Baseball
Honorable Mention
Joe Carey- Sr- Greene County
Carey capped off his career with a strong senior season. He led the Rams with a 2.71 ERA, throwing 31 innings, 2nd on the team. Carey struck out 46 batters, holding opponents to a .169 batting average. He ranked fourth on the Rams in RBI this season and was fifth in runs scored.
Justin Stream- Sr- Greene County
Stream also wrapped up a good athletic career, batting .339 for the Rams, third on the team. His 7 doubles led the team and he tied for the team lead with a home run. Stream paced the Rams with 13 RBI. He tied for 2nd in stolen bases with 9 while being perfect defensively, making no errors in 31 chances.
Treyton Barry- Sr- IKM-Manning
Barry was one of the offensive threats for the Wolves this season, batting .342, good for second on the team, and scoring 16 runs, tied for the team high. Barry was dangerous on the base paths, stealing all 22 bases he attempted, to lead the team by 10.
Reed Hinners- Jr- IKM-Manning
Hinners had a nice all around season, playing well in left field as well as being one of the Wolves’ top hitters. He finished with a .300 batting average and was tied for second on the team in RBI. He made just 1 error in the outfield, finishing with a .958 fielding percentage.
Braden Wessel- Sr- Audubon
Wessel was a threat at the plate, on the mound and in the field for the Wheelers. He drove in 17 runs, 3rd on the team, while scoring 16 times, also 3rd on the team. Wessel added 5 doubles and a triple. He was second on the team with 7 stolen bases. Wessel added 29 innings on the hill, striking out 40 batters.
Aaron Olsen- Fr- Audubon
Olsen finished with a .389 batting average as a freshman, second best on the team. He added 15 runs scored and a .468 on base percentage. Olssen was perfect in stolen base attempts and finished with just 3 errors defensively. He picked up a win on the hill in 3 appearances.
Jackson Sklenar- Jr- Glidden Ralston
The junior continues to be one of the top catchers in the area, helping the Wildcats’ young pitchers grow as the season went on. Sklenar tied for the team lead in RBI and was second on the team with 15 runs scored. He had two triples and one of the team’s two home runs.
Tyler Brant- Sr- Glidden Ralston
Brant paced the Wildcats offense, leading them in batting average and tying for the team lead with 1 home run. He was tied for 3rd in RBI and runs scored. Brant was also 3rd in stolen bases, going 6 for 6.
Braeden Kirsch- Sr- Ar-We-Va
Kirsch gave the Rockets depth in a good pitching rotation. He finished 1-1 on the season, in 5 appearances, throwing 22 ⅓ innings with a 1.57 ERA. Kirsch struck out 13 batters, allowing only 22 hits. He tied for sixth on the team in runs scored.
Jayden Soard- Sr- South Central Calhoun
Soard was one of top threats for the Titans, batting .340, ranking 3rd on the team. His 14 RBI were also 3rd while he was 2nd on the team with 18 runs scored. Soard gave a young team veteran leadership. He was their top base stealing threat, finishing with a team high 19.
Andrew Anderson- Fr- South Central Calhoun
Anderson had a very good freshman season, hitting .409 with a team high 20 runs scored and was 4th on the team with 13 RBI. He tied for second on the team with 4 doubles. Anderson was 14 for 14 in stolen bases, ranking third on the team. He was really good in the outfield, not having any errors. He went 2-3 on the mound in 29 ⅓ innings with 50 strikeouts.
Preston Mauer- Sr- East Sac
Mauer had one of the top bats for the Raiders this season, batting .326. He led the Raiders in RBI and was tied for 4th in runs scored. Mauer ranked 2nd on the team in doubles. He tied for the team lead in stolen bases. He had a .938 fielding percentage.
Weston Drost- Jr- East Sac
Drost was the top hitter for East Sac this season, batting .359. He led the team in runs scored with 10 and in walks with 10. Drost was solid on defense, making just 3 errors this season. Drost was also one the Raiders top pitchers, finishing with a team high 32 ⅔ Innings, striking out 25 batters.
