Author: Nathan Bloechl

No. 5 Holy Trinity 3, Lamoni 0 

Holy Trinity started fast and never let off the gas as the fifth-ranked Crusaders rolled to a three set win over unranked Lamoni yesterday at Ottumwa Middle School.

The win propels Holy Trinity to the Class 1A State Volleyball tournament.

Sophomore hitter Natalie Randolph and her sister Kassie led the way in the front row with 12 and six kills respectively.

The Crusader block was on fire last night with Kayla Box and Reagan Holvoet combining for nine blocks, frustrating Lamoni hitters all night long.

Holy Trinity led wire-to-wire except for a brief Lamoni lead at 2-0 in the third set.

The win marks Melissa Freesmeier’s 20th trip to the state volleyball tournament, cementing her status as one of the very best to ever do it.

She’s taken Holy Trinity 13 times in 16 years before leading West Point Marquette seven times.

Holy Trinity improved to 32-10, while Lamoni ends their great run 29-5.

No. 1 Notre Dame 3, Easton Valley 0 

The defending state champion Notre Dame Nikes looked strong from set one as they cruised to a sweep victory over Easton Valley in yesterday’s Class 1A, Region 7 championship.

The Nikes picked up 25-12, 25-13 and 25-17 wins to advance.

Gabby Deery led the Nikes with 12 kills, while Abby Korschgen chipped in with eight.

Jenna Bentz had 30 assists.

Notre Dame has been tabbed as the No. 1 overall seed at the state tournament, they’ll take on eighth-seeded Tri-Center, Monday night.

The Nikes upped their ledger to 35-8, Easton Valley fell to 21-9.

No. 2 Wilton 3, Mediapolis 0 

The second-ranked Wilton Beavers rode their star hitters Kelsey Drake to a three-set win over Mediapolis, ending the Bullettes dream run of the state tournament just one match short.

The Bullettes, who finished the year 14-24, suffered 17 losses to either ranked opponents or teams in a larger class.

Kennedy Welliver and Emma Hastings paced the Bullettes front row, with Welliver also chipping in with six assists.

Wilton will play Osage next Tuesday in the first round of the Class 2A State Tournament.

KILJ — The Iowa High School State Volleyball pairings have been released.

1A

No. 1 Notre Dame vs. No. 8 Tri-Center (FM 105.5) – 6:00 p.m., Tuesday, November 2nd

No. 4 Holy Trinity vs. No. 5 Janesville (FM 105.5) – 8:00 p.m., Tuesday, November 2nd

No. 2 Gehlen Catholic vs. No. 7 North Tama

No. 3 Springville vs. No. 6 Gladbrook-Reinbeck

2A

No. 1 Dike New-Hartford vs. No. 8 South Hardin

No. 4 Boyden-Hull vs. No. 5 Denver

No. 2 Wilton vs. No. 7 Osage

No. 3 Western Christian vs. No. 6 Beckman Catholic

3A

No. 1 Davenport Assumption vs. No. 8 Des Moines Christian

No. 4 West Liberty vs. No. 5 Mount Vernon

No. 2 West Delaware vs. No. 7 Unity Christian

No. 3 Sheldon vs. No. 6 Sergeant Bluff-Luton

4A 

No. 1 Western Dubuque vs. No. 8 Bishop Heelan

No. 4 Xavier vs. No. 5 Marion

No. 2 North Scott vs. No. 7 Bondurant-Farrar

No. 3 Waverly-Shell Rock vs. No. 6 Oskaloosa

5A

No. 1 Iowa City Liberty vs. No. 8 Johnston

No. 4 Cedar Falls vs. No. 5 Dowling Catholic

No. 2 Pleasant Valley vs. No. 7 Ankeny Centennial

No. 3 Ankeny vs. No. 6 Urbandale

Mount Pleasant — Kyla Moore poured in a game-high 25 points as Iowa Wesleyan rolled past Waldorf 79-49 in their season opening contest

The win was the first in Steve Williamson’s new tenure with the Tigers.

Brittany West added 18 points and eight boards, while Maci Kuchta chipped in with 12 points, five assists and three steals.

Former Mount Pleasant standout Maddie Williamson had six points and an assist in 11 minutes.

