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

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>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. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>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: </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>CLASS 3A</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Defending Champ: </strong>Davenport Assumption </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Players</strong> <strong>to Watch</strong>: [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. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Top 4:</strong> 1. Mount Vernon (33-4); 2. Cherokee Washington (29-6); 3. Hull Western Christian (29-13); 4. Assumption (27-7)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Dark Horse: </strong>Des Moines Christian </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Notes: </strong>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.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Outlook: </strong>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. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>CLASS 2A</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Defending Champ: </strong>Western Christian </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Players</strong> <strong>to Watch:</strong> [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.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Top 4:</strong> 1. Dike-New Hartford (47-0); 2. Hinton (30-1); 3. Grundy Center (37-7); 4. Denver (34-10)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Dark Horse: </strong>Anybody other than DNH</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Notes:</strong> 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. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Outlook:</strong> 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. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>CLASS 1A</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Defending Champ: </strong>Ankeny Christian</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Players</strong> <strong>to Watch:</strong> [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. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Top 4:</strong> 1. Ankeny Christian (36-3); 2. Boyden-Hull (21-11); 3. Holy Trinity Catholic (31-10); 4. BCLUW (34-10)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Dark Horse: </strong>Don Bosco</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Notes:</strong> 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. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Outlook:</strong> 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. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->