Previewing, Predicting 3A State Tournament 2024

Perhaps no school is a bigger favorite to win a title this year than Mount Vernon. The Mustangs can make a strong case for being the top squad in the state this season, regardless of class.   Defending champion Western Christian isn't ready to relinquish the crown without a fight. West Delaware, Wahlert and others are capable of creating chaos as well.   Let's take a closer look at the 3A field:   No. 1 Seed - Mount Vernon (42-4)   Key Players: [player_tooltip player_id='488579' first='Mavrik' last='Schweer'] (200 digs); CaliAna Whitaker (143 kills, .331, 86.0 blocks); [player_tooltip player_id='508657' first='Paige' last='Schurbon'] (191 kills, .343, 55.0 blocks); Eryn Jackson (412 digs, 70 assists); [player_tooltip player_id='215389' first='Sydney' last='Maue'] (319 kills, .443, 168 digs, 53.0 blocks); [player_tooltip player_id='215387' first='Sydney' last='Huber'] (1,196 assists, 58 kills, .529, 92 digs, 28.0 blocks); [player_tooltip player_id='215385' first='Chloe' last='Meester'] (534 kills, .467, 214 digs, 24.0 blocks); [player_tooltip player_id='555712' first='Sophia' last='Meester'] (182 kills, .243).   Season Recap: Mount Vernon's two losses against state competition came against 5A No. 1 Pleasant Valley and 2A No. 4 Dike-New Hartford. The Mustangs are 4-0 against teams in this 3A field, including two win against West Delaware, and victories versus Mid-Prairie, Tuesday's opponent, and Assumption. They also own victories against 4A state qualifiers, Pella, Glenwood and North Scott, and out-of-state triumphs against Nebraska's Millard West, Millard South, Elkhorn North and Gretna.   No. 2 Seed - Western Christian (31-13)   Key Players: Breslyn Kooima (224 digs); Sydney Feenstra (389 digs); [player_tooltip player_id='489999' first='Bentley' last='Bliek'] (317 kills, .197, 116 digs, 33.0 blocks); [player_tooltip player_id='753877' first='Scarlett' last='Winterfeld'] (320 kills, .164, 346 digs, 40.0 blocks); [player_tooltip player_id='455736' first='Maggie' last='Van Schepen'] (934 assists, 249 digs, 32.0 blocks); Shae Reitsma (169 kills, 76.0 blocks); Morgan Kooiman (314 kills, .335, 90.0 blocks).   Season Recap: Western Christian faces a diverse schedule not being in a conference. It plays more out-of-state contests than anyone else in Iowa. It's only in-state defeats have come at the hands of 5A qualifier Waukee Northwest and 4A qualifier Sergeant Bluff-Luton. The Wolfpack rebounded to beat Sergeant Bluff-Luton. It bested Tuesday's opponent, Sioux Center, 2-1, on Sept. 14 in the MOC-Floyd Valley tournament.   No. 3 Seed - West Delaware (38-6)   Key Players: Vedah Langel (228 kills, .311, 50.0 blocks); [player_tooltip player_id='389858' first='Lauren' last='LeClere'] (259 kills, .339, 69.0 blocks); Maleigha Hildebrand (252 digs) [player_tooltip player_id='730780' first='Hannah' last='Cantwell'] (300 kills, .235, 310 digs, 44.0 blocks); Kirstyn Kolbet (430 assists, 171 digs);  [player_tooltip player_id='523167' first='Natalie' last=''] Mensen (591 assists, 70 kills, 276 digs, 26.0 blocks); [player_tooltip player_id='508649' first='Brooke' last='Krogmann'] (261, .262, 35.0 blocks).   Season Recap: The Hawks joined Mount Vernon in making history earlier this season when they played an outdoor match in Manchester. The top-ranked Mustangs pulled out a 3-2 win. West Delaware also dropped a 2-0 decision to Mount Vernon on Oct. 17 in the WaMaC tournament. On the plus side of their resume, the Hawks registered wins against 5A qualifier Dowling Catholic and 4A qualifier Clear Creek Amana.   No. 4 Seed - Wahlert Catholic (25-8)   Key Players: Kaylee Walter (293 digs); [player_tooltip player_id='437486' first='Olivia' last='Donovan'] (814 assists, 71 kills, .352, 219 digs, 25.0 blocks); [player_tooltip player_id='215405' first='Audrey' last='Tschiggfrie'] (229 kills, .188, 196 digs); [player_tooltip player_id='538938' first='Anna' last='Roling'] (253 kills, .273, Brielle Berning (140 Kills, .211, 20.0 blocks); Karley Belken (120 kills, 55.0 blocks); Maddie Mohr (175 digs); Claire Lueken (144 kills, .231, 75 digs, 44.0 blocks).   Season Recap: The Golden Eagles reside in the Mississippi Valley Conference, which houses mostly 5A programs along with 4A No. 1 Xavier and 4A Western Dubuque. That fact along with three of their losses coming against out-of-state competition makes the resume even more impressive. Wahlert boasts a win against 5A qualifier Dowling Catholic. It's 1-1 in matches against teams in this field, splitting two meetings with Assumption.   