Iowa high school state softball 2024: Capsules on 8 area qualifying teams, and The Gazette’s predictions

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

Cedar Rapids Prairie (Class 5A)

Record: 24-17

Ranking: Unranked

Coach: Alisha Frese (5th year at Prairie, 109-76; 21st year overall, 540-329)

Tournament history: 3rd appearance, first since 2016.

Leading hitters: Three players are within five percentage points for the team lead in batting average. Senior Audrey Lueck leads at .367, and has been walked 21 times. Freshman Lola Hawkins (.363) has driven in 26 runs; sophomore Piper Johnson (.362) has scored 41 runs.

Top pitcher: Junior Tatum Goerdt is 15-12, with 157 strikeouts, 61 walks and a 2.09 ERA.

First-round opponent: Hawks face No. 1 West Des Moines Valley (36-4) in a 5A quarterfinal at 10 a.m. Monday.

Western Dubuque (Class 4A)

Record: 30-9

Ranking: No. 9

Coach: Rex Massey (4th year, 116-44)

Tournament history: 4th appearance, second consecutive. Won the 4A championship in 2021.

Leading hitters: Sophomore Melanie Runde tops the team in batting average at .433. Junior Hannah Hoefer (.368) has hit six home runs with 33 RBIs, and senior Carson Koerperich (.358) has scored a team-high 38 runs.

Top pitchers: Senior Kiya Steger (15-2, 1.47 ERA) will be the likely starter in Fort Dodge. Expect to see senior Baylee Neyen in relief; she has six saves under her belt.

First-round opponent: Bobcats face No. 1 North Polk (36-4) in a 4A quarterfinal at 4:45 p.m. Monday.

Benton Community (Class 3A)

Record: 31-7

Ranking: No. 1

Coach: Jordon Rettenmeier (3rd year at Benton, 85-38; 5th year overall, 114-77)

Tournament history: 18th appearance, second consecutive. Championships in 1966, 1998 and 2016.

Leading hitters: Senior Emma Townsley (.472) and junior Hannah Greiner (.460) are the top run producers, with 54 and 53, respectively. Greiner has 21 doubles. Junior Ava Glawe (.469) is the one that knocks them in; she’s got 13 home runs and 62 RBI. Greiner has 46 RBIs, freshman Layna DeMoss 45.

Top pitchers: Senior Jessa DeMoss has fashioned a 19-3 record, fanning 128 and walking 69 while compiling a 2.17 ERA. Eighth-grader Brynnlee Seeck (8-3, 3.32 ERA) probably is the pitcher of the future.

First-round opponent: Bobcats face Solon (18-24) in a 3A quarterfinal at 10 a.m. Tuesday.

Solon (Class 3A)

Record: 18-24

Ranking: Unranked

Coach: Brad Holub (3rd year at Solon, 62-54; 6th year overall, 138-72)

Tournament history: 14th appearance, first since 2016. Won championships in 2003, 2007 and 2015.

Leading hitters: Junior Addie Miller has emerged as the Spartans’ top stick; she is hitting a team-best .402, and also leads in home runs (six) and RBIs (34). Junior Izzy Frees (.386) has scored 33 runs and lashed 11 doubles.

Top pitchers: Senior Kendall Jensen (7-9, 2.38 ERA) and junior Zoey Grimm (5-10, 5.05) have made up the Spartans’ rotation since the injury of freshman Maddyn Gates.

First-round opponent: Spartans face No. 1 Benton Community (31-7) in a 3A quarterfinal at 10 a.m. Tuesday.

Williamsburg (Class 3A)

Record: 30-12

Ranking: No. 2

Coach: Adam Berte (8th year, 233-95)

Tournament history: 7th appearance, fifth in a row. Won the 3A championship last year.

Leading hitters: Balance galore here, with five batters between .345 and .395, led by junior Alley Gorsh. Senior Shannon Finn (.367) is the top run-scorer with 40, and junior Taylor Pitlick (.358) leads in RBIs, with 38.

Top pitchers: Senior Jersey Metz is the Raiders’ steady No. 1, with a 21-6 record and 2.62 ERA. She has compiled 102 strikeouts in 160 1/3 innings.

First-round opponent: Raiders face No. 8 Prairie City-Monroe in a 3A quarterfinal at 7 p.m. Monday.

Lisbon (Class 2A)

Record: 27-12

Ranking: No. 8

Coach: Abbey Shultz (1st year, 27-12)

Tournament history: 13th appearance, seventh in a row. Won three consecutive 1A titles between 1994 and 1996.

Leading hitters: The Lions have a pair of legit power hitters in junior Sarah Dietsch (.367, 6 HRs, 28 RBIs) and senior Addi Petersen (.361, 7 HRs, 27 RBIs). Sophomore Kamryn Kahl (.345) leads the squad in runs, with 43.

Top pitchers: Eighth-grader Kyla Kahl has quickly emerged as the Lions’ ace, posting a 21-8 record with 132 strikeouts and a 3.18 ERA. Petersen is 7-2.

First-round opponent: Lions will face No. 6 East Marshall (32-4) in a 2A quarterfinal at 12:45 p.m. Tuesday.

Edgewood-Colesburg (Class 1A)

Record: 29-10

Ranking: No. 12

Coach: Taylor Huber (2nd year, 56-25)

Tournament history: 4th appearance, first since 2003. 1A runner-up in 2002.

Leading hitters: A multisport standout, senior Audrie Helmricks is hitting .484, and leads the Vikings with 36 RBIs. Senior Claire Aulwes is at .449 with 34 RBIs, and has scored 36 runs, as has sophomore Kaitlyn Hahn (.356).

Top pitchers: Sophomore Rachel Eglseder (19-5, 1.46 ERA) already is the school’s career leader in strikeouts with 500-plus, including 241 this season. Soph Chloe Everett is 9-5.

First-round opponent: Vikings will face No. 1 Martensdale-St. Marys (28-6) in a 1A quarterfinal at 4:45 p.m. Tuesday.

Sigourney (Class 1A)

Record: 23-7

Ranking: No. 6

Coach: Shelly Streigle (17th year at Sigourney, 340-152; 19th year overall)

Tournament history: 7th appearance, second consecutive.

Leading hitters: Senior Carly Goodwin, a UNI signee, is hitting .495 with six home runs and 39 RBIs. Junior Josephine Moore has cracked 10 home runs, driven in 37 runs and owns a .413 average. Junior Ava Fisch (.384) is the runs leader, with 31.

Top pitchers: Goodwin is as good as anybody in any class. She owns a 21-2 mark and a 0.33 ERA, and has struck out 331 and walked 10 in 148 1/3 innings.

First-round opponent: Savages will face No. 3 Remsen St. Mary’s (23-0) in a 1A quarterfinal at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Jeff Linder’s Class 5A state softball predictions

1. Pleasant Valley

2. West Des Moines Valley

3. Waukee Northwest

4. Urbandale

Jeff Linder’s Class 4A state softball predictions

1. North Polk

2. Dallas Center-Grimes

3. North Scott

4. Fort Dodge

Jeff Linder’s Class 3A state softball predictions

1. Dubuque Wahlert

2. Benton Community

3. Williamsburg

4. Davenport Assumption

Jeff Linder’s Class 2A state softball predictions

1. Van Meter

2. Northeast

3. Lisbon

4. West Monona

Jeff Linder’s Class 1A state softball predictions

1. Sigourney

2. Martensdale-St. Marys

3. Collins-Maxwell

4. Southeast Warren

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com