Vote now: Who should be SBLive's Iowa High School Athlete of the Week? (July 3-9)
By Nate Olson
Here are the candidates for SBLive’s Iowa high school athlete of the week for July 3-9. 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.
Gus Bashore, Underwood, baseball
The junior was 3-for-4 at the plate, helping the Eagles pass their first postseason test, 5-4, over Cherokee in the 2A districts. Underwood went on to beat Hinton 8-1 in a district semifinal.
Mason Bechen, North Linn baseball
Bechen pitched six innings and gave up three hits and struck out 10 in a win over East Buchanan. in a 14-3 win in the district finals.
Macy Blomgren, Van Meter softball
The senior not only pitched a five-inning no-hitter, striking out 12, but also had three hits (including a homer) and drove in five runs for the Bulldogs in a 10-0 win over ACGC in a Class 2A regional opener.
Kennedy Borud, Southeast Polk, softball
The sophomore designated hitter knocked in seven runs as the 5A fourth-ranked Rams downed 4A second-ranked Carlisle 16-6 in a regular season finale. Borud was 3-for-4 with two home runs and a single.
Randi Childress, West Lyon softball
The senior catcher was 3-for-4 with a home run, three RBIs and two runs scored as the Wildcats topped Sioux Center 11-1 in a 3A regional semifinal. No. 10 West Lyon meets fifth-ranked Estherville-Lincoln Central for a berth in the state tournament.
Hunter Clark, Lisbon baseball
The senior struck out 10 in six innings of work as the Lions advanced to a Class 1A district final with a 7-3 win over Belle Plaine.
Marina Cronin, Remsen St. Mary’s softball
The junior struck out 14 and pitched a one-hitter in the Hawks’ 6-0 1A regional semifinal win over Trinity Christian. St. Mary’s has shut out its last five opponents.
Shailey Dixson, Interstate 35 softball
The sophomore was 3-for-4 with three RBIs and the Roadrunners downed Pleasantville 8-3 in a 2A regional quarterfinal. Interstate 35 then beat Mount Ayr 12-1 to reach a regional final.
Rowan Donels, Cedar Rapids Kennedy baseball
Donels was 3-for-4 with an RBI as the Cougars opened 4A district action with a 7-4 win over Clinton. Donels ranks fifth statewide with 56 hits and has a .421 average with 43 RBIs.
Peyton Driscoll, Williamsburg softball
The senior had 10 strikeouts and gave up one hit as the Class 3A No. 1-ranked Raiders opened regional play with a 12-0 shutout of Union in four innings. Driscoll notched her 15th win of the season and has struck out 149.
Madison Dunlavy, Davis County softball
Dunlavy, a senior first baseman, drove in six runs as the Mustangs opened 3A regionals with a 10-6 win over Clarke. Dunlavy had two singles and a home run. Davis County then advanced to a regional final with a 7-1 victory over Centerville.
Anna Eastin, West Des Moines Valley softball
The junior pitched a shutout, holding Sioux City North to three hits, and also hit a two-run homer for Valley, which blanked the Stars 10-0 in a 5A regional opener. Eastin posted her 15th pitching win of the season and hit her fifth home run.
Raiden Ericson, Sioux City Heelan baseball
The junior catcher cracked two doubles and drove in two for the Crusaders in a 12-2 win over Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley in a 3A district opener. Hunter Wauhob was the winning pitcher and drove in a run.
Ellie Flanagan, North Linn softball
The senior picked up her 23rd pitching win of the season as the Lynx topped Edgewood-Colesburg 10-3 in a 1A regional semifinal. Flanagan pitched a no-hitter, striking out 11, in a 9-0 first-round triumph over Turkey Valley.
Becca Hegg, Muscatine softball
The senior third baseman had a single, triple and three RBIs as the 5A No. 7 Muskies completed a sweep of 4A No. 2 Davenport Assumption with an 11-1 win in the second game of a doubleheader to end the regular season. Muscatine won the opener2-0 behind Maura Chalupa, who struck out 10 in a six-hit shutout.
Collin Homan, Remsen St. Mary’s baseball
The sophomore twirled a no-hitter with nine strikeouts and no walks as the Hawks advanced to a 1A substate final with a 3-0 victory over Alta-Aurelia. St. Mary’s had only three hits, one of those an RBI single by Landon Waldschmidt.
