Regionals Week for 16-18Us is Upon Us

Where did the time go, specifically the last two months? Believe it or not, the Iowa Regional Qualifying Tournament for 16-18U goes down this weekend in Wes Des Moines. Champions in each age group qualify for the national tournament if they haven't done so already.   You guys know all that. You're volleyball fans. You feel the excitement building.   To help get you ready for the first weekend of regionals, let's take a closer look at each age group:   18U   Always a fun event for a group comprised mostly of seniors. Many of them have committed to colleges and are playing their best volleyball without care about their futures.   Pool play is a marathon. There are three pools of five teams jockeying for position in Sunday's three brackets. Gold is the goal.   Six Pack enters the fray as the favorite. Sisters [player_tooltip player_id='168149' first='Payton' last='Petersen'] and [player_tooltip player_id='168150' first='Jadyn' last='Petersen'] along with [player_tooltip player_id='251662' first='Maryn' last='Bixby'] led Dike-New Hartford to its fourth consecutive state basketball championship last week. They quickly turned their focus to this weekend with help from fellow Division I signees [player_tooltip player_id='168160' first='Gabby' last='Lombardi'], [player_tooltip player_id='168172' first='Isabelle' last='Elliott'] and [player_tooltip player_id='168176' first='Emma' last='Stammeyer'].   Rockets will bring a strong squad to West Des Moines. Drake commitment [player_tooltip player_id='168155' first='Bliss' last='Beck'] and [player_tooltip player_id='432378' first='Sam' last='Schrage'] just helped Clear Creek Amana win a state hoops title. They'll have help from D-I bound [player_tooltip player_id='251664' first='Claire' last='Ernst'] and Melae Lacy as well as libero, [player_tooltip player_id='168156' first='Meg' last='Berkland'], one of the state's top available seniors.   CIA Black is a formidable outfit as well. [player_tooltip player_id='393706' first='Keely' last='Collins'] will join Beck at Drake. [player_tooltip player_id='224152' first='Xada' last='Johnson'], [player_tooltip player_id='168171' first='Ellery' last='Luhring'] and [player_tooltip player_id='168170' first='Carlie' last='Willis'] are signed with D-II programs.   Select Mizuno features Illinois State pledge [player_tooltip player_id='251673' first='Sydney' last='Skarich'] and [player_tooltip player_id='168199' first='Maggie' last='Johnson'], who is headed to UM-St. Louis, along with fellow college signees Rachel Bowers, [player_tooltip player_id='206931' first='Kaci' last='Johnson'], Emma Whitcomb and [player_tooltip player_id='168197' first='Mia' last='Tubbs']. [player_tooltip player_id='261090' first='Paige' last='Foltz'], [player_tooltip player_id='168180' first='Natalee' last='Hartman'], Jenna Lewis, Sophia Paulsen and [player_tooltip player_id='447490' first='Carlee' last='Webber'] stand out for Adrenaline Deb/Brooke. CR Surge boasts [player_tooltip player_id='206559' first='Ava' last='Czarnecki'] (Southern Illinois), [player_tooltip player_id='508642' first='Avery' last='Knoop'], Emersyn Secora, Gracen Klima, Piper Nelson and [player_tooltip player_id='215394' first='Carissa' last='Timmerman'] ('25).   17U   A loaded age group, 17U sets up with six pools and 23 total teams. After pool play, there are crossover brackets on Saturday. Sunday brings challenge brackets followed by gold and silver brackets. That's a lot of volleyball.   Adrenaline Ben looks like the favorite on paper but could be pushed by some other outstanding teams. Six Pack, PowerPlex Mendieta, Impact, Rockets, IPVA Black and Select Mizuno represent the main challengers.   Louisville commitment [player_tooltip player_id='215385' first='Chloe' last='Meester'] headlines Adrenaline Ben. The Mount Vernon high standout receives plenty of help from twins and Northern Iowa pledges, Kate and [player_tooltip player_id='215426' first='Molly' last='Shafer'], [player_tooltip player_id='215389' first='Sydney' last='Maue'] (Arkansas), [player_tooltip player_id='215395' first='Dakota' last='Mitchell'] (North Texas), [player_tooltip player_id='215410' first='Kate' last='Passmore'] (uncommitted) and others. When this team is clicking, the opposition is in trouble.   I'm interested to get another look at a PowerPlex Mendieta squad that still was gelling when I saw them in Cedar Falls early in the season. [player_tooltip player_id='215462' first='Katie' last='Quick'] (Drake), [player_tooltip player_id='215465' first='Reagan' last='Hanfelt'] (Iowa State), [player_tooltip player_id='215464' first='Delaney' last='Miller'] (uncommitted), [player_tooltip player_id='215469' first='Maci' last='Lerseth'] (uncommitted) and [player_tooltip player_id='215470' first='Camryn' last='Overton'] (uncommitted) help form the foundation of a deep, talented roster.   