Semifinals
Class 5A
#1 Waukee Northwest 3, #5 Iowa City West 0 (25-19, 25-15, 25-18)
Waukee Northwest is one win away from a second straight Class 5A state title. Leah Janulewicz had 14 kills on .619 hitting, and the top-seeded and defending champion Wolves swept fifth-seeded Iowa City West. Piper Ladwig added 12 kills and four blocks for Waukee Northwest. Logan Vogt had nine kills, 12 digs and three aces. Avery Cordes and Cassidy Danburg each had six kills, and Danburg hit .556. Kennedy Jackson had 19 assists and Lyla Nelson had 10. Libero London Taylor and Janulewicz each had 11 digs. The Wolves hit .359 and held the Trojans to .000 hitting in the second set. The third set had nine ties and four lead changes before Waukee Northwest pulled away. Cyan Blommer led Iowa City West (26-7) with 13 kills. Sophia Austen had 10 kills, 10 digs and two aces, and Taylor Otte added six kills. Lila Eastvold had 25 assists and 10 digs. Waukee Northwest (31-2) will play for its third 5A championship in four years at 10 a.m. Thursday.
#2 Dallas Center Grimes 3, #3 Ankeny 2 (25-16, 25-21, 16-25, 21-25, 15-11)
DCG advances to the state finals for the first time in school history with a five set thriller over the Hawks. The Mustangs took the first two sets but Ankeny won the next two to force a 5th set. Dallas Center Grimes (34-2) had four players with double figures in kills — Madison Messley with 15, Avery Edgington 14, Maggie Leifker 13 and Ava Smid with 13. Gwen Farley had 49 assists and 18 digs. Smid added 17 digs. Ankeny (31-6) was led by Hailey Wiederin with 20 kills.
