Iowa all-state softball 2021: Led by Mount Vernon, 21 area players earn first-team honors

With four state finalists, the 2021 Iowa high school softball season was one of the most successful in history in the area.

Next year could be better.

The Iowa Girls Coaches Association released its all-state softball teams Wednesday afternoon, with 21 area players earning first-team accolades.

Of those 21, only nine are seniors.

Mount Vernon, the 3A state runner-up, led all area teams with three first-team selections. All three (Maia Bentley, Nadia Telecky and Jenna Sprague) are juniors.

The Mustangs (36-5) reached their first state final and led powerhouse Davenport Assumption most of the way in the championship game before falling, 10-5.

Class 4A state champion Western Dubuque and 2A champ North Linn both had a pair of first-teamers, as did 1A runner-up Lisbon and 5A qualifiers Iowa City High and Cedar Rapids Kennedy.

Seniors Sydney Kennedy and Sara Horsfield represented Western Dubuque on the top 4A squad. Skylar Benesh (freshman) and Ellie Flanagan (sophomore) were picked for the Lynx.

Unranked at the beginning of the season, Western Dubuque finished 35-7, taking down three teams from the powerful Raccoon River Conference at Fort Dodge.

North Linn (42-6) was in the state final for the third straight year and matched its championship finish of 2019.

After finishing third, third and fourth in the previous three seasons, Lisbon (37-9) took it one step further and reached the 1A title game behind sophomore first-teamers Peyton Robinson and Ryleigh Allgood.

All four of the area 5A first-teamers were seniors — Ayana Lindsey and Carey Koenig of City High (34-8), and Jayme Scheck and Mya Dodge of Kennedy (28-11).

Solon was the other area team with multiple first-teamers: Sarah Heick and Hilary Wilson were honored in 3A.

Class 5A

First Team

Sophia Delvecchio, sr., Bettendorf

Jayme Scheck, sr., Cedar Rapids Kennedy

Jalen Adams, jr., Fort Dodge

Tristan Doster, sr., Fort Dodge

Destiny Lewis, sr., Indianola

Carey Koenig, sr., Iowa City High

Ayana Lindsey, sr., Iowa City High

Rylie Moss, sr., Muscatine

Heidi Wheeler, sr., Waukee

Mya Dodge, sr., Cedar Rapids Kennedy

Sydney Potter, soph., Southeast Polk

Emily Wood, sr., Pleasant Valley

Emma Roether, sr., Johnston

Ava Smithson, jr., Johnston

Avarie Eagle, sr., Muscatine

Reagan Bartholomew, jr., Waukee

Ella Schultz, sr., Ankeny Centennial

Abbi Cataldo, sr., Southeast Polk

Marina Carter, sr., Ankeny

Lydia Ettema, soph., Dubuque Hempstead

Coach of the year — Andi Adams, Fort Dodge

Second Team (area only)

Kara Maiers, sr., Iowa City Liberty

Ella Cook, sr., Iowa City High

Kelsey Palmer, jr., Cedar Rapids Jefferson

Taylor Robinson, soph., Cedar Rapids Jefferson

Jordyn Beck, soph., Linn-Mar

Alexis Barden, jr., Cedar Rapids Prairie

Amaya Snyder, sr., Cedar Rapids Prairie

Third Team (area only)

Liv Williams, sr., Iowa City West

Keaton Gerber, jr., Cedar Rapids Kennedy

Aliyah Walker, sr., Cedar Rapids Jefferson

Class 4A

First Team

Katelyn Lappe, jr., Bondurant-Farrar

Emma Dighton, sr., Boone

Brooke Hickey, sr., Adel ADM

Jena Young, soph., Winterset

Hannah Simpson, jr., Fairfield

Kellie Dallmeyer, sr., Washington

Aliya Yanga, soph., Adel ADM

Zoey Highshoe, sr., Boone

Bridget Stover, jr., Winterset

Sydney Kennedy, sr., Western Dubuque

Faith DeRonde, jr., Oskaloosa

Duanna Coyle, soph., Cedar Rapids Xavier

Peyton Johnson, soph., Marion

Aubrey Furnal, sr., Carlisle

Jayden Lammers., sr., Norwalk

Haley Downe, sr., Norwalk

Sarah Horsfield, sr., Western Dubuque

Hannah Foster, sr., North Polk

Kylie Merical, sr., Dallas Center-Grimes

Haley Bach, sr., Lewis Central

Coach of the year — Rex Massey, Western Dubuque

Second Team (area only)

Gabrielle Bedford, sr., Clear Creek Amana

Ella Koloc, jr., West Delaware

Alyse Harvey, sr., Benton Community

Grace Zaugg, sr., Cedar Rapids Xavier

Ashley Webb, soph., Clear Creek Amana

Third Team (area only)