Karter Ludwig- So- East Sac
Ludwig put together another good year for the Raiders baseball team, batting .319 with a pair of doubles. He only struck out 7 times, doing a nice job putting the bat on the ball. Karter was second on the team with 9 runs scored. Ludwig pitched 20 ⅔ innings, picking up 1 win with one game started this season.
Evan Loew- So- Carroll
Loew was one of the Tigers’ top pitchers this season, finishing with a 3.05 ERA in 20 ⅔ innings pitched. He struck out 21 batters, using his good control of the strike zone to hold opponents to a .156 batting average. Loew was a strong defensive player in the outfield, finishing with a .944 fielding percentage. Evan batted .270 and scored 9 runs.
2nd Team
Catcher
Cooper Perdew-Jr- IKM-Manning
Perdew was clutch for the Wolves this season, hitting a walk-off home run and a walk-off single in back to back games. He finished with a .296 batting average, finishing second on the Wolves in RBI. Perdew gives the Wolves a solid back stop at catcher, finishing with 1 error and a .974 fielding percentage.
DH
Gavin Larsen- Jr- Audubon
Larsen had a really good year at the plate, finishing with a .366 batting average, third on the team, along with driving in 22 runs, second on the team and scoring 15 runs, tied for 4th on the Wheelers. Larsen is also a top notch 3rd baseman with good range. He added a pair of wins on the mound, finishing with a 4.14 ERA.
Outfield
Kaden Dorman- Fr- South Central Calhoun
Dorman put together a really strong freshman season at the plate, batting .444 to lead the Titans. He had a team high 19 RBI and led the team with 32 hits. His 17 runs scored was 3rd on the team. Dorman had 4 doubles and a triple. He was a perfect 6 for 6 in stolen bases.
Outfield
Carter Putney- So- Kuemper
Putney had a really nice all-around season for the Knights, helping them qualify for State for the first time since 2017. He batted .284 with 7 doubles and 2 triples with 18 RBI. Carter scored 22 runs, 4th best on the team. He was a terror on the base paths with 22 stolen bases. His range in center field suited Merchants Park perfectly. He finished with 3 wins in 8 games pitched with 40 innings and a 3.32 ERA. He held opponents to a .181 batting average.
Outfield
Evan Alt- So- Audubon
Alt was a good all-around player for the Wheelers as the sophomore batted .303 with 5 doubles and 3 triples, a team high. Alt scored 23 runs, second on the team and drove in 15 RBI. He had a .447 slugging percentage. His 4 hit-by-pitches tied for second on the team. Alt was a solid outfielder, finishing with only 4 errors.
Shortstop
Tanner Oswald- Sr- Coon Rapids Bayard
Oswald has great range and athleticism at shortstop and is able to make all the throws. He was second on the team with 39 assists. His offense was strong as well, batting .295 with 23 RBI. Oswald finished with 5 doubles, a triple and 2 home runs. He scored 30 runs, tied for third on the team. Tanner was 9 of 9 in stolen bases. He went 1-1 on the mound in 10 ⅔ innings with 16 strikeouts.
3rd Base
Benicio Lujano- So- Kuemper
Lujano is one of the headiest players in the ear and an elite hitter and fielder. He enters the State Tournament on Tuesday, batting .371 with 5 doubles and a triple and has a knack for making big plays on the base paths when the Knights need a spark. He stole 3rd base and scored on an error Tuesday against Clarinda, sparking the Knights as they trailed 2-0, going on to win 6-2. He has 12 stolen bases on the season. He is one of the smoothest 3rd baseman, with 46 assists right now.
2nd Base
John Boes- So- Kuemper
Boes played anywhere the Knights needed him and was effective everywhere. He currently has a .939 fielding percentage and had 90 putouts. Boes is batting .302 with 5 doubles and a triple, helping him collect 18 RBI while scoring 29 runs. Boes is 11 of 12 in stolen bases. Boes made a couple clutch plays at 1st base in the Knights win over Clarinda on Tuesday.
