Iowa high school state softball 2021: Gazette area team capsules

FORT DODGE — Capsules on the 12 area teams that have qualified for the state softball tournament, which runs Monday through Friday at the Rogers Sports Complex.

Iowa City High (Class 5A)

Record: 33-7

Ranking: No. 6

Coach: Jeff Koenig (7th year, 159-113)

Tournament history: 5th appearance, third in the last four years.

Leading hitters: Eighth-grader Lianna Hull has become a big part of the Little Hawks’ attack; she leads the squad in hitting at .517. Then there’s the veterans: Ella Cook at .454 with eight home runs and 58 RBIs, Carey Koenig at .388 with eight homers and 52 RBIs and Ayana Lindsey at .355 with 52 runs.

Top pitchers: Cook has fashioned a 17-3 mark with a 1.32 ERA and a school-record 180 strikeouts (against 32 walks in 121 2/3 innings). Lindsey is 14-4 with a 1.62 ERA.

First-round opponent: Little Hawks will face No. 10 Ankeny Centennial (31-9) in a 5A quarterfinal at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Cedar Rapids Kennedy (Class 5A)

Record: 28-9

Ranking: No. 8

Coach: Maddison LeClere (5th year, 161-28)

Tournament history: 6th appearance, fourth in the last five years. Won the 5A championship last year.

Leading hitters: Mya Dodge leads the Cougars in just about every category — batting average (.472), doubles (15), triples (six), home runs (14), runs (47) and RBIs (44). Keaton Gerber is hitting .400, Addie Parker .326.

Top pitchers: Jayme Scheck (21-4, 1.41 ERA) is certain to be in the circle. She has struck out 184 and walked 19 in 158 1/3 innings.

First-round opponent: Cougars will face No. 7 Waukee (32-10) in a 5A quarterfinal at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Western Dubuque (Class 4A)

Record: 32-7

Ranking: No. 2

Coach: Rex Massey (1st year, 32-7)

Tournament history: 2nd appearance. Other was a 3A fifth-place finish in 2008.

Leading hitters: Sara Horsfield (.554) is the state leader in runs, with 73. She has stolen 27 bases. Sydney Kennedy (.508) has 28 doubles to her credit and has driven in 58 runs. Maddie Harris is hitting .421.

Top pitchers: The Bobcats have two good options in Kennedy (16-5, 1.69 ERA, 184 strikeouts, 34 walks, 136 1/3 innings) and Meredith Hoerner (16-2, 2.32 ERA, 140 K, 40 BB, 108 2/3 IP).

First-round opponent: Bobcats will face No. 15 North Polk (18-14) in a 4A quarterfinal at 3 p.m. Tuesday.

Clear Creek Amana (Class 4A)

Record: 29-8

Ranking: No. 8

Coach: Jodie Scheetz (2nd year at CCA, 43-19; 9th year overall, 188-140) and Ken Thimmesch (2nd year at CCA, 43-19; 5th year overall, NA)

Tournament history: 35th appearance (most of any school), first since 2014. A nine-time champion, with the most recent title coming in 2011.

Leading hitters: Seven Clippers hit .320 or better, led by Bailey Olerich at .478. Olerich and Emma Mathis lead with 36 runs, with Gabrielle Bedford (.412) the leader with six home runs and 39 RBIs.

Top pitchers: Ashley Webb owns an 18-6 mark and a 1.54 ERA. She has struck out 182 and walked 18 in 167 2/3 innings.

First-round opponent: Clippers will face No. 3 Adel ADM (25-10) in a 4A quarterfinal at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Mount Vernon (Class 3A)

Record: 34-4

Ranking: No. 2

Coach: Robin Brand (10th year at Mount Vernon, 255-126); 14th year overall

Tournament history: 8th appearance, third consecutive. Placed fourth in 3A last year.

Leading hitters: The Mustangs get a lot of mileage out of the top of the order. Nadia Telecky is hitting .467 with 54 runs, 40 RBIs and 32 steals, and Maia Bentley (.518) provides some pop with nine home runs and 42 RBIs. Ashtyn Steen is hitting .394.

Top pitchers: Jenna Sprague (25-2) has an ERA of 1.04. She has struck out 232 and walked 14 in 161 innings.

First-round opponent: Mustangs will face Estherville-Lincoln Central (23-8) in a 3A quarterfinal at 11 a.m. Tuesday.

Williamsburg (Class 3A)

Record: 31-10

Ranking: No. 3

Coach: Adam Berte (5th year, 131-62)

Tournament history: 4th appearance, second consecutive. Class 3A runner-up last year.

Leading hitters: Shannon Finn leads the team in hitting at .447 and has scored a team-best 45 runs. Elle Ridgeway (.430) is tops in RBIs (52), and has blasted 12 home runs. Makenna Hughes is at .346.

Top pitchers: Peyton Driscoll (17-4, 1.89) is the ace. She has struck out 195 and walked 71 in 140 2/3 innings. Three others have picked up at least three victories.

