State volleyball title games set

The 2023 Iowa high school volleyball season will officially come to a closed on Thursday night as Class 1A, 2A, 3A, 4A and 5A will all crown a state champion at The Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union Volleyball State Tournament in Coralville’s Xtream Arena.

It’s been quite a dominant tournament by the higher seeds and more specifically No. 1 seeds. In all but one class, the No. 1 rated team is playing for the title.

While no Southeast Iowa Union area squads made the tournament, a Southeast Iowa team will be playing for a state championship.

That is the Southeast Iowa Super Conference South’s Holy Trinity Catholic.

The Crusaders (33-10) are the No. 3 seed in the 1A bracket and they will be taking on No. 1 Ankeny Christian (38-3).

Holy Trinity took care of business in its first two matches, sweeping No. 6 Don Bosco to open the tournament, 25-21, 25-17 and 25-21 and then upsetting No. 2 Boyden-Hull in the semifinals 25-17, 25-17 and 25-21.

As for Ankeny Christian, the Eagles won both of their first two matches 3-1. They topped No. 8 Newell-Fonda in match one, 20-25, 25-11, 25-21 and 25-14.

They then defeated No. 4 BCLUW 25-14, 25-20, 16-25 and 25-18 to reach the finals.

The other quarterfinals results ended with BCLUW defeating No. 5 Saint Ansgar 3-2, and Boyden-Hull beating No. 7 St. Albert.

In Class 2A, the top two seeded teams will compete for the championship.

It will be No. 1 Dike-New Hartford (49-0) taking on No. 2 Hinton (32-1).

Both teams have had a flawless run thus far.

D-NH cruised against No. 8 Eddybille-Blakesburg-Fremont, 3-0, 25-23, 25-5 and 25-12.

The Wolverines then swept No. 4 Denver 25-9, 25-21 and 25-12.

Hinton sweeps came against No. 7 Aplington-Parkersburg in its opening match 25-14, 25-13 and 25-16 and then No. 3 Grundy enter 25-16, 25-21 and 25-18.

The Class 3A final will feature No. 1 Mount Vernon (35-4) and No. 3 Western Christian (31-13).

Mount Vernon defeated No. 8 Wahlert Catholic in the first round, 25-21, in three straight matches.

The Mustangs followed with a 3-1 victory over defending state champion No. 4 Assumption, 23-25, 25-16, 25-15 and 25-20 to reach the title match.

On the opposite side of the bracket, Western Christian kicked off the tournament with a 3-1 win over No. 6 Center Point-Urbana 25-14, 25-19, 22-25 and 25-22.

The Wolfpack then followed with a 3-0 victory over No. 7 Union Community 25-14, 25-20 and 25-17.

In Class 4A, the No. 1 seed will not be playing in the final. Instead it will be No. 4 North Scott (28-4) facing off with No. 2 Indianola (38-4).

North Scott downed ADM 3-1 in its opening match 20-25, 25-12, 25-9 and 25-13 and followed that with a huge upset over No. 1 and previously undefeated Clear Creek-Amana 3-0.

Indianola meanwhile edged No. 7 Marion in round one, 16-25, 26-24, 25-23 and 25-22.

In the second round, Indianola defeated No. 6 Lewis Central in a tightly contested bout, 3-2, 23-25, 25-18, 25-18, 21-25 and 15-10.

The 5A title game will feature No. 1 Dowling Catholic (32-7) and No. 3 Waukee Northwest (26-9).

Dowling Catholic has dropped just one set thus far and that came in a 3-1 victory over No. 8 Valley in round one.

The Maroons won that matchup 22-25, 25-23, 25-22 and 25-20.

They then swept No. 4 Pleasant Valley 25-20, 26-24 and 25-18.

Their opponent, Waukee Northwest on the contrary has went 3-2 in both of its tournament matches thus far.

It defeated No. 6 Cedar Falls in round one 25-12, 22-25, 25-14 and 25-22. They then edged No. 2 Ankeny Centennial, 24-26, 25-23, 11-25, 25-20 and 15-11.