Tuesday’s area Iowa high school volleyball 5A, 4A and 3A regional finals (Oct. 28, 2025)

You’ve got options. Great options.

You’ve got conference rematches, like Marion-Solon.

You’ve got an intra-school-district rivalry, like Liberty-West.

You’ve got a defending champion (Mount Vernon), which faces a program hungry for a breakthrough (Anamosa).

You’ve got a No. 1 (Class 4A’s Clear Creek Amana), which meets a state-tournament regular (Cedar Rapids Xavier).

And you’ve got quite a bit more, just in the area.

Regional-final night arrives Tuesday in Class 5A, 4A and 3A high school volleyball. Winners advance to the state tournament next week at Xtream Arena, Coralville.

A look at seven matches of high area interest:

Tuesday’s Class 5A regional finals

(All matches 7 p.m.)

No. 14 CEDAR RAPIDS KENNEDY (25-17) at No. 6 ANKENY (26-8)

Kennedy takes aim at its first state-tournament appearance in 10 years, but the Cougars face an uphill climb in Central Iowa. With 22 state trips since 2000 (including five championships), Ankeny is an established power. The Hawkettes return two starters from last year’s state qualifier, and none of the top six hitters are seniors. Kennedy advanced with a five-set regional-semifinal victory over Waterloo West, which got the Cougars to the 25-win plateau for the first time since 2016. Like the Hawkettes, Kennedy is a junior-laden lineup, led by leading hitter Addy Phillips, top setter Charlie Lovell, plus Kaycee Cory, who does both.

No. 10 IOWA CITY LIBERTY (24-10) at No. 8 IOWA CITY WEST (26-5)

MVC Mississippi Division co-champions collide with the highest-stakes match between the programs in their eight-year rivalry. Under first-year coach Jaedynn Evans, veteran Sophia Austen and a host of newcomers, West is enjoying a renaissance, posting its best season since the Live Like Line years of 2010-11. The Trojans beat Liberty twice in the regular season — a five-setter at home, and a straight-set win at Cedar Falls that helped send West to the MVC tournament championship. The 2022 5A state champion, Liberty has ascended again after two losing seasons and is led by twins Hadley Miller (setter) and Edie Miller (libero).

STATE

Ames (22-12) at No. 1 Waukee Northwest (34-1)

No. 9 Cedar Falls (31-8) at No. 7 West Des Moines Valley (26-12)

Dubuque Senior (22-14) at No. 3 Pleasant Valley (28-5)

No. 11 Indianola (26-16) at No. 4 Waukee (25-7)

No. 13 Sioux City East (20-14) at No. 5 West Des Moines Dowling (17-11)

Southeast Polk (14-16) at No. 2 Ankeny Centennial (31-5)

Tuesday’s Class 4A regional finals

(All matches 7 p.m.)

CEDAR RAPIDS XAVIER (15-15) at No. 1 CLEAR CREEK AMANA (40-3)

Clear Creek Amana has been beaten only three times this season, but one of the setbacks came at the hands of Xavier on Aug. 30. The Clippers cruised to the Wamac Conference West Division title and outlasted Solon to capture the Wamac tournament crown. CCA swept Mount Pleasant in the regional semifinals (its seventh consecutive victory) while Xavier got past Grinnell in four sets. Josie Smith was Xavier’s setter last season, and now serves as libero. CCA is full of talent and experience: Averie Lower averages 3.01 kills per set, Bailey Simpson is second in 4A in kill efficiency (.407) and veteran setter Emily Henderson posts 9.20 assists per set.

No. 11 WESTERN DUBUQUE (25-11) at No. 5 NORTH SCOTT (23-10)

The 2023 4A state champion, North Scott takes aim at its seventh consecutive state appearance while Western Dubuque 2021 champ pursues its first state berth since a run of four straight appearances from 2019 through 2022. WD’s Kyla Ramler (3.79 kills per set) ranks third in 4A with a .376 kill efficiency, while Gabbie Demmer’s 4.47 digs per set rank fifth. Both are juniors. North Scott was a co-champion of the Mississippi Athletic Conference, along with 5A regional finalist Pleasant Valley and 3A regional finalist Davenport Assumption, and carries an 11-match win streak. McKenzie Moeller is the Lancers’ go-to hitter at 3.60 kills per set and a .314 kill rate.

No. 8 MARION (27-13) at No. 7 SOLON (29-9)

Solon won a pair of matches earlier this season between the Wamac rivals; the Spartans claimed a five-set triumph Sept. 23 that ultimately helped them to an East Division title, then won via sweep in the conference tournament Oct. 16. The Spartans’ last state-tournament appearance (2014) ended in a 3A championship, while second-year Solon coach Ruben Galvan piloted West Liberty to a pair of runner-up finishes. Kiley Devery averages 3.35 kills per set. A win would send Marion to state for the seventh time in 12 years. The Wolves got past Gilbert in a four-set regional semifinal behind a 17-ace service display. Freshman Abbey Kirk averages 3.56 kills per set.

STATE

No. 12 Adel ADM (23-8) at No. 4 Dallas Center-Grimes (25-11)

No. 14 Ballard (26-10) at No. 6 Nevada (28-11)

Lewis Central (25-10) at No. 9 Sergeant Bluff-Luton (18-12)

No. 13 Sioux City Heelan (25-16) at No. 2 Sioux Center (27-4)

Waverly-Shell Rock (20-20) at No. 3 Pella (30-10)

Tuesday’s Class 3A regional finals

(All matches 7 p.m.)

No. 12 CENTER POINT-URBANA (22-13) at No. 8 MID-PRAIRIE (29-9)

Mid-Prairie ended a 20-year state-tournament drought last year, and now looks to make it back-to-back appearances. The Golden Hawks were co-champions of the River Valley Conference South Division. Despite standing 5-foot-6, senior Jovi Evans is fourth on the 3A kills chart, with 4.12 per set. Evans and sophomore sister Jeorgia are daughters of coaching couple Sherry and Zeb Evans. Like Mid-Prairie, CPU swept its first two regional matches. The Stormin’ Pointers chase their second state berth in three years behind a trio of 200-kill threats (juniors Brynley Havel and Brielle Trout, and sophomore Adelyn Stien.

No. 14 ANAMOSA (26-11) at No. 9 MOUNT VERNON (22-15)

Anamosa has reached the regional-final round for the third straight year, and tries once more to take that next step, a first state-tournament trip. Champions of the River Valley Conference tournament, the Blue Raiders are peaking; they’ve won eight consecutive matches, including a four-set regional-semifinal road win over West Delaware. Sophie Sander is one of the state’s top setters, averaging 8.76 assists per set. Reigning 3A state champion Mount Vernon has advanced to state 16 of the last 18 years, six consecutive. Senior Cali Whitaker and juniors Mavrik Schweer and Sophia Meester are key holdovers from last year’s title team.

STATE

Clarinda (26-11) at No. 3 Red Oak (37-2)

Osage (22-9) vs. No. 1 Western Christian (36-9), at Spencer

No. 10 Roland-Story (34-7) at No. 5 Humboldt (30-6)

No. 7 Unity Christian (27-10) at No. 6 Carroll Kuemper (30-2)

Van Meter (25-10) at No. 4 Cherokee (28-7)

Wilton (28-7) at No. 2 Davenport Assumption (24-7)

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com