Des Moines Registers Athletes of the Week for July 22-28

This past week, from July 22-26, the Iowa High School Softball and Baseball Tournaments took place.

The state softball tournament was held at the Rogers Sports Complex in Fort Dodge. Pleasant Valley (Class 5A), Carlisle (4A), Williamsburg (3A), Van Meter (2A) and Sigourney (1A) were all crowned state champions.

The state baseball tournament was split between two sites. Lynnville-Sully (1A) and Underwood (2A) won state titles at Merchants Park in Carroll, and North Polk (3A) and Cedar Rapids Kennedy (4A) won their state titles at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Cedar Rapids.

Several players stood out as they helped their teams compete for a state championship during the week.

These are the female and male candidates for the Des Moines Register Athlete of the Week for the week of July 22-28. Readers of DesMoinesRegister.com will vote to determine the winners, who will be announced at the end of the week.

Girls

Evan Johnson-Miers, Carlisle

Johnson-Miers scored the winning run for Carlisle during its 7-6 victory over Adel-Desoto-Minburn in the Class 4A championship game of the Iowa state softball tournament on July 25 at the Rogers Sports Complex in Fort Dodge.

Johnson-Miers crossed the plate with the go-ahead score in the top of the seventh inning. She finished the game with two walks, two runs and two steals apiece and went 4-for-7 with four runs, three steals and two RBIs in the tournament to earn 4A all-tournament honors.

Jessie Clemons, Pleasant Valley

Clemons played a phenomenal state softball tournament game, helping Pleasant Valley win the 5A state championship.

Clemons was named captain of the 5A all-tournament team after going 8-for-13 with three homers, two doubles and seven runs and RBIs apiece. She was 4-for-5 with two homers, one double and four runs and RBIs apiece during the Spartans’ 14-11 win over No. 1 Valley in the 5A title game on July 25.

Taylor Sanchez, Williamsburg

Sanchez played a key role in Williamsburg’s reclaiming the 3A state championship.

The 3A all-tournament captain went 2-for-4 with a home run and five RBIs during Williamsburg’s 12-9 win over Davenport Assumption in the 3A championship game on July 26. Sanchez went 4-for-10 with two home runs and seven RBIs for the tournament.

Carly Goodwin, Sigourney

Goodwin led Sigourney to the 1A state championship by striking out 30 batters and allowing just two earned runs in 21 innings of work in the circle.

Goodwin was the winning pitcher in all three games for Sigourney at state. She also went 5-for-9 with four runs and two RBIs offensively during the tournament.

Mady Schnell, Van Meter

Schnell helped Van Meter capture the 2A state championship with a 5-3 win over Audubon in the 2A final on July 26.

Schnell hit a home run and finished with two runs and RBIs apiece against Audubon. The 2A all-tournament captain went 5-for-7 with two homers, five runs and 10 RBIs during the tournament.

Boys

Reece Wrage, North Polk

Wrage played a key role for the North Polk baseball team during their run to the 4A state championship.

In the Comets’ 5–4 quarterfinal win over Harlan, Wrage allowed two earned runs on four hits with eight strikeouts and one walk in 5 2/3 innings on the mound and was 4-for-4 at the plate. In the semifinals, Wrage drove in one run in North Polk’s 2–1 win over Marion, and he was the winning pitcher in the championship game against Bishop Heelan after pitching all seven innings and allowing two earned runs on five hits with five strikeouts in a 5–4 victory over Bishop Heelan.

Colton Duerling, Cedar Rapids Kennedy

Duerling had a strong night for Cedar Rapids Kennedy in its 7-3 win over Dowling Catholic in the 4A state baseball tournament championship game on July 26.

Duerling was the winning pitcher after giving up two earned runs on six hits and striking out one in six innings. He also went 2-for-3 at the plate.

Jack Vanfossan, Underwood

Vanfossan threw 5 2/3 innings of scoreless, hitless play to lead Underwood past New Hampton, 5-1, in the 2A state baseball tournament championship game on July 26.

Vanfossan struck out four and walked just two. He also went 2-for-3 offensively with a double and one run and RBI each.

Kael Meyers, New Hampton

Meyers played a great tournament for 2A state runner-up New Hampton.

In an 11-1 win over Aplington-Parkersburg in the 2A quarterfinals, Meyers went 4-for-5 with one run and three RBIs. He was also the winning pitcher after throwing four scoreless innings while striking out three and giving up just two hits.

In a 7-3 semifinal win over Sumner-Fredericksburg, Meyers was 1-for-3 with one run and RBI apiece. He finished with six strikeouts and pitched all six innings for New Hampton in its loss to Underwood in the championship game.

Lucas Sieck, Lynnville-Sully

Sieck threw a strong game as the winning pitcher for Lynnville-Sully during its 7-1 victory over Remsen St. Mary’s in the 1A final on July 26.

Sieck allowed one earned run on five hits with eight strikeouts and three walks in 6 2/3 innings as the winning pitcher against St. Mary’s. Sieck threw five shutout innings with 11 strikeouts and just two hits allowed in a 2-0 quarterfinal win over Sigourney, and he had one hit in the Hawks’ 4-0 semifinal win over Akron-Westfield.

Joe Randleman covers high school sports for the Ames Tribune. Contact him at [email protected]Follow him on Twitter at @JoeRandleman