Scouting Reports: Valley-City 5A Regional Final

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>WEST DES MOINES, Iowa - </strong>Eighth-ranked West Des Moines Valley played host to No. 11 Iowa City High Tuesday night in the Class 5A Regional Final here at Coldiron Fieldhouse. The home team prevailed, 3-1, advancing to its second consecutive state tournament and reaching it for the seventh time in the last eight seasons. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Tigers move to 19-15 and advance to play rival West Des Moines Dowling, the top seed, in the first round of the 5A state tournament at noon on Monday. The Little Hawks finish their season at 23-10. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here's are scouting reports on players who stood out in this match: </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":471174,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Elise Jaeger","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'0u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"32924","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"West Des Moines Valley ","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"The senior is an imposing, two-way presence at the net. Her experience helps her maximize her advanced skills. She leads the Tigers in kills and blocks. Jaeger succeeds with a powerful swing and explosive athleticism. She shows good time in hitting and blocking. No doubt Jaeger could play college volleyball. Instead, she's committed to Northern Iowa for basketball.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["261075"],"_player_evaluations_1_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_1_player_featured_image":471175,"_player_evaluations_1_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"One of the top sophomores in the state, Wieland stands out as a six-rotation player capable of delivering highlight-reel plays from everywhere on the court. I watched her play at regionals in the spring, and she's advanced her all-around game noticeably since then. She's a strong outside hitter. Wieland also sets, and defends the back row and net really well.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["261067"],"_player_evaluations_2_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_2_player_featured_image":471186,"_player_evaluations_2_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"McAndrew keeps the Valley operation moving smoothly, reading passes well, settling into position and setting up her hitters. The senior contributes in other ways as well. She ranks among the team leaders in digs and has more than 100 kills. The New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) recruit can defend in the back row and at the net.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["261062"],"_player_evaluations_3_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_3_player_featured_image":471192,"_player_evaluations_3_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"Schnicker excels in the back row like most good liberos. The senior utilizes quick reflexes, lateral quickness and a good feel for the game. She can relax incoming pace and produce usable passes. Schnicker has more than 600 digs during the last two seasons. She's a steady performer that could help a college program.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_player_details_selected_featured_image":471205,"_player_evaluations_4_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_4_player_details_player_name":"Ashlee Brown","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_4_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_4_player_details_height":"5'9u0022","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_4_player_details_position":"32924","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_4_player_details_school":"West Des Moines Valley ","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_4_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_4_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_4_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"The 10th-grader impressed from the standpoint of playing well in a big moment. She shows potential in the middle and on the right side as a two-way player. She's an agile, quick athlete with a fluid swing. She'll add more power and strength, making her one to watch at the state tournament and throughout the next two seasons.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_5_player_details_selected_featured_image":471221,"_player_evaluations_5_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_5_player_details_player_name":"Thia Raridon","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_5_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_5_player_details_height":"5'7u0022","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_5_player_details_position":"32564","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_5_player_details_school":"West Des Moines Valley ","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_5_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_5_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_5_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"Sharing a surname well-known in history of Valley athletics, Raridon looks poised to add to the legacy. The Tigers also boast a strong foundation with her, Brown and Wieland all just sophomores. Raridon ranks third on the team in the kills, behind Jaeger and Wieland, and is third to Jaeger and Brown in blocks. Raridon is a safe bet to grow from the state experience and take on an even bigger role next season.","_player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_6_player":["251659"],"_player_evaluations_6_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_6_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_6_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_6_player_featured_image":452048,"_player_evaluations_6_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"It was by no means Ernst's best performance, which hurts when you miss out on your last chance at state. I've written reports on most of the City players this season, which is why I focused this write-up mostly on the Tigers. I wanted to include Ernst one more time, however. The Oakland commit was one of the state's top players this season and should receive plenty of postseason recognition in helping get the Little Hawks back into the rankings. And she went down swinging.","_player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":7,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65395f52492a9"} /-->