Bracket Breakdown: Class 2A

The Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union released regional volleyball pairings last Wednesday. Dike-New Hartford is the heavy favorite to win its third state title in the last five years and 11th championship overall.   Region 1   Top Seed: Hinton   Others: Hartley-Melvin-Sandborn, West Sioux, Central Lyon, Akron-Westfield, Alta-Aurelia, Sibley-Ocheyedan, Sioux Central, Rock Valley, MMCRU   Players to Watch: [player_tooltip player_id='389079' first='Bailey' last='Boeve'], Hinton; [player_tooltip player_id='168168' first='Ashlyn' last='Kovarna'], Hinton; Carlene Hicklin, Hinton; Allison Watts, Alta-Aurelia; Maggie Bloom, Alta-Aurelia; Tia Tentinger, MMCRU; Miylie Zomer, Rock Valley; Kirsten Grevengoed,, Rock Valley; [player_tooltip player_id='466329' first='Makenzie' last='Hughes'], Akron-Westfield; McKenna Metzger, Central Lyon; Addison Westergard, West Sioux; Frankie Mohnie, Hartley-Melvin-Sandborn; Grace Sayler, Sibley-Ocheyedan.   Outlook: Second-ranked Hinton looks for a return trip to the state tournament, where it fell to Dike-New Hartford in the semifinals a year ago. Hinton owns victories against Bishop Heelan (4A No. 10), Sioux City East (5A No. 13), Lewis Central (4A No. 6) and Council Bluffs Lincoln (5A No. 15) this season. Alta-Aurelia owns two victories against Remsen St. Mary's (1A No. 10).   Region 2   Top Seed: Carroll Kuemper   Others: South Central Calhoun, Westwood, Ridge View, East Sac County, West Monona, MVAOCOU, Lawton-Bronson, Missouri Valley, Logan-Magnolia   Player to Watch: Frannie Glynn, Kuemper; [player_tooltip player_id='389937' first='Brianna' last='Wittrock'], Kuemper; [player_tooltip player_id='753919' first='Elsa' last='Tiefenthaler'], Kuemper; [player_tooltip player_id='251665' first='Rowan' last='Jensen'], Ridge View; Taya Phillips, Ridge View; [player_tooltip player_id='490019' first='Sydney' last='Blackmore'], Ridge View; Addisen Ehler, East Sac County; [player_tooltip player_id='168169' first='Kate' last='Vondrak'], East Sac County; Brihanna Hill, West Monona; Trista Ohlmeier, MVAOCOU; Ashlyn Dejager, Lawton-Bronson; Henley Arbaugh, Missouri Valley; Jazmyn Guritz, Logan-Magnolia.   Outlook: Kuemper, seventh in 2A, is seeking its second trip in a row to Coralville and its sixth bid since '15. The Knights own a 3-0 record against other participants in this region. They claim a 2-1 victory against No. 9 Ridge View at the South Central Calhoun Tournament. Ridge View has a win against Sioux City East (5A No. 13) and is 8-0 versus schools not named Kuemper in this region.   Region 3   Outlook:   Top Seed: Treynor   Others: Tri-Center, Shenandoah, Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont, Pleasantville, North Mahaska, AHSTW, Underwood, Pella Christian, Interstate 35   Players to Watch: Haley Swanson, Treynor; Aubree James, Treynor; [player_tooltip player_id='389941' first='Nora' last='Konz'], Treynor; [player_tooltip player_id='215426' first='Molly' last='Shafer'], Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont; [player_tooltip player_id='216055' first='Kate' last='Shafer'], Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont; Danika Park, Pleasantville; Faith Nelson, Pleasantville; Sydney Andersen, North Mahaska; [player_tooltip player_id='221384' first='Meya' last='Wingert'], Tri-Center; Avilyn Killpack, Tri-Center; [player_tooltip player_id='261056' first='Ashlynn' last='Hodges'], Shenandoah; [player_tooltip player_id='508663' first='Chloe' last='Huisman'], Pella Christian; Addison Bandstra, Pella Christian; Ruby Patomson, Underwood; Delaney Goshorn, AHSTW.   