Epic Battles Expected in 1A, 2A Regional Finals

Get 30% off your first billing cycle with code: howe30 in the coupon code area   <a href="https://prepdig.com/2025/10/weigh-in-wednesday-who-is-top-player-in-iowa/">Weigh-In Wednesday: Who is Top Player in Iowa?</a>   <a href="https://prepdig.com/2025/10/vote-for-the-top-freshman-in-iowa/">Vote for the Top Freshman in Iowa</a>   <a href="https://prepdig.com/2025/10/vote-iowas-top-player-in-class-of-2028/">VOTE: Iowa's Top Player in Class of 2028</a>   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   Last week, we previewed the top <a href="https://prepdig.com/2025/10/cant-miss-regional-finals-in-classes-3a-4a-5a/">regional final matchups in the state's three largest classifications</a>. We've returned for a look at the most intriguing contests in Wednesday night's Class 1A and 2A regional finals.   While the larger schools had four days between the semifinals and finals, the smaller programs get one day of preparation, along with rest and recovery. The quick turnaround can make for interesting results.   Here's a closer look at the tussles we'll be watching:   CLASS 2A   Regina Catholic vs. Sumner-Fredericksburg at Center Point-Urbana   This one should be fun. There's firepower and grittiness on both sides of the net.   They met once this season, in the semifinals of the gold bracket on Oct. 4 at the Columbus Catholic tournament. The Regals prevailed - W 2-1 (25-20, 24-26, 15-9).   Regina has won 10 of its last 11 matches, the lone setback coming against 3A Wilton in the RVC tournament. It's swept Danville and West Burlington in the regional. Iowa State commitment [player_tooltip player_id='261094' first='Reese' last='Naeve'] has pounded out 667 kills (.336) with 474 digs and 38.0 blocks. [player_tooltip player_id='403543' first='Addie' last='Bollier'], a Samford pledge, has 744 digs in 109 sets. Ella Keune, [player_tooltip player_id='837418' first='Ruby' last='Greving'] and Adalee Klein each has more than 100 kills, and Nora Wilhelm has handed out 977 assists.   The Cougars only losses since the calendar flipped to October are against Regina, fellow 1A regional finalist, Aplington-Parkersburg, and 2A championship hopefuls, Denver and Dike-New Hartford. They performed well against a tough schedule thanks to senior setter [player_tooltip player_id='389011' first='Alexa' last='Buhman'] handing out 867 assists, and her freshman sister, [player_tooltip player_id='785394' first='Hannah' last='Buhman'], piling up 363 kills (.313). [player_tooltip player_id='810229' first='Addi' last='Murray'], [player_tooltip player_id='830761' first='Callie' last='Trainor'] and [player_tooltip player_id='808653' first='Erin' last='Steege'] also have contributed greatly to the cause.   Riverside vs. Aplington-Parkersburg at Van Meter   Entertainment will be on the menu when these programs meet up. Riverside rolls into the final at 38-0, with the 199th-ranked schedule among 1A teams, according to Bound. The Falcons fly into it at 27-10 against the No. 96 slate.   With just five lost sets among their 94 played this season, the Bulldogs know how to win. Sydney Somers, Lilli Reed, Bentley Rone, [player_tooltip player_id='816473' first='Madison' last='Kelley'] and Sophia Fenner are upperclassmen providing a lot of production for Riverside.   A-P is battled tested with all but one of its 10 defeats coming against a program (Hudson) not still alive in the postseason. [player_tooltip player_id='815428' first='Kolbie' last='Wangsness'] and [player_tooltip player_id='763037' first='Adri' last='Allan'] are over the 200-kill mark for the season, while Jenzen Klooster and [player_tooltip player_id='828016' first='Zoey' last='Uhlenhopp'] also are dangerous attackers. Setter Julia Mostek and Kennedy Kalkwarf, the libero, are sound at their positions, too.   Wapsie Valley vs. Union Community at Cedar Falls   The North Iowa Cedar League East Division members will add an important chapter to their rivalry on Wednesday. Union Community holds an 11-9 edge in the series dating back to 2008, including a 3-1 triumph on Sept. 23, Wapsie Valley's senior night. It's the first meeting with a state tournament berth on the line. According to Bound, Union has played the 69th most difficult schedule this season, and the Warriors' was ranked 70th.   Knight junior [player_tooltip player_id='830328' first='Bianca' last='Grimm'] stands out all around the court with 403 kills, 297 digs and 39.0 blocks. [player_tooltip player_id='754886' first='Taylen' last='Smith'] and [player_tooltip player_id='730396' first='Caitlyn' last='Schneider'] are talented two-way players at the net. Setter [player_tooltip player_id='789782' first='Hinley' last='Mast'] and libero [player_tooltip player_id='793720' first='Emily' last='Anton'] shine at their respective spots.   [player_tooltip player_id='389936' first='Taylor' last='Buhr'] is Wapsie Valley's answer to Grimm as an all-around impactful force. She's joined by skilled and talented players in [player_tooltip player_id='844754' first='Taylor' last='Schneider'], [player_tooltip player_id='837986' first='Sawyer' last='Buhr'], [player_tooltip player_id='795202' first='Kalle' last='Voy'] and [player_tooltip player_id='776054' first='Espyn' last='Decker'].   CLASS 1A   Ankeny Christian vs. BCLUW at Nevada   To keep its four-peat dream alive, three-time defending 1A champion Ankeny Christian must go through a Comet program that it swept in the state title match last season. That's a juicy storyline.   The squads split a pair of matches at the Dunkerton tournament on Sept. 27, the Eagles winning the championship match, 2-1. Ankeny Christian took the previous three meetings in the series, including the aforementioned 2024 state championship match.   [player_tooltip player_id='807939' first='Grace' last='Farnsworth'] and [player_tooltip player_id='836706' first='Olivia' last='Peters'] are an impactful 1-2 punch on the BCLUW attack. [player_tooltip player_id='815508' first='[player_tooltip player_id='523168' first='Kylie' last='']' last='Pekarek'] (MH), Cambria Wayman (S) and [player_tooltip player_id='879803' first='Brinna' last='Benson'] (L) solidly hold down their spots.   The Eagles counter with a tough trio on the attack in the form of Ella Leever, [player_tooltip player_id='877006' first='Breeze' last='Bentz'] and [player_tooltip player_id='777812' first='Havanna' last='Dolbeare'] wielding dangerous swings. Freshman setter [player_tooltip player_id='893055' first='Avlyn' last='Davis'] is sharp as are Katelyn Weathers and Ella Bussell in the back row.   Dunkerton vs. Holy Trinity Catholic at West Liberty   This one feels like a state-tournament level match before we get to Coralville. It speaks to the depth of talent among teams in 1A. It's the first-ever meeting between these state championship hopefuls, according to Bound.   Dunkerton rolled in the regional semifinal with a straight-set victory against Edgewood-Colesburg. Senior [player_tooltip player_id='800346' first='Daisy' last='Fettkether'] and [player_tooltip player_id='493976' first='Kylee' last='Pexa'], a junior, have been dynamite as a six-rotation performers. Taylor Kipp has dominated play in the middle of the net, and [player_tooltip player_id='740538' first='Delaney' last='Toneff'] has shined at setter.   The Crusaders are led by a trio of six-rotation standouts in [player_tooltip player_id='320104' first='Presley' last='Myers'], [player_tooltip player_id='493659' first='Adalyn' last='Kruse'] and Olivia Bendlage. Setters Elizabeth Griffin and Calli Kruse work well in the 6-2.   Gladbrook-Reinbeck vs. Springville at Benton   Another interesting pairing in a regional final features programs not very familiar with each other. Springville owns a 1-0 series lead with a 3-1 victory in a 1A state quarterfinal match in 2021. There's also a tie on the ledger from a canceled competition the year before that.   Gladbrook-Reinbeck receives a lot of power on the attack from seniors [player_tooltip player_id='815251' first='Kennedy' last='Brant'] and [player_tooltip player_id='805369' first='Elly' last='Sieh']. They're also impactful defenders at the net and in the back row. Kailey Larsen is precise at setter, and [player_tooltip player_id='794678' first='Jada' last='Cheville'] and [player_tooltip player_id='830508' first='Brinn' last='Schneider'] chip in with their swings.   South Dakota basketball commitment [player_tooltip player_id='827713' first='Rowan' last='Jacobi'] barrels into the final with more than 500 kills for Springville in 2025. She also has 225 digs and 94.0 blocks. She receives plenty of help from Tayten Trail, Kendall Pitcher, Lexi Dietiker, Kalleigh Greene, [player_tooltip player_id='801587' first='Ella' last='Hoge'] and Madison Williams.   St. Albert vs. East Mills at Glenwood   One of these teams (East Mills) has almost twice as many wins as the other one and about a third of the losses. Don't be fooled by those marks. It should be a competitive contest as it was on Sept. 25, a 3-1 East Mills victory.   St. Albert won the first set in that one before the Wolverines bounce back to take sets two and three by three and four points, respectively. East Mills closed it out with a wild 28-26, fourth-set triumph.   The Wolverines are led by [player_tooltip player_id='892479' first='Loycee' last='Palmer'], who enters the final pacing the squad in kills and digs. [player_tooltip player_id='811382' first='Ava' last='Grindle'], [player_tooltip player_id='801627' first='Ellie' last='Hagen'] and Brooke Jones all are over 100 kills on the campaign, and Ruby Hastie ranks second on the team in digs.   Saintes junior Brooklynn Rutledge is over 300 kills for the season, and classmate [player_tooltip player_id='806855' first='Naomi' last='Sherrill'] is beyond 200. [player_tooltip player_id='819160' first='Sophia' last='Denton'] contributed as a two-way player at the net, [player_tooltip player_id='794117' first='Grace' last='Christensen'] is solid in the back row, and setter Molly Wise is steady.

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