TRAER – The Class 1A No. 7 North Tama volleyball team battered Baxter, 3-0, on Tuesday, Oct. 8, in their final home game of the regular season – sweeping the Bolts 25-9, 25-12, and 25-5.

It was Senior Night for the Redhawks who honored five, stellar Class of 2025 players including (front row, l-r) setter Zoey Rausch (parents Josh and Tina Rausch), defensive specialist Grace Kennedy (parents Keith and Trish Kennedy, defensive specialist/libero Faith Dvorak (parents Wes and Megan Dvorak); (back row, l-r) defensive specialist/outside hitter Kylie Calderwood (Matt and Kim Calderwood) and outside hitter/middle hitter Briar Blake (parents Phil and Sara Blake).

Against the Bolts, Rausch was back in starting rotation action after missing much of the season due to a concussion; she notched 18 assists and five digs while also leading her team at the serve line, going 19-for-21 with 8 aces. Junior outside hitter Kruiz Ewoldt led the offense alongside Rausch with 13 kills plus two digs.

Leading the Redhawk defense, libero Addison “Addy” Hochstelter had nine digs and three assists.

At the serve line, Calderwood went 12-for-13 with five aces while sophomore Haydn Wilson was 22-for-22 with three aces and junior Cayleigh Heller was 6-for-7 with two aces.

North Tama began this week 18-4 (6-1) and second in the Iowa Star-South behind No. 5 BCLUW (23-7, 7-0).

Following a triangular on Tuesday in Charles City, the Redhawks were set to play in the Iowa Star Conference Volleyball Tournament over the weekend.

Next week, North Tama begins postseason play with a bye in the Class 1A Region 7 bracket. On Wednesday, Oct. 23, they will play in the quarterfinals the winner of the Monday, Oct. 21 match between HLV (11-13) and Iowa Valley (11-16).

Region 7 teams include Ar-We-Va, Belle Plaine, Boyer Valley, English Valleys, HLV, Hillcrest Academy, IKM-Manning, Iowa Valley, Keota, Kingsley-Pierson, Newell-Fonda, No. 10 River Valley, Storm Lake St. Mary’s, and Woodbury Central.

The Redhawks could potentially face the top-ranked River Valley Wolverines (25-2) for the Region 7 championship.