Cascade continues making history with state semifinal triumph

FORT DODGE - The home-run ball had long since landed beyond the center field fence and Lexi Weber emerged from a mob of her Cascade teammates.

She trotted toward the dugout, but was held up one extra second. Cougars coach Ken Weber doesn't normally let the Dad side of his brain trumpet too loudly during games.

But this was different. Weber and his daughter, the senior center fielder, were about to go where no Cascade team has ever ventured.

'After she got home, Dad walked up and gave her a fist pump after she was coming through all the girls,” Ken Weber said. 'Usually I don't do that, but that was a little special thing for her and I.”

Facing a two-run hole midway through the first inning, Cascade didn't bat an eye. The Cougars responded with a barrage and beat IKM-Manning 6-2 at Rogers Sports Complex on Thursday to advance to the Class 2A state championship game.

Cascade (24-10) will face River Valley Conference rival Iowa City Regina (25-14) for the title at 10 a.m. Friday.

'I'm excited for it,” Lexi Weber said. 'It's really nice to spend it with my dad and younger sister. It's going to be a good experience for all us.”

The Wolves (26-9) got off to a quick start when Abbey Youngren blasted a two-run home run in the first inning. Allowing quick runs wasn't going to phase the Cougars, however, who credited a light mood in the locker room.

Cascade started quickly as well and loaded the bases. Sophomore catcher Lisa Tucker, the hero of the first game with two home runs, got her bat going again.

Tucker was 2-for-3 - 4-for-6 through the first two games - and hit a single with three RBIs to give the Cougars a 3-2 advantage. Sophomore Bailey Clemens hit Tucker in and gave Cascade a 4-2 lead after the first.

'They knew they had a chance,” Ken Weber said. 'We talked a lot about the teams here and that they would all be good, including us. Everybody has a shot so we just needed to play our game.”

Cascade, making only its second state tournament appearance ever, notched its first-ever wins at state this season. Now it has a chance at a title.

'Tuesday night when we played and won, we're like, ‘We already made history,'” Lexi Weber said. ''No matter what happens, we made history.'”

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