Previewing 1A, 2A, 3A State Volleyball Tournaments

The state tournament gets underway with action in Classes 4A and 5A Monday at Xtream Arena in Coralville. The three smaller groups follow with first-round matches on Tuesday.   You can read tournament previews for 5A <a href="https://prepdig.com/2023/10/previewing-class-5a-state-tournament/">HERE</a> and 4A <a href="https://prepdig.com/2023/10/previewing-class-4a-state-tournament/">HERE</a>. Now, let's take a look at the brackets in 1A, 2A and 3A:   CLASS 3A   Defending Champ: Davenport Assumption   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; Shayna Van Dyken, Western Christian; Keana Wynja, Western Christian; Haley Wieleng, Western Christian; [player_tooltip player_id='168160' first='Gabby' last='Lombardi'], Des Moines Christian; [player_tooltip player_id='203590' first='Hadley' last='Hardersen'], Des Moines Christian; Finley Schelhass, Des Moines Christian; Gracie Klima, Union; [player_tooltip player_id='508642' first='Avery' last='Knoop'], Union; Dena Robb, Union; [player_tooltip player_id='251630' first='Maggie' last='Johnson'], Assumption; [player_tooltip player_id='230661' first='Ellah' last='Derrer'], Assumption; [player_tooltip player_id='215761' first='Ellie' last='Schubert'], Assumption; [player_tooltip player_id='215389' first='Sydney' last='Maue'], Center Point-Urbana; [player_tooltip player_id='242669' first='Gracie' last='Hoskins'], Center Point-Urbana; [player_tooltip player_id='251663' first='Jada' last='Timmerman'], Cherokee Washington; [player_tooltip player_id='493953' first='Deidra' last='Doeden'], Cherokee Washington; [player_tooltip player_id='215405' first='Audrey' last='Tschiggfrie'], Dubuque Wahlert; [player_tooltip player_id='437486' first='Olivia' last='Donovan'], Dubuque Wahlert.   Top 4: 1. Mount Vernon (33-4); 2. Cherokee Washington (29-6); 3. Hull Western Christian (29-13); 4. Assumption (27-7)   Dark Horse: Des Moines Christian   Notes: Washington outlasted Western Christian, 3-2, earlier this month in Cherokee after the Wolfpack took a 2-0 decision earlier in the season...Mount Vernon and Assumption have not played any of the other top four seeds in '23...Western won the 2A title last year.   Outlook: 3A might be the most intriguing class heading into the tournament. Mount Vernon deserves the top seed with its strong performance against a challenging schedule...Washington's split with Western adds intrigue to their potential semifinal matchup...Assumption enjoys championship experience in Johnson, Derrer, Schubert and others.   CLASS 2A   Defending Champ: Western Christian   Players to Watch: [player_tooltip player_id='168149' first='Payton' last='Petersen'], Dike-New Hartford; [player_tooltip player_id='168150' first='Jadyn' last='Petersen'], Dike-New Hartford; [player_tooltip player_id='455738' first='Addy' last='Joslin'], Dike-New Hartford; [player_tooltip player_id='251662' first='Maryn' last='Bixby'], Dike-New Hartford;[player_tooltip player_id='168171' first='Ellery' last='Luhring'], Grundy Center; Lucy Lebo, Grundy Center; [player_tooltip player_id='168170' first='Carlie' last='Willis'], Grundy Center; [player_tooltip player_id='389079' first='Bailey' last='Boeve'], Hinton; [player_tooltip player_id='168168' first='Ashlyn' last='Kovarna'], Hinton; [player_tooltip player_id='168174' first='Jessica' last='Gergen'], Denver; [player_tooltip player_id='389012' first='Channing' last='Johnson'], Denver; [player_tooltip player_id='499853' first='Kaylie' last='Simons'], Carroll Kuemper; [player_tooltip player_id='168172' first='Isabelle' last='Elliott'], Sumner-Fredericksburg; [player_tooltip player_id='389011' first='Alexa' last='Buhman'], Sumner-Fredericksburg; [player_tooltip player_id='215426' first='Molly' last='Shafer'], Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont; [player_tooltip player_id='216055' first='Kate' last='Shafer'], Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont; [player_tooltip player_id='168175' first='Kinsey' last='Mohwinkle'], Aplington-Parkersburg; [player_tooltip player_id='215411' first='Peyton' last='Klooster'], Aplington-Parkersburg.   Top 4: 1. Dike-New Hartford (47-0); 2. Hinton (30-1); 3. Grundy Center (37-7); 4. Denver (34-10)   Dark Horse: Anybody other than DNH   Notes: Dike-New Hartford topped Hinton, 3-0, in last year's state semifinals...DNH won state titles in '20 and '21 before finishing as the runner-up last year...Aplington-Parkersburg ('05) and Kuemper Catholic ('18 in 3A) are the other teams in this field with state titles.   Outlook: With Western up at 3A, Dike-New Hartford is a heavy favorite to win 2A. The Wolverines have yet to lose a set this season. They defeated Denver four times in '23 and Aplington-Parkersburg once.   CLASS 1A   Defending Champ: Ankeny Christian   Players to Watch: [player_tooltip player_id='215463' first='Carley' last='Craighead'], Ankeny Christian; [player_tooltip player_id='215462' first='Katie' last='Quick'], Ankeny Christian; [player_tooltip player_id='217124' first='Anna' last='Weathers'], Ankeny Christian; [player_tooltip player_id='493940' first='Elsie' last='Hoegh'], Boyden-Hull; [player_tooltip player_id='117628' first='Clara' last='Hoegh'], Boyden-Hull; Dennie Boogerd, Boyden-Hull; Addison Schares; Don Bosco; Kennedi McGarvey, Don Bosco; Alexis Even, Don Bosco; [player_tooltip player_id='320104' first='Presley' last='Myers'], Holy Trinity; [player_tooltip player_id='251668' first='Mary' last='Kate Bendlage'], Holy Trinity; Teagan Snaadt, Holy Trinity; Sydney Anderson, BCLUW; Callie Swanson, BCLUW; Aspen Falk, Saint Ansgar; Kinsey Anderson, Saint Ansgar; [player_tooltip player_id='508666' first='Ellie' last='Monahan'], St. Albert; Isabel Bartek, Newell-Fonda.   Top 4: 1. Ankeny Christian (36-3); 2. Boyden-Hull (21-11); 3. Holy Trinity Catholic (31-10); 4. BCLUW (34-10)   Dark Horse: Don Bosco   Notes: Ankeny Christian returns to state for the third year in a row, winning it all in '22. The Eagles lost twice to 2A No. 3 Grundy Center (twice) and 2A Denver...Holy Trinity ('14) is the only other program in this field with a state championship.   Outlook: None of the other teams in this bracket have played against Ankeny Christian, which faces mostly larger schools...Holy Trinity also has tackled a difficult slate and reached the state tournament last year as did Don Bosco, which lost to Ankeny Christian in the first round.

The state tournament gets underway with action in Classes 4A and 5A Monday at Xtream Arena in Coralville. The three smaller groups follow with first-round matches on Tuesday.