Vote now: Who should be SBLive's Iowa high school athlete of the week? (June 26-July 2)
By Barry Poe
Here are the candidates for SBLive’s Iowa high school athlete of the week for June 26-July 2. Read through the nominees and cast your vote. Voting will conclude Sunday at 11:59 p.m. 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.
Ellie Anderson, South Hardin
The senior was 3-for-3 with a homer and three RBIs, leading the Class 2A No. 15 Tigers past Roland-Story 7-5 in a regular season finale. Anderson is hitting .378 with 42 RBIs.
Austin Baumhover, Van Meter baseball
The junior shortstop had two doubles and a homer, driving in four runs in a 6-1 win over Des Moines Christian. That snapped a three-game losing streak for the Class 2A top-ranked Bulldogs.
Mason Bechen, North Linn baseball
The sophomore was 5-for-8 with a home run, four runs scored and three RBIs in a doubleheader sweep to cap the regular season for the Lynx. Bechen closed the regular season at .419 with 28 RBIs and a team-high 37 runs scored.
Conner Beelner, Kingsley-Pierson baseball
The senior shortstop was 4-for-6 with three RBIs and three runs scored in an 18-5 rout of Treynor. The Panthers collected 26 hits and Beelner was one of three players with four.
Molly Breeding, Winterset softball
The junior struck out 12 in a 1-0, nine-inning win for the Class 4A ninth-ranked Huskies over No. 5 Norwalk. Neela Applegate drove in the only run of the game.
Charlotte Brown, Wilton softball
The senior had a single, double, homer and five RBIs as the Beavers beat West Branch 11-2 to earn a tie for the River Valley Conference South Division title. Wilton closed the regular season with its 10thstraight victory.
Hunter Cook, North Polk baseball
The junior struck out 11 and spaced five hits in a 7-3 win over Carlisle. Cook notched his fifth pitching win of the season for the Class 3A second-ranked Comets.
Marina Cronin, Remsen St. Mary’s softball
Cronin, a junior, dialed a pair of shutouts, striking out a total of 13 while allowing five hits in run-shortened victories over Le Mars Gehlen and West Sioux. Cronin is 18-1 with an 0.62 ERA and 119 strikeouts for the Hawks, who ended the regular season 22-1 with 17 consecutive wins.
Cristen Durian, Twin Cedars softball
The sophomore third baseman had two hits, including a home run, and drove in four as the Class 1A No. 12 Sabers closed the regular season with a 10-0 win over Lamoni. It was Durian’s third homer of the seasonand she has driven in 25.
Aspen Falk, Saint Ansgar softball
Falk had a big night against Northwood-Kensett, going 3-for-4 with a home run, triple and three RBIs. Falk then hit her state-leading ninth triple of the season and drove in four runs as the Saints opened Class 1A regional play with a 12-1 win over Rockford.
Sharli Fessler, Central Springs softball
The sophomore clubbed her 10th home run of the season as the Panthers erupted for a 25-0 win over Northwood-Kensett. Central Springs had 20 hits in the three-inning contest and Fessler upped her RBI total to 31.
Kaden Frommelt, Marion softball
The DMACC commit had two singles and a double in four at-bats in the Class 3A No. 4 Wolves’ 14-4 win over Class 2A No. 3 Dyersville Beckman. Designated hitter Isaac Scott knocked in four runs.
Landon Frost, Don Bosco baseball
The junior shortstop had a triple, homer and three RBIs as the Dons capped a 25-5 regular season with a 6-1 victory over Jesup. Frost finished the regular season with a .522 batting average, 22 extra base hits and 40 RBIs for the Class 1A fifth-ranked team.
Carly Goodwin, Sigourney softball
The junior threw abbreviated back-to-back no-hitters to end the regular season, combining to strike out 17 against Iowa Valley and Pekin. Goodwin homered and knocked in four against Iowa Valley for the South Iowa Cedar League champions.
Carter Geffre, Ames baseball
The University of Iowa commit struck out 14 batters in a 14-0 win over Mason City. Geffre allowed only two first-inning singles. Geffre also led off the second game of the doubleheader with a home run and the Little Cyclones won 18-10.
Karson Grout, Mid-Prairie baseball
The junior shortstop had two hits, including a homer, and knocked in five runs in an 8-0 win over Durant in the first game of a doubleheader. It was Grout’s third homer of the season and he raised his RBI total to 30.
