Bracket Breakdown: Everyone Chasing Wolfpack in 3A

The Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union released regional volleyball pairings on Wednesday. Western Christian, last year's 2A champion, heads into the postseason as the 3A favorite with some historically strong programs looking to take down the Wolfpack.   Region 1   Top Seed: Western Christian   Others: Sheldon, West Lyon, Spirit Lake, Estherville Lincoln Central, Algona, Forest City, Garner Hayfield Ventura   Players to Watch: Shayna Van Dyken, Western; [player_tooltip player_id='455736' first='Maggie' last='Van Schepen'], Western; Keana Wynja, Western; Anna Vollink, Sheldon; Fran Travis, Spirit Lake; Jordyn Aeschliman, West Lyon; [player_tooltip player_id='257715' first='Najolie' last='Price'], Algona; Lincoln Central; Gretta Gouge; Garner Hayfield Ventura; Jalyn Hovenga, Forest City.   Outlook: Western Christian is the state's all-time leader in state tournament appearances with 40 and holds the longest active streak of consecutive trips to state, reaching it in each of the last 22 seasons. The Wolpack's 17 state titles ranks second all-time to Dubuque Wahlert (20). They play a lot of Nebraska and South Dakota schools, but do own a win in '23 against 5A No. 2 Ankeny Centennial.   Region 2   Top Seed: Cherokee Washington   Others: Eagle Grove, Southeast Valley, Clarion-Goldfield-Dows, MOC-Floyd Valley, Okoboji, OABCIG, Unity Christian   Players to Watch: Ava Anderson, Cherokee; [player_tooltip player_id='251663' first='Jada' last='Timmerman'], Cherokee; [player_tooltip player_id='508655' first='Laney' last='Wolfswinkel'], Cherokee; [player_tooltip player_id='508659' first='Tierney' last='Huss'], MOC-FV; Maya Immeker, MOC-FV; Addi Hindt; Southeast Valley; [player_tooltip player_id='215420' first='Indy' last='Johnson'], Clarion-Goldfield-Dows;  Alexa Christoffels, Okoboji; [player_tooltip player_id='215457' first='Jadyn' last='Hofmeyer'], Unity Christian; Sammie Holz, Unity Christian; Olivia Schroeder, OABCIG; Josilynn Pritchard, OABCIG.   Outlook: Cherokee is ranked No. 5 in 3A (Oct. 4) with victories against Bishop Heelan (4A No. 10), Charles City (4A No. 15) and Sioux City East (5A No. 13). It would be making its first trip to state. MOC Floyd Valley is rated 15th in 3A with a win against Sioux City East on its resume. The Dutchmen are seeking their first appearance at state since '18.   Region 3   Top Seed: Des Moines Christian   Others: Atlantic, Van Meter, Greene County, Red Oak, Harlan, Clarke, Clarinda   Players to Watch: [player_tooltip player_id='168160' first='Gabby' last='Lombardi'], DM Christian; [player_tooltip player_id='203590' first='Hadley' last='Hardersen'], DM Christian; [player_tooltip player_id='261068' first='Finley' last='Schelhaas'], DM Christian; Paytn Harter, Atlantic; Violet Reedy, Greene County; Violet Reedy, Greene County; [player_tooltip player_id='730835' first='Teya' last='Speltz'], Van Meter; [player_tooltip player_id='730820' first='Haedyn' last='Rebelsky'], Van Meter; Macy Mueller, Harlan; Marley Gray, Red Oak; Merced Ramirez, Red Oak; [player_tooltip player_id='730841' first='Jerzee' last='Knight'], Clarinda; Addison Wagoner, Clarinda; Victoria Henry, Clarke; Alissa Henry, Clarke.   Outlook: No. 3 Des Moines Christian is shooting for its third consecutive state tournament bid. The Lions own a 3-0 record against teams in this region having knocked off Harlan twice along with Van Meter. Red Oak has two victories against Harlan this season.   