Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

Luke Ira had cemented his status as one of the best to ever play at Solon well before his final game in a Spartan uniform.

A week after his prep career ended with a quarterfinal loss at the Class 3A state tournament Ira added another accolade to his decorated career.

Ira was named the captain of the Iowa Print Sports Writers Association Class 3A all-state squad on Tuesday when the organization released its 2018 postseason honors.

A five-year starter with 240 career hits, Ira had the best season of his career as a season.

Ira led the state with 19 home runs and ranked in the top six in RBI, runs and hits while helping Solon to a 32-11 record and its second state tournament appearance in three seasons.

The South Dakota State recruit ranked sixth in the state and led Class 3A with 58 RBI and ranked fourth in in runs (65) and fifth in hits (66).

Ira batted .452 as a senior and led Solon with a .543 on-base percentage and .979 slugging percentage.

He also posted a 6-1 record and 1.73 ERA in 52 2/3 innings while striking out a team-high 85 batters and walking just 11.

Ira was joined on the Class 3A all-state team by sophomore pitcher Cam Miller who was a second-team selection.

Miller posted a 9-3 and 1.16 ERA in a team-high 66 innings.

The right-hander allowed 37 hits and struck out 82 while walking 33.  

Regina had four players earn all-state honors after finishing runner-up in Class 2A.

Senior Ryne Schooley was named to the Class 2A first team while Blake Berns and Mitch Gahan were second-team selections and Ryan Schott was a third-team pick.

The four seniors led the Regals to a 29-8 record and their first state title game appearance since 1994.

Schooley led Regina with a .423 batting average, 45 runs 13 doubles and 41 RBI from his spot atop the batting order.

He also shared the team lead in home runs with Berns with five and stole 19 bases on his way to first-team all-state honors as an outfielder.

A second-team Berns hit .345 with 11 doubles, five home runs and 31 RBI and ranked second on the team behind Schooley with 34 runs.  

Gahan emerged as a true ace atop the Regina pitching staff this season posting a 9-3 record and 1.41 ERA with 78 strikeouts in a team-high 64 1/3 innings.

The senior righty allowed 45 hits and just 11 walks and allowing opponents to hit just .196 against him.

Schott ranked third on the team with a .377 batting average and had eight doubles, two home runs and 27 RBI.

He also posted a 2-1 record and 2.81 ERA with 27 strikeouts in 37 1/3 innings of work.

Seniors Braden Houston and Lucas Karwal each earned all-state honors for West High.

Houston was a second-team utility pick in Class 4A while Karwal was selected as the 4A third-team catcher.

The ace of the West High pitching staff, Houston went 6-3 with a 2.75 ERA while striking out 58 in 51 innings.

He also hit .390 with 10 doubles, three runs and 25 RBI as the Trojans primary shortstop.

Houston tied for the team lead with 33 runs and led West High in walks (28) and stolen bases (20) while posting a team-leading .551 on-base percentage.

Karwal had the best season of his career as a senior hitting a team-high .412 with 10 doubles, five triples and four home runs and led the Trojans with 32 RBI.

Iowa Print Sports Writers Association

Class 1A

First Team – P: Caden Kratz, Sr., Mason City Newman; Jake Hilmer, Jr., North Linn; Austin Krob, Sr., Lisbon; C: Bruce Werderman, Sr., Lisbon; 1B: Brady Gavin, Sr., Martinsdale-St. Marys; INF: Evan Paulus, Jr., Mason City Newman; Garrett Reisz, Sr., Council Bluffs St. Albert; Kaleb Harrison, Sr., Tri-Center; OF: Ryan Miller, Sr., North Linn; Josh Fitzgerald, Jr., Mason City Newman; Nick Phelps, Sr., Woodbury Central; UTIL: Trevor Dooley, Sr., Martinsdale-St. Marys; Brad Barkema, Sr., BCLUW                         

Second Team – P: Collin Kramer, Jr., St. Ansgar; Caleb Banowetz, Soph., Calamus-Wheatland; Ian Boline, Sr., Alburnett; C: Keaton Parker, Jr., Alburnett; 1B: Sean Boardman, Sr., North Linn; INF: Derrick Schorg, Sr., Remsen St. Mary’s; Brett Givens, Sr., Lisbon; Lukas Wogen, Jr., West Fork; OF: Carter Kuchel, Sr., Remsen St. Mary’s; Thomas Hensley, Sr., CAM; Trever Brown, Sr., Don Bosco; UTIL: Aaron Allsup, Sr., Martensdale-St. Mary; Drake Buscherfeld, Sr., Algona Garrigan               

Third Team – P: Cale Reicks, Sr., Turkey Valley; Dan Kenealy, Sr., Tri-Center; Liam Stubbe, Sr., AGWSR; C: Brayden Jacobs, Sr., Ankeny Christian; 1B: Brendan Wood, Jr., HLV; INF: Tyler Tscherter, Soph., Gladbrook-Reinbeck; Carter Boothe, Sr., Central Decatur; Cy Patterson, Fr., CB St. Albert; OF: Tucker Babbitt, Sr., Moravia; Ian Holmgaard, Sr., Mason City Newman; Hagen Waters, Jr., Lisbon; UTIL: Colby Page, Jr., Southeast Warren; Bryce Schares, Jr., Don Bosco                                      

Class 2A

First Team – P: Alex Snyder, Sr., Alta-Aurelia; Jared Townsend, Jr., Wilton; Zach Miller, Sr., Denver; C: Ben Berg, Sr., Carroll Kuemper; 1B: Brock Farley, Jr., Denver; INF: Jaden Snyder, Sr., West Lyon; Trace Howard, Sr., Wapello; Will Dembski, Jr., Pella Christian; OF: Preston Van Wyk, Jr., PCM; Logan Otting, Jr., Cascade; Ryan Schooley, Sr., Regina; UTIL: Jace Davidson, Jr., Pocahontas Area; Briar Rowley, Jr., Estherville-Lincoln Central                                       

Second Team – P: Colby Seuntjens, Sr., MVOACOU; Mitchell Gahan, Sr., Regina; Kyler Steinborn, