Exira-EHK/Audubon had an all-state player when the Iowa Girls Coaches Association released honors earlier this week.
Spartan pitcher Riley Miller was named third team in Class 2A, and it is her third all-state honor.
Miller had a .372 average at the plate with a .444 on-base percentage, with 29 base hits and 18 RBIs. Pitching, she had a 13-9 record, that on the basis of a 1.67 ERA with 188 strikeouts against 29 walks in 134-1/3 innings. The Spartans reached the regional finals, falling to eventual state champion Van Meter in a game that was tightly contested most of the way.
Ahead of the Iowa softball tournament, Miller and Spartan teammate Taryn Petersen were named all-southwest district in Class 2A.
WESTERN IOWA
CONFERENCE
Audubon’s Adam Obrecht and Brody Schultes were all-Western Iowa Conference second team.
For the Wheelers, Obrecht went 3-5 with a 5.20 ERA, with 47 strikeouts vs. 12 walks in 36-1/3 innings, while at the plate had 12 RBIs. Schultes, whose fielding average was 97.5% had a .281 average with 18 base hits and six RBIs, and stole 15 bases.
Underwood, led by pitcher Garrett Luett and three other first-team picks, won the WIC championship and reached the Iowa Class 1A state semifinals. Logan-Magnolia, which reached the Class 2A state tournament, had three first-teamers.
Audubon finished 6-16 this summer, with a season-opening win against Griswold and had its best run at mid-season, with four straight wins, including over WIC foes IKM-Manning, AHSTW and Riverside. The other win came near the end of the year, with a 6-4 victory over neighboring rival Exira-EHK. The Wheelers led for a good share of its Iowa Class 1A district opener before falling to Glidden-Ralston, 6-4.
Seniors on the Wheeler squad were Colton Hansen, Gabe Jensen, Adam Obrecht, Aaron Olsen, Mason Steckler and Carson Wessel. Five of them were 20-plus game starters, including three of the top four pitchers, and the seniors take a good share of production with them.
In softball, Exira-EHK/Audubon, which reached the Class 2A regional final before bowing to eventual champion Van Meter, had two second-team selections: Riley Miller and Taryn Petersen. Petersen had a .393 average at the plate and .424 on-base percentage, with 10 RBI off 17 base hits. Miller was the primary pitcher, with a 1.47 ERA and recording 185 strikeouts against 29 walks in 128-1/3 innings.
The first time at state in 16 years and a share of the Western Iowa Conference title in hand, it should be no surprise Riverside had good representation on the all-WIC softball teams. Named first team were pitcher Peyton Schafer, catcher Sophia Fenner and infielder Madison Kelley; and Riverside’s Elly Henderson and Sydney Somers on the second team.
This was the second year for Audubon and Exira-EHK as a cooperative, after competing as Audubon last summer and reaching the state tournament. The Spartans, which used the WIC schedule instead of competing in the RVC as it does for girls’ basketball, were young but had its greatest run at the end of the year, defeating five teams that were either currently ranked or were earlier in the year, including Missouri Valley, Woodbine, Newell-Fonda, Pleasantville and Earlham, and they had Van Meter on the ropes until a late Bulldog surge in the regional final. Just two seniors depart: Payton Gust and Alissa Testroet.
All-Western Iowa Conference baseball
First team
AHSTW: Aiden Akers. Logan-Magnolia: Kaleb Kuhl, Macklin Loftus, Wes Vana. Treynor: Dylan Dreyer, Brody Larsen. Tri-Center: Carter Kunze, Lincoln Thomas, Cael Witt. Underwood: Ryker Adair, Nick Hackett, Garrett Luett, Easton Robertson.
Second team
Audubon: Adam Obrecht, Brody Schultes. IKM-Manning: Brock Kusel. Logan-Magnolia: Cale Cunard, Brody Davis, Jason Kastner. bNoah Cox, Jack Handlos. Riverside: Cole Jeppesen. Treynor: Angel Emge, Ethan Hill. Tri-Center: Tristin Gunderson. Underwood: Lucas Bose.
Honorable mention
AHSTW: Braden Fineran. Audubon: Carson Wessel. IKM-Manning: Kasche Huehn, Karsyn Lorensen, Jace Starmon. Logan-Magnolia: Keenan Kuhlman. Missouri Valley: Aiden King. Riverside: Victor Alfonso, Owen Fenner. Treynor: Riley Lauver. Tri-Center: Cael Corrin. Underwood: Gavin Miles, Hudson Ross.
