Monticello thrives with tight-knit baseball team

MONTICELLO — Monticello Coach Josh Soper has worked with more skilled teams.

This year's group has its share of talent but they are more of the prototypical team he has coached.

'Our culture is really strong and we have a great group of kids,' Soper said. 'They really care for each other. They're positive every day. They want it for each other just as much, if not more than, for themselves. It's outstanding to coach.'

Monticello produced a strong regular season, winning the school's first conference title in 51 years and hovering near the Iowa High School Baseball Coaches Association rankings. The Panthers (21-6) open the postseason with a district semifinal game against Clayton Ridge/Central (21-10) on Tuesday at Commercial Club Park in Dyersville. Class 1A will compete in district quarterfinals.

The Panthers' camaraderie extends beyond the diamond and provides a benefit on it.

'It's great,' Monticello junior Jacob Manternach said. 'Most of us, especially in the starting lineup, are all very close friends. We've hung out with each other all throughout high school. It's nice to have that closeness on the field.'

Manternach was one of just four returning starters from a 21-win team last season. The Panthers had a successful junior varsity squad and a core of sophomores that pitched at the varsity level. Players embraced the challenge and filled the holes left by graduation.

'We knew we were going to have a pretty good ballclub as far as our defense and pitching,' Soper said. 'We reloaded and the kids have worked hard. They've been positive every day, wanting to get better and now here we are.'

Junior Andrew Mescher leads with a 7-2 record and owns a 1.07 earned-run average. Kyle Sperfslage and Kegan Arduser are both 4-1. Sperfslage has a 1.59 ERA, while Arduser's is 2.47.

Pitchers are supported by a good defense that fields at almost a 95 percent clip.

The coaches have set pitching and defense as the cornerstone of the program. Those traits keep them in games, but they have a potent offense as well.

The Panthers hit .330 as a team, reaching base almost 43 percent of the time. They average almost nine hits and more than six runs per game.

'I think the difference between this year's team and last year's team is we have solid hitters up and down the lineup,' Soper said. 'Our order can hit all kinds of pitching — right-handed, left-handed, hard, fast, off-speed. When you have a team that can keep runs off the board and take hits away like we can and go out and mash the baseball, it's a pretty good combination.'

The potential was there from the start. The uncertainty was when it would start taking shape. They suffered a three-game losing streak early, but maintained momentum after the stretch ended.

'I knew we had the tools there,' Manternach said. 'It was just a matter of how fast we could get everybody developed and going. It happened a lot quicker than I thought.'

The Panthers' season was highlighted by two come-from-behind victories in a sweep of Northeast. Monticello posted a rare doubleheader sweep at Cascade en route to the River Valley Conference North Division title.

'It was pretty special,' Manternach said. 'There's been a lot of great players and teams come through Monticello. We were happy we could put together a good enough season to make it happen.'

Monticello has been in strong baseball conference, competing in the old Big Bend Conference with Dyersville Beckman, Cascade, DeWitt Central and Western Dubuque. Cascade and Northeast are in the RVC, which includes highly-ranked Wilton and Iowa City Regina in the other division.

'Just like anything else it's a process,' Soper said. 'We've been close a few times. Last year's group got second a couple times. This group of kids were able to break through and get it done.'

Monticello finds itself in a familiar position. The Panthers played Clayton Ridge/Central in last year's district semifinals, winning 4-2. The game was at Dyersville as well. They aren't concerned with opponents or postseason paths.

'I think our kids realize what it took to do what they did (in the regular season), which is staying focused on the process and getting better,' Soper said. 'We haven't compared ourselves to other teams or anything like that. We just tried to get ourselves better every day.

'I would say our kids are excited to play and have the opportunity moving forward.'

CLASS 2A DISTRICT SEMIFINALS

(Gazette area teams only)

District 5

At New Hampton

Central Springs vs. South Winneshiek, 5 p.m.

Hampton-Dumont vs. New Hampton, 7 p.m.

District 6

At Aplington-Parkersburg

Jesup vs. Waterloo Columbus, 5 p.m.

Denver vs. Aplington-Parkersburg, 7 p.m.

District 7

At Dyersville

Clayton Ridge/Central vs. Monticello, 5 p.m.

Waukon vs. Dyersville Beckman, 7 p.m.

District 8

At Cascade

Bellevue vs. Northeast, 5 p.m.

Camanche vs. Cascade, 7 p.m.

District 10

At Iowa City Regina

Mid-Prairie vs. West Burlington, 5 p.m.

Van Buren vs. Iowa City Regina, 7 p.m.

CLASS 1A DISTRICT QUARTERFINALS

(Gazette-area teams only)

District 5

At Lansing Kee

Turkey Valley vs. Tripoli, 5 p.m.

Nashua-Plainfield vs. Lansing Kee, 7 p.m.

At Saint Ansgar

Wapsie Valley vs. Riceville, 5 p.m.

Postville vs. Saint Ansgar, 7 p.m.

District 6

At North Tama

Don Bosco vs. Dunkerton, 5 p.m.

Janesville vs. North Tama, 7 p.m.

At Gladbrook-Reinbeck

Hudson vs. GMG, 5 p.m.

Grundy Center vs. Gladbroook-Reinbeck, 7 p.m.

District 7

At Troy Mills

Edgewood-Colesburg vs. Maquoketa Valley, 5 p.m.

East Buchanan vs. North Linn, 7 p.m.

At Alburnett

Belle Plaine vs. Central City, 5 p.m.

Springville vs. Alburnett, 7 p.m.

District 8

At Keota

IMS vs. Tri-County, 5 p.m.

BGM vs. Keota, 7 p.m.

At HLV

Iowa Valley vs. Sigourney, 5 p.m.

English Valleys vs. HLV, 7 p.m.

District 9

At Lisbon

Lone Tree vs. Midland, 5 p.m.

Easton Valley vs. Lisbon, 7 p.m.

At Durant

Calamus-Wheatland vs. Bellevue Marquette, 5 p.m.

Prince of Peace vs. Durant, 7 p.m.

District 10

At Highland

Cardinal vs. Pekin, 5 p.m.

Danville vs. Highland, 7 p.m.

At Burlington

Fort Madison Holy Trinity vs. New London, 5 p.m.

Winfield-Mt. Union vs. Burlington-Notre Dame, 7 p.m.

District 11

At Colfax

Lynnville-Sully vs. Melcher-Dallas, 5 p.m.

Montezuma vs. Colfax-Mingo, 7 p.m.

At Bussey

Moravia vs. Moulton-Udell, 5 p.m.

North Mahaska vs. Twin Cedars, 7 p.m.

l Comments: (319) 368-8679; kj.pilcher@thegazette.com