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The Des Moines Register's Iowa high school volleyball midseason Super 10 rankings

eli mckown, des moines register
·6 min read

The state of Iowa is in the midst of one of the most entertaining seasons of high school volleyball the state has seen.

Why?

A host of new, yet familiar faces have risen to the top of the rankings. Only one of the teams in our Super 10, the top-10 teams in the state regardless of class, is a reigning state champion. In fact, our top eight are all squads that did not claim a title in 2022.

Here are the Des Moines Register's Super 10 rankings just past the halfway mark of the season.

All records and statistics are as of matches played on Tuesday, Sept. 26.

More: Here are 15 candidates for the Register's All-Iowa high school volleyball Player of the Year

No.1 Dike-New Hartford (29-0)

Dike-New Hartford's Maryn Bixby (2) celebrates a point. They've been the most dominant team in the state so far in 2023.
Dike-New Hartford's Maryn Bixby (2) celebrates a point. They've been the most dominant team in the state so far in 2023.

This team has everything. An undefeated record, the Petersen twins committed to Louisville (Payton) and Northern Iowa (Jadyn), two elite setters in junior Lucy Varney and sophomore Addy Joslin, an established middle hitter that has 51 blocks in Maryn Bixby and they have only lost one set this season (to Dowling Catholic on Aug. 26, 22-25).

They took Western Christian down to the wire last season in the Class 2A finals, but are playing on an unreal pace right now. They are the favorite to win the 2A crown until proven otherwise.

No. 2 Clear Creek Amana (29-0)

Clear Creek-Amana's Bliss Beck has helped lead her team to a 29-0 record and the No. 2 spot in our midseason Super 10 rankings.
Clear Creek-Amana's Bliss Beck has helped lead her team to a 29-0 record and the No. 2 spot in our midseason Super 10 rankings.

If there is any team that could present an argument to overtake the Wolverines here, it's the Clippers. Only losing two sets thus far, CCA has been dominant in winning by an average of over eight points a set.Senior Bliss Beck, a midseason Player of the Year candidate, leads the way with 3.9 kills and 1.1 blocks per set. Sophomore Emily Henderson and junior Kenadi Wood are often found finding Beck in the air, with both averaging nearly five assists per set.The Clippers have a tough path to becoming champions, with two fellow Class 4A members making our midseason Super 10, and a host of others looming. For now, they control their own destiny.

No. 3 Mount Vernon (19-2)

The Mustangs' only two losses this season came against our No. 1 team in Iowa. Junior Chloe Meester, a Louisville commit, is the headliner. However, don't overlook her setter in the wings. Junior Sydney Huber is averaging over 10 assists per set in 2023 and is one of the best in the state at her position.Right now, they are head and shoulders the best team in Class 3A.

More: 8 things we learned in Iowa high school volleyball from Sept. 18 to Sept. 23

No. 4 Dowling Catholic (21-5)

Dowling Catholic's Ella Rogers (15) is averaging over nine assists per set in 2023.
Dowling Catholic's Ella Rogers (15) is averaging over nine assists per set in 2023.

The first Class 5A school to make this list, the Maroons are a battle-tested squad, having faced four of our top 10 teams in the state so far. They're led by a Kansas commit, senior Mackenzie Dean, who is one of the more intimidating forces flying above the net at 6-foot-2. Her setter, junior Ella Rogers, is averaging over nine assists per set with Dean finishing the lion's share of those.Time will tell whether this brutal schedule will pay off, or wear down the Maroons come tournament time.

No. 5 Ankeny Centennial (17-3)

Ava Adams of Ankeny Centennial gets the attack around a block attempt earlier this season. The Jaguars are the fifth-best team in Iowa according to our midseason Super 10 rankings.
Ava Adams of Ankeny Centennial gets the attack around a block attempt earlier this season. The Jaguars are the fifth-best team in Iowa according to our midseason Super 10 rankings.

