Bracket Breakdown: Plenty of Contenders in 5A

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union released regional volleyball pairings on Wednesday. The Class 5A field is filled with intrigue after an often unpredictable regular season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Region 1</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Top Seed</strong>: Dowling Catholic</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Others: </strong>Linn-Mar, Southeast Polk, Des Moines Lincoln, Des Moines North. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><strong>Players to Watch:</strong> </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='168151' first='Kenzie' last='Dean'], Dowling; [player_tooltip player_id='215412' first='Ella' last='Rogers'], Dowling; [player_tooltip player_id='389933' first='Ellie' last='Muller'], Dowling; [player_tooltip player_id='215410' first='Kate' last='Passmore'], Linn-Mar; Tessa Casebolt, Linn-Mar; [player_tooltip player_id='552873' first='Karsyn' last='Michael'], Linn-Mar; Ava Goldsberry, Southeast Polk; Kennedy Harris, Southeast Polk; Alyssa Bird, DM Lincoln. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Outlook:</strong> Dowling is a heavy favorite to reach the state tournament for the 12th season in a row, the longest active streak in this class. The Maroons are enjoying a super season with wins against Centennial, Waukee Northwest, Valley, Johnston and others. Linn-Mar is a good team that gives itself a chance if it plays well as it showed in a 3-1 victory against Iowa City High at Xtreme Arena last month. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Region 2</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Top Seed</strong>: Ankeny Centennial</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Others:</strong> Council Bluffs Lincoln, Sioux City West, Iowa City West, Waterloo East </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><strong>Players to Watch:</strong> </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='215749' first='Delaney' last='Miller'], Centennial; [player_tooltip player_id='215425' first='Jaeden' last='Pratt'], Centennial; Kambria Leazer, Centennial; Hutson Rau, CB Lincoln; Lydia Dix, CB Lincoln; [player_tooltip player_id='168154' first='Molly' last='Romano'], CB Lincoln; Hannah Burge, SC West; [player_tooltip player_id='389841' first='Korbin' last='Olorundami'], SC West; [player_tooltip player_id='360642' first='Sophia' last='Austen'], IC West. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Outlook:</strong> Like Dowling, Centennial is a heavy favorite to be back at State. It would be the fourth trip in a row for the Jaguars. Council Bluffs Lincoln checks in at No. 15 in this week's IGHSAU rankings. The Lynx own a victory over 11th-ranked Waukee. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Region 3</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Top Seed</strong>: Waukee Northwest</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Others:</strong> Sioux City East, Sioux City North, Ames, Cedar Rapids Jefferson </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><strong>Players to Watch:</strong> </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='432373' first='Katrina' last='Pelds'], Northwest; [player_tooltip player_id='251674' first='Chloe' last='Jones'], Northwest; [player_tooltip player_id='251675' first='Kamryn' last='Vogt'], Northwest; Olivia Mentzer, SC East; Mackenzie Crawford, SC East; [player_tooltip player_id='215439' first='Hollie' last='Peterson'], SC East; [player_tooltip player_id='389834' first='Ava' last='Lloyd'], SC North; Sidney Chamberlain, SC North; [player_tooltip player_id='261061' first='D'Niaya' last='Settles'], Ames. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Outlook:</strong> Like its central Iowan neighbors Dowling and Centennial, Waukee Northwest enjoys a favorable path to its second consecutive appearance at Xtreme Arena in Coralville. The Wolves rank No. 3 in the IGHSAU poll behind those two schools with wins against Dowling, Cedar Falls, Waukee, Valley and Ankeny on their resume. Sioux City East is 3-0 against Sioux City North this season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Region 4</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Top Seed</strong>: Cedar Falls </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Others:</strong> Dubuque Hempstead, Waterloo West, Bettendorf, Davenport West</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><strong>Players to Watch:</strong> </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='261058' first='Brynn' last='Bakula'], Cedar Falls; Paige Paup, Cedar Falls; [player_tooltip player_id='389010' first='Annistyn' last='Wedgbury'], Cedar Falls; Addison Wright, Hempstead; Alyssa Jaeger, Hempstead; Emma Boge, Hempstead; Jada Smith, Waterloo West; Danica Wrage, Waterloo West; Allyson Landers, Waterloo West; Makenna Miller, Bettendorf. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Outlook:</strong> Cedar Falls saw its streak of seven state tournament appearances in a row end last season. The Tigers have looked focused in pursuit of making it just a one-year absence with 21-3 record, which includes a win against Dowling. Hempstead is ranked 14th by the IGHSAU and Waterloo West owns a 3-0 win against Linn-Mar earlier this week. