Local volleyball teams begin postseason on Tuesday

Staff Report

If the Rockford Warriors aren’t careful, they may finish the season at .500 or above.

Surely, blazing a path to the State Volleyball Tournament through the Class 1A-Region 5 bracket — with first-round matches beginning Tuesday — would put them over the top. The Warriors still have a way to go, but they’ve come a long way already.

Under the tutelage of first-year coach and former Charles City and NIACC volleyball player Hannah Carr, Rockford won its first match of the season before dropping its next six. At one juncture, the Warriors were 4-13 before they finished the regular season winning eight of their last nine.

On Tuesday, Rockford (12-14) will host CAL in a first-round match starting at 7 p.m. CAL only has one win this season, but it also has two ties due to a pair of 1-1 match finals during a recent tourney.

The winner of the Rockford-CAL match advances to the quarterfinals at 7 p.m. Oct. 23 against the winner of the North Iowa-vs.-West Hancock match at a site to be determined.

North Butler (15-16) is also in the Class 1A-Region 5 bracket, and the Bearcats will host West Central (10-20) Tuesday at 7 p.m. The winner travels to Tripoli for another 7 p.m. Oct. 23 quarterfinal game.

In the Class 2A-Region 6 bracket, Nashua-Plainfield (11-19) hosts winless Postville in a first-round match Tuesday at 7 p.m. The winner travels to Calmer to face South Winneshiek in the quarterfinals at 7 p.m. Oct. 23.

In the Class 4A-Region 5 bracket, Charles City (24-14) will enjoy a week off — from competition, that is — as the Comets were granted a first-round bye and will host the winner of the Mason City-vs.-Webster City first-round game in the semifinals at 7 p.m. Oct. 24.

Waverly-Shell Rock, which has defeated the Comets twice this season resulting in Northeast Iowa Conference regular-season and tournament titles, also received at first-round bye in the Class 4A-Region 5 bracket. If a third match between the two teams is in the cards, it will be the bracket’s championship match scheduled for 7 p.m. Oct. 30 with the winner advancing to state.

Last year, Charles City advanced to state and didn’t have to face Waverly-Shell Rock in the regionals as the Go-Hawks were upset in the semis by Waterloo East.