Photos: Gazette Photojournalists Showcase Favorite June Sports Photos

Cedar Rapids Xavier's Ella Kluesner (13) and Cedar Rapids Xavier's Sara Kram (19) celebrate their win during the Class 2A semifinal game between Cedar Rapids Xavier and Adel- Desoto-Minburn at the Girls' State Soccer Tournament at the Cownie Soccer Complex in Des Moines Friday, June 7, 2019. Xavier defeated ADM, 1-0. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)

Cedar Rapids Xavier's JP Segura (14) does a flip as the Saints run to thank their fans following their 2-0 win against Gilbert in the Class 2A boys prep soccer state semifinal game at Cownie Soccer Park in Des Moines on Saturday, June 1, 2019. (Liz Martin/The Gazette)

Justin Allgaier (7) makes a pit stop during the NASCAR Xfinity Series 9th Annual CircuitCity.com 250 presented by Tamron at Iowa Speedway in Newton on Sunday, June 16, 2019. I find pit stops to be the most interesting thing to photograph in racing. I also really like the backlight through the smoke and dust. (Cliff Jette/The Gazette)

This is probably the nicest rundown photo I've made at a baseball game. I shot it from behind home plate with a 600mm lens. It's full frame from the top to the bottom. I think if the play happened any closer to me, considering I already chopped off part of Urena's head, I would have passed over the photo when I was editing my take. Cedar Rapids Kernels second baseman Estamy Urena (13) tags out Wisconsin Timber Rattlers second baseman Yeison Coca (1) on the base path between first and second base during the top of the third inning of the Midwest Baseball League game at Veterans Memorial Stadium in southwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Wednesday, June 12, 2019. The Kernels won 4-3. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Cedar Rapids native Joey Gase (35) encounters engine trouble in front of Vinnie Miller (78) on turn three during the NASCAR Xfinity Series 9th Annual CircuitCity.com 250 presented by Tamron at Iowa Speedway in Newton on Sunday, June 16, 2019. I have photographed NASCAR twice a year for the last eight years and this is the first time a wreck has occured in front of me. (Cliff Jette/The Gazette)

This is just an artsy photo showing the power of one of these hill climbing motorcycles. The use of a telephoto lens compresses the bits of dirt and grass.A hill climber creates a spray of dirt and grass as he speeds up the hill during the 51st annual Anamosa Hill Climb in Anamosa, Iowa, on Sunday, June 16, 2019. The event has been held annually since 1968 where riders test their skills and motorcycles on the 160-foot hight, 70-degree hill. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

For me, the look on Gene Topliff's face makes this shot. Just that hang on and let it rip mentality. Once I start looking around the frame, I noticed that practically everyone had their eyes on Topliff and his run up the hill. Gene Topliff of Murray, Neb., grits his teeth as he gets airborne on his first run in the 750cc division during the 51st annual Anamosa Hill Climb in Anamosa, Iowa, on Sunday, June 16, 2019. The event has been held annually since 1968 where riders test their skills and motorcycles on the 160-foot high, 70-degree hill. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

It was the Estamy Urena show at the ball park this day. Even though Urena didn't make the tag, I liked the poetry of him stretching for the tag in midair. Cedar Rapids Kernels second baseman Estamy Urena (left) tries for the tag on Wisconsin Timber Rattlers third baseman Gabriel Garcia at second base during the top of the fourth inning of the Midwest Baseball League game at Veterans Memorial Stadium in southwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Wednesday, June 12, 2019. The Kernels won 4-3. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Kernels second baseman Daniel Ozoria (9) reacts as Jesus Lujano of the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (7) is ruled safe at second base during a Midwest League game at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Cedar Rapids on Wednesday, June 26, 2019. The play itself didn't make for a good shot but the reaction of the Kernels player plus the body language of the runner told the story of the play and the game itself. (Cliff Jette/The Gazette)

Iowa City High's Ben Steve (31) is safe at second base as Cedar Rapids Washington's Matyk Hilton (5) catches the ball during the first game of a doubleheader at Washington High School in Cedar Rapids on Monday, June 17, 2019. I like baseball photos that have some complexity, the runner is clearly safe while the second baseman is reacting as the ball nears his glove. It is also a nice compact composition, sometimes your end up with a lot of negatice space around the action. (Cliff Jette/The Gazette)

Western Dubuque's Payton Quagliano (18) bunts the ball during the first game of a double header against Iowa City West at A.J. Spiegal Park in Peosta on Friday, June 28, 2019. With all the chainlink fencing it is hard to get good angle on batters at most high school baseball diamonds, plus there was some great evening light backlighting home plate. (Cliff Jette/The Gazette)

Cedar Rapids Kennedy's Alyssa Martin (33) celebrates tagging out a Cedar Rapids Xavier player at second base to end to top of the second inning during the first game of a doubleheader at Kennedy High School in Cedar Rapids on Tuesday, June 8, 2019. I liked the reaction with the repeating pattern of the other fielders heading to the dugout. (Cliff Jette/The Gazette)