Pearson Hall, West Liberty softball
Hall’s second homer of the night and her 14thof the season came in the seventh inning and gave West Liberty the lead for good and the Class 3A 15th-ranked Comets shocked Class 2A No. 1 Iowa City Regina 6-4. The outcome, coupled with Wilton’s win over West Branch, meant Regina and Wilton shared the River Valley Conference South Division title.
Brady Hetzel, Lewis Central baseball
The sophomore was a combined 4-for-8 at the plate and picked up a pitching win in the second game as the Titans swept Creston. Hetzel went the distance, spacing five hits while striking out 8 in a 4-3 Lewis Central win.
Paige Kampman, Clarksville softball
Kampman, a freshman outfielder, had two hits – including a homer – and three RBIs in a 10-3 win over BCLUW. For the season, Kampman is batting .420 with 20 RBIs for the 25-1 Indians.
Macy Kellar, Mason City Newman softball
The senior struck out nine Crestwood batters and surrendered just four hits on 81 pitches. Kellar has won 17 games and struck out 176.
Trenton Kingery, Knoxville baseball
The senior had a double, home run and four RBIs as the Panthers won their 30th game of the season, 13-3 over Clarke. Knoxville won the first game of the twin bill 8-0 as Beau Leisure doubled, homered and knocked in four.
Cooper Klaahsen, Central Springs softball
The senior pitched a gem against Mason City Newman, allowing just three hits while striking out 12 in a 6-1 win. Newman got an unearned run in the first inning and Klaahsen did not walk a batter while charting her 17thpitching win.
Madison Kluever, Northeast softball
The junior allowed only one hit and struck out 11 in a 12-1 victory over Clinton in a regular season finale. Kluever has a 12-5 pitching record and is also the leading hitter for Class 2A No. 11 Northeast with a .445 average.
Carson Koerperich, Western Dubuque softball
The junior shortstop was a combined 6-for-8 with two doubles, a triple and four RBIs in a sweep of Waterloo West. Koerperich has six doubles, five triples, a .381 average and 29 RBIs for the season.
Audrie Kohl, Missouri Valley softball
In shutouts of Boyer Valley and Fremont-Mills to end the regular season, the sophomore struck out 15 and gave up two hits in nine innings. Kohl has a state-leading 25 wins and 276 strikeouts.
Owen Larson, Estherville-Lincoln Central baseball
Larson, a junior who has already committed to South Dakota State for basketball, struck out 15 Spirit Lake batters in his first pitching appearance since last year’s 2A state semifinal. Larson gave up three hits and outdueled Spirit Lake’s Jake Cornwall, who allowed just two hits and struck out 14.
Claire Long, West Des Moines Valley
The sophomore hit a grand slam home run in the Class 5A sixth-ranked Tigers’ 12-0 win over No. 12 Waukee in the first game of a doubleheader. Valley completed a sweep, holding on for a 10-9 win as Reese Cooley had three hits and drove in three.
Garrett Luett, Underwood baseball
The freshman shortstop was 3-for-3 with two doubles and three RBIs for the Eagles in a 15-0 win over Nodaway Valley. Junior Jack Vanfossan struck out nine and gave up two hits in four innings pitched.
Grant Mather, Cedar Rapids Kennedy baseball
The junior hit a two-run homer and picked up the pitching win for the Cougars in a 12-2 victory over Anamosa. Mather gave up two hits in 4.2 innings, fanning five.
Maddy McDermott, North Scott softball
The senior first baseman was 4-for-4 with two singles, a triple and a homer in the Lady Lancers’ 10-0 win over Davenport North. McDermott was the winning pitcher in the opener, striking out 11 in a 7-4 victory.
Mason McIntosh, West Harrison baseball
The junior had three hits, drove in three runsand stole two bases in a 16-5 win over East Mills. McIntosh is second on the Class 1A seventh-ranked Hawkeyes with a .437 batting average.
Kacy Miller, West Monona softball
The junior shortstop had two doubles and three RBIs for the Class 2A sixth-ranked Spartans in an 11-3 win over AHSTW. MIlleris hitting .420 with 34 RBIs for the Western Valley Conference champions.
Easton Miller, Ankeny Centennial baseball
The senior centerfielder smacked two home runs abd drove in four, leading the Class 4A top-ranked Jaguars to an 11-3 win over crosstown rival Ankeny. Centennial scored seven times in the fourth inning.