1st Base
Mark Lensch- So- Glidden Ralston
Lensch put together another solid year for the Wildcats, batting .279, tying for the team lead in RBI with 12. He led the team in base hits with a pair of doubles. He ranked fifth on the team in runs scored. Lensch had his biggest impact on the Wildcats offense with a .981 fielding percentage. Lensch was second on the team with 101 putouts. Lensch was one of their top pitchers, going 16 ⅔ innings, finishing with a pair of wins in 6 appearances. Lensch had a 2.52 ERA and struck out 27 batters.
Pitcher
Cooper Kock- Sr- Ar-We-Va
Cooper was terrific early this season, having walked only 4 batters through his first 5 appearances on the hill. He led the Rockets with 4 wins and was second with a 3.32 ERA. He finished with 50 strikeouts in 31 ⅔ innings, holding batters to a .110 batting average. Cooper was also a leader on offense, with a .356 batting average, 4 doubles, 3 triples and a home run. Kock drove in 14 runs and scored 15, finishing in the top two in both categories. He was 13 of 13 in stolen bases.
Pitcher
Ethan Loew-So- Carroll
Loew was at his best in the biggest games of the season, giving the Tigers a chance to knock off Kuemper and Harlan in the opening round of the postseason. Ethan was always around the strike zone, but was able to spot his locations, holding opposing teams to a .211 batting average. He finished the season with a 2.50 ERA with 40 strikeouts. He allowed only 15 earned runs.
1st Team
Catcher
Will Ragaller- Sr- Ar-We-Va
Ragaller wrapped up an outstanding career for the Rockets, leading the team with a .407 batting average and a team high 22 runs scored. Will had a triple and tied for the team lead in home runs. He was third on the team in RBI. His 18 stolen bases were a team high, he also led the team with a .951 fielding percentage and with 104 putouts. He held opponents to a .108 batting average, striking out 33 in 19 ⅓ innings.
DH
Logan Sibenaller- Jr- Kuemper
Sibenaller was outstanding this season, breaking the single season record for stolen bases for Kuemper. He enters the State Tournament with 44 steals. Logan is 44 of 45 in stolen base attempts. Sibenaller is batting .310 this season with 23 RBI, 2 triples and 2 home runs. He has scored a team high 32 runs and his on base percentage is .455. Sibenaller sits 7-1 on the hill, with a 2.94 ERA, having struck out 54 batters in 50 innings. Opponents only batted .192 against him this season.
Outfield
Cooper Pottebaum- Jr- Kuemper
Cooper turned into an elite outfielder this season, getting a great read on the ball off the bat, along with having a strong arm, making it difficult for opponents to take extra bases. He turned a double play on a fly ball to right field, throwing out the runner at 3rd base to end an inning this season. Pottebaum is hitting .289 with 20 RBI and 19 runs scored. He has one triple and walked 20 times, third on the team. Once on base, he created other issues for opponents, stealing 15 of 16 bases.
Outfield
Gabe Obert- Sr- Coon Rapids Bayard
Obert had another outstanding season for the Crusaders, batting .375 with 32 RBI, ranking second on the team. He hit a team high 14 doubles, a triple and had 2 home runs, tied for the team lead. His slugging percentage was .625. Obert scored 30 runs and reached base 14 times by being hit-by-pitch. His on base percentage was .504. Obert stole 9 of 9 bases.
Shortstop
Gavin Smith- Sr- Audubon
Smith was terrific this season, batting .464 with an .855 slugging percentage and a .554 on base percentage. He led the Wheelers with 8 doubles, 5 home runs and 29 runs scored, and tying for the lead with 2 triples. Gavin was 13 of 14 in stolen bases. He was their ace on the hill, throwing a team high 39 ⅔ innings with a 4.06 ERA. He struck out 43 batters while picking up 3 wins in 9 games pitched.
3rd Base
Lance Clayburg- Jr- Coon Rapids Bayard
Clayburg was one of the top players on a terrific team this season, excelling in every aspect of the game. He finished with a .393 batting average, 7 doubles, 2 triples and a home run. He drove in 26 RBI and scored 46 runs, leading the team. His 35 hits were second best on the team, he was also second on the team with 23 walks. Clayburg was 11 for 11 in stolen bases. He was really good at 3rd base, with a .937 fielding percentage, leading the team with 45 assists. He finished the season 2-0 on the hill, throwing 19 innings with a 1.84 ERA, striking out 29 batters. He allowed 5 earned runs.
