Iowa high school state softball 2023: Capsules on 7 area qualifying teams

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

Western Dubuque (Class 4A)

Record: 29-9

Ranking: No. 8

Coach: Rex Massey (3rd year, 86-33)

Tournament history: 3rd appearance. Won the 4A championship in 2021.

Leading hitters: Senior Erica Ernzen leads the squad at .402 and has scored 42 runs. Junior Carson Koerperich (.372) has a team-high 43 runs, and junior Kiya Steger (.314, 41 RBIs) is the chief power source with five home runs.

Top pitchers: Steger (13-3, 1.57 ERA) and sophomore Hannah Hoefer (11-3, 2.23) both are quality starters, combining for 219 strikeouts and 61 walks in 210 2/3 innings. Junior Baylee Neyen has five saves.

First-round opponent: Bobcats will face No. 4 Norwalk (31-9) at 5:30 p.m. Monday.

Benton Community (Class 3A)

Record: 28-14

Ranking: No. 6

Coach: Jordon Rettenmeier (2nd year at Benton, 53-30; 4th year, overall, 82-69)

Tournament history: 17th appearance, first since 2018. Championships in 1966, 1998 and 2016.

Leading hitters: On a team that has blasted 42 home runs, sophomore Ana Glawe (.525, 20 HR, 70 RBIs) has the loudest bat of all. Junior Emma Townsley (.510) has scored 45 runs, and senior Hope Moore (.414) has added 39 runs and 30 stolen bases.

Top pitchers: Junior Jessa DeMoss has fashioned a 17-9 record and 2.36 ERA. She has stuck out 138 and walked 63 in 139 1/3 innings.

First-round opponent: Bobcats will face No. 3 Dubuque Wahlert (31-8) in a 3A quarterfinal at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday.

Williamsburg (Class 3A)

Record: 33-9

Ranking: No. 1

Coach: Adam Berte (7th year, 200-83)

Tournament history: 6th appearance, fourth in a row. Finished second, third and third in the last three trips.

Leading hitters: Veterans like Elle Ridgeway (senior, .412, 12 HR, 52 RBI) and Jenna Thurm (.389, 31 RBIs) have continued to shine, and they’ve been joined by sophomore Taylor Pitlick, who is hitting a team-high .426. Junior Shannon Finn (.350) leads with 39 runs and 29 steals.

Top pitchers: Senior Peyton Driscoll (17-3) sports a 0.93 ERA and 162 strikeouts and 16 walks in 121 innings. Freshman Jersey Metz is 13-5, 2.09 ERA.

First-round opponent: Raiders will face No. 12 Albia (21-8) in a 3A quarterfinal at 7 p.m. Monday.

Iowa City Regina (Class 2A)

Record: 27-8

Ranking: No. 1

Coach: Angela Kessler (3rd year, 71-32)

Tournament history: 11th appearance, 10th in the last 15 years. Four-time state champions, including a 2A title last year.

Leading hitters: The Regals are stacked at the top of the order, led by junior Avery Kies (.419, 45 runs), senior Dani Laughlin (.610, 43 runs) and senior Courtney Kessler (.538, 15 doubles, 51 RBIs).

Top pitcher: Senior Ashley Webb (16-6, 1.50 ERA) has struck out 154 and walked 21 in 111 2/3 innings.

First-round opponent: Regals will face No. 12 Northeast (22-11) in a 2A quarterfinal at 1 p.m. Tuesday.

Lisbon (Class 2A)

Record: 34-7

Ranking: No. 4

Coach: Bob Bunting (54th year, 1,323-659)

Tournament history: 12th appearance, sixth in a row. Won three consecutive 1A championships in the mid-1990s.

Leading hitters: Senior Peyton Robinson, a three-time first-team all-stater, is batting .489 with 15 doubles, 56 runs and 39 RBIs. Senior Ryleigh Allgood is at .475. Senior Ella Clark (.433) is the leader in doubles (16) and RBIs (44).

Top pitchers: Allgood sports a 22-4 record and a 1.91 ERA. She has struck out 190 and walked 40 in 157 2/3 innings.

First-round opponent: The Lions will face No. 5 Interstate 35 (25-12) in a 2A quarterfinal at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday.

North Linn (Class 1A)

Record: 36-6

Ranking: No. 2

Coach: Chad Spore (3rd year, 110-22)

Tournament history: 5th appearance, and fifth in a row. The Lynx were 2A champions in 2019 and 2021.

Leading hitters: Senior Skylar Benesh (.500, 80 runs, 14 home runs) and junior Mackenzie Bridgewater (.448, 68 runs) are the table-setters, with senior Ellie Flanagan (.552, 12 doubles, 12 HR) the state leader in RBIs (73).

Top pitchers: Flanagan (23-3, 1.54 ERA) has accumulated 231 strikeouts and 49 walks in 163 2/3 innings. She didn’t pitch in the regional finals (ankle), and sophomore Kylie Munson (14-2, 2.48) came through.

First-round opponent: The Lynx will face No. 8 Sigourney (26-4) in a 1A quarterfinal at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Sigourney (Class 1A)

Record: 26-4

Ranking: No. 8

Coach: Shelly Streigle (19th year at Sigourney, 322-144; 21st year overall)

Tournament history: 6th appearance. The Savages last qualified in 2021.

Leading hitters: Sophomore Josephine Moore is hitting an even .500 with 42 RBIs. Freshman Kenzi VanDenHeuvel (.458) leads in home runs (four) and RBIs (48) while sophomore Ava Fisch (.393) and senior Rain Barthelman (.384) have scored 41 runs apiece.

Top pitchers: Junior Carly Goodwin is one of the best pitchers in the state, regardless of class. She owns a 22-2 record and 0.22 ERA, with 305 strikeouts and five walks in 130 innings.

First-round opponent: The Savages will face No. 2 North Linn (36-6) in a 1A quarterfinal at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com