Region 4   Top Seed: New Hampton   Others: Hampton-Dumont-CAL, Osage, Clear Lake, Dubuque Wahlert, Waukon, Crestwood, North Fayette Valley   Players to Watch: [player_tooltip player_id='168159' first='Marissa' last='Cahoy'], New Hampton; [player_tooltip player_id='261070' first='Hailee' last='Pesek'], New Hampton; Paige Steinlage, New Hampton; [player_tooltip player_id='437486' first='Olivia' last='Donovan'], Wahlert; [player_tooltip player_id='215405' first='Audrey' last='Tschiggfrie'], Wahlert; Kaylee Walter, Wahlert; Olivia Johnson, Crrestwood; Lily Troendle, Crestwood; Jenna Scharper, Osage; Taylor Klobassa, Osage; [player_tooltip player_id='224152' first='Xada' last='Johnson'], Clear Lake; Alivia Paine, Clear Lake; Ella Sieck, North Fayette Valley; Elle Wilkins, Waukon; Aubryee Showalter, Hampton-Dumont-CAL.   Outlook: Sixth-ranked New Hampton seeks its fourth trip to the state tournament and the first bid since '18. It claims two victories against both Charles City (4A No. 15) and Sumner-Fredericksburg (2A No. 6) and is 4-0 against teams in this region. No. 12 Wahlert looks like the biggest roadblock for New Hampton here. The Golden Eagles have the most state championships (20) in Iowa history and a win against Iowa City Liberty (5A No. 10) this season.   Region 5   Top Seed: Union Community   Others: Iowa Falls-Alden, Roland-Story, Independence, West Delaware, Vinton-Shellsburg, Monticello, Oelwein   Players to Watch: Gracie Klima, Union; Dena Robb, Union; [player_tooltip player_id='508642' first='Avery' last='Knoop'], Union; Kirstyn Kolbet, West Delaware; [player_tooltip player_id='508649' first='Brooke' last='Krogmann'], West Delaware; Gracie Lynch, West Delaware; Ashlyn Murray, Vinton-Shellsburg; [player_tooltip player_id='447580' first='Jayden' last='Kuper'], Monticello; Mya Hansen, Monticello; [player_tooltip player_id='493951' first='Brookelyn' last='Jondle'], Roland-Story; [player_tooltip player_id='730799' first='Kamryn' last='Lande'], Roland-Story; Marie Gorman, Independence; Kinzie See, Oelwein; Ella Sharar, Iowa Falls-Alden.   Outlook: No. 7 Union is looking to clinch its second consecutive state tournament berth and its ninth bid since '10. The Knights own wins against fellow Region 5 teams Oelwein, West Delaware, Independence and Iowa Falls-Alden. No. 10 West Delaware is trying to reach Coralville after seeing its streak of four appearances in a row end last season. The Hawks have victories against Solon (3A No. 11) and Grundy Center (2A No. 3) in '23.   Region 6   Top Seed: Mid-Prairie   Others: Seydel, PCM, Chariton, West Marshall, Center Point-Urbana, Albia, Centerville   Players to Watch: [player_tooltip player_id='215390' first='Jovi' last='Evans'], Mid-Prairie; [player_tooltip player_id='215395' first='Dakota' last='Mitchell'], Mid-Prairie; [player_tooltip player_id='389071' first='Harper' last='Pacha'], Mid-Prairie; [player_tooltip player_id='215389' first='Sydney' last='Maue'], Center Point-Urbana; [player_tooltip player_id='457484' first='Logan' last='Keller'], Center Point-Urbana; [player_tooltip player_id='730773' first='Addy' last='Tupa'], Center Point-Urbana; Chloe DeMoss, Albia; Avery Halstead, Albia; Rebecca DeVries, PCM; Tori Lindsay, PCM; Addie McGee, Chariton; Matty Kovacevich, Centerville; Reese Jensen, West Marshall.   