Iowa Class 4A – Start of Summer Rankings
Title Photo Credit: The Gazette – Cedar Rapids With the release of Class 5A and the start of summer rankings, Class 4A comes next with some new additions to the scene as well as some familiar names. Dubuque Wahlert still…
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Continue ReadingTitle Photo Credit: The Gazette – Cedar Rapids
With the release of Class 5A and the start of summer rankings, Class 4A comes next with some new additions to the scene as well as some familiar names. Dubuque Wahlert still sits on top and until they lose a match in Cedar Rapids, it will be tough to keep them out of the conversation (especially with Aliyah Carter still on the roster). This could be a crash course for a rematch of last years championship featuring Xavier and Wahlert. Who else could be in the mix as we talk about the top ten as well as some question marks heading into Class 4A this year?
- Cedar Rapids Xavier
- Dubuque Wahlert
- Sergeant Bluff-Luton
- West Delaware
- Waverly-Shell Rock
- Council Bluffs Lewis Central
- Clear Creek-Amana
- North Scott
- Marion
- Gilbert
Wild Cards
Dallas Center – Grimes
Norwalk
Winterset
Eastern Iowa
I often refer to this whenever talking about regionals in Iowa, but the IGHSAU does a tremendous job of trying to get the top teams to state regardless of location. Xavier, Wahlert, West Delaware, Waverly Shell-Rock, Marion, and Clear Creek-Amana are in relative close proximity together that they very well could just automatically be thrown into the same region if it was strictly based off geography.
Aliyah Carter of Dubuque WahlertWahlert survived their first round match last year against Independence and just continued to find a way to win all the way to claim the state championship. Aliyah Carter (Kansas State) is back for her final go around and when she is on the floor you can never count her team out. She can flat out take over a game. However, Xavier is back with experience with a team that will be well balanced while also adding another weapon. Eve Magill (Creighton), Katy Garrison, and Jaz Yamilkoski are part of a talented incoming Junior class that was a major part of their state runner-up team last year. Magill is a big time point scorer on the pin and has really developed an all around game. Garrison is a solid blocker on the right side and can score points at will as well. However, the major game changer in this equation is Elyse Winter, a six rotation outside hitter that will be entering her Junior year as well after playing at Cedar Rapids Kennedy. Winter has a breakout club season for Iowa Rockets and will be a tough force to stop whether she is in the front or backrow.
Waverly-Shell Rock and West Delaware have always been going head to head at state or on the road to state being some of the top programs in the area. For West Delaware, it is almost impossible to avoid Waverly-Shell Rock, Wahlert, or Xavier if they are going to get to state. Macey Kleitsch is a dual threat as a setter and attacker and will be a major factor in the Hawks getting back to Cedar Rapids. WSR will be lead by six rotation outside in Jaz Westmoreland and setter Maddie Rodenbeck who had over 1,000 assists last season.
Clear Creek-Amana fell just short of reaching the state tournament last year in a five set loss to Pella. CCA was lead by a strong core of underclassmen while Pella was a Senior dominated team. The Clippers will be returning Calia Clubb who can score from any position in the front row and is a big time mismatch with her blocking. She led the team in kills as a Freshman in 2018. Alongside Clubb will be middle Hailey Pollock and Senior setter Cheyaenne Bunch who had over 800 assists last season.
Marion and North Scott will definitely be in the conversation to make a state tournament run. However, with Marion in the middle of all of these teams geographically, it will be interesting to see where they are sent for their regional. Marion will be returning St. Louis recruit Delaney Rice who can play on the right side and middle, setter Elise Mehaffy, and libero/ds Trinity Zika. With a 20-20 record in 2018, they will return a solid core of talent all around. North Scott will return all of their top attackers starting with Emma Powell who is as solid as they come. Ella McLaughlin will also be a Sophomore on the rise with a really electric arm on the pin.
Central Iowa
So many wild cards here. I’m assuming Gilbert will be Class 4A this year, they are always on the borderline between Class 3A and Class 4A, either way they will be having a strong team with the return of attackers Thea Rotto and Haleigh Hadley and Class of 2021 setter Taylor Grinley. They have a powerpacked schedule and will be battle tested come tournament time.
Winterset will return one of the top setters in the Class of 2022 in Lauren Carter who has already committed to play at Denver. They return top attacker Macy Larson as well as a really strong incoming Sophomore class.
Norwalk was able to advance to the regional final before falling to Dallas Center-Grimes. They will return a strong Senior class led by kill leaders Camryn Gilchrist and Sam Hoover. Emily Ellis will return as setter as will libero Maddy Zimmerman.
Dallas Center-Grimes will be back with All State attacker, Katelyn Knudsen who was key in their run to the state semifinals in 2018, however they will need to replace middle blocker Abby Greiman who will be playing at Iowa State. State tournament experience can carry a team a long ways, but how will the rest of the pieces fall into place for the Fillies?
Western Iowa
Sergeant Bluff-Luton has established themselves as the powerhouse in Western Iowa and 2019 will be no different with Kenzie Foley back for her Senior year. The St. Cloud State recruit was 1st Team All State and had nearly 500 kills in 2018.
Lewis Central has virtually their whole team back with all of their top statistical leaders being back, including Megan Witte who averaged over five kills per set in 2018. After a rough start in 2018 to some top tier competition, LC rebounded for a strong finish before falling to Bondurant-Farrar in the regional final.