For the second time in three years — and by extension, the second time ever — North Tama volleyball is in the state tournament.
The Redhawks will be playing a late quarterfinal tonight against Le Mars Gehlen, one of three private schools in the Class 1A tournament. In 2017, NT lost to Springville, which did not go on to win (Janesville did).
Gehlen is North Tama’s westernmost opponent in any sport ever, surpassing last Friday’s state football opponent, Woodbury Central. Those fans sure must be glad for a finished four-lane US 20 (so this is how I get this Sioux City Journal story linked!). I really have to give props to the IHSAA for protecting the top four seeds even if it didn’t stop the Redhawks from blowing a 17-point second-half lead at home. (Also, was the week of the first round of playoffs really the time to launch a website redesign, IHSAA? Especially since your last one nuked at least a decade of archives?)
Besides North Tama, there are five schools outside the biggest classes with football and volleyball teams in the final eight (* means those football teams made the semifinals):
- Grundy Center*, FB A/VB 2A
- West Liberty, FB 2A/VB 3A
- Western Dubuque*, FB 3A/VB 4A
- Sergeant Bluff-Luton*, FB 3A/VB 4A
- North Scott, FB 3A/VB 4A
Five of the largest-class schools are in both (FB 4A/VB 5A): Ankeny, Cedar Falls, Dowling*, Valley*, and Waukee.