Coralville, IA- The week started with 40 teams making the pilgrimage to the Xtreme Arena and after Thursday’s action only five teams stand as this year’s state volleyball champions. Overall, the matches were one-sided, except for the battle in Class 2A.
Class 5A
#1 Waukee Northwest had loss only one game this year entering the Class 5A championship bout against #2 Ankeny Centennial, but competing against one team five times in a season can stump even the most dominant teams.
At least that’s what the Jaguars thought after the match as the Wolves pulled off the dominant sweep: 25-10, 25-21, and 25-18. Avery Vogt, captain of the all-tournament team, was phenomenal, dishing out 38 assists, as her sister Logan led the barrage with 14 kills.
Waukee Northwest finished the season with 38 wins, including 37 sweeps, while the Jaguars finished 34-6, with five of the six losses at the hands of the Wolves. It was Waukee Northwest’s second state championship.
All-Tournament Team
Avery Vogt, Waukee Northwest Captian
Logan Vogt, Waukee Northwest
Leah Janulewicz, Waukee Northwest
Tatem Schmidt, Ankeny Centennial
Mya Lei-Butters, Ankeny Centennial
Isabelle Kremer, Pleasant Valley
Kaelyn Wieland, Valley
Class 4A
#2 Sioux Center collected a win in set one 25-23, #5 North Scott did the rest as they took sets two through four 25-22, 25-21, and 25-19. The Lancers leaned on Southern Illinois commit and all-tournament team captain McKenzie Moeller as she tabbed 32 kills in the match and 90 kills throughout her three at the state tournament.
Courtney Schmidt did all she could for the Warriors, amassing 18 kills in the loss with teammate Adison Brantsen also going for double-digit kills.
Addison Allen totaled 42 assists for the Lancers for a total of 137 for the tournament. This win marked the third championship for the Lancers and the second in three years.
All-Tournament Team
McKenzie Moeller, North Scott Captain
Addison Allen, North Scott
Courtney Schmidt, Sioux Center
Adison Bransten, Sioux Center
Mary Franken, Sioux Center
Averie Lower, Clear Creek Amana
Katie Scheckel, Pella
Class 3A
#5 Humboldt pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the tournament, knocking out #1 Western Christian in their 25th straight trip to the semifinals, but the Wildcats had no answers for #2 Assumption, as the Knights swept them with ease 25-20, 25-17, and 25-22.
Ellah Derrer and Erin Robbins, two senior middle hitters standing over six feet tall, stumped the Humboldt hitters, as the Knights combined for 15 block assists. Derrer, the all-tournament captain, notched 16 kills in the winning effort.
Adelynn Goodell, who played a major role in getting Humboldt their first ever win in the state tournament, led the team with 11 kills. The sophomore will look to bring the Wildcats back next season.
All-Tournament Team
Ellah Derrer, Assumption Captain
Erin Robbins, Assumption
Carsyn Kelley, Assumption
Adelynn Goodell, Humboldt
Addie Waldorf, Humboldt
Morgan Looiman, Western Christian
Addy Anthofer, Kuemper Catholic
Class 2A
In the only match that truly lived up to the billing of a state championship contest, #1 Denver nearly watched their title defense slip through their fingers, but the Cyclones hung on to win in five sets over #3 Hinton by scores of 25-22, 26-28, 21-25, 25-18, and 15-11.
Denver was nearly overwhelmed by Hinton’s Bailey Boeve, as the Blackhawk thundered home 38 kills; yet, Channing Johnson, the all-tournament captain, steadied the ship, handing out 42 assists, six kills, and 17 digs for the Cyclones’ 50th win of the season.
Boeve was three kills away from tying the Class 2A single-game tournament record set by Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont’s Molly Shafer. The Creighton commit led the tournament with 96 kills for the week.
Adena Murch led Denver with 21 kills as Mylee Thurm and Bailey Mullihan each put up 14 kills in the marathon victory.
All-Tournament Team
Channing Johnson, Denver Captain
Mylee Thurm, Denver
Bailey Mullihan, Denver
Bailey Boeve, Hinton
Ellie Friessen, Hinton
Ryanne Brubaker, Grundy Center
Abby Jensen, Dike-New Hartford
Class 1A
#2 Janesville seemed poised to return to the glory days of 2013 to 2018 where the Wildcats won five championships during the span after taking set one over #1 Saint Ansgar 25-14. The Saints were unflapped as they won the next three sets 25-22, 25-19, and 25-20 for their first state championship.
Sofia Parrott did it all for Saint Ansgar as the senior put up a stat line of 38 assists, eight kills, and five digs to be named all-tournament captain. Ava Falk led the attack with 13 kills for the Saints.
Quinn Sweeney notched 12 kills, while Taylor Pollock dished out 36 assists for Janesville.
It is just the second girls’ state championship for the entire program for Saint Ansgar, as the Saints won the girls’ state track title in 2024.
All-Tournament Team
Sofia Parrott, Saint Ansgar Captain
Jacey Johnston, Saint Ansgar
Lindsay Kruse, Saint Ansgar
Quinn Sweeney, Janesville
Hayden Anderson, Janesville
Taylor Pollock, Janesville
Taylor Kipp, Dunkerton