Toby Kesten, Mason City Newman baseball
The junior was 4-for-4 with a double, home run and five RBIs for the Class 1A top-ranked Knights in a 9-1 district semifinal win over South Hamilton. Newman notched its 30th victory of the season.
Courtney Kessler, Iowa City Regina softball
Kessler hit a walk-off two-run double in the bottom of the seventh inning, giving defending 2A state champion Regina a come-from-behind 3-2 victory over Cardinal. The Regals play Eddyville EBF for a return trip to the state tournament.
Katelyn Kiefer, Pleasant Valley softball
The senior had three hits and drove in four runs, leading the Spartans past Davenport North 14-1. Pleasant Valley won the second game of the doubleheader 11-2 to close the regular season and passed its first 5A regional test, 4-3, over Dubuque Senior.
Kiley Kindelspire, Indianola softball
The Indians’ leadoff hitter had a single, double and homer, driving in three in a 13-3 victory over Ottumwa to close the regular season. Indianola opened 4A regional play with an 11-2 win over Glenwood.
Mason King, West Harrison baseball
The senior combined with Koleson Evans for a three-hit shutout as the Hawkeyes blanked Council Bluff St. Albert 3-0 in a 1A substate semifinal. King also contributed an RBI single, while Brady Melby knocked in the other two runs.
Caleb Klein, Western Dubuque baseball
The senior centerfielder had three hits and drove in two runs, leading the Class 3A top-ranked Bobcats to a 10-0 win over Maquoketa in a first-round district game. Isaac Then allowed one hit and struck out eight in the five-inning contest.
Kade Knock, Cedar Rapids Prairie baseball
The senior centerfielder was 3-for-4 with an RBI as the 33-6 Hawks opened 4A substate play with a 9-1 victory over Cedar Rapids Washington. Knock leads the team with a .427 batting average.
Emily Koranda, Linn-Mar softball
The sophomore pitched a one-hit, no-walk shutout as Linn-Mar beat Cedar Rapids Prairie 2-0 in a 5A regional semifinal. Koranda (14-5) allowed only four baserunners and the Lions advanced to a regional final against Pleasant Valley.
Morgan Kriener, South Winneshiek softball
The senior third baseman was 2-for-3 with a double and three RBIs as the Hawks got by Wapsie Valley 5-4 in a 2A regional semifinal. South Winneshiek scored two runs in the sixth and one in the seventh to advance toa regional final against Lisbon.
Koby Lampman, Carroll Kuemper baseball
The senior had two hits and drove in three runs for the Knights in a 12-1 win over Pocahontas Area in a 2A district opener. Lampman was one of four players with two hits for Kuemper, which went on to pound Manson-Northwest Webster 19-4 in the semifinal round.
Beau Leisure, Knoxville baseball
The senior struck out 14 in the seventh-ranked Panthers’ 5-2 Class 3A district quarterfinal win over Oskaloosa. Leisure was also 2-for-4 at the plate for the 32-3 Panthers.
Conner Maston, Lynnville-Sully softball
The senior drove in two runs and was the winning pitcher in the Hawks’ 4-2 win over Ankeny Christian in a 1A district semifinal. Lynnville-Sully will take a 27-1 mark into a final against Lenox.
Sydney Morris, Ankeny Centennial softball
The senior catcher had three hits and drove in two runs as the Class 5A top-ranked Jaguars beat Class 4A No. 4 Norwalk 5-1 to end the regular season. Centennial took a 31-5 record into tournament play.
Jaycee Neer, Southeast Warren softball
The sophomore second baseman had a single, two doubles and two RBIs as the 1A third-ranked Warhawks strolled past a 25-win Murray squad 11-1 in a regional semifinal.
Evan Neumann, Kingsley-Pierson baseball
The senior struck out nine and allowed just one hit in four innings while collecting two hits at the plate in the second-ranked Panthers’ 16-0 rout of George-Little Rock in a Class 1A district opener.
Cooper Nicholson, West Des Moines Dowling baseball
The senior hit two homers and drove in four as the Maroons opened 4A district play with a 9-0 win over Sioux City West. Cole Southard struck out 12 and allowed just one hit in six innings of relief.
Joey Oakie, Ankeny Centennial baseball
The junior and University of Iowa commit homered and drove in three runs and struck out seven in two hitless innings on the mound. The Class 4A top-ranked Jaguars blasted Des Moines North 22-0 in a first-round substate game.
