Prep Dig's Elite All-State Tournament Team

CORALVILLE, Iowa - Another well-run, well-attended state tournament wrapped up Thursday here at Xtream Arena. A group of outstanding athletes competed at a high level for four days in chasing championships.   It's not easy picking an Elite All-State Tournament Team from such a fine group of performers. One has to factor in team success as well.   Here's what we came up with after watching a whole lot of volleyball this week:   CAPTAIN   [player_tooltip player_id='168149' first='Payton' last='Petersen'], '24, OH, Dike-New Hartford   The Louisville commitment went out on top as the captain of the IGHSAU Class 2A all-state team after leading the Wolverines to their third state championship during her career. She piled up 56 kills, including 20 in the title match, to go with 24 digs and 3.5 blocks in a trio of short, three-set matches here. She hit .368 in the final after posting a .422 in the semifinals. She's a joy to watch if you're a fan of the game. The Cardinals fans are going to love her.   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   [player_tooltip player_id='251674' first='Chloe' last='Jones'], '24, OH, Waukee Northwest   Jones filled a lot of roles for the first-time state champion Wolves. She stood out during six rotations and showed an incredible amount of toughness fighting through injuries. She twisted an ankle and took a few shots to the face against Dowling Catholic in the final. From a statistical standpoint, she contributed 13 kills, 11 digs and four aces in the championship match. She finished with 33 kills, 31 digs, 1.5 blocks and seven aces in the tournament.   [player_tooltip player_id='215406' first='Abbey' last='Hayes'], '25, OH, North Scott   Hayes has a strong case to be the captain of this team with her outstanding performance in leading the fourth-seeded [program_tooltip program_id='431978' first='Lancers' last=''] to their first state championship since 1985. The Creighton recruit stood out through all six rotations as she had every other time I've watched her. Her swing is mighty and her reflexes catlike quick. She piled up 17 kills (.432) with eight digs and two solo blocks in the title match. In nine sets here, she had 56 kills, 32 digs and 4.0 blocks.   Shayna Van Dyken, '24, OH, Western Christian   Van Dyken stood out on a very talented squad that won the school's 19th state championship this week. The senior showed explosion off the floor, an impressive vertical leap and big swing. She defended at the net and delivered big points when needed. She hammered 20 kills with three digs in the final. For the tournament, Van Dyken piled up 51 kills in 10 sets. Here teammate, Keana Wynja, also deserves mention here as a fellow force at the net.   [player_tooltip player_id='215385' first='Chloe' last='Meester'], '25, OH, Mount Vernon    The junior has transformed herself into a complete six-rotation player through hard work. It really showed here this week with her performance. In the final, she led all players with 25 kills and ranked second in digs (24). The Louisville commitment contributed 69 kills, 52 digs and 8.0 blocks in 11 state sets. If she takes another step forward in the next year and with the talent around her coming back at Mount Vernon, the Mustangs should be back here in '24.   [player_tooltip player_id='168150' first='Jadyn' last='Petersen'], '24, OH, Dike-New Hartford   Jadyn is overshadowed by her sister at times, but she's one of the better players in the state, too. The Northern Iowa University pledge stands out as a complete volleyball player that shines through six rotations. She can swing it from anywhere and is strong in the back row. She finished this tournament with 41 kills and 37 digs as the Wolverines swept through it in nine sets.   [player_tooltip player_id='215462' first='Katie' last='Quick'], '25, S, Ankeny Christian   Quick would succeed even at bigger schools with her complete skill set and feel for the game. Having watched her perform during club season, I was not surprised by her outstanding play here that led to her being named the captain of the IGHSAU 1A all-tournament team. The junior dished out 35 assists in the title match as the Eagles won it all for a second year in a row. She recorded 116 assists, 27 kills and 47 digs during the week.   [player_tooltip player_id='189864' first='Annalise' last='Grant'], '25, L, Dowling Catholic   Dowling came as close as ever to winning its first state championship, and Grant shined throughout the tournament. The Iowa State commitment combines sharp skills with a sound understanding of the position. She connects well with teammates. Her passes are crisp and consistent, helping keep the Maroons in system regularly. She stacked up 65 digs in three matches here this week.   [player_tooltip player_id='389079' first='Bailey' last='Boeve'], '26, OH, Hinton   I last saw Boeve during her breakout performance as a freshman at least year's state tournament. She impressed me with how she's developed her game and become physically stronger in the last 12 months. She's a complete player that swings well from anywhere on the court. Her hammer on the outside and in slide attack is powerful. She also shines in the back row with quick reflexes. She accumlated 51 kills, 14 digs and 9.0 blocks in the tournament.   [player_tooltip player_id='432373' first='Katrina' last='Pelds'], '24, OH, Waukee Northwest   Pelds was named the captain of the IGHSAU's 5A all-tournament team after shining in the final and throughout the event. She also served as the team's emotional leader on top of her well-rounded skill set complementing her teammates. She provides power on the outside and steadiness in the back row. In three matches this week, she contributed 38 kills, 36 digs and 2.5 blocks.

CORALVILLE, Iowa - Another well-run, well-attended state tournament wrapped up Thursday here at Xtream Arena. A group of outstanding athletes competed at a high level for four days in chasing championships.