Osage, Linn-Mar Host Gauntlet Of Ranked Teams
This is a big weekend in high school volleyball with plenty of teams with a big goose egg in the loss column. With high powered teams heading to Osage and Linn-Mar this weekend, there are plenty of ranked teams who…
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Continue ReadingThis is a big weekend in high school volleyball with plenty of teams with a big goose egg in the loss column. With high powered teams heading to Osage and Linn-Mar this weekend, there are plenty of ranked teams who will be heavily tested. These early season tournaments expose the weakness teams need to improve upon moving on with their season. The wins are important, but the lessons learned through tough competition are much more valuable in early September in hopes of building on their journey to Cedar Rapids come early November.
Osage Tournament
How many ranked teams can you fit in a gym? Here is the loaded lineup heading to Northeast Iowa to the newly renovated Osage High School gym that will provide plenty of space for these top squads:
2A #2 Dike-New Hartford
3A #2 Osage
3A #3 Clarion-Goldfield-Dows
4A #9 Waverly-Shell Rock
4A #10 Gilbert
5A #1 Cedar Falls
The Committed:
Morgan Middleton Morgan Middleton OH Clarion-Goldfield Dows | 2021 State IA – Clarion-Goldfield Dows – North Dakota State
Jadyn Jondle Jadyn Jondle DS/L Clarion-Goldfield Dows | 2021 State IA – Clarion-Goldfield Dows – South Dakota
Avery Beckett Avery Beckett 5'10" | OH Waverly Shell Rock | 2022 State IA – Waverly-Shell Rock – South Dakota
Taylor Grinley Taylor Grinley S Gilbert | 2021 State IA – Gilbert – South Alabama
Emmy Wedgbury – Cedar Falls – Northwestern
Alivia Bronner Alivia Bronner 5'5" | DS/L Cedar Falls | 2022 State IA – Cedar Falls – Northern Iowa
Uncommitted Seniors To Watch:
Osage is led by two of the top outside hitters in the state in Dani Johnson and Paige Kisley Paige Kisley OH Osage | 2021 State IA . Johnson just surpassed the 1,000 kill mark in her career and has been a multi-sport standout for the Green Devils. Kisley is a top track athlete in the state and can jump out of the gym. Elle Bobinet has been running the show as one of the top Senior setters in the area. Gilbert has a strong Senior class with Thea Rotto Thea Rotto OH Gilbert | 2021 State IA , a physical athlete who can really score points on the outside along with Nessa Johnson Nessa Johnson S Gilbert | 2021 State IA who can set and hit from the right side with a big left-handed swing. Cedar Falls was predicted for a rebuilding year after graduating three D1 athletes from their state championship lineup, but they have found themselves at the top of Class 5A again. Halia Mahi Halia Mahi 5'9" | S Cedar Falls | 2021 State IA has been leading the Tigers in assists with an incredibly balanced lineup. Kaylee Miller will be in the lineup for an undefeated Forest City squad, Miller can attack from anywhere in the front row. Seniors Danielle Stock and Sarah Mithcell will be leading Charles City who have won four of their last five.
🚨Milestone alert 🚨 Dani Johnson surpasses 1,000 kills tonight! Congratulations, Dani! 🔥🏐💚 #FuelingTheFire #OsageVB @IGHSAU @OsageAthletics @ejnewspaper pic.twitter.com/QdQxlERoG6
— Osage Volleyball (@OsageVolleyball) September 11, 2020
The Up and Coming
Osage is ranked #2 in Class 3A and CGD #3 after both teams were in Class 2A last year. While DNH was in Class 3A and is now in Class 2A. Either way these are some of the top teams in the state no matter what class. Osage has quite the Junior duo in Kaebre Sullivan Kaebre Sullivan 6'1" | MB Osage | 2022 State IA in the middle and the ultimate utility player in Meredith Street Meredith Street 5'5" | OH Osage | 2022 State IA . Claudia Aschenbrenner Claudia Aschenbrenner 5'10" | OH Osage | 2023 State IA is one of the top Sophomores in the state and is another weapon out of the middle for Osage. DNH is led by Sophomore setter Madelyn Norton who can do so many things for the Wolverines and has some rock solid ball control and attacking with Jadyn and Payton Petersen of Dike-New Hartford. Cedar Falls has plenty of balance where they have Ellie Gerdes, Anisia Smith Anisia Smith 5'9" | MB Cedar Falls | 2022 State IA , and Katie Remmert Katie Remmert 5'10" | OH Cedar Falls | 2023 State IA .
Linn-Mar
Ranked Teams
Pool A
4A #3 Marion
5A #9 Dubuque Hempstead
3A #6 Davenport Assumption
Pool C
2A #9 Sumner-Fred
5A #6 Pleasant Valley
Teams will be in three pools in three different gyms playing a round robin between four teams. Pool A features Marion and Assumption who are coming off a state tournament appearance. Marion has athletes everywhere on the court and plenty of experience with two setters who can also score points in Avery Van Hook and Elise Mehaffy Elise Mehaffy 5'8" | S Marion | 2022 State IA and one of the top Senior liberos in the state with Trinity Zika Trinity Zika 5'4" | DS/L Marion | 2021 State IA who just surpassed 1,000 digs in her career. Hempstead is off to a hot start and is led by outside hitter Corinne Meier Corinne Meier 5'11" | OH Dubuque Hempstead | 2021 State IA , one of the top available outside hitters in the Class of 2020. Assumption is led by the Schubert sisters with Senior, Emma Schubert Emma Schubert OH Assumption | 2021 State IA on the outside and Ava Schubert Ava Schubert 6'1" | RS Assumption | 2023 State #153 Nation IA a 6’1 right side hitter with a thunderous left handed swing.
Congratulations to our girl, Kora Ruff Kora Ruff 5'9" | S Pleasant Valley | 2022 State #86 Nation IA on this great accomplishment!! 😍 Can’t wait what to see what her and her teammates will accomplish next!!😁🥰❤️🏐 pic.twitter.com/ncmMJAYOO5
— PV Volleyball (@PVVolleyball) September 11, 2020
Pool C will be highlighted by two of the top setters in the state. Sumner-Fred will feature Morgan Brandt Morgan Brandt 6'0" | S Sumner-Fred | 2022 State IA , a Class of 2022 setter who has committed to Iowa State. Pleasant Valley will have Kora Ruff Kora Ruff 5'9" | S Pleasant Valley | 2022 State #86 Nation IA , a Junior setter who most recently set her school’s all-time assist record. The Spartans were in the final four of Class 5A last year and will look to get back to Cedar Rapids. They also have one of the top Sophomores in the state in Chloe Cline Chloe Cline 6'1" | MB Pleasant Valley | 2023 State IA who can attack and score points in multiple ways.