ANITA – It had to happen, and Friday night was the night that it did.

On this night the two best teams in the Rolling Valley Conference squared off to see who would remain at the top of the standings when the game was complete.

Coon Rapids-Bayard came to town sporting a 11-1 overall record and were rated by the Iowa High School Coaches Association as the fourth best team in Iowa Class 1A. When the game was complete, a five-inning affair, the Crusaders left town all alone atop the conference, as they won 12-1.

“I think the outcome of the game was a culmination of many things, number one, we were facing a really good team, with a really good pitcher,” CAM Coach Mick Long said. “Number two I just felt that we were out of gas. We expended a lot of energy playing those other two ranked teams. We got down early and they have a great catcher as well, so that put us in a position where we couldn’t steal bases and make things happen.”

Coon Rapids started the scoring off right away in the top of the first when the got players on base with a single, double, and then getting hit by a pitch making it 1-0. This was a sign of things to come, because as the game went along, the effect of the long, hot week, was most evident with the Cougar’s pitching. In the top of the third CR-B would add five more runs to their lead and they came from five walks and a hit batsman. The next inning saw the visitors score six runs and they came off of six walks and another bat who was hit by the pitch.

Even with all this happening, CAM did not give up and made sure that the game did not end after the fourth inning, as they were able to score a run. Brayden Chester got things going with a walk. The next CAM player flied out, and then the batter after that struck out. Looking to rally with two outs, Zach Kauffman came to bat and reached base when he walked. Collin Bower was up next and his single, coupled with Chester’s being waved in from second base, the team scored their run in the game.

“We just couldn’t get runners on base with no outs to bunt them over or things like that. We were just waiting for back-to-back hits to build a big inning. Their pitcher was a left hander and he gets the ball to home quickly, so that put a hindrance on our running game,” the coach said. “We just ran out of innings with our pitchers. Carson (McKee) threw Thursday and needed a required number of days off. Chase (Spieker) threw 29 pitches, so he needed a day off. Makade (Paulsen) had thrown to beat Bedford, so our hands were tied and we knew that going into the game.”

Unfortunately, that would be all the offense they could muster and when they failed to score in the fifth, the game was called via the ten-run rule. Chase Spieker and Bower had the team’s two hits in the game. Lukas James took the loss, as he pitched 3.1 innings. The eight runs he gave up came off of six hits. He struck out four and walked eight. Braxton Dennis came on in relief of James, but didn’t fare much better. He walked four and gave up four runs. Brayden Chester finished the game out for the team and struck out one and walked three.

The team’s first loss of the year puts their record at 9-1 overall and 5- in conference play. They have another nearly full week of action and it starts on Tuesday when the team hosts Fremont-Mills. Wednesday they are at Boyer Valley and Thursday they host East Mills. Friday will find them at home again, taking on Glidden-Ralston.

“We knew we were playing with house money taking on three ranked teams and beating two of them, so that kind of gives us an indication of where we are at as a team,” Long said. “Seeing a really good pitcher like we saw on Friday is going to help us down the road. We have four games this week and I like the way our kids are approaching at the plate, so we are looking to get four more wins this week and if that happens we are 13-1.”