Looking ahead: SEISC North volleyball

The Union begins its preseason fall sports coverage with the first installment of a series of conference breakdowns. Today we look at a league that saw big strides in the last few years: the Southeast Iowa Super Conference’s North Division.

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Last year’s North Division battle saw WACO and Winfield-Mount Union run the league, and it all came down to an early October battle in Wayland to decide who would finish the year as SEISC North champions.

WMU stormed back from a 2-0 deficit to beat WACO in five sets. The Wolves won 16-25, 10-25, 25-20, 25-11, 15-5.

The Wolves went 9-0 to earn their second SEISC North title in three years. No North Division team, however, made it far enough in the postseason to play in the state tournament.

Many of the stars of the 2022 North Division group are now graduated, meaning the league should be up for grabs in 2023.

Four of the Top-4 SEISC North hitters are expected back this year, including Highland’s Sarah Burton, WACO’s Emma Wagler and Hillcrest Academy’s Malia Yoder.

Hillcrest’s Claire Withrow and Highland’s Grace Prybil are two of the three Top-10 setters coming back, and Burton and Yoder make up two of the three Top-10 diggers.

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2022 SEISC NORTH STANDINGS

1. Winfield-Mount Union 8-0

2. WACO 9-1

3. Highland 6-3

4. Wapello 6-4

5. Columbus 4-5

6. Lone Tree 3-5

7. Pekin 2-6

8. Hillcrest 1-8

9. Louisa-Muscatine 0-9

2022 TOP KILLS

1. Ellah Kissell (12), WACO 248

2. Melina Oepping (12), WMU 236

3. Emily Hemphill (11), Wapello 232

4. Sarah Burton (11), Highland 203

5. Bradie Buffington (12), WMU 200

6. Quinn Veach (12), Wapello 174

7. Emma Wagler (11), WACO 163

8. Malia Yoder (10), Hillcrest Academy 152

9. Riley Krueger (12), Lone Tree 138

10. Kyli Fitzsimmons (12), Pekin 120

2022 TOP 10 ASSISTS

1. Grace Coble (12), WACO 600

2. Keely Malone (12), WMU (596)

3. Jacie Hoeg (11), Wapello 518

4. Sera Vela (12), Columbus 296

5. Claire Withrow (9), Hillcrest Academy 286

6. MyLei Smith (12), Highland 264

7. Quinnlyn Baker (12), Pekin 208

8. Ella Buser (12), Lone Tree 206

9. Grace Prybil (11), Highland 192

10. McKenzie Kissell (12), 172

2022 TOP 10 DIGS

1. Keetyn Townsley (12), WMU 398

2. Jocelyn Fulton (12), WACO 365

3. Olyvia Malone (12), Wapello 297

4. Emily Hemphill (11), Wapello 277

5. Ellah Kissell (12), WACO 259

6. Sarah Burton (11), Highland 258

7. Mallia Yoder (10), Hillcrest Academy 254

8. Melina Oepping (12), WMU 233

9. Isabelle Lagunas (12), Columbus 229

10. Quinn Veach (12), Wapello 223

Bold = expected returner