Power gives J-Hawks another weapon

FORT DODGE - Wednesday was consolation day at the state softball tournament, but it was not an idle day for Cedar Rapids Jefferson.

The J-Hawks were in the weight room at Iowa Central Community College at 7 a.m. There was a routine to be followed.

'Everyone wanted to be there to get stronger,” said catcher Maddie Hansen.

Jefferson has traditionally been a program built around strong pitching, rigid defense and timely hitting. Now, the J-Hawks have another element.

Power.

The J-Hawks have hit a state-high 45 home runs this season. Hansen is the team leader with 11 long balls, but there are seven others who have cleared the fence at least once.

'We put in a lot of work,” said Hannah Towns, who has gone deep eight times this season after a homerless 2014. 'Individually, I wanted to help the team a lot more than I did last year.”

High school softball has changed dramatically in the five years since the pitching rubber was moved back 3 feet, from 40 feet to 43. With few exceptions, dominant pitching has surrendered to sluggers.

'It's not just the weights,” said Jefferson Coach Brian Erbe. 'There's more pop in the bats. There's more pop in the balls. With that three extra feet, you see the ball better and longer.

'That being said, everybody at Jefferson has invested in Performance PE. Strength and conditioning has become a priority.”

Hansen, who will play at Kirkwood Community College, is regarded as the strongest female athlete at Jefferson. She holds virtually all of the lifting records.

Third-rated Jefferson (36-7) faces a major challenge Thursday; it faces No. 2 Johnston (34-4) in a Class 5A semifinal at 5 p.m. The Dragons are defending champions and have a pitching jewel in junior Haylee Towers (22-1, 0.40 ERA).

'We're going to see a lot of riseballs,” Towns said. 'If we lay off the rise, we'll get the curveball, and that might be the best opportunity to hit something solid.”

Hansen said, 'We just need to make the most of our opportunities when they come.”

In addition to Hansen's 11 home runs and Towns' eight, the J-Hawks have gotten power contributions from Kennedy Dighton (seven), Avery Guy and Lindsey Culver (six each), Liv Erickson (three), Erin Kuba (two) and Alissa Good and Tori Brandon (one apiece).

The Jefferson-Johnston battle is one of five semifinals involving area teams Thursday.

Three Wamac Conference teams are alive in the 3A winners' bracket - No. 1 Solon (40-3) faces No. 8 Center Point-Urbana (30-13) at 11 a.m., then No. 2 Benton Community (41-3) follows against No. 4 Greene County (31-6) at 1 p.m.

In Class 2A, 10th-rated Iowa City Regina (24-14) meets No. 1 Fort Dodge St. Edmond (29-7) at 11:30 a.m., then No. 14 Cascade (23-10) takes on No. 12 IKM-Manning (26-8) at 1:30 p.m.

All five championship games are Friday.

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