Misel, Weeces are state's best in 3A

They didn't finish on top.

But the Solon Spartans produced the top player and the top pitcher in Class 3A softball.

Kara Misel and Arran Weeces were named the best in their field when the Iowa Girls Coaches Association released its 2012 all-state teams.

Misel, a junior third baseman, led Solon (37-7) in most offensive categories, including batting average (.544), doubles (16), home runs (13), RBIs (52) and runs (53).

Weeces, a senior pitcher who will play for Coe College next season, finished 20-3 with a 1.05 ERA and 215 strikeouts.

Solon was the Wamac Conference East Division champion and the 3A runner-up, dropping a 5-4 decision to Ballard in the state final. Freshman outfielder Taylor Nearad joins Weeces and Misel on the 3A first team.

In all, 17 Gazette-area players earned first-team honors. Clear Creek Amana, the third-place team in Class 4A, joins Solon with three first-teamers -- Caitlin Wnek, Fran Strub and Mariah McKinnon.

Three Metro players are first-teamers. Hannah Petersen and Rachel Sedlacek of Cedar Rapids Jefferson were honored in 5A, Sydney Galligan of Cedar Rapids Xavier in 4A.

Other area first-teamers are Tatum Klein of Iowa City West in 5A, Maddie Bohr of Washington (Iowa) and Autumn Reeder of West Delaware in 4A, Mallory McArtor of Mid-Prairie in 3A, Kelsey Lough of Jesup, Jen Pohlman of West Branch and Nicole Fagle of North Fayette in 2A and Ali Givens of Lisbon in 1A.

IOWA GIRLS COACHES ASSOCIATION 2012 ALL-STATE SOFTBALL TEAMS

CLASS 5A

First Team

Pitchers -- Riley Fisher, sr., Des Moines East; Shayla Starkenburg, sr.,  Ankeny; Hannah Petersen, sr., Cedar Rapids Jefferson; Catchers -- Sammie Hildreth, sr., Johnston; Taylor Berry, jr., Muscatine; Infield -- Ally Cappaert, sr., Ankeny; Tatum Klein, sr., Iowa City West; Chloe Miller, jr., Pleasant Valley; Katelyn Kinnetz, jr., Waterloo East; Ally Schwartz, sr., West Des Moines Valley; Megan Butler, jr., Muscatine; Olivia Roark, jr., Ottumwa; Jessica Grochala, sr., Des Moines East; Kate Crow, soph., Ames; Outfield -- Katie Shoultz, soph., Muscatine; Lanny Abrahamson, sr., West Des Moines Valley; Sammy Garrett, jr., Ottumwa; Rachel Sedlacek, sr., Cedar Rapids Jefferson; Abby Krantz, jr., Waukee; Utility -- Abby Wilmes, soph., Johnston; Katie Sommer, soph., Dubuque Senior.

Pitcher of the Year -- Starkenburg.

Player of the Year -- Cappaert.

Coach of the Year -- Amy Farmer, Ankeny.

Second Team (area only)

Pitcher -- Mackenzie Laux, sr., Iowa City West; Infield -- Shelly Stumpff, sr., Iowa City West; Maggie Rizor, soph., Linn Mar.

Third Team (area only)

Infield -- Carson Burgart, sr., Cedar Rapids Jefferson. 

CLASS 4A

First Team

Pitchers -- Paige Lowary, soph., Dallas Center-Grimes; Kenzie Flaws, sr., Carlisle; Madison Frain, sr., Creston; Abbie Van Vleet, sr., Indianola; Karly Olson, jr., Winterset; Catchers -- Betsy Thomas, sr., Sergeant Bluff-Luton; MaKayla Augustine, jr., Sioux City Heelan; Infield -- Caitlin Wnek, sr., Clear Creek Amana; Taylor Benshoff, jr., Winterset; Maddie Bohr, jr., Washington; McKenna Heim, fr., North Scott; Katlin Briley, sr., Creston; Alicia Jones, sr., Keokuk; Outfield -- Fran Strub, sr., Clear Creek Amana; Macey Wolfe, jr., Dallas Center-Grimes; Seyerra Dubois, sr., Carlisle; Autumn Reeder, sr., West Delaware; Brianna Chaplin, soph., Indianola; Utility -- Mariah McKinnon, sr., Clear Creek Amana; Courtney Meyer, sr., Newton; Sydney Galligan, soph., Cedar Rapids Xavier; Molly Bryan, sr., Glenwood.

Pitcher of the Year -- Lowary. Player of the Year -- Van Vleet. Coach of the Year -- Steve Schlafke, Dallas Center-Grimes.

Second Team (area only)

Pitchers -- Maliah Fligg, jr., Clear Creek Amana; Hannah Cole, soph., West Delaware; Catcher -- Kaitlin Buchholz, jr., Washington; Infield -- Lauren Vittetoe, sr., Washington; Mallory Madsen, soph., Clear Creek Amana; Mikaela Boss, sr., West Delaware.

Third Team (area only)

Pitcher -- Ashley Rausch, soph., Washington; Infield -- Michalyn Mohr, fr., Marion; Tara Walls, jr., Clear Creek Amana; Ashley Strong, sr., Vinton-Shellsburg; Jenna Schulte, jr., Cedar Rapids Xavier; Outfield -- Steph Rima, sr., Decorah; Utility -- Alyssa Wiebel, 8th, Benton Community.