Outlook: This eighth-ranked Mid-Prairie team would join Golden Hawk squads from '96 and '04 has the only ones to reach the state tournament. They own a victory against Ankeny (5A No. 8) this season but would be meeting all of the other teams in this region for the first time. Like Mid-Prairie, No. 9 Center Point-Urbana also would be at state for the third time ('98, '15) in program history if it wins Region 6. The Stormin' Pointers own impressive wins against West Delaware, Wahlert, Davenport Assumption (3A No. 4), Dubuque Hempstead (5A No. 13) and Marion (4A No. 7).   Region 7   Top Seed: Mount Vernon   Others: Williamsburg, Benton, South Tama, Anamosa, Camanche, West Liberty, Grinnell   Players to Watch: [player_tooltip player_id='215385' first='Chloe' last='Meester'], Mount Vernon; [player_tooltip player_id='215387' first='Sydney' last='Huber'], Mount Vernon; [player_tooltip player_id='215431' first='Jaden' last='Rolland'], Mount Vernon; [player_tooltip player_id='168177' first='Brooke' last='Ellyson'], Mount Vernon; [player_tooltip player_id='447583' first='Reise' last='Neuhaus'], Anamosa; Lola Holub, Anamosa; [player_tooltip player_id='389069' first='Sophie' last='Sander'], Anamosa; Sophie Buysse, West Liberty; Ava Morrison, West Liberty; Piper Nelson, Benton; Emma Townsley, Benton; Gloria Mullen, South Tama; Kenzie McClelland, Grinnell; Miley Duritza, Camanche; Phoenix Gryp, Williamsburg.   Outlook: Second-ranked Mount Vernon is seeking its sixth state tourney bid in a row and trying to reach the final eight for the 15th time in the last 17 years. The Mustangs have wins in all of their matches this season outside of the two times they faced Class 2A No. 1 Dike-New Hartford. Pleasant Valley (5A No. 5), Liberty (5A No. 10), Council Bluffs Lincoln (5A No. 15) and Xavier (4A No. 4) are among their victims. No. 13 Anamosa and No. 14 West Liberty also show up in this region. Anamosa is chasing down its first-ever state berth and West Liberty seeks its third trip in a row.   Region 8   Top Seed: Davenport Assumption   Others: Washington, Fairfield, Davis County, Solon, Central Lee, Tipton, Mediapolis   Players to Watch: [player_tooltip player_id='215761' first='Ellie' last='Schubert'], Assumption; [player_tooltip player_id='230661' first='Ellah' last='Derrer'], Assumption; [player_tooltip player_id='251630' first='Maggie' last='Johnson'], Assumption; [player_tooltip player_id='215430' first='Yasmine' last='Sell'], Solon; [player_tooltip player_id='215435' first='Grace' last='Erwin'], Solon; [player_tooltip player_id='373682' first='Kennedey' last='Whitford'], Solon; Avary Calonder, Tipton; Paycee Sorgenfrey, Tipton; Lilly Bergren, Fairfield; Maddie Jones, Fairfield; Charley Barnhart, Davis County; [player_tooltip player_id='500109' first='Taylor' last='Jones'], Central Lee; [player_tooltip player_id='168165' first='Haley' last='Steffener'], Mediapolis; [player_tooltip player_id='455741' first='Leighton' last='Messinger'], Washington;   Outlook: Defending state champion Assumption is looking to reach the final eight for a sixth year in a row. The fourth-ranked Knights claim wins against Dubuque Senior (5A N0. 9), Dubuque Hempstead (5A No. 13), Center Point-Urbana (3A No. 9), Marion (4A No. 7) and Solon (3A No. 11) in '23. They own a victory against No. 11 Solon and are scheduled to face the Spartans again on Saturday at the Center Point-Urbana tournament. Solon has victories against Xavier (4A No. 4), West Liberty and Center Point Urbana.

The Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union released regional volleyball pairings on Wednesday. Western Christian, last year's 2A champion, heads into the postseason as the 3A favorite with some historically strong programs looking to take down the Wolfpack.