Outlook: Fifth-ranked Treynor is trying to get back to the state tournament for the first time since '18 and capture its first-ever title. The Cardinals own triumphs against Glenwood (4A No. 14) with their lone loss coming versus 4A No. 6 Council Bluffs Lewis Central. Class 2A No. 15 Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont boasts a strong resume with who it's played and beaten. The Rockets are chasing their second consecutive state berth.   Region 4   Top Seed: Dike-New Hartford   Others: South Hamilton, Ogden, ACGC, Southwest Valley, Nodaway Valley, Woodward-Granger, Madrid, Panorama, West Central Valley   Players to Watch: [player_tooltip player_id='168149' first='Payton' last='Petersen'], DNH; [player_tooltip player_id='168150' first='Jadyn' last='Petersen'], DNH; [player_tooltip player_id='251662' first='Maryn' last='Bixby'], DNH; [player_tooltip player_id='538946' first='Lucy' last='Varney'], DNH; [player_tooltip player_id='493935' first='Stella' last='Largent'], ACGC; Shay Lemke, ACGC; Morgan Shuler, Southwest Valley; Tierney Dalton, Southwest Valley; Lindsey Davis, Nodaway Valley; Tanna Thompson, South Hamilton; Aubrey Leonard, Ogden; [player_tooltip player_id='261055' first='Anna' last='Weaver'], Woodward-Granger; Lexi Kockler, Madrid; Cayden Iredale, Panorama; Macy Long, West Central Valley.   Outlook: Top-ranked Dike-New Hartford might be the best bet to end up at state among all others in Iowa. The competition in this region is up against an unbeaten Wolverine squad that's dropped only one set all season, which came against 5A No. 1 Dowling. DNH owns two wins against Dowling, Pleasant Valley (5A No. 5) and Mount Vernon (3A No. 2), and single victories against Ankeny Centennial (5A No. 2), Waukee Northwest (5A No. 3), West Des Moines Valley (5A No. 6), Iowa City Liberty (5A No. 10), Marion (4A No. 7) and Davenport Assumption (3A No. 4). ACGC is 5-0 against teams in the region other than Dike-New Hartford.   Region 5   Top Seed: Aplington-Parkersburg   Others: Lake Mills, Central Springs, South Hardin, Belmond-Klemme, North Union, Manson-NW Webster, Emmetsburg, Pocahontas Area, West Fork   Players to Watch: Isabela Buseman, A-P; [player_tooltip player_id='168175' first='Kinsey' last='Mohwinkle'], A-P; [player_tooltip player_id='215411' first='Peyton' last='Klooster'], A-P; [player_tooltip player_id='215401' first='Ava' last='Salvo'], South Hardin; [player_tooltip player_id='215400' first='Ava' last='Paige'], South Hardin; Clara Below, South Hardin; Libby Stevens, North Union; Shaylee Aguilera, Belmond-Klemme; Adasyn Lamb, Belmond-Klemme; Dottie Byars, Lake Mills; Taylor Vanek, Lake Mills; Azaria McDonough, Central Springs; Nora Nelson, Emmetsburg; Peyton Davis, Manson-NW Webster; Jenna Vonnahme, Pocahontas Area.   Outlook: Eighth-ranked Aplington-Parkersburg shares a region with No. 10 South Hardin. The teams will face off in a conference triangular meet on Tuesday. A-P owns a straight-set victory against 3A No. 10 West Delaware this season and split a pair of meetings with 2A No. 11 Wapsie Valley. South Hardin claims a victory against 2A No. 7 Carroll Kuemper and is 0-1 against Wapsie Valley.   Region 6   Top Seed: Sumner-Fredericksburg   Others: Bellevue, Northeast, Wapsie Valley, Dyersville Beckman, South Winneshiek, Cascade, MFL-MarMac, Maquoketa Valley, Postville   Players to Watch: [player_tooltip player_id='389011' first='Alexa' last='Buhman'], S-F; [player_tooltip player_id='168172' first='Isabelle' last='Elliott'], S-F; [player_tooltip player_id='168173' first='Morgan' last='Block'], S-F; [player_tooltip player_id='508661' first='Avery' last='Jones'], Wapsie Valley; [player_tooltip player_id='389936' first='Taylor' last='Buhr'], Wapsie Valley; Peyton Curley, Wapsie Valley; Katrina Hageman, South Winneshiek; [player_tooltip player_id='215396' first='Katelyn' last='Schmitt'], Beckman; Anna Knepper, Beckman; [player_tooltip player_id='215398' first='Alexie' last='Hogan'], Beckman; Teagan Humphrey, Bellevue; [player_tooltip player_id='389073' first='Cydney' last='Tath'], Bellevue; [player_tooltip player_id='489674' first='Jordan' last='Tegeler'], Northeast; Addison Frake, Cascade; Claudia Noonan, Cascade; Lauryn Johnson, MFL-MarMac; Lili Bauers, Maquoketa Valley; Keira Leytem, Maquoketa Valley.   