Gatorade showers Megan Weber with state honor

In the aftermath of her sophomore softball season, Megan Weber enlisted the help of some heavy hitters.

Former University of Iowa coach Gayle Blevins, for one. Former Drake assistant Nicole Wood, for another.

'Seeing Coach Blevins every two weeks, we worked a lot on hitting. Just as importantly, we did a lot of mental training,' Weber said. 'It helped a lot with confidence, and it helped make me a leader.'

The results were staggering.

Her batting average nearly doubled between her sophomore and junior seasons at Cedar Rapids Kennedy, from .297 to .529. She hit 13 home runs and drove in 63 runs.

Monday, Weber was named the Gatorade state player of the year for 2016-17.

'I was very surprised,' she said Tuesday. 'I knew I had put in the work, but I wasn't too confident something like this would happen.'

Weber splits time between catcher and first base. Through 13 games this season, she is hitting .487 with three home runs and 16 RBIs.

Kennedy improved to 11-2 overall (8-2 Mississippi Valley Conference) with a sweep of Dubuque Wahlert on Tuesday.

'Megan is the type of player that every coach would love having on their team,' Kennedy Coach Maddison LeClere said in the Gatorade release. 'No matter what she is doing, whether it's catching, hitting or running bases, you know that she is going to give it her best effort and perform in pressure situations.'

The first Kennedy Gatorade softball recipient, Weber has committed to play next year at Coe College.

'I felt a small school was the best fit for me,' she said.

Kennedy was ranked No. 1 in Class 5A at the end of last season, but the Cougars were upset by Cedar Rapids Prairie in the regional final.

'We definitely want to get to state,' Weber said. 'It's definitely a motivator for all of us.'

OELWEIN IS BACK IN THE GAME

After two idle summers, Oelwein has reinstated its varsity program.

Oelwein picked up a pair of wins at the North Fayette Valley tournament Saturday and stands at 2-8 heading into Wednesday's Northeast Iowa Conference home encounter with Waukon.

According to Quik Stats, 15 players — three juniors, six sophomores, two freshmen and four eighth-graders — are on the Huskies' roster. Oelwein was 8-27 in 2014 before shutting it down in 2015 and 2016 due to low participation numbers.

Junior Kimberlynn Dayton is hitting .480 with two home runs.

LEADOFF EXTRAORDINAIRE

Avery Guy is everything Cedar Rapids Jefferson could ask for in a leadoff hitter, and much more.

Guy leads the state (all classes) in batting average (.684) and runs (34), and ranks second in on-base percentage (.784). The Class 5A top-ranked J-Hawks are 14-1 after a sweep of Cedar Rapids Xavier on Tuesday.

l Comments: (319) 368-8857; jeff.linder@thegazette.com