Jake Mitchell, Iowa City High baseball
The junior tossed a one-hit shutout against city rival Iowa City Liberty in a 2-0 win. The Little Hawks completed a sweep with their seventh straight win, 11-1.
Brynn Ortlund, Indianola softball
The senior was 6-for-7 with three runs scored as the Indians swept Oskaloosa. Ortlund leads the team with a .481 batting average and has stolen 21 bases in 25 attempts while scoring 41 runs.
Cael Ortmann, Remsen St. Mary’s baseball
The senior homered and knocked in three runs for the Class 1A third-ranked Hawks in an 11-1 win over No. 10 Le Mars Gehlen Catholic. Ortmann and Isaaiah Gerriettscombined for a two-hit shutout the next night against West Sioux.
Caleb Rea, Lynnville-Sully baseball
The senior had a productive week for the Class 1A No. 4 Hawks, going 4-for-7 at the plate with four RBIs and four runs scored. Rea also notched his third pitching win of the season, striking out eight in four innings against HLV. Lynnville-Sully closed the regular season with a 24-1 record.
Grant Rychnovsky, ADM baseball
The junior was 4-for-7 with a double, two triples and five RBIs in wins over Bondurant-Farrar and Winterset for the Tigers, ranked fifth in Class 3A.
Ayden Schrunk, Sioux City North baseball
The junior had a double and three RBIs as newly-crowned Missouri River Conference champion North upended Class 4A top-ranked Ankeny Centennial 4-1. North won its first MRAC title since 2015.
Logan Sibenaller, Carroll Kuemper baseball
The senior second baseman came within a single of hitting for the cycle in a 12-2 win over Denison-Schleswig. Sibenaller, second on the Class 2A sixth-ranked Knights in hitting at .333, was 3-for-4 with a double, triple and home run.
Devin Simon, Cascade baseball
The senior hit for the cycle in an 8-2 win over Anamosa in the second game of a doubleheader. Simon was 4-for-4 with a single, double, triple, home run and three RBIs. She was 2-for-3 in the opener.
Kiya Steger, Western Dubuque softball
The junior drove in a combined eight runs in the Class 4A No. 8 Bobcats’ sweep of Waterloo West. In a 14-4 win in the second game, Steger had a homer, four RBIs and 11 strikeouts to record the pitching win.
Lucy Stratton, Chariton softball
The sophomore checked an 18-win Albia team on two hits in a 3-1 Chargers’ victory. Stratton is the second pitcher for Chariton, but she has a 5-0 record and 0.30 ERA in 31 innings.
Doug Taylor, Mason City Newman baseball
Iowa recruit Taylor combined with Adam Henrich for a no-hitter in No. 1 Newman’s 10-0 victory over BCLUW in first-round district play. Taylor struck out 11 in five innings, running his record to 8-0.
Libby Trewin, West Fork softball
The sophomore twirled a four-hit shutout, limiting a high-powered Osage offense to four hits. Trewin struck out 10 and got her 13th win of the season.
Reece Vander Zee, Central Lyon baseball
The junior and a University of Iowa football commit threw a perfect game in the first round of the Class 2A districts. Vander Zee struck out 15 in a 1-0 win over Hull Western Christian, which had three pitchers combine to no-hit Central Lyon. Central Lyon drew six walks and scratched out a run in the fifth inning.
Kamea Van Kalsbeek, Sergeant Bluff-Luton softball
The junior blanked Le Mars on six hits and the Class 4A No. 15 Warriors (32-6) clinched their second straight Missouri River Conference title. Van Kalsbeek won her 11thgame of the season as she rotates pitching duties with Regan Herbst (12-0).
Brynn Webber, Sioux Central softball
The senior centerfielder got two hits and drove in three as the Class 2A No. 12 Rebels closed the regular season with an 8-1 victory over GTRA, their 11th straight. Webber heads into the postseason with a .533 batting average, ranking seventh in 2A.
Zayne Weiland, Le Mars Gehlen
The senior recorded a four-inning no-hitter in a 15-0 win over Siouxland Christian in a Class 1A district opener. Weiland struck out seven of the 12 batters he faced and only one ball that Siouxland Christian put in play left the infield.
Caden Wilson, Johnston
The senior pitched six hitless innings in relief as the third-ranked Dragons clipped No. 1 Ankeny Centennial 2-1 in the first game of a doubleheader. Wilson struck out nine in relief of Sam Hesselman. Centennial won the nightcap 8-7.
