RAPID CITY - The Rapid City Stevens volleyball team has surprised more than a few this season as the defending Class AA state champions have blazed out to a 17-5 record despite having to replace several key players from last season.

This weekend the Raiders will step up to their next challenge when the Greater Dakota Conference Duals get under way.

"This is our hardest weekend of the season so far because every team is just about as good as it is going to get," Raider head coach Josh Lien said. "The four Sioux Falls schools are very good schools and it will be a bench mark for us to see where we are sitting."

The duals bring together all eight GDC schools - Rapid City Central, Rapid City Sevens, Spearfish, Sturgis, Sioux Falls Washington, Sioux Falls O'Gorman, Sioux Falls Lincoln and Sioux Falls Roosevelt - for two days of action where the West River schools battle the east.

This is the second go-around for the teams this season as the same format was used earlier in the season with the teams squaring off in Sioux Falls.

For Stevens, which went 2-2 against the Sioux Falls squads earlier this season, the competition brings with it a state-like atmosphere.

"You know that three or four of the Sioux Falls schools will be at the state tournament and at least one of those teams will be on our side of the bracket so we will have to go through them if we want to advance," Lien said. "Three of our earlier games went to the fifth game so they could go either way. We will see where we are at."

The first night of competition will be held in Spearfish and Sturgis with the final day at Stevens and Central.

While Stevens tries to make yet another statement in its season, Central enters the weekend with an 8-12 mark and looking to continue a wave of momentum that has seen the Cobblers win three straight after losing their previous four.

The Cobblers did go 0-4 earlier in the season against Sioux Falls, but they did push Lincoln to five games before falling.

Both Sturgis (3-13) and Spearfish (0-13) were unable to get wins at the last duals, but still have things they are looking to get out of this weekend.

"You want to push for wins but you are also looking for improvement," Spearfish head coach Sarah Dittman said. "I am looking for my kids to give 100 percent for all the games and if you do lose that first match can they come back and fight and not give up."

Coming into the weekend, Lien would give Roosevelt the nod as the team to beat but his squad - which has gotten big performances from numerous players all season - will be in the mix.

"In my opinion Roosevelt is the strongest team with just three losses and Lincoln has made a push," he said. "That being said I still think they are beatable."