CLASS 3A

First Team

Pitchers -- Kenzie Ihle, soph., Ballard; Alex Yacko, jr., West Burlington-Notre Dame; Kendall Bosch, sr., Estherville-Lincoln Central; Arran Weeces, sr.,  Solon; Cailey Schlenker, jr., Bondurant-Farrar; Catchers -- Katie Roseland, jr., East Marshall; Krysta Tutsch, sr., Davenport Assumption; Infield -- Annie Stolte, soph., Ballard; Mallory McArtor, jr., Mid-Prarie; Emily Kirchner, jr., Estherville-Lincoln Central; Bobbie Jo Burrows, sr., Bondurant-Farrar; Kara Misel, jr., Solon; Alyssa Whitmore, sr., East Marshall; Outfield -- Tarah Hunt, sr., MOC-Floyd Valley; Jessica Hilbrands, sr., GLR-Central Lyon; Courtney Coffin, fr., West Burlington-Notre Dame; Amanda Busta, sr., Forest City; Taylor Nearad, fr., Solon; Utility -- Paige Krause, jr., Spirit Lake; Grace Hall, sr., Ballard; Kelsey Townsend, jr., Monroe PCM; Danielle McIntosh, jr., Clarke.

Player of the Year -- Misel. Pitcher of the Year -- Weeces. Coach of the Year -- Staci Sniezek, Ballard.

Second Team (area only)

Pitchers -- Erin Housch, jr., Monticello; Olivia Lugar, jr., Mid-Prairie; Infield -- Emmie Leinen, sr., Mid-Prairie; Mackenzie Bigbee, sr., Williamsburg; Abbey Meyer, soph., Cascade; Outfield -- Emily Bransky, sr., Solon; Maddie Wilkin, sr., Center Point-Urbana; Utility -- Ashley Rosenstiel, soph.,  Oelwein; Claire Willenbring, jr., Dyersville Beckman.

Third Team (area only)

Outfield -- Jordan Aitchison, sr., Monticello; Daneshia Snitker, jr., Waukon.

CLASS 2A

First Team

Pitchers -- Madison Keysor, jr., Treynor; Kelsey Lough, jr., Jesup; Josie Brackey, sr., Lake Mills; Breanna Fortune, soph., Wayne; Allie Ingalls, jr., North Union; Catchers -- Kate Killinger, jr., Treynor; Cheyanne Boland, jr., North Union; Whitney Matlack, sr., Denver; Infield -- Anna Strien, soph., Waterloo Columbus; Collete Haag, jr., North Union; Aspen Rhoades, sr., Van Meter; Lynsie Sievertsen, sr., IKM-Manning; Gretchen Lilienthal, sr., Durant; Katelyn Buckalew, jr., Woodward-Granger; Tiffany Hoth, sr., Sumner-Fredericksburg; Outfield -- Alex Snyder, sr., Treynor; Bailie Schipper, jr., Aplington-Parkersburg; Chelsea Matlack, sr., Denver; Jen Pohlman, sr., West Branch; Katelyn Brandt, jr., Sumner-Fredericksburg; Utility -- Leah Harris, sr., Des Moines Christian; Nicole Fagle, sr., North Fayette.

Player of the Year -- Rhoades. Pitcher of the Year -- Keysor. Coach of the Year -- JoEllen Travis, Treynor.

Second Team (area only)

Catchers -- Shannon Laing, soph., West Branch; Infield -- Paige Wieland, jr., Highland; Outfield -- Ciarah Schlader, sr., Iowa City Regina; Utility -- Allison Gibbs, jr., Jesup.

Third Team (area only)

Outfield -- Nicci Roberts, jr., Jesup.

CLASS 1A

First Team

Pitchers -- Amber Logemann, sr., Earlham; Brandi Davis, sr., Akron-Westfield; Emma Michels, sr., Martensdale St. Marys; Jenna Falline, sr., Newell Fonda; Annie Moore, sr., Moravia; Catcher -- Amy Wright, sr., Earlham. Infield -- Hailey Sweet, sr., Martensdale-St. Marys; Nicole Dobernecker, sr., Charter Oak-Ute; Abbey Murphy, soph., Earlham; Kylah Schumacher, fr., Martensdale-St. Marys; Monica Harvey, sr., Akron Westfield; Jessica Balek, sr., Mason City Newman; Steph Rohe, sr., LeMars Gehlen; Outfield -- Brittany Roby, soph., Twin Cedars; Meagan Streffeler, sr., Martensdale-St. Marys; Allison Schreiner, sr., Remsen Union; Emma Ferin, jr., Martensdale-St. Marys; Morgan Frost, fr., Don Bosco; Utility -- Kari Welter, jr., Don Bosco; Ali Givens, jr., Lisbon; Danielle Bender, jr., Bellevue Marquette; Elli Ruen, sr., Mason City Newman.

Player of the Year -- Sweet. Pitcher of the Year -- Logeman. Coach of the Year -- Todd Verwers, Martensdale-St. Marys

Second Team (area only)

Infield -- Madelyn Flemr, soph., Lone Tree; Utility -- McKenna Kilburg, soph., Lisbon.

Third Team (area only)

Catcher -- Alexis Ferguson, sr., Montezuma; Infield -- Suzanne Flexenhar, sr., East Buchanan; Tori Albaugh, sr., Sigourney; Utility -- Jenny Jones, sr., Lone Tree.