First-round opponent: Raiders will face No. 8 West Liberty (23-7) in a 3A quarterfinal at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday.

Anamosa (Class 3A)

Record: 32-9

Ranking: No. 7

Coach: Brad Holub (3rd year, 76-16)

Tournament history: 3rd appearance, and first since 1996, when it was the 2A runner-up.

Leading hitters: The Raiders have a pair of big hitters in Grace Lubben and Emily Watters. Lubben is batting .529 with eight home runs, 49 runs and 54 RBIs. Watters is at .504 with 21 doubles and 61 runs. Lexi Bright is at .371.

Top pitchers: Watters (21-6) is averaging more than two strikeouts per inning. She has fanned 331 (and walked 31) in 162 2/3 innings. Her ERA is 0.86.

First-round opponent: Raiders will face No. 6 Atlantic (33-5) in a 3A quarterfinal at 7:30 p.m. Monday.

West Liberty (Class 3A)

Record: 23-7

Ranking: No. 8

Coach: Chad Libby (4th year, 91-25)

Tournament history: 2nd appearance. Placed third in 3A in 2019.

Leading hitters: The top three batters are from the same family. Eighth-grader Pearson Hall leads the team at .440 and has scored 41 runs. Sailor Hall and Finley Hall are hitting .390 and .387, respectively, with 37 and 35 runs batted in.

Top pitchers: Sailor Hall (13-5) and Janey Gingerich (10-2) share duties in the circle. Hall’s ERA is 1.77, to Gingerich’s 2.07. They have combined to strike out 178 batters and walk 23 in 177 innings.

First-round opponent: Comets will face No. 3 Williamsburg (31-10) in a 3A quarterfinal at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday.

North Linn (Class 2A)

Record: 39-6

Ranking: No. 2

Coach: Chad Spore (1st year, 39-6)

Tournament history: 3rd appearance, and third consecutive. Won the 2A title in 2019, runner-up in 2020.

Leading hitters: Four batters are at .400-plus, led by Kaitlyn Sommerfelt at .492. Skylar Benesh gives the Lynx an uncommon mix of speed and strength at the top of the order. She hits .460 with 42 steals and 13 home runs. Jenna Lemley (.465) and Jill Smith (.443) have combined for 19 homers and 100 RBIs.

Top pitchers: Ellie Flanagan (21-2) and Maddie Stepanek (13-3) comprise the Lynx’s rotation. Flanagan has struck out 164 and walked 72, and owns a 2.05 ERA.

First-round opponent: Lynx will face No. 14 Iowa City Regina (19-12) in a 2A quarterfinal at 5 p.m. Monday.

Iowa City Regina (Class 2A)

Record: 19-12

Ranking: No. 14

Coach: Angela Kessler (1st year, 19-12)

Tournament history: 9th appearance, seventh in the last 11 years. Three championships, the most recent in 2017.

Leading hitters: Courtney Kessler is second in the state (all classes) in batting average at .641 and leads the Regals with 27 RBIs. Annie Gahan is hitting .383 with 12 doubles, and Emma Nibaur is at .320.

Top pitchers: Nibaur has fashioned a 17-7 record and a 2.02 ERA. She has struck out 142 batters and walked 24 in 159 1/3 innings.

First-round opponent: Regals face No. 2 North Linn (39-6) in a 2A quarterfinal at 5 p.m. Monday.

Lisbon (Class 1A)

Record: 35-8

Ranking: No. 4

Coach: Bob Bunting (52nd year, 1,253-645)

Tournament history: 10th appearance, fourth in a row. Won three straight 1A championships in the mid-1990s.

Leading hitters: Leadoff batter Peyton Robinson leads the Lions in average (.413), runs (57) and RBIs (37). She has stolen 20 bases. Six others are at .300-plus, including Kali Nelson (.365, 36 runs, 32 RBIs) and Mia Petersen (.361, 34 runs)

Top pitchers: Ryleigh Allgood is 27-4 and holds a 1.68 ERA. She has struck out 232 and walked 65 in 196 innings.

First-round opponent: Lions face No. 11 Clarksville (23-4) in a 1A quarterfinal at 1:30 p.m. Monday.

Sigourney (Class 1A)

Record: 25-8

Ranking: No. 7

Coach: Shelly Streigle (17th year at Sigourney, 272-181; 19th year overall)

Tournament history: 5th appearance. Last trip resulted in a 1A fourth-place finish in 2017.

Leading hitters: Carly Goodwin leads the way at .491. Kaylee Weber and Josephine Moore are at .438 and .402, respectively. That trio combines for 29 doubles, nine home runs and 89 RBIs.

Top pitchers: Goodwin (21-3) is one of the top pitchers in 1A. She owns an ERA of 0.49 and has fanned 258 batters (against 45 walks) in 144 innings.

First-round opponent: Savages will face No. 5 Southeast Warren (28-2) in a 1A quarterfinal at 11:30 a.m. Monday.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com