Nate Offerman, Dyersville Beckman
The senior picked up the pitching win, spacing three hits while striking out five, and helped his own cause with two hits, including a double, in the third-ranked Trailblazers’ 10-0 first-round Class 2A district win over Northeast.
Abby Pate, Central Springs softball
The senior homered and drove in three as the 2A third-ranked Panthers rolled to a 12-0 victory over Emmetsburg in a regional semifinal. Cooper Klaahsen struck out nine and gave up just one hit in the four-inning contest.
Cason Peterson, Van Meter baseball
The sophomore knocked in four runs as the three-time defending Class 2A state champions opened postseason play with a 12-0 victory over Chariton. Top-ranked Van Meter plays West Central Valley in a district semifinal Monday.
Cade Rausch, Cascade baseball
The senior had three hits, including a double, and picked up the pitching win in the Cougars’ 10-0 victory over Clayton Ridge in a 2A district opener. Cascade beat Denver by an identical margin in a semifinal.
Macee Reiling, Dallas Center-Grimes softball
The junior shortstop had two hits, including one of three Mustang homers, leading DC-G past Oskaloosa 12-0 in a regular season finale. The Mustangs then opened 4A regional play with an 11-1 victory over Carroll.
Rylee Riesberg, Ankeny softball
The senior outfielder had a homer, double and three RBIs, leading the 5A second-ranked Hawks to a 12-2 victory over West Delaware.
Peyton Robinson, Lisbon baseball
The junior shorstop had a double and triple, knocking in three runs for the Lions in a 13-0 Class 1A regional win over Clayton Ridge. Ryleigh Algood didn’t allow a hit and struck out five of the eight batters she faced in the three-inning contest.
Bryce Rudiger, Dubuque Wahlert baseball
The senior was the winning pitcher and hit a three-run homer for the Golden Eagles in an 11-1 win over Vinton-Shellsburg to open 3A district play. Rudiger got relief help from two others to register his fourth win of the season.
Isaac Scott, Marion baseball
The junior was 3-for-4 at the plate and recorded the pitching win as the Wolves began Class 3A tournament play with an 11-1 victory over South Tama. Scott ran his record to 4-0.
Ruth Tauber, Dubuque Wahlert softball
The freshman centerfielder had a single, double, triple and three RBIs, helping the No. 3 Golden Eagles to a 13-1 win over North Fayette in a 3A regional quarterfinal.
Ty Thomson, Lewis Central baseball
The senior struck out 12 and allowed just one hit as the Titans opened Class 3A district play with a 9-1 win over Carroll. Parker Heller led the way offensively for Lewis Central with three hits in four at-bats.
Zadie Wadle, Norwalk softball
The senior blanked 5A third-ranked Waukee Northwest on five hits, striking out nine, in a regular-season finale. Norwalk, ranked fourth in 4A, completed a sweep with a 10-5 win in the nightcap.
Mia Walker, Newell-Fonda softball
The senior dialed a one-hitter and had a single, doubleand triple at the plate, leading the Mustangs past Glidden-Ralston 10-0 in a 1A regional semifinal. Walker struck out seven while posting her 18th win of the season.
Tyler Welch, Davenport Assumption baseball
The senior surrendered only one hit and struck out nine as the Knights opened 3A districts with a 10-0 five-inning win over Washington. Welch also had an RBI single.
Carter Woollums, Johnston baseball
The senior and Des Moines Area Community College commit gave up one hit and struck out seven in four innings on the mound, lifting the defending Class 4A state champion Dragons to a 10-0 win over Council Bluffs Thomas Jefferson in a district opener. Woollums is 6-2 with a 1.08 ERA and 69 strikeouts.
Reece Wrage, North Polk softball
The junior pitched five innings of no-hit ball, striking out 11 in the Comets’ 6-1 win over Greene County in a 3A district opener. Wrage was also 2-for-3 at the plate with an RBI.
Rylee Yager, Estherville-Lincoln Central softball
The sophomore struck out 17 batters and allowed just one hit as the Midgets blanked Spirit Lake 6-0 in a 3A regional semifinal. No. 5 EL-C hosts No. 10 West Lyon in a regional final.
Talon Young, Iowa City High baseball
The sophomore had 11 strikeouts and a three-hitter and the Little Hawks scored a run in the bottom of the sixth to edge Muscatine 2-1 in a 4A district opener.