Wesleyan will be off until next Friday, November 5th when they travel to Canton, Missouri to partake in the Culver-Stockton Classic Tournament.

They’ll open the weekend with Hannibal-LaGrange.

Mount Pleasant — Iowa Wesleyan outscored Waldorf 38-19 in the second half as they earned a hard-fought 73-62 come from behind victory last night at Ruble Arena.

Jett Tjaden poured in 18 points to lead Wesleyan, he was 5-for-6 from three point land, while former Fort Madison prep Kaleb Cresswell added 15.

Joey Brown chipped in with nine points and eight boards.

The Tigers will take today off before traveling to Des Moines tomorrow to scrap with Grand View University.

Tip is set for 7:30 p.m.

University of Iowa sophomore All-American Caitlin Clark has been named to the Nancy Lieberman Point Guard of the Year Preseason Watch List, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced Monday.

The award is presented annually to the nation’s top point guard.

Clark averaged 26.6 points, 7.1 assists and nearly six boards per game in her record-setting freshman season.

The Hawkeye women will open their season with an exhibition bout against Truman State on November 4th.

Tip is set for 6:30 p.m.

University of Iowa senior defensive backs Matt Hankins and Riley Moss have been named semifinalists for the 2021 Paycom Jim Thorpe Award, awarded to the best defensive back in college football.

The announcement was made Monday.

Hankins has started 34 straight games in the Iowa secondary and has recorded three interceptions and 25 tackles as a senior in 2021.

Moss is tied for second in the country and leads the Big Ten with four interceptions, despite missing Iowa’s most recent game due to injury.

Moss had two interceptions returns for touchdowns in Iowa’s opening win over Indiana.

Iowa returns to the gridiron this weekend at Wisconsin.

Kick is set for 11:00 a.m.

No. 5 Holy Trinity 3, No. 13 New London 0 

Holy Trinity received 12 kills from Kassie Randolph and 10 from Mary Kate Bendlage as the fifth-ranked Crusaders rode their two stars to a three-set sweep victory over No. 13 New London last night.

The win propelled Holy Trinity to the Class 1A, Region 8 finals where they will meet up with Lamoni, Wednesday night at Ottumwa.

Lamoni took down Southeast Warren 3-2 last night.

Starting wasn’t the problem for New London yesterday as the Tigers held leads in the early portions of all three sets.

Holy Trinity just had answers.

Anna Sobczak and Teagan Snaadt played big roles in the back row — Sobczak had 23 digs while Snaadt finished with 17.

New London’s Natalie Burden led all attackers with 15 kills while Emma Nye dug up a match-high 40 balls for the Tigers.

New London closes their terrific season under first year head coach Lindsey Johnson 26-14, they will graduate four seniors.

Holy Trinity improved to 31-10.

You can listen to Wednesday’s match here on FM 105.5, with first serve slated for 7:00 p.m.

No. 1 Notre Dame 3, Winfield-Mount Union 0

Melina Oepping had six kills while Bradie Buffington chipped in with five but it was No. 1 Notre Dame, Class 1A’s defending champions, pulling themselves within one match of the state tournament as they earned a sweep over the Lady Wolves last night.

Notre Dame will square off with Easton Valley (21-8) Wednesday night at Muskie Fieldhouse in Muscatine at 6:00 p.m.

Josie Bentz and Gabby Deery led the Nike front row with 14 kills apiece, while Megan Harrell added eight.

Jenna Bentz provided 41 assists.

The win improved the Nikes to 34-8.

Winfield-Mount Union closes their season 22-11.

Mediapolis 3, Danville 1 

Danville took set one, but Mediapolis rebounded and won three straight, earning a four set win to advance to Wednesday night’s Class 2A, Region 8 championship.

The Bullettes will scrap with 2A’s second-ranked Wilton, who is 35-2.

Hannah Wagenbach led the Bullettes with nine kills, she also chipped in with five blocks.

Haley Steffener added eight kills.

Danville ends their season 9-17.

Mediapolis improved to 14-23.

Their match with Wilton will also be played at Muskie Fieldhouse — first serve is anticipated for shortly after 7:00 p.m. at the conclusion of Notre Dame-Easton Valley.