G-R sophomore outside hitter Saari Kuehl was named to the Iowa Girls’ Coaches Association’s all-state first team for Class 1A after helping to lead the Rebels to a 28-10 record and the school’s first state tournament appearance since 1988.

Kuehl, who finished second in 1A in total kills, was one of eight selections to the 1A first team. Gladbrook-Reinbeck didn’t get any farther than the first round of state, getting swept by the eventual four-time state champions from Janesville in the quarterfinals, but Kuehl was the driving force in that defeat. Kuehl accounted for 17 of the Rebels’ 25 kills in the three-set loss to Janesville, and she averaged 17 kills per match in G-R’s postseason run.

Kuehl totaled 456 kills for the fall, which ranked second in 1A and 11th across all five classes in Iowa. She finished fourth in 1A in kills per set (4.65) and 12th in kill efficiency (.334) while accounting for 47.2 percent of Gladbrook-Reinbeck’s kills this season.

It’s the first all-state honor of any sort for Kuehl, who was one of four players from the area selected to one of the 1A squads. North Tama juniors Katie Kopriva and Takoa Kopriva were chosen to the second- and third-team squads, respectively, while Gladbrook-Reinbeck senior setter Madison Denny-Weber was an honorable mention selection as well.

Denny-Weber was the unsung hero at the heart of a Gladbrook-Reinbeck offense, handing out 752 assists on the year. She ranked third in 1A in that category as well as assists per set (8.26), helping to distribute for the 12th-most efficient offense in 1A. The Rebels racked up the seventh-most kills in 1A all season with Denny-Weber at the pivot.

Gladbrook-Reinbeck (28-10), which was ranked 11th in the final 1A poll, got its signature win over No. 5 North Tama in the regional semifinals in Traer to deny the Redhawks their shot at a second consecutive state tournament appearance. North Tama (26-8) got that far, though, powered by the Kopriva cousins.

Katie, a junior right-side hitter, led the Redhawks and ranked 11th in 1A with 328 total kills, while Takoa, a junior libero, paced the North Tama defense and finished 12th in 1A with 397 total digs. Katie came in ninth in 1A in kills per set (3.90) while Takoa ranked 10th in 1A in digs per set (4.73).

The four Rebels and Redhawks combined to represent four of the area’s five all-district selections on the 1A Northeast District squad. Katie and Takoa Kopriva were repeat all-district picks for North Tama, and they were joined by Kuehl, Denny-Weber, and North Tama senior outside hitter Karly Jans.

Jans was second on the North Tama squad with 180 kills this season, providing a capable complementary attacker opposite Katie Kopriva. Jans was also the only area representative on the IGCA Academic All-State Team.

In Class 2A, regional finalist BCLUW had two all-Central District representatives as well as the district’s Coach of the Year. Comet head coach Kristen Garber was voted to the honor by her district peers, while BCLUW players Easton Swanson and Madi Ubben earned all-district notoriety.

Swanson, a senior outside hitter, earned her second-straight all-district selection after leading the Comets (26-12) to the 2A Region 4 finals. The Iowa Central Community College-bound Swanson led BCLUW with 436 kills and 36 blocks this season. Ubben, a junior middle hitter, was second on the team with 158 kills and 34 blocks in earning her first all-district honor.

Garber as well as G-R head coach Paula Kelley were both members of the first Gladbrook-Reinbeck volleyball team to reach the state volleyball tournament in 1988.