2023 Racoon River 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><a href="http://CIML '23 Season Preview MAC '23 Season Preview MVC Mississippi Division Preview MVC Valley Division Preview Missouri River Season Preview WaMac Season Preview" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Little Hawkeye Season Preview</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Believe it or not, the Iowa high school volleyball season begins today 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>The Racoon River Conference should be competitive again in '23. North Polk and Bondurant-Farrar each finished the last regular season in the IGHSAU Class 4A Top 15. The latter reached the state tournament for the second year in a row, knocking off the former in the regional final. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>ADM was ranked 12th in 4A in the second-to-last rankings of the '23 regular season. The Tigers reached the regional finals They upended conference mate Boone in the semifinals. RRC members Carlisle, Carroll and Winterset also were eliminated in the regional semis. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Bluejays Ready to Fly Again</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>If Bondurant-Farrar reaches the state tournament for a third consecutive year, it will need to reload after losing its two top hitters, Hannah Ditsworth and Hallie Bedier, to graduation. The Bluejays will lean on senior setter [player_tooltip player_id='261095' first='Rylie' last='Hamilton'] (680 assists, 172 digs) and her classmates, Hannah Greene (265 digs, 88 kills) and Jacki Baas (120 kills, 36.0 blocks).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Comets Should Be Motivated</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>North Polk finished the regular season ranked ahead of conference rival Bondurant-Farrar after winning a five-setter against the Bluejays just before the regionals got underway. The Comets then lost a five-setter to Bondurant-Farrar in the regional final. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>They'll try to turn the tables in '23 and advance to the state tournament for the first time since their lone trip in '16. They return their leading hitter from last season in senior [player_tooltip player_id='251680' first='Kaylee' last='Koudelka'] (257 kills, 175 digs, 64.0 blocks) along with her classmates, setter Ava Croft (416 assists, 30.0 blocks) and [player_tooltip player_id='261082' first='Madi' last='Nemmers'] (357 digs).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Tigers on the Prowl</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>ADM stumbled down the stretch in '23, dropping five of its final six matches. The fade included a 3-0 loss to Indianola in the regional final. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Tigers welcome back [player_tooltip player_id='168158' first='Marissa' last='Gerleman'], who led them with 204 kills and 72.0 blocks a year ago. Makayla Crannell (142 kills, 178 digs), Madison Siefken (282 assists), Brooklyn Bailey (267 assists), [player_tooltip player_id='506123' first='London' last='Warmuth'] (100 kills, 62.0 blocks) and [player_tooltip player_id='261081' first='Madi' last='James'] (333 digs) return after starting matches last fall. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>...Ballard brings back magnificent middle Brooklyn Baumgardner (201 kills, 138.0 blocks) along with Memphis Inglett (200 kills, 60.0 blocks), [player_tooltip player_id='474081' first='Payton' last='Askelsen'] (307 digs) and [player_tooltip player_id='389077' first='Brenna' last='Baumgardner'] (124 kills, 89.0 blocks)...Carlisle's [player_tooltip player_id='215424' first='Sydney' last='Light'] (150 kills, 39.0 blocks) and AshleeKay Christensen (223 kills, 33.0 blocks) enjoyed strong sophomore campaign's in '22...Senior [player_tooltip player_id='251677' first='Erin' last='Ades'] (205 kills, 333 digs) provides Boone with a standout to build around...&nbsp;Riley Nagl (233 assists, 145 digs), [player_tooltip player_id='730711' first='Olivia' last='Rowedder'] (43.0 blocks) and Katelyn Aden (119 kills) form a solid foundation at Carroll...Haley Loonan (264 assists) leads a Gilbert squad that lost four starters...Winterset could make a move this fall with the return of key performers in Jaya Kleemeier, Molly Breeding, Zoey Breeding and Tara Vandewater. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p> </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->