Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

CORALVILLE – Clear Creek Amana gave it everything it had.

The Clippers battled back, twice, scratched and clawed to a late lead but it just wasn’t quite enough.

Playing shorthanded without sophomore standout Julia Schlarbaum top-ranked Clear Creek Amana couldn’t complete a comeback falling to fifth-ranked North Scott 25-21, 21-25, 25-23, 18-25, 15-13 in a Class 4A state semifinal on Wednesday at Xtream Arena in Coralville.

“We gave it everything we had,” Clear Creek Amana senior Averie Lower said. “We had momentum we had confidence we stayed together it just didn’t go our way.”

Despite the absence of its third leading hitting this season in Schlarbaum who missed the game with an illness Clear Creek Amana (42-4) gave itself a shot.

The Clippers battled back from an opening set loss, fought off a 15-10 deficit in the fourth set to extend the match to a fifth and led 13-10 in the decisive final set.

North Scott (26-10) scored the final five points to return to the state title game for the second time in the past three seasons.

“I can’t be disappointed with how we played today,” Clear Creek Amana coach Jackie Clubb said. “It hurts but I can’t be disappointed when they came back and tried their very best and did absolutely everything they could. I can’t be upset with that.”

The 2023 4A champion, North Scott will face second-ranked Sioux Center (30-4) in the 4A title game on Thursday at 12:15 p.m.

Sioux Center swept third-ranked Pella 25-20, 25-12, 25-23 in the other 4A semifinal on Wednesday.

“When the momentum changes it’s tough to get it back some times,” Clubb said. “North Scott played very well, played very well and so did we but it is what it is.”

North Scott senior McKenzie Moeller had five of her match-high 31 kills in the fifth set including three during the Lancers’ 5-0 spurt that closed the match.

Moeller, who had 27 kills in a quarterfinal win over Dallas Center-Grimes on Monday, added two blocks and two ace serves.

“She’s insane,” Clear Creek Amana senior setter Emily Henderson said of Moeller. “Our whole goal today was to try to shut her down and it didn’t work as well as we hoped. She’s definitely a big threat, she’s really good.”

After the teams split the opening two sets Moeller appeared to give North Scott the momentum after her back-to-back kills snapped a 23-all tie and gave the Lancers a 25-23 win in the third set.

North Scott led 15-10 in the fourth set and appeared poised to cruise to the semifinal.

Clear Creek Amana rallied.

“I think the whole time we were just saying to stick together,” Lower said. “We knew it wasn’t over yet.”

Clear Creek Amana used a 7-1 run to take a 17-16 lead and closed out a 25-18 fourth set win on an 8-1 run.

The Clippers carried the momentum into the fifth set, taking a 3-0 lead on a Bailey Simpson block.

The 6-foot-2 Simpson finished with 13 kills and five blocks.

“Bailey Simpson stepped up and did a great job today,” Clubb said. “We asked a lot out of her and she did a great job.”

Clear Creek Amana led 13-10 after a Simpson kill forced a North Scott timeout.

The Lancers pulled even at 13-13 on a Moeller kill and closed the match out on a Moller kill and a Clipper hitting error.

Lower led Clear Creek Amana 19 kills while Simpson had 13 and Sariah Sherman added eight.

Henderson had seven kills and sophomore Haydin Wauters had three kills and six blocks.

“Since Julia couldn’t play I think we did a really good job of adjusting,” Henderson said. “People were playing positions they haven’t played before and they really put their heart and soul into it. I am really proud of us, I’m proud of what everyone could do.”

North Scott                            25  21  25  18  15

Clear Creek Amana            21  25  23  25  13

Clear Creek Amana (Kills-aces-blocks)

Bella Behrens 0-2-0, Elizabeth Timmerman 1-0-5, Kendall Ronnfelddt 0-0-0, Bailey Simpson 13-0-5, Emily Henderson 7-0-2, Sariah Sherman 8-1-4, Averie Lower 19-1-3, Haydin Wauters 3-0-6, Totals 51-4-25.

Assists – Emily Henderson 39, Kendall Ronnfeldt 3, Bella Behrens 2, Bailey Simpson 2, Sariah Sherman 1

North Scott (Kills-aces-blocks)

Kamiliah Eller 12-2-1, Ainsley Haedt 0-2-0, McKenzie Moeller 31-1-2, Addyson Miguel 0-0-0, Reese Jackson 1-0-1, Adalynn Johnson 14-0-0, Eisley Weinert 0-0-0, Addison Allen 1-3-0, Alyssa Schroeder 3-0-2, Paige Coon 7-0-4, Totals 69-8-12.

Assists – Addison Allen 55, Ainsley Haedt 8, McKenzie Moeller 2, Reese Jackson 1

Did you enjoy this subscription free article? Help keep Your Prep Sports free by donating