Vote now: Who should be the SBLive Iowa high school athlete of the week?
By Barry Poe
Here are the candidates for SBLive’s Iowa high school athlete of the week for June 14-18 as nominated by coaches, fans and readers. Read through the nominees and cast your vote. We’ll send a free SBLive T-shirt to the winner of the poll! Voting will conclude Sunday at 11:59 p.m. and the winner will be announced Monday. If you would like to make a nomination in a future week, email nate@scorebooklive.com.
Editor’s Note: Our Athlete of the Week feature and corresponding poll is intended to be fun, and we do not set limits on how many times a fan can vote during the competition. However, we do not allow votes that are generated by script, macro or other automated means. Athletes who receive votes generated by script, macro or other automated means will be disqualified.
BASEBALL
Miles Risley, Johnston
The senior outfielder was 6-for-7 at the plate with four doubles, a home run and five RBI as the top-ranked Dragons swept No. 2 West Des Moines Dowling on Wednesday.
Cooper Nicholson, W.D.M. Dowling
The junior had an outstanding performance in a trip to Sioux City on Friday. He was 4-for-4 with a double and two RBI against East and 3-for-4 with two doubles and an RBI in a 6-5 win over Bishop Heelan.
Carlos Baez-Perez, Cedar Rapids Xavier
The junior outfielder had two hits and drove in a run for the third-ranked Warriors in a 10-2 win over Cedar Rapids Washington on Friday. He also had three hits, including a triple, in the second game of a doubleheader.
Colin Driscoll, Waukee
The junior collected four hits in seven at-bats in fourth-ranked Waukee’s doubleheader sweep of Des Moines East Thursday.
Ryan Brosius, Dubuque Wahlert
The junior second baseman was 4-for-7 with a double in a doubleheader sweep of Waterloo East for the Golden Eagles on Friday.
Gable Mitchell, Iowa City High
The sophomore was 3-for-3 at the plate and picked up a pitching win in an 11-8 win over Dubuque Senior Friday. Mitchell had two hits and knocked in a run in the second game, won by the Little Hawks 6-3.
John Argo, Assumption
The senior outfielder had three hits and drove in three runs as the No. 8 Knights stretched their winning streak to 15 with an 17-1 win over Williamsburg Saturday.
Colin Gibson, Grinnell
Th3 senior shortstop homered and drove in three runs as Cardinals beat Newton 8-6 in the second game of a doubleheader on Wednesday. Gibson also hit a two-run homer in the first game.
Reese Moore, Van Meter
The three-time defending Class 2A state champions improved their record to 25-0 with a pair of wins in the Saydel tournament. Moore hit his state-leading 10th homer of the season in a 9-0 win over Ames.
Sam Harris, Urbandale
The junior first baseman was 4-for-4 with two doubles, a homer and three RBIs in 15-4 win over Ottumwa in the first game of a doubleheader on Thursday.
Cael Ortmann, Remsen St. Mary’s
The high-flying Hawks ran their record to 23-0 with three wins in the Granville Spalding tournament. Ortmann had three hits and knocked in a run in a 12-2 win over West Lyon in the tourney Saturday.
Myles Davis, Marion
The defending Class 3A state champions have lost three of their past five games. However, the sophomore shortstop Davis was 3-for-4 with a triple in an 11-1 win over Davenport Central on Saturday.
Sam Young, Clear Creek-Amana
The senior shortstop was 3-for-3 at the plate, leading the No. 16 Clippers to a 5-4 win over Center Point-Urbana on Thursday.
Nash Holmgaard, Mason City Newman
The senior slugger had three hits, including a double and home run, leading the Knights to a 19-2 win over North Butler Wednesday. Holmgaard had two more hits in a 14-4 win in the second game of the doubleheader.
Kasey Carter, Indianola
The senior delivered three hits and drove in two runs as the No. 18 Indians scored a run in the top of the ninth inning to edge Pella Christian 10-9 on Friday.
Carter Snyder, Estherville-Lincoln Central
The senior catcher had two hits and drove in four runs as the Midgets beat Storm Lake 10-4 on Wednesday to move into a tie for first place in the Lakes Conference.
Ben Burkle, Waukee Northwest
The senior first baseman had a single, double and homer, driving in five runs in 16-1 win over Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln Saturday. The Wolves also beat Sioux City East in the Battle of Council Bluffs tournament.
Brayden Mathis, Lansing Kee
The senior doubled and drove in three runs in a 5-4 win over MFC MarMac Thursday. The Kee Hawks have won 14 in a row and are 25-2 on the season.
Hunter DeMey, Storm Lake
The junior pitched a four-hit shutout in the No. 22 Tornadoes’ 4-0 win over Spencer on Friday. Storm Lake is tied with Estherville-Lincoln Central for the Lakes Conference lead.
Bryce Click, Sergeant Bluff-Luton
SB-L swept Sioux City East on Thursday to take over first place in the Missouri River Conference. Click was 4-for-4 with two doubles and a homer in a 5-4 win in the second game.
Nikolai Wede, MOC-Floyd Valley
The junior had three hits, scored three runs and stole five bases in a 9-8 win over Central Lyon on Friday. It was the ninth straight win for the No. 24 Dutchmen.
Aron Harrington, Lewis Central
The senior homered and drove in three runs and was the winning pitcher in Titans’ 13-3 win over Winterset on Saturday. Lewis Central has won 13 games in a row.
