Dana Blake are back after playing important roles for a state tournament team. They should contribute even more this fall. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>One More Win </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Three conference teams fell a victory short of reaching Coralville last season. Norwalk, Oskaloosa and Dallas Center-Grimes finished their campaigns in regional finals. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-Norwalk returns a tremendous trio in [player_tooltip player_id='168192' first='Noelle' last='Sutcliffe'] (363 kills, 284 digs, 42.0 blocks), [player_tooltip player_id='233265' first='Grace' last='Dehmer'] (431 digs) and [player_tooltip player_id='261064' first='Elizabeth' last='Iverson'] (742 assists, 182 digs). Seniors Ava Johnson and Ava McKay can contribute more after gaining valuable experience last season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-Dallas Center-Grimes must replace key players lost to graduation, but it also returns signifiant contributors from a year ago. The group includes juniors [player_tooltip player_id='447584' first='Deja' last='Jackson'] (151 kills, 36.0 blocks), [player_tooltip player_id='251672' first='Addy' last='Janssen'] (455 digs), Maliya Carlson (146 kills, 25.0 blocks) and Landry Glasgow (126 kills, 21.0 blocks). </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-Oskaloosa is replacing a super senior class from a year ago. Senior Hannah Quang and Gracie DeRonde, a junior, will need contributions from inexperienced players to take a step forward from last season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>...Pella Christian's [player_tooltip player_id='508663' first='Chloe' last='Huisman'] returns for her junior season with a group of hitters to which she handed out 768 assists a year ago, including senior Ema Zula (169 kills, 273 digs). Faith Kacmarynski (285 digs) and Maggie Heinen (152 digs) return for their junior campaigns...[player_tooltip player_id='389942' first='Katie' last='Scheckel'] is back for Pella after distributing 644 assists as a ninth-grader in '22. Seniors Kyli Hiemstra and Abby Warner also provide experience...Grinnell boasts solid senior Kennedy Steward, a pair of promising juniors in Kenzie McClelland and Isabel Hart along with rising sophomore in Della Smith...Senior Kadance Ahn stands out for Newton. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p> </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->