Catching Up with the Latest Iowa Club Accounts

It's hard to believe that the first two months of the club season are in our rearview mirror. March this coming weekend. That means regionals are only a few weeks away.   I've seen quite a few clubs in person. Most ages groups have multiple teams that have shown potential to be called the best in Iowa.   Sunday's Iowa Impact Tournament in Ankeny featured a wild ride in the 16U division with Six Pack being the last one standing. It topped Iowa United with a 15-11 triumph in Set 3. It took Six Pack three sets to top Impact in the semifinals.   The Six Pack roster is headlined by Waukee sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='443092' first='Malia' last='Rogers'], an all-stater. Piper Smith (Cedar Falls), [player_tooltip player_id='490006' first='Harley' last='Askelsen']<a href="https://prepdig.com/player/harley-askelsen/"></a> (Ballard), [player_tooltip player_id='758775' first='Kenley' last='Johnson'] (Aplington-Parkersburg), Taylen Smith (Union), [player_tooltip player_id='746258' first='Adelynn' last='Goodell'] (Humboldt) [player_tooltip player_id='539667' first='Kendall' last='Works']<a href="https://prepdig.com/player/kendall-works/"></a> (Humboldt), [player_tooltip player_id='493603' first='Miley' last='Geise']<a href="https://prepdig.com/player/miley-geise/"></a> (Roland-Story), [player_tooltip player_id='569671' first='Logan' last='Ramstack']<a href="https://prepdig.com/player/logan-ramstack/"></a> (Bettendorf) and [player_tooltip player_id='555692' first='Gabrielle' last='Demmer']<a href="https://prepdig.com/player/gabrielle-demmer/"></a> (Western Dubuque) round out a sound lineup.   Sunday was a good lesson in the rankings being flawed. United entered the competition at 26th nationally, according to USVA. Six Pack was unranked.   Much movement has taken place in recent years with the addition of United and Impact, both League One Volleyball (LOVB) clubs. It's spread out the talent and made it more competitive around the state.   If we start with the 14U age group, which consists mostly of eighth-graders, United is a heavy favorite. It boasts a high school all-conference player in Iowa City West freshman middle [player_tooltip player_id='697463' first='Audrey' last='Small'] along with fellow ninth-grader Cyan Blommer, an advanced outside hitter for this division. [player_tooltip player_id='750513' first='Caylee' last='Jensen'] (MH, North Cedar) and Zane Ehler (S, Tipton) stand out as two of Iowa's best players entering high school in the fall.   Select 14 Mizuno with Dillynn Moore, Jaeci Leffel, [player_tooltip player_id='741877' first='Tenley' last='Cewe']<a href="https://prepdig.com/player/tenley-cewe/"></a> and [player_tooltip player_id='523167' first='Natalie' last='']<a href="https://prepdig.com/player/[player_tooltip player_id='523167' first='Natalie' last='']/"></a> DePoorter is formable as are Stella Zmolek, Brynlee Asche, Chloe Degroo, [player_tooltip player_id='523167' first='Natalie' last='']<a href="https://prepdig.com/player/[player_tooltip player_id='523167' first='Natalie' last='']/"></a> Rausch and company on CIA. However, they will need to be at the top of their game against United if an upset is to happen.   The 15U through 18U Divisions appear more wide open. Opportunite awaits teams that participating in the Iowa regional.   The 15U squads, mostly made up of current freshmen, contain several candidates that can claim superiority. Many of these student-athletes are much improved since last club season.   Rockets 15R looked solid during in-person scouting at the Nike President's Day Class in St. Louis. [player_tooltip player_id='730426' first='Hazel' last='Schluckebier'] showed, once again, why she's one of the state's top young setters. Julia Settles, daughter of former Iowa Hawkeye hooper Jess Settles, has played up and played well. Charleigh Whitford performed at a high level, too.   Select Mizuno showed well when I watched its home tournament back in early January. [player_tooltip player_id='694203' first='Belle' last='Cotton'] continued proving she's one of the state's most well-rounded performers.   