A frontier remains for Clippers

OXFORD -- It's the pre-eminent softball program in the state.Clear Creek Amana has won six state championships since Jim White came aboard. The Clippers posted an undefeated season in 2009.Very little is missing in defining CCA as a dynasty. Except this:In this recent run, the Clippers haven't gone back-to-back."It seems that the thing that has transpired the last 10 years or so, we have a great class about every other year," White said. "They come close as juniors, then they finish the deal when they're seniors."This group did it a year sooner."Virtually everybody is back from a team that closed a 43-2 campaign with a dramatic 3-2 win over Winterset in the Class 3A state finals. Mariah McKinnon raced home on Maliah Fligg's hit in the bottom of the eighth and slid in safely on a bang-bang play."When we do mental training, Coach has us think about our favorite part of softball," McKinnon said. "That's one of the main plays I think about."A lot of people think I was out."It was close. Real close."You see the TV replay, and watch it frame by frame, and I still think she was safe and that it was a good call," White said. "I think she was safe, Mariah thinks she was safe and the umpire called her safe. Maybe they're in the minority."At any rate, a new season opens Tuesday -- CCA hosts Mid-Prairie -- and McKinnon vows that the Clippers will be both humble and hungry."That won't be hard for us," she said. "You know at any moment, softball can change on you."A new challenge awaits. The Clippers have won titles in 1A, 2A and 3A. Now, as the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union has carved the sport into a five-class system, Clear Creek Amana -- one of the fastest growing schools in the state -- finds itself in Class 4A."I don't think anybody else has won state titles in three different classes, let alone four," said White, who has posted a record of 766-116 in 17 years. "People want to be part of something new, and these kids are no different."The Clippers are led offensively by co-state players of the year who put up arcade-like offensive numbers. Digest this for a moment:Shortstop Caitlin Wnek batted .625 with 24 doubles, 64 runs and 85 RBIs. She has signed with the University of Northern Iowa.Outfielder Fran Strub batted .609 with 87 runs and 54 RBIs, posting a triple-double in extra-base hits (15 doubles, 13 triples and 12 home runs). She also stole 52 bases. She has signed with Northwestern.But it's far more than those two. CCA averaged 9.5 runs per game last season and batted .425 as a team.The title-game heroes in the eighth inning were Fligg and McKinnon. And the state-tournament captain was Mallory Madsen, a tiny freshman who had a monster week in Fort Dodge."Sometimes, you're only as good as your weakest player," White said. "We don't have any weaknesses. You don't get a break at the bottom of the order. All nine of our starters will probably play college ball."McKinnon, who has signed at Drake, is glad she pitches for the Clippers, not against them."It would definitely be intimidating," she said.