2nd Base
Preston McAlister- Sr- Coon Rapids Bayard
Preston finished the season batting .323 to go with 30 RBI, third on the team. He was hit-by-pitch 7 times, tying for 3rd on the team. McAlister was really good defensively, throwing out a pair of runners behind the plate and having a .958 fielding percentage at 2nd base. He picked up 4 wins on the hill, striking out 37 batters in 36 innings pitched.
1st Base
Cal Heydon- 8th Grade- Coon Rapids Bayard
Heydon was terrific this season, hitting a team high .454 with a .598 slugging percentage and a .517 on base percentage. He led the Crusaders with 40 RBI and was second on the team with 11 doubles. Heydon had a team high 44 hits, scoring 29 times, ranking fifth on the team. He hit one of the team’s nine home runs. Cal was 8 of 9 in stolen bases. He was very good on defense at 1st base, finishing with a .983 fielding percentage with 162 putouts.
Pitcher
Max Nielsen- Sr- IKM-Manning
Nielsen closed out a really good career with the Wolves, leading the team in a number of categories. He had a team high .406 batting average, 21 RBI, 3 home runs and 7 doubles. He was tied for 3rd on the team in runs scored with 13. His slugging percentage was .656 and his on base percentage was .512. He might have been even better on the hill, finishing 5-0 in 7 starts, throwing 44 innings. His ERA was a miniscule 1.11, allowing just 7 earned runs while striking out 83 and walking 11. Opponents hit .140 against him.
Pitcher
Cal Wanninger- Sr- Kuemper
Wanninger was better on the hill this season than his 3-3 record shows. He struck out 59 in 40 innings in 9 games on the hill. Opponents batted .141 against him. He’s batting .324 with a team high 31 RBI while scoring 21 times. His 2-run home run in the 4th inning gave the Knights their first lead against Clarinda on Tuesday, helping them pick up a 6-2 win. Cal has doubled 5 times, hit a triple and that one home run. Wanninger has stolen 8 bases in 9 attempts.
Pitcher
Kolby Culbertson-So- Coon Rapids Bayard
Culbertson was dominant on the hill this season with his ERA hovering around 1.00 most of the season and finishing at 1.86 in 52 ⅔ innings pitched. He finished the year 7-3, leading the Crusaders in wins. Kolby held opponents to a .168 batting average, walking 23 batters while striking out 76. Offensively he hit .296 with 4 doubles, 3 triples and a home run. He drove in 22 runs and scored 22 times. His 16 hit-by-pitches were a team high and his 15 walks tied for 4th on the team. Culbertson was 15 of 16 in stolen bases. Defensively he had a .932 fielding percentage.
Outfield and Player of the Year
Easton Hays- Sr- Coon Rapids Bayard
What a season for the senior, putting together a season where he was one of the top performers in nearly every category for the Crusaders. Hays hit .355 with 40 runs scored. He added 8 doubles and 2 triples, driving in 20 runs. His 39 hits were second most on the team. He was perfect on the base paths with 26 stolen bases. Easton made just 1 error on defense and plays centerfield as well as anyone, covering a ton of ground with his speed. He has a good arm and teams don’t challenge him very often. Hays was a strength for the Crusaders on the hill, going 6-0 with 39 ⅔ innings pitched. His ERA was 0.88 and opponents batted .157 against him. Hays had 32 strikeouts while allowing only 13 walks. He added a save on the hill.
Coach of the Year
John Waddle- Coon Rapids Bayard
The Crusaders continue to be one of the top programs in Western Iowa, finishing 23-8 overall and 15-2 in the Rolling Valley. They finished 2nd place in the league. Every season under Coach Waddle, Coon Rapids Bayard is one of the most fundamentally solid teams and develops more pitching depth than other schools. Four of the Crusaders losses this season were against teams that qualified for State or are in Class 4A. He is nearing 800 career wins, finishing this season with 797. The Crusaders hit .325 this season, holding opponents to .217. They scored 280 runs on 264 hits, while holding opponents to 119 runs scored. Their team ERA was 3.30.