United 15-1 Elite has challenged itself with a tough schedule, including the MLK at Bluhawk tournament and Triple Crown. [player_tooltip player_id='516002' first='Julia' last='Schlarbaum'], [player_tooltip player_id='775157' first='Jeorgia' last='Evans'], [player_tooltip player_id='730470' first='Maddie' last='Ireland'], [player_tooltip player_id='540833' first='Izzie' last='McDonald'], Josie Austen and others stood out at MLK in Overland Park, KS.   Impact won its own tournament on Sunday, knocking off Platform Adidas in a three-set thriller for the championship. Setter [player_tooltip player_id='612179' first='Olivia' last='Grubbs'] produced 225 assists and 102 digs as a Valley freshman in '24, while classmate [player_tooltip player_id='536274' first='Ryan' last='Connolly'] delivered 82 kills, 57 digs and 10.0 blocks for the Tigers.   RVA 15 Naples should not be slept on. [player_tooltip player_id='498752' first='Allie' last='Ruddy'] came up with 212 digs as a freshman on Waukee's state tournament team. Dowling's <a href="https://www.gobound.com/ia/ighsau/vb/2024-25/dowling/v/athletes/h202408150459118995037a6c2044b4f">[player_tooltip player_id='775202' first='Kennedy' last='Klein']</a> and <a href="https://sportsrecruits.com/athlete/caroline_crane3">[player_tooltip player_id='730098' first='Caroline' last='Crane']</a> saw time as ninth-graders on varsity last season.   As mentioned above in this story, Six Pack, United and Impact are challengers for 16U supremacy. So, too, is Select Mizuno, which I <a href="https://prepdig.com/2025/01/recapping-quad-cities-showdown/">caught live in January</a>. [player_tooltip player_id='490015' first='Mazie' last='Sweers'] is enjoying a strong club season after missing the end of her high school campaign with a lower leg injury.   They'll all be contending with a <a href="https://prepdig.com/2025/01/2025-club-team-spotlights-powerplex-16-brogean/">loaded Powerplex outfit</a> that includes [player_tooltip player_id='493973' first='Gwen' last='Farley'], [player_tooltip player_id='490013' first='Logan' last='Vogt'], [player_tooltip player_id='493601' first='Piper' last='Ladwig'], [player_tooltip player_id='490011' first='Leah' last='Janulewicz'], [player_tooltip player_id='394331' first='Maggie' last='Leifker'] and others. The group has a 6-2 performance in its matches at Triple Crown on which to build.   In the 17U division, I've scouted Select Mizuno in two tournaments this season. [player_tooltip player_id='230661' first='Ellah' last='Derrer'], McKenzie Moeller, [player_tooltip player_id='389006' first='Carsyn' last='Kelley'] and company proved it should be ranked among the state's best with a strong showing in St. Louis.   Six Pack 17s beat Select in the semifinals of the Quad Cities Showdown, taking the third set, 15-13. [player_tooltip player_id='215742' first='Carly' last='Wazac'], [player_tooltip player_id='389014' first='Abby' last='Jensen'], [player_tooltip player_id='261058' first='Brynn' last='Bakula'], Bailey and [player_tooltip player_id='389009' first='Grace' last='Mullihan'], [player_tooltip player_id='389010' first='Annistyn' last='Wedgbury'] and others looked like a team capable of doing damage if it gels.   I caught Rockets 17R in St. Louis without its top player, Reece Naeve, who should return from injury soon. This squad still performed soundly with [player_tooltip player_id='508627' first='Stella' last='Smith'], [player_tooltip player_id='329851' first='Macie' last='Lupkes'], [player_tooltip player_id='373682' first='Kennedey' last='Whitford'], [player_tooltip player_id='243457' first='Emily' last='Henderson'], [player_tooltip player_id='474884' first='Peyton' last='Nagle'], [player_tooltip player_id='261085' first='Maren' last='Ouellette'] and gang.   Iowa United 17-1 Elite has improved improved as the season has advanced. Tyra Jones and [player_tooltip player_id='261093' first='Reagan' last='Schulte'] have played leads roles in that success.   Powerplex 17U-Wieland is headlined by Valley's [player_tooltip player_id='261075' first='Kaelyn' last='Wieland'], one of the state's best and most versatile setters. She gets plenty of help from libero [player_tooltip player_id='261088' first='Mya' last='Lei-Butters'], middle Ava Goeteke, outside [player_tooltip player_id='443093' first='Maya' last='Ridgeway'] and others.

It's hard to believe that the first two months of the club season are in our rearview mirror. March this coming weekend. That means regionals are only a few weeks away.