Iowa Girls High School State Volleyball Championship: Beckman Catholic vs. Hinton 2A Title Match

Iowa Girls High School State Volleyball Championship: Beckman Catholic vs. Hinton 2A Title Match

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Hinton and Beckman Catholic clashed in the 100th Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union state volleyball championship, a Class 2A showdown that pitted a top-seeded, seasoned contender against a program rebuilding its way to a first-ever title.

It was a story of two journeys—one of reloading and rediscovery, the other of redemption and return. The stage was set at Extreme Arena in Coralville, Iowa, for a championship that Iowa PBS reported was not just a game, but a celebration of a century of Iowa girls’ volleyball. Hinton, the top-seeded Blackhawks, came in with a 33-3 record, carrying the weight of a runner-up finish from the year before. Beckman Catholic, the Trailblazers, arrived with an astonishing 40 wins, reflecting a season that began with the loss of an all-state setter but ended with a historic first trip to the state title game since 2000.

Class 2A — Hinton vs. Beckman Catholic

Can a Rebuilding Project Win a Title?

Look at the Beckman Catholic roster, and you see a team built on versatility and grit. Head coach Todd Troutman’s side lost four starters from the previous year, including a sensational player now at Creighton. This was supposed to be a rebuilding year. What a rebuilding year to be playing in this match. The Trailblazers answered the challenge by finding a new star in sophomore Addie Koelker, who tied a tournament record with 58 assists in the semifinals. They leaned on senior libero Addison Hogan, who can get to everything, and junior Joy Burkle, whose 47 kills at the state tournament proved her mettle. This wasn’t just a team that won; it was a team that reinvented itself on the fly, turning a potential weakness into a championship-winning narrative.

How Does a Team Reload with Sophomores?

Hinton’s path was different. The Blackhawks returned to the championship match by reloading with a powerful core of sophomores. Ortegren, Friessen, Charlson, and Boeve, all underclassmen, formed the heart of a team that lost a star but found even more balance. Setter Addison Dunkel, a 5-foot-9 junior, averaged ten assists per set, directing a fast-tempo offense that left opponents scrambling. Ellie Friessen, a junior, was a story in herself. After back surgery forced her to miss the entire previous season, she returned this year and delivered a standout performance, hitting above .500 in the state tournament. This wasn't just a team with good players; it was a deep, confident unit that had learned to win together, showing the program's ability to develop talent year after year.

The match itself was a chess match from the opening serve. Beckman Catholic wanted to mix up attacks and serve aggressively to the right spots. Hinton wanted to establish offensive balance and capitalize on every free ball. The first points were a microcosm of the entire season for both teams. Kluesner and Addie Koelker combined on a quick double block for Beckman, a display of the chemistry they had built. Hinton responded with a powerful outside attack from Macie Charlson, a lefty who found a seam and made it too hot to handle. The game was a constant battle of adjustments, with neither team able to pull away for long.

It’s a wonderful balanced offense. That’s how you handle it right there. You come back and you hit hard.

The stakes were immense. This was the first time these two schools had ever met on the volleyball court. For the Trailblazers, it was a chance to cap a fairytale season with a trophy that had eluded them for 26 years. For the Blackhawks, it was a chance to erase the memory of a close loss in last year’s final and claim the title that had been so close. The energy in Extreme Arena was electric, a mix of nerves and excitement that both teams channeled into high-level volleyball. Every point was a battle, every serve a potential turning point.

Dyersville Beckman winning match point over Hinton in the Class 2A state championship

What Does a State Championship Mean for a Community?

Ultimately, this game was about more than just points and kills. It was about what a state championship represents for a small town and its school. For Hinton, a victory would be a validation of their program’s resilience and a source of pride for the entire community. For Beckman Catholic, it would be the culmination of a season-long journey of rebuilding, proving that even when you lose star players, you can still build a champion. The hundredth-anniversary setting made it even more special, connecting this single game to a century of history for girls’ athletics in Iowa.

The players on the court knew the history they were a part of. Whether it was Hinton’s sophomore core reloading for a run at glory or Beckman’s cast of new stars finding their way, every player was contributing to a story larger than themselves. The crowd roared for every big play, every dig, and every block, showing the deep connection between these communities and their teams. In the end, the final score settled the immediate contest, but the real victory was the journey both teams took to get there, and the example they set for what can be achieved with hard work, teamwork, and a little bit of nerve.

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