Women of Troy ahead of pace

It's the middle of the softball season. But Iowa City West is not in midseason form.

The Women of Troy are advanced far beyond that.

"In most circumstances, I'd be a little leery," West Coach Jeff Kelley said. "You want to play your best ball at the end of the year.

"But right now, we're playing very well and very consistent."

Class 5A third-rated West (21-1 overall, 13-1 Mississippi Valley Conference) has won 21 straight games since dropping a 1-0 decision to Cedar Rapids Jefferson in the first game of a season-opening double-header (West claimed the second game, 7-3). The Women of Troy and the J-Hawks are tied for the MVC Valley Division lead.

Kelley was confident that his team would pitch and defend well this season, and it has. The offense has been a surprise.

"Our hitting has been our biggest improvement," he said. "We're pretty balanced up and down the lineup."

Case in point: No. 9 hitter Grace Tafolla, a freshman, is third on the team in RBIs with 21. Another piece of evidence: Five batters are at .400 or better.

The pitching staff isn't a one-horse show, either. Mackenzie Laux (10-1, 0.32 ERA) is the ace of the staff; Shelly Stumpff (7-0, 1.78) and Mackenzie Haight (4-0, 0.90) are more than merely competent, as well.

Laux twirled her third no-hitter of the season Tuesday against Waterloo West.

"She gets ahead of hitters and can pitch to all four quadrants of the plate," Kelley said.

West girls have torn down some walls in the past two years. The volleyball team has won two straight state titles, and the basketball squad made its first state trip in 2011, then won it all last March.

In about a month, the Women of Troy will try to make it to Fort Dodge for the first time.

"There will be a lot of disappointed people if we don't make it," Kelley said. "Our core group have been playing a lot since they were freshmen and sophomores.

"They've been on the verge the last two years (losing in the regional finals). We know anything can happen. Sometimes you've got to catch a break. Sometimes you've got to play lights-out."

Wamac East showdown looming

Solon has an opportunity to put some distance between itself and the rest of the pack in the Wamac Conference East Division.

The Class 3A top-ranked Spartans (17-2 overall, 6-0 Wamac East) face 4A No. 12 West Delaware (17-5, 6-2) in a double-header Monday at Manchester.

Solon has a warmup Thursday at Maquoketa, then travels to Des Moines for the Elite Eight event this weekend. The Hawks host a 16-team tournament Friday and Saturday.

The last time Solon and West Delaware collided, it was in a seventh-place game last year at state. The Hawks won that encounter.

Monday is target for pairings release

The Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union plans to release regional pairings Monday afternoon, assistant director Joel Oswald said.

Regionals begin July 2. Regional finals are July 9 in classes 1A, 2A and 3A, July 10 in 4A and 5A.

The state tournament is July 16-20 at the Rogers Sports Complex, Fort Dodge.