Kolben Miller, North Butler
The senior hit three doubles and drove in a run and was the winning pitcher in an 8-3 victory over Central Springs on Saturday. Miller raised his average to .604 which ranks fourth in the state.
Aidan Anderson, Keota
The junior spaced four hits and struck out seven in a 4-2 win over HLV Wednesday. Anderson is tied for the state lead with seven pitching wins.
Cael Funk, Edgewood-Colesburg
The junior pitched a no-hitter, striking out 14 in a 7-0 win over East Buchanan on Thursday. Funk leads the state with 75 strikeouts.
SOFTBALL
Tory Bennett, Fort Dodge
Bennett went 23-for-31 (.742) for the week in 10 games played while also scoring 19 times and driving in 18 runs as the Dodgers went 8-2.
Kierra Jungers, Newell-Fonda
Jungers, one of the state's top pitchers, fired a one-hitter and struck out five of the 11 batters she faced in a 16-0 Newell-Fonda win over East Sac County. She also had two hits and five RBIs in the win.
Madison Goosman, Hinton
Goosman put together a strong game in the Blackhawks’ 14-2 win over South O'Brien as she had three hits, scored three runs and drove in three runs. She later homered and doubled in a 11-1 win over Trinity Christian.
Carlin Smith, MOC-Floyd Valley
Smith pitched a complete-game, one-hit shutout and struck out five as MOC-Floyd Valley blanked Sioux Center 1-0. She also struck out eight in a complete game effort during an 8-1 win over Sergeant Bluff-Luton.
Rylee Schnepf, Le Mars Gehlen
Schnepf punched out 19 while allowing four hits and one earned run in the Jays 3-1 win over Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn and then she struck out 15 batters over seven innings as Gehlen Catholic posted a 6-2 win over Trinity Christian. Schnepf went 4-for-4 with a homer and four RBIs to go with 14 more strikeouts in a 5-1 win over MMCRU.
Marina Cronin, Remsen St. Mary's
Cronin limited Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn to one hit and struck out nine as the Hawks remained unbeaten with a 11-0 win.
Vanessa Koehler, Glidden-Ralston
Koehler had a 5-for-5 night at the plate with a home run and three RBI as Glidden-Ralston posted a 13-4 win over Manson Northwest Webster.
Malia Yoder, Hillcrest Academy
Yoder produced a 5-for-5 game, all singles, while scoring three times in a 13-3 win over Danville.
Elise Evans-Murphy, Sergeant Bluff-Luton
Evans-Murphy had five hits, including two doubles, scored three times and drove in two runs as the Warriors posted a 13-1 win over Pocahontas.
Makenna Kleinhesselink, Sheldon
Kleinhesselink had four hits and four RBI as Sheldon posted a 17-0 Siouxland Conference win over Central Lyon.
Berkley Johannsen, Sioux Central
Johannsen homered and drove in three runs in Sioux Central's 8-0 win over Emmetsburg and then pitched a four-inning, no-hitter in a 14-1 win over Alta-Aurelia.
Jadyn Jensen, Sibley-Ocheyedan
Jensen tallied four hits and four RBI as Sibley-Ocheyedan earned a 13-4 Siouxland Conference win over Okoboji.
Tatum Dunleavy, Estherville-LC
Dunleavy tallied three hits and five RBI while also striking out eight in the circle during the Midgettes’ 12-2 win over Sheldon. She also homered and drove in two in a 10-0 win over Spirit Lake.
Taylor Harpenau, MMCRU
Harpenau tallied three hits and three RBIs as the Royals downed West Sioux 12-5 one night before she drove in three runs in a 12-0 win over George-Little Rock.
Mary Walker, Newell-Fonda
Walker contributed four hits and three RBI as the Mustangs posted a 12-2 win over Ridge View.
Alayna Wingate, Sibley-Ocheyedan
Wingate twirled a pair of shutouts in the circle with a 12-strikeout performance in a 4-0 win over Spirit Lake and a two-hit, nine-strikeout game in a 6-0 win over George-Little Rock.
Maddie Thomas, River Valley
Thomas, who hit two walk-off home runs in the past eight games, had a 3-for-3 night with two runs scored and two RBIs in the Wolverines 11-1 win over OABCIG.
Anne Lammers, South Hamilton
Lammers had a 5-for-5 game with four RBI in a South Hamilton 8-7 win over Perry.
Kinzie Theeler, Whiting
Theeler produced five hits, a double, triple and drove in four runs in Whiting's hard-fought 14-12 setback to West Harrison.
Grace Nelson, Bishop Heelan
Nelson hit two home runs and drove in four runs as Bishop Heelan edged Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln 11-10 in a MRAC contest.
Kamea Van Kalsbeek, Sergeant Bluff-Luton
Van Kalsbeek struck out 16 batters while allowing five hits and one unearned run in the Warriors 13-1 win over Pocahontas.
Hannah Kramer, Central City
Kramer had three hits, a double, a home run and drove in six runs as Central City edged Marquette Catholic 10-6.
Reese Burke, Dallas Center-Grimes, Sophomore
Burke went 4-for-4 with a double, home run and six RBIs as Dallas Center-Grimes downed Oskaloosa 15-1.
Arlie Lorack, Lone Tree, Senior
Lorack hit two doubles and two home runs amongst her four hits while driving in six runs in Lone Tree's 20-8 win over Danville.
Ellen Cook, Montezuma, Freshman
Cook had three doubles and drove in six runs as Montezuma blanked Colo-Nesco 14-0.
