Early-Season Storylines in Iowa
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New seasons bring with them the expected and the surprising. That’s certainly the case here in Iowa for 2023. Let’s take a look at stories fitting into those categories: THE EXPECTED Clippers Cruising Clear Creek Amana surprised the field last…
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Continue ReadingNew seasons bring with them the expected and the surprising. That’s certainly the case here in Iowa for 2023.
Let’s take a look at stories fitting into those categories:
THE EXPECTED
Clippers Cruising
Clear Creek Amana surprised the field last season, reaching its first-ever state championship match. Despite falling to Xavier in that contest, the Clippers returned most of their lineup and entered this fall among the favorites to win it all in Class 4A. They’ve handled the hype so far, still unbeaten after this weekend’s championship in the Caroline Found Live Like Line event at Iowa City West.
CCA swept 4A 10th-ranked Dallas Center-Grimes twice last month. This weekend, the Clippers topped 5A top-ranked Dowling, 5A No. 3 Ankeny, 5A No. 10 Liberty and 4A No. 15 Heelan, among others.
Drake commitment Bliss Beck Bliss Beck 6'2" | MB Clear Creek Amana | 2024 State #141 Nation IA is hitting an impressive .491 with 121 kills and 33.0 blocks. Libero Meg Berkland Meg Berkland 5'6" | DS/L Clear Creek Amana | 2024 State IA has 133 digs, and Emily Henderson Emily Henderson 5'8" | S Clear Creek Amana | 2026 State IA and Kenadi Wood have 299 assists. Averie Lower ranks second on the team in kills (84) and third in digs (88).
Wolverines Winning
The only team that might look like more of a sure thing to win a state title than CCA is Dike-New Hartford. The 2A Wolverines also remain undefeated with tournament championships Ankeny Centennial and Mount Vernon. They own victories over ranked 5A teams in Dowling, Centennial, Valley, Pleasant Valley and Waukee Northwest along with 3A No. 2 Mount Vernon and No. 7 Assumption.
Louisville pledge Payton Petersen Payton Petersen 6'0" | OH Dike-New Hartford | 2024 State #55 Nation IA leads the way with 199 kills and 86 digs, while her sister, Jadyn Petersen Jadyn Petersen 5'9" | OH Dike-New Hartford | 2024 State #195 Nation IA , has 135 kills and 85 digs. Senior Maryn Bixby Maryn Bixby 6'1" | MB Dike-New Hartford | 2024 State IA (103 kills, 27.0 blocks), and sophomores Addy Joslin Addy Joslin S Dike-New Hartford | 2026 State IA (224 assists) and Abby Jensen Abby Jensen 5'6" | OH Dike-New Hartford | 2026 State IA (73 digs) help make this the team to beat in 2A.
Wolfpack Prowling
Western Christian needed five sets when knocking off Dike-New Hartford for last year’s 2A state championship. It’s defeated all of the Iowa teams on its schedule so far in ’23, earning the No. 1 ranking in 3A. In fact, the Wolfpack has lost one set against in-state competition (MOC-Floyd Valley).
Western plays quite a few matches against teams from Nebraska and South Dakota due to proximity and not being in an Iowa conference. It’s 1-5 against those programs, all of them being bigger schools.
Sophomore Maggie Van Schepen Maggie Van Schepen S Western Christian | 2026 State IA runs the show with 292 assists to go with 70 digs. Seniors Shayna Van Dyken (113) and Keana Wynja (96) along with 10th-grader Bentley Bliek (83) pace the program in kills. Another sophomore, Scarlett Winterfeld, fills the stat sheet with 106 digs, 58 kills and 15.0 blocks, while senior Haley Wielenga’s 144 digs are tops on the team.
THE SURPRISES
Tiger Time
Maybe we shouldn’t be too surprised by ADM’s fast start in ’23 considering it reached a regional final last fall. Still, a 15-1 beginning stands out, especially when the lone setback came at this past weekend’s Southeast Polk tournament to 5A No. 8 West Des Moines Valley, 2-1.
The Tigers also knocked off 5As in Waukee and Council Bluffs Lincoln during the weekend as well as 4A No. 13 North Polk. The also own victories this season against currently ranked teams in Des Moines Christian (3A No. 3), Ballard (4A No. 11) and Norwalk (4A No. 6).
Seniors Madison Siefken (260 assists) and Marissa Gerleman Marissa Gerleman 5'10" | MB ADM | 2024 State IA (114 kills, 72 digs, 15.0 blocks) along with juniors London Warmuth London Warmuth 6'2" | MB ADM | 2025 State IA (69 kills) and Madi James Madi James 5'6" | DS/L Adel-Desoto-Minburn | 2025 State IA (102 digs) are standing out for ADM.
Spartans Spectacular
Like ADM, Grundy Center reached a regional final in ’23, falling to Denver in that match. Denver handed the Spartans their one and only loss this season at this past weekend’s Aplington-Parkersburg tournament before they bounded back to defeat the Cyclones in the championship match.
Grundy Center also topped 1A No. 1 Ankeny Christian twice in Aplington-Parkersburg. It has defeated ranked teams in AGWSR (1A No. 7), BCLUW (1A No. 6), South Hardin (2A No. 8), North Tama (1A No. 2) and Union Community (3A No. 5) this season as well.
Senior Carlie Willis Carlie Willis 6'0" | OH Grundy Center | 2024 State IA , a Saint Cloud State commitment, ranks among the state leaders with 245 kills. Here 103 digs are second on the team. Her classmate, Ellery Luhring Ellery Luhring 5'8" | S Grundy Center | 2024 State IA , has 357 assists, 82 digs and 31.0 blocks. Lucy Lebo, also a senior, paces the Spartans with 112 digs, while another 12th-grader, Shirley Monaghan, has 96 kills and 89 digs.
Stormin’ Warning
Center Point-Urbana lost to Union in a regional championship last season. So, again, maybe we shouldn’t have been overly surprised by its impressive play to date.
It’s more about who the Stormin’ Pointers have knocked off this year that raises an eyebrow. They own triumphs against defending 3A champion Assumption, currently ranked No. 7, Dubuque Wahlert (3A No. 10), Sumner-Fredericksburg (2A No. 4) and Dubuque Hempstead (5A No. 15) along with Cedar Rapids Kennedy, ranked earlier this season in 5A.
Juniors Sydney Maue Sydney Maue RS Mount Vernon | 2025 State IA (107 kills, 23.0 blocks), Logan Keller Logan Keller 5'10" | S Center Point Urbana | 2025 State IA (177 assists, 108 digs, 51 kills) and Addy Tupa (85 kills, 114 digs) along with sophomore Jayce Grennan Jayce Grennan 5'6" | S Center Point - Urbana | 2026 State IA (90 assists, 63 digs) are showing that CP-U has staying power beyond this season. Paige Foltz Paige Foltz 6'0" | MB Center Point - Urbana | 2024 State IA (24.0 blocks, 47 kills) provides senior leadership and a presence at the net.