It seemed like the Bobcats hit practically every pitch back to Prairie pitcher Payton Akers. Akers was the story of the game. Cedar Rapids Prairie's Payton Akers fields a hit batted back to her during the third inning of their Mississippi Valley Conference high school softball game against the Western Dubuque Bobcats at Prairie High School in southwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Thursday, June 13, 2019. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

The reaction to a player scoring a run is usually better than the player actually running across home plate. I had other frames of Raiders players celebrating but each player in this frame contributes to that feeling of celebration. Williamsburg's Mackenzie O'Neil (right) congratulates Williamsburg's Rylie Metz (4) as Metz comes back to the dugout after scoring a run during the sixth inning of their semifinal game against the Beckman Catholic Trailblazers during the 2019 West Delaware Hawk Softball Invitational Tournament at Beckman Sport Complex in Manchester, Iowa, on Saturday, June 15, 2019. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

I think this is the first time I've seen a softball player make a diving catch for a grounder then scoops the ball out of her mitt to first base. That's heads-up softball. Linn-Mar's Gennah Sanchez pitches the ball to Kennedy Rentschler for an out at first base during the first inning of their high school softball game against the Center Point-Urbana Stormin' Pointers during the Linn-Mar/Alburnett Invitational Softball Tournament at the Linn-Mar Softball Complex in Marion, Iowa, on Saturday, June 22, 2019. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Center Point-Urbana celebrates winning a shoot out against Dyersville Beckman in a regional soccer game at Fross Park in Center Point on Monday, June 3, 2019. I like the varying reactions from the players as they react to the game winning goal. (Cliff Jette/The Gazette)

West Liberty's Jahsiah Galvan (15) gets the header over Iowa City Regina's Xavien Iben (27) during their Class 1A boys prep soccer state semifinal game at Cownie Soccer Park in Des Moines on Saturday, June 1, 2019. (Liz Martin/The Gazette)

Iowa City High's Ayana Lindsey (42) steals second as Cedar Rapids Kennedy's Alyssa Martin (33) misses the catch in their prep softball game at Kennedy in Cedar Rapids on Tuesday, June 11, 2019. Kennedy won the first game of the doubleheader 2-1. (Liz Martin/The Gazette)

Nevada's Erica Sporrer (35) saves a shot under pressure from Center Point-Urbana's Nicole Lutz (13) as Nevada's Hannah Thomsen (17) comes in for support 1during the Class 1A first round game between Center Point-Urbana and Nevada at the Girls' State Soccer Tournament at the Cownie Soccer Complex in Des Moines Thursday, June 6, 2019. CPU won the game, 1-0 in extra time. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)

Union's Takoa Kopriva (5) and Union's Allie Carty (4) go up for the ball under pressure from Gilbert's Aubrey Mizerak (19) during the Class 1A first round game between Gilbert and Union at the Girls' State Soccer Tournament at the Cownie Soccer Complex in Des Moines Thursday, June 6, 2019. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)

Linn-Mar's Abigail Santana (10) controls the ball under pressure from Ankeny's Eden Gibson (11) during the Class 3A first round game between Linn-Mar and Ankeny at the Girls' State Soccer Tournament at the Cownie Soccer Complex in Des Moines Thursday, June 6, 2019. Ankeny defeated Linn-Mar, 3-0. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)

Cedar Rapids Xavier's Ella Kluesner (13) celebrates as she scores the winning goal during the Class 2A championship match between Cedar Rapids Xavier and Waverly-Shell Rock at the Girls' State Soccer Tournament at the Cownie Soccer Park in Des Moines Saturday, June 8, 2019. Xavier won the match, 2-1, in extra time. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)

I noticed Charlie wearing his Hawkeyes uniform and helmet long before coach Ferentz showed up. I had a feeling there might be a moment once the two met. Normally, I'm not one for tilted horizons. In this case it helped in the composition of the photo and quite frankly I didn't have time to rotate the camera for a vertical composition. Four-year-old Charlie Maher of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, fist bumps Iowa Hawkeyes football head coach Kirk Ferentz during an appearance at the Here Come the Hawkeyes Cedar Rapids coaches event at NewBo City Market in southeast Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Wednesday, June 19, 2019. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

I like looking for quiet moments on my assignments. I made a few frames of the two hugging where Maddie was standing more upright. Then, she slowly put more of her weight on her mother as the effects of the exertion from the race set in. It's just a quiet moment between mother and daughter. Maddie Swick of Tipton, Iowa, hangs onto her mother Angie after crossing the finish line during the 28th Annual Pigman Sprint Triathlon at Pleasant Creek State Recreation Area in Palo, Iowa on Sunday, June 2, 2019. Swick finished third in the female 15-17 division. Competitors swim 547 yards, bike 15.5 miles and run 3.1 miles. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)