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Region 5</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Top Seed</strong>: Pleasant Valley </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Others:</strong> Dubuque Senior, Cedar Rapids Prairie, Davenport North, Davenport Central</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><strong>Players to Watch:</strong> </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='243182' first='Isabelle' last='Kremer'], Pleasant Valley; [player_tooltip player_id='508627' first='Stella' last='Smith'], Pleasant Valley; Lauren Brohm, Pleasant Valley; Brooke Sullivan, Senior; [player_tooltip player_id='389066' first='Cambel' last='Drapeau'], Senior; Sophie Link, Senior; [player_tooltip player_id='215742' first='Carly' last='Wazac'], Prairie; Ryann Decker, Prairie; [player_tooltip player_id='221340' first='Taylor' last='Ray'], Prairie; Addison Miller, North; Madison VanDerLeest, Central. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Outlook:</strong> Pleasant Valley seeks a third consecutive trip to the state title match, winning it all in '21 before falling to Liberty last fall. The fifth-ranked Spartans claim a victory against Valley, and 3-0 sweeps against Davenport North and Central in '23. Senior is ranked ninth but fell, 21-12, 21-11, to PV at last weekend's Western Dubuque Tournament. The Spartans also own a 21-10, 24-22 victory against Prairie from the Iowa City West Tournament in August. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Region 6</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Top Seed</strong>: West Des Moines Valley </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Others:</strong> Iowa City High, Muscatine, Cedar Rapids Kennedy, Cedar Rapids Washington</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><strong>Players to Watch:</strong> </strong>Elise Jaeger, Valley; [player_tooltip player_id='261075' first='Kaelyn' last='Wieland'], Valley; Finley McAndrew, Valley; [player_tooltip player_id='251664' first='Claire' last='Ernst'], City; [player_tooltip player_id='215434' first='Emmy' last='McComas'], City; Sidney Slay, City; Brylee Seaman, Muscatine; [player_tooltip player_id='489998' first='Belle' last='Seaman'], Muscatine; Avery Schroeder, Muscatine; [player_tooltip player_id='215388' first='Adalyn' last='Hermanson'], Kennedy; Kylie Johannes, Kennedy; Breanna Franklin, Washington. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Outlook:</strong> Valley looks to play at state for a second year in a row and for seventh time in the last eight seasons. The Tigers need a pair of wins against Eastern Iowa programs to do so. Their resume includes victories against Dowling, Waukee, Waukee Northwest and Ankeny but they have not faced any of the other teams in this bracket. City owns wins against currently-ranked teams in Council Bluffs Lincoln, Hempstead and Marion (4A), while Muscatine claims a 3-0 triumph against 3A No. 4 Davenport Assumption. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Region 7</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Top Seed</strong>: Johnston</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Others:</strong> Waukee, Des Moines Roosevelt, Marshalltown, Des Moines East</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><strong>Players to Watch:</strong> </strong>Jadeyn Pundt, Johnston; [player_tooltip player_id='168187' first='Ava' last='Helming'], Johnston; [player_tooltip player_id='168188' first='Josie' last='Pundt'], Johnston; [player_tooltip player_id='389061' first='Maggie' last='Craig'], Waukee; Hannah Thole, Waukee; [player_tooltip player_id='455734' first='Stella' last='Braddock'], Waukee; [player_tooltip player_id='251666' first='Asialin' last='Powell'], Roosevelt; Nani Bell, Roosevelt; Gaby Estabrook, Marshalltown; [player_tooltip player_id='455734' first='Stella' last='Braddock'], East. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Outlook:</strong> Seventh-ranked Johnston and No. 11 Waukee appear destined to meet in the Region 7 Final after Johnston swept the Warriors, 3-0, on Tuesday, their fifth win in a row in the series. The Dragons also boast victories against Valley, Xavier, Centennial and Indianola (No. 2 in 4A). Waukee also can play with the top teams as evidenced by a pair of wins against Valley. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Region 8</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Top Seed</strong>: Ankeny </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Others:</strong> Iowa City Liberty, Ottumwa, Urbandale, Council Bluffs Jefferson</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><strong>Players to Watch:</strong> </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='204533' first='Kamryn' last='Scheib'], Ankeny; [player_tooltip player_id='207016' first='Baileigh' last='Carlsen'], Ankeny; [player_tooltip player_id='215465' first='Reagan' last='Hanfelt'], Ankeny; [player_tooltip player_id='215429' first='Asta' last='Hildebrand'], Liberty; [player_tooltip player_id='497594' first='Lucy' last='Maassen'], Liberty; [player_tooltip player_id='273001' first='Ellie' last='Wilson'], Liberty; Miya Fuller, Ottumwa; Camdyn Crouse, Ottumwa; [player_tooltip player_id='493601' first='Piper' last='Ladwig'], Urbandale. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Outlook:</strong> Ankeny is after its sixth trip to state in a row and 20th appearance in the last 21 years, which is mind boggling. Waukee, Waukee Northwest, Pleasant Valley, Cedar Falls, Liberty, Johnston and Indianola all are wins on the eighth-ranked Hawks' resume. Defending state champion Liberty is 0-2 against them this year but the Lightning do have wins against Waukee, Ankeny and City. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->