Outlook: Sumner-Fredericksburg, ranked sixth in 2A, receives a regional draw with No. 11 Wapsie Valley, whom it's won two meetings against this season. The Cougars also own triumphs against 2A No. 4 Denver, Union Community (3A No. 7) and Center Point-Urbana (3A No. 9). Wapsie Valley claims victory against South Hardin along with wins against North Polk (4A No. 8), Norwalk (4A No. 9) and West Delaware (3A No. 10).   Region 7   Top Seed: Denver   Others: Durant, Waterloo Columbus, Iowa City Regina, Lisbon, Jesup, Columbus, Alburnett, West Branch, Louisa-Muscatine   Players to Watch: [player_tooltip player_id='389012' first='Channing' last='Johnson'], Denver; [player_tooltip player_id='168174' first='Jessica' last='Gergen'], Denver; [player_tooltip player_id='389017' first='Bailey' last='Mullihan'], Denver; Elaina Hildebrandt, Denver; [player_tooltip player_id='261094' first='Reese' last='Naeve'], Regina; Sydney Wagner, Regina; [player_tooltip player_id='455710' first='Kiley' last='Devery'], Regina; Kaitlynn Hasselbusch, Lisbon; [player_tooltip player_id='206559' first='Ava' last='Czarnecki'], Lisbon; Isabelle DeLong, Durant; Morgan Bradley, Wat. Columbus; Daley Donlea, Jesup; Daniela Diaz, Columbus; [player_tooltip player_id='261054' first='Ally' last='Olmstead'], Alburnett; [player_tooltip player_id='168181' first='Alyse' last='Klinkkammer'], West Branch.   Outlook: Fourth-ranked Denver sits atop of a region that includes 13th-ranked Iowa City Regina. The Cyclones own ranked wins against New Hampton (3A No. 6), Charles City (4A No. 15), Ankeny Christian (1A No. 1), Union (3A No. 7), Grundy Center (2A No. 3), West Delaware (3A No. 10), Wapsie Valley (2A No. 11), Aplington-Parkersburg (2A No. 8), Sumner-Fredericksburg (2A No. 6), Dubuque Hempstead (5A No. 13), Ankeny (5A No. 8), Xavier (4A No. 4) and South Hardin (2A No. 10). Regina claims victory against Mid-Prairie (3A No. 8), Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont (2A No. 15), West Delaware (3A No. 10) and West Liberty (3A No. 14).   Region 8   Top Seed: Grundy Center   Others: Hudson, Colfax-Mingo, West Burlington, Wilton, Van Buren County, East Marshall, Grandview Christian Cardinal of Eldon, Central Decatur   Players to Watch: [player_tooltip player_id='168170' first='Carlie' last='Willis'], Grundy Center; [player_tooltip player_id='168171' first='Ellery' last='Luhring'], Grundy Center; Shirley Monaghan, Grundy Center; Taryn Snodgrass, West Burlington; Taryn Havener, West Burlington; Carli Cline, West Burlington; [player_tooltip player_id='730830' first='Kinsey' last='Drake'], Wilton; [player_tooltip player_id='490009' first='Leah' last='Caffery'], Wilton; Annie Holladay, Wilton; Ivy Davison, Van Buren County; Addie Rhoades, Hudson; Taylor Davis, Hudson; Trinity Smith, Colfax-Mingo; Ava Bringmann, East Marshall; Addie Hackett, Grand View Christian; Brinlee Ostrander, Cardinal.   Outlook: No. 3 Grundy Center is paired with No. 14 West Burlington in Region 8, two schools that haven't met this season. Grundy Center claims wins against South Hardin (2A No. 10), Union (3A No. 7), Ankeny Christian (1A No. 1), Denver (2A No. 4), Sumner-Fredericksburg (2A No. 6), West Delaware (3A No. 10), Wapsie Valley (2A No. 11) and Aplington-Parkersburg. West Burlington owns victories against Mid-Prairie (3A No. 8), West Liberty (3A No. 14) and Holy Trinity (1A No. 3).

The Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union released regional volleyball pairings last Wednesday. Dike-New Hartford is the heavy favorite to win its third state title in the last five years and 11th championship overall.