Six Pack is powered by Creighton commitment and six-rotation standout, [player_tooltip player_id='215406' first='Abbey' last='Hayes']. [player_tooltip player_id='189864' first='Annalise' last='Grant'] (Iowa State), [player_tooltip player_id='215742' first='Carly' last='Wazac'] (Wichita St.), [player_tooltip player_id='215412' first='Ella' last='Rogers'] (uncommitted), [player_tooltip player_id='215408' first='Grace' last='Hannam'] (uncommitted) and others join Hayes in making this a dangerous outfit. [player_tooltip player_id='215429' first='Asta' last='Hildebrand'], [player_tooltip player_id='215435' first='Grace' last='Erwin'], [player_tooltip player_id='215434' first='Emmy' last='McComas'], [player_tooltip player_id='215430' first='Yasmine' last='Sell'] and Sophie Buysse team up with sounds lineup , making the Rockets a well-oiled machine.   [player_tooltip player_id='508928' first='Landry' last='Glasgow'], [player_tooltip player_id='204525' first='Kamryn' last='Scheib'], [player_tooltip player_id='215752' first='Olivia' last='Eike'] and their teammates provide Impact with high hopes. [player_tooltip player_id='215760' first='Gabriella' last='Ragins'], [player_tooltip player_id='215761' first='Ellie' last='Schubert'], Addison Wright, [player_tooltip player_id='179121' first='Adalyn' last='Galbraith'] and others make Select a solid team. [player_tooltip player_id='215732' first='Sydney' last='Brandmeyer'], [player_tooltip player_id='215748' first='Dakota' last='Hendricks'], Ava Adams and Carly Olson help provide high hopes for IPVA.   16U   The 16U division features 21 teams spread throughout six pools. They will compete on Day 1 for gold challenge bracket position in Sunday's Round 2. That's followed by gold and silver brackets. It's a guantlet.   This group might be the most wide open this weekend. Six Pack, Rockets, Adrenaline Doug and PowerPlex Mendoza come into the event with legitimate opportunities to win it all.   [player_tooltip player_id='261058' first='Brynn' last='Bakula'], Mya McCoy, [player_tooltip player_id='389010' first='Annistyn' last='Wedgbury'], Bailey and [player_tooltip player_id='389009' first='Grace' last='Mullihan']<a href="https://prepdig.com/player/grace-mullihan/"></a> , [player_tooltip player_id='552867' first='Allison' last='Koch'] and [player_tooltip player_id='389011' first='Alexa' last='Buhman']<a href="https://prepdig.com/player/alexa-buhman/"></a> contribute to making Six Pack a contender. If [player_tooltip player_id='389014' first='Abby' last='Jensen']<a href="https://prepdig.com/player/abby-jensen/"></a> returns from a leg injury, that's another top weapon in the fold.   Adrenaline Doug is enjoying a solid season, one that included a second-place finish playing up with 17U at the UNI-Dome Challenge early last month. [player_tooltip player_id='320104' first='Presley' last='Myers'], [player_tooltip player_id='389066' first='Cambel' last='Drapeau'], [player_tooltip player_id='389071' first='Harper' last='Pacha'], Paycee Sorgenfrey, [player_tooltip player_id='215390' first='Jovi' last='Evans'], [player_tooltip player_id='447581' first='Grace' last='Knock'], [player_tooltip player_id='389069' first='Sophie' last='Sander'] and [player_tooltip player_id='517585' first='Sariah' last='Sherman'] should have this group in contention for the gold medals.   [player_tooltip player_id='261094' first='Reese' last='Naeve'], [player_tooltip player_id='243182' first='Isabelle' last='Kremer'] and [player_tooltip player_id='508627' first='Stella' last='Smith'] headline a Rockets outfit capable of taking the top prize. [player_tooltip player_id='243457' first='Emily' last='Henderson'], [player_tooltip player_id='455710' first='Kiley' last='Devery'] and [player_tooltip player_id='448350' first='Jozie' last='Lahr'] are other playmakers on this squad.   Do not sleep on PowerPlex Mendoza. [player_tooltip player_id='261088' first='Mya' last='Lei-Butters'] stands out as one of the state's better liberos. [player_tooltip player_id='215427' first='Ava' last='Groeteke'] is a rising pin prospect with excellent potential. Kaelyn Weiland ranks among the state's top six-rotation performers. [player_tooltip player_id='500340' first='Kaylie' last='Klein'], [player_tooltip player_id='443093' first='Maya' last='Ridgeway'] and [player_tooltip player_id='490001' first='Elizabeth' last='Greenfield'] help add juice to a strong, versatile roster.

Where did the time go, specifically the last two months? Believe it or not, the Iowa Regional Qualifying Tournament for 16-18U goes down this weekend in Wes Des Moines. Champions in each age group qualify for the national tournament if they haven't done so already.