All-Western Iowa Conference softball
First team
AHSTW: Clara Pace. IKM-Manning: Karlee Arp. Logan-Magnolia: Campbell Chase. Missouri Valley: Kaitlyn Evans, Dilynn Meade. Riverside: Sophia Fenner, Madison Kelley, Peyton Schafer. Treynor: Adalyn Minahan, Delaney Mathews. Tri-Center: Hayden Thomas. Underwood: Mary Stephens.
Second team
AHSTW: Sienna Christian. Exira-EHK/Audubon: Riley Miller, Taryn Petersen. IKM-Manning: Anna Stangl. Logan-Magnolia: Haedyn Hall, Madeline Maguire, Gracyn Stone. Missouri Valley: Grace Herman. Riverside: Elly Henderson, Adaline Martens, Sydney Somers. Treynor: Claire Cook, Elyse Winchell.
Honorable mention
AHSTW: Loralei Wahling. Exira-EHK/Audubon: Anna Larsen. IKM-Manning: Keagan Eischeid. Logan-Magnolia: Teagan Carritt. Missouri Valley: Emerson Anderson, Rylee Evans, Ty Stirtz, Paityn West. Riverside: Kayden Schnack. Treynor: Brooke Burke. Tri-Center: Avilyn Killpack. Underwood: Alyssa Fischer.
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ROLLING VALLEY CONFERENCE
Exira-EHK’s Alex Hansen was a second-team selection all-Rolling Valley Conference as a utility player, in voting announced earlier in July.
Hansen, a senior, was a spark for a young Spartan team that went winless in RVC action. He had a .229 average at the plate, with eight base hits and two RBIs, and once he got on base did well with 12 stolen bases. On the mound, he was 2-3 – picking up both the team’s wins – with a 2.77 ERA and 48 strikeouts vs. 11 walks in 35-1/3 innings.
The Spartans were a young team, with five eighth graders on a 14-member squad, and coaches Trey and Tyler Petersen will be looking to build for the future. The lone wins were non-conference, against Griswold and IKM-Manning. The Spartans lost to eventual state qualifier Logan-Magnolia in the opening round of the Iowa Class 1A district baseball tournament.
Just Hansen and Josh Nelson depart as seniors, and both were leaders in many of the team’s offensive, defensive and pitching categories.
All-Rolling Valley Conference Baseball
First team
Pitcher: Cal Heydon, Coon Rapids-Bayard; Mason Culbertson, Coon Rapids-Bayard. Catcher: Ty Heydon, Coon Rapids-Bayard. Infield: Chase Spieker, CAM; Wyatt Ragaller, Ar-We-Va; Xander Johnson, Woodbine; Owen Garside, Boyer Valley. Outfield: Carson McKee, CAM; Cody Dickinson, Woodbine; Jonn Bergmeier, Glidden-Ralston. Utility: Daniel Thooft, Glidden-Ralston.
Second team
Pitcher: Makade Paulsen, CAM; Cal Pryor, Woodbine. Catcher: Brayden Chester, CAM. Infield: Tyler Mohr, Coon Rapids-Bayard; Lukas James, CAM; Blayne Smith, Ar-We-Va; Brandon Wagner, Woodbine. Outfield: Parker Hays, Coon Rapids-Bayard; Micha Mores, Woodbine; Tristan Burkhart, Boyer Valley. Utility: Alex Hansen, Exira-EHK; Blayce Nelson, Glidden-Ralston.
All-Rolling Valley Conference Softball
First team
Pitcher: Charlie Pryor, Woodbine; Jaelyn Subbert, Glidden-Ralston. Catcher: Bryn Renze, Glidden-Ralston. Infield: Keaton Owens, Woodbine; Jenna Subbert, Glidden-Ralston; Kassidy Wenck, Glidden-Ralston; Aubrey Hofbauer, Coon Rapids-Bayard. Outfield: Anna Jochims, Woodbine; Anna Hart, Coon Rapids-Bayard; Gabby Hundling, Ar-We-Va. Utility: Vanessa Blum, Woodbine; Annalee Wittrock, Ar-We-Va.
Second team
Pitcher: Amber Ragaller, Ar-We-Va; Sierra Falkena, Boyer Valley. Catcher: Piper Mason, Coon Rapids-Bayard. Infield: Maddie Gunia, Boyer Valley; Amelia Eddy, Coon Rapids-Bayard; Chloe Peters, Glidden-Ralston; Elise Olson, Woodbine. Outfield: Morgan Berg, Ar-We-Va; Olivia Squibb, Glidden-Ralston; Allison Snyder, Glidden-Ralston. Utility: Harper Christanson, Boyer Valley; Kennedy Thooft, Glidden-Ralston.