No. 5 Seed - Kuemper Catholic (37-3)   Key Players: Zoe Bruning (79 kills, 57.0 blocks); Karsyn Overmohle (393 assists, 159 digs); Brooke Rohe (200 digs); Mariah Heuton (243 kills, .211, 44.0 blocks); Kolbi Peter (197 kills, .156, 38.0 blocks); [player_tooltip player_id='753919' first='Elsa' last='Tiefenthaler'] (521 assists, 226 digs); [player_tooltip player_id='389937' first='Brianna' last='Wittrock'] (319 kills, .312, 189 digs, 149.0 blocks); Alivia Schenkelberg (114 kills, 74.0 blocks).   Season Recap: A difficult Kuemper schedule included matches against 4A qualifier Sergeant Bluff-Luton, which the Knights lost, 3-2. They also came up short against 4A qualifiers Heelan and Glenwood. They won matches against Des Moines Christian, Clarinda and Harlan in the regional to reach Coralville.   No. 6 Seed - Assumption (25-8)   Key Players: [player_tooltip player_id='215757' first='Alyssa' last='O'Neal'] (171 kills, .154, 141 digs, 29.0 blocks); [player_tooltip player_id='215436' first='Dru' last='Dorsey'] (253 digs); [player_tooltip player_id='215761' first='Ellie' last='Schubert'] (719 assists, 68 kills, .366, 135 digs, 43.0 blocks); [player_tooltip player_id='694203' first='Belle' last='Cotton'] (160 kills, .202, 173 digs, 49.0 blocks); Delylah Graves (74 kills, 33.0 blocks); [player_tooltip player_id='230661' first='Ellah' last='Derrer'] (233 kills. .406, 95.0 blocks); [player_tooltip player_id='630696' first='Erin' last='Robbins'] (133 kills, .397, 74.0 blocks).   Season Recap: Like Wahlert, Assumption competes in a conference (MAC) with larger schools. Their resume includes losses against 5A No. 1 Pleasant Valley and 4A No. 3 North Scott. The Knights are 1-2 against programs in this 3A field. They split a pair of matches against Wahlert and lost a 2-1 decision against Mount Vernon.   No. 7 Seed - Sioux Center (29-5)   Key Players: Maci Schmalbeck (211 digs); Romee Bleeker (421 assists, 200 digs); Maryn Franken (225 kills, .284, 205 digs, 59.0 blocks); Laney Franken (365 assists, 131 digs); Avery Bitker (82 kills, 50.0 blocks); [player_tooltip player_id='730849' first='Margo' last='Schuiteman'] (262 kills, .230, 268 digs, 30.0 blocks); Makailyn Vander Waal (138 kills); [player_tooltip player_id='575152' first='Courteney' last='Schmidt'] (191 kills); Kaylee Traver (176 digs).   Season Recap: The Warriors reached Coralville with a 3-1 victory against Cherokee in the regional finals. They've faced the top two seeds in this field as well. Mount Vernon beat them, 2-0, Sept. 21 at the Red Oak tournament. A week earlier, they dropped a 2-1 decision to Western Christian at the MOC-Floyd Valley tournament. Sioux Center recorded a win against 2A state qualifier, Boyden-Hull.   No. 8 Seed - Mid-Prairie (33-8)   Key Players: [player_tooltip player_id='215390' first='Jovi' last='Evans'] (574 assists, 346 kills, .358, 358 digs, 22.0 blocks); [player_tooltip player_id='775157' first='Jeorgia' last='Evans'] (153 kills, .357, 413 digs, 35.0 blocks); [player_tooltip player_id='753942' first='Avery' last='Helmuth'] (380 assists, 130 digs); Brylee Gearhart (84 kills, 41.0 blocks); [player_tooltip player_id='215395' first='Dakota' last='Mitchell'] (546 digs, 90 assists); [player_tooltip player_id='389067' first='Katelyn' last='Harland'] (152 kills, .243, 114 digs, 27.0 blocks); [player_tooltip player_id='730801' first='Callie' last='Huber'] (251 kills, .434, 43.0 blocks); [player_tooltip player_id='389071' first='Harper' last='Pacha'] (252 kills, .246, 20.0 blocks).   Season Recap: The Golden Hawks challenged themselves with a tough schedule this season. They faced 5A state qualifier Ankeny along with North Scott, Clear Creek Amana and Pella, a trio of 4A qualifiers. Mid-Prairie swept 2A qualifier Regina in an RVC match, and lost a 2-0 decision to another 2A qualifier in Beckman. It defeated Wilton, 3-1, in the regional finals.   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   Howe I See It: Mount Vernon brings a loaded roster to Coralville. The Mustangs would be capable of winning the two classes larger than 3A.   Mid-Prairie is a worthy opponent in the quarterfinals, but Mount Vernon advances to the final four. Wahlert, Western Christian and West Delaware join the Mustangs in the semifinals. If you're looking for an upset possibility, keep an eye on Assumption.   Mount Vernon's firepower will be too much for a game Wahlert outfit. Western Christian outlasts West Delaware, setting up a title-match rematch, won last year by the Wolfpack, 3-1.   Mount Vernon reminds me of '22 Iowa City Liberty. Like the Lightning, the Mustangs fulfill their destiny in realizing their championship dream.

Perhaps no school is a bigger favorite to win a title this year than Mount Vernon. The Mustangs can make a strong case for being the top squad in the state this season, regardless of class.