Erin Mullen, soph., West Delaware

Megan Kessens, sr., Marion

Maddie Harris, jr., Western Dubuque

Avery Shelton, sr., Decorah

Class 3A

First Team

Kendal Clark, sr., Humboldt

Jori Hajek, sr., Humboldt

Dakota Lake, soph., Saydel

Avery Hanson, jr., Hampton-Dumont/CAL

Macy Friest, jr., Roland-Story

Sarah Heick, sr., Solon

Jenna Sprague, jr., Mount Vernon

Anna Wohlers, sr., Davenport Assumption

Hilary Wilson, soph., Solon

Peyton Driscoll, soph., Williamsburg

Tatum Dunlavy, fr., Estherville-Lincoln Central

Olivia Engler, sr., Atlantic

Kennedy Kramer, sr., West Lyon

Lauren Summers, soph., West Burlington

Claire Matthews, sr., Centerville

Makenna Jones, sr., Albia

Ashley Finarty, soph., Knoxville

Madeline Barker, soph., Davis County

Maia Bentley, jr., Mount Vernon

Olivia Wardlow, sr., Davenport Assumption

Nadia Telecky, jr., Mount Vernon

Belle Nigey, jr., Davenport Assumption

Coach of the year — Robin Brand, Mount Vernon

Second Team (area only)

Ashlynn Ellenbecker, sr., South Tama

Carly Campbell, sr., Williamsburg

Elle Ridgeway, soph., Williamsburg

Sailor Hall, jr., West Liberty

Grace Lubben, sr., Anamosa

Emily Watters, soph., Anamosa

Finley Hall, soph., West Liberty

Annika Headington, sr., Waukon

Camryn Keith, jr., Solon

Lauren Ryan, sr., Mount Vernon

Shannon Finn, fr., Williamsburg

Third Team (area only)

Aliza Mollenhauer, sr., Center-Point-Urbana

Class 2A

First Team

Chloe Wells, sr., Wilton

Kylee Sanders, sr., Louisa-Muscatine

Skylar Benesh, fr., North Linn

Molly Blomgren, sr., Van Meter

Josie McCuddin, jr., Interstate 35

Alli Boyle, sr., Earlham

Kylee Sallee, sr., Hudson

Hailey Rosonke, fr., South Hardin

Kaylea Fessler, jr., Central Springs

Emily Meyer, soph., North Union

Ellie Flanagan, soph., North Linn

Olivia Von Bork, jr., North Union

Neveah Hildebrandt, sr., Northeast

Amber McKinney, sr., Pleasantville

Cooper Klaahsen, soph., Central Springs

Sam Nielsen, jr., North Union

Payton Ganzer, jr., Wilton

Summer Pasutti, sr., Interstate 35

Natalie Harrill, jr., Pella Christian

Nikki Henson, sr., West Branch

Peyton Souhrada, jr., Wilton

Madisyn Kelley, jr., Central Springs

Coach of the year — Chad Spore, North Linn

Second Team (area only)

Kaitlyn Sommerfelt, sr., North Linn

Courtney Kessler, soph., Iowa City Regina

Annie Gahan, sr., Iowa City Regina

Jill Smith, jr., North Linn

Third Team (area only)

Sydney Cook, sr., Alburnett

Devin Simon, soph., Cascade

Emma Nibaur, jr., Iowa City Regina

Class 1A

First Team

Sterling Berndt, jr., Wayne

T.J. Stoaks, sr., Lenox

Madie Anderson, sr., Winfield-Mount Union

Sara Reid, jr., Central City

Peyton Robinson, soph., Lisbon

Ryleigh Allgood, soph., Lisbon

Ella Larsen, sr., Newell-Fonda

Bailey Sievers, sr., Newell-Fonda

Rylee Schnepf, jr., Le Mars Gehlen

Alexis Houge, jr., Collins-Maxwell

Cheyanne Behrends, sr., Clarksville

Taylor Hannah, sr., Saint Ansgar

Macy Emgarten, jr., Exira-EHK

Charlie Pryor, 8th, Woodbine

Emily McIntosh, sr., West Harrison

Grace Bailey, jr., Twin Cedars

Haley Godfrey, sr., Melcher-Dallas

Rylee Dunkin, soph., Twin Cedars

Emily Jones, jr., Wayne

Makenna Kuper, sr., Ackley AGWSR

Josie Hartman, jr., Southeast Warren

Emma DeStiger, sr., Woodbury Central

Kiya Johnson, soph., North Butler

Coach of the year — Courtney Darrow, Newell-Fonda

Second Team (area only)

Bailie Weber, fr., Central City

Stacia Hall, sr., Lisbon

Carly Goodwin, fr., Sigourney

Third Team (area only)

Abbi Stransky, soph., Highland

Macy Manning, sr., Lansing Kee

Mia Peterson, jr., Lisbon

Morgan Nachazel, jr., Springville

Kaylee Weber, sr., Sigourney

Libby Moore, sr., Springville

Lauren Donlea, jr., East Buchanan

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com