Ankeny Centennial is edged out by Dowling here due to the head-to-head matchup back on Sept. 5, which the Maroons won in a five-set thriller.This is not a team to be overlooked by any stretch, with their only three losses coming against teams within our top 10. Junior Delaney Miller has risen up recruiting boards quickly with her play, averaging 4.6 kills per set. Senior Kambria Leezer, with 8.8 assists per set, is the nucleus of this offensive attack.One place we could learn a lot about this squad is on Oct. 7 at the Westside Volleyball Invite at Cedar Rapids Jefferson, where they'll be in a pool with four of our top 10 teams in Dike-New Hartford, Dowling Catholic, Mount Vernon and Grundy Center.

No. 6 Grundy Center (29-4)

Any time you have one of the most dynamic players in the state on your roster, you're always going to have a chance.Senior Carlie Willis is the state's leader in total kills and kills per set. Committed to play for St. Cloud State after this season, she's led the Spartans to a stellar record. They're one of the primary threats to Dike-New Hartford in Class 2A for a state title.

More: Stellar defensive play, rushing attacks highlight Iowa high school football Week 5 top performers

No. 7 Indianola (21-2)

Aspen Nelsen of Indianola is the second-best on her team in both kills and digs.
Aspen Nelsen of Indianola is the second-best on her team in both kills and digs.

It was a disappointing end for Indianola last season after losing in the first round of the Class 4A state tournament, but this team is loaded for another shot at the title.Senior Tori Runyan is one of the best setters of 4A, averaging 9.7 assists per set. Junior Aspen Nelson can do it all, as the second-leading player in kills and digs on the squad and as one of the best servers on the team. They've got some big wins behind these two, including over Ankeny Centennial and other quality teams like Waukee Northwest and Holy Trinity Catholic.

No. 8 ADM (18-1)

ADM’s Madison Siefken has helped lead her team to an 18-1 record in 2023.
ADM’s Madison Siefken has helped lead her team to an 18-1 record in 2023.

If there's one team in Class 4A that has just as much of an argument as Indianola to upset Clear Creek Amana, it's the Tigers.

Their schedule has not been as daunting as some of the others above them. However, senior Madison Siefken is leading a balanced attack with 9.4 assists per set this season, allowing for five different players to average over a kill per set.It may not be until the postseason that we learn just how good this ADM team is, but their success thus far cannot be disputed.

No. 9 Ankeny Christian (23-3)

Ankeny Christian players celebrate during a Class 1A state volleyball championship match. They're the only returning state title holders in our midseason Super 10.
Ankeny Christian players celebrate during a Class 1A state volleyball championship match. They're the only returning state title holders in our midseason Super 10.

This is the first, and only team in our Super 10 that is a reigning champion. That speaks to just how competitive Iowa high school volleyball is this season.

Junior Katie Quick is one of the most dynamic players in Iowa and a midseason Player of the Year candidate for good reason. She leads the team with 7.9 assists and an astounding 1.4 aces per set. Her play has the Eages the far and away favorites in Class 1A.

More: Dowling's Ra'Shawd Davis is motivated to succeed for senior leaders and offensive linemen

No. 10 Des Moines Christian (23-4)

Des Moines Christian's Gabby Lombardi is searching for a state title in her senior year after falling in the state semifinals a season ago.
Des Moines Christian's Gabby Lombardi is searching for a state title in her senior year after falling in the state semifinals a season ago.

After making it to the Class 3A semifinals a year ago, the Lions looked primed for another shot at the 3A crown. Senior Gabby Lombardi and junior Hadley Hardensen are a dynamic duo, with Lombardi leading the way in kills and assists for Des Moines Christian and Hardensen right behind her in second for those categories.Mount Vernon got the best of them back on Sept. 2 by taking both sets (18-21 and 16-21), but the Lions have plenty of time to regroup and make a run in Lombardi's last chance at a title before she heads to Fresno State.

Eli McKown covers high school sports and wrestling for the Des Moines Register. Contact him at Emckown@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @EMcKown23.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Register's Iowa high school volleyball Super 10 rankings at midseason