15U Iowa Regional Qualifier Roundup: Premier Rolls to Title

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>WEST DES MOINES - </strong>Iowa Premier 15-1 entered this weekend's Iowa Regional Qualifier as the team to beat. Turned out, nobody could do it. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A formidable PowerPlex Jackson team pushed this impressive outfit in Sunday's championship match before falling 25-18, 25-23. Premier won all 14 sets it played here at The RecPlex. If that sounds impressive, it's because it was just that. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='560368' first='Elle' last='Hatlevig'] shined through six rotations. The top 2028 in the state, she does most of her damage at the pin with explosive athleticism and a hammer on the attack. If that weren't enough, the Norwalk freshman defends at the net and doesn't give much away in the back row. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Iowa has had a strong recent history of producing top talent for the next level. Hatlevig has all the potential to be a big-time recruit. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>She has a lot of help on this team. [player_tooltip player_id='545971' first='Avery' last='Cordes'] is one of the best opposite pins in the state already with an incredibly high ceiling. She resembles Hatlevig in being explosive off the floor and having a mighty swing. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Cordes helped a young Waukee Northwest team reach the Class 5A championship match again last season. She's taken another big step forward this club season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='730419' first='Hailey' last='Wiederin'] gives opponents little relief when Hatlevig rotates away from the pin. The Ankeny ninth-grader can jump out of the gym and put the ball down with power. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>At setter, [player_tooltip player_id='545946' first='Addison' last='Waldorf'] is sharp and precise. She's in charge and moves smoothly around traffic. Waldorf can swing on you, dig it up and defend the net. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='702737' first='Alena' last='Schaack'] and Meryl Sandholm are a mighty duo in the middle. They bring quickness and agility to the position. They're versatile enough to play at the pin, too. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Like Hatlevig, libero Reese Heim attends Norwalk. Heim possesses the traits coaches seek at the position. Her reflexes are sharp, and she reads the ball well. Madison Messerly complements Heim as a reliable defensive specialist. [player_tooltip player_id='498069' first='Kaelyn' last='Rinehart'] and [player_tooltip player_id='493974' first='Hadley' last='Michael'] provide quality depth for this team. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of the most obvious aspects of this Premier team is that it's well coached. The student-athletes are technically sound and don't beat themselves. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>PowerPlex looked sharp at last weekend's Northern Lights Qualifier (NLQ) in Minneapolis. It followed up that performance as the runner-up here. In many years, it would've been good enough to win it. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='730423' first='Harper' last='Rus'] continues to impress as a six-rotation contributor. When she's elsewhere, [player_tooltip player_id='732859' first='Elle' last='Isaacson'] steps up to the pin with a whip swing and long arms to defend the net. [player_tooltip player_id='729146' first='Anna' last='Jackson'] continues her steadiness at libero, and [player_tooltip player_id='763850' first='Gianna' last='Stanfel'] impresses with her versatility. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Impact grabbed third place this weekend after a successful trip to the NLQ. This squad is solid and continues to improve. [player_tooltip player_id='762174' first='Addison' last='Matlock'] stands out at libero, [player_tooltip player_id='612179' first='Olivia' last='Grubbs'] does the same at setter, and [player_tooltip player_id='754572' first='Mia' last='German'] and [player_tooltip player_id='536274' first='Ryan' last='Connolly'] are impressive all-around volleyballers. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>CIA finished fourth after winning its first five matches at the regional. Setter [player_tooltip player_id='755663' first='Adeana' last='Murch'] impacts the match in multiple ways and commands the court. Jenna Blythe can put the ball down from anywhere along the net, and [player_tooltip player_id='775057' first='Anna' last='Embretson'] and [player_tooltip player_id='764299' first='Kenley' last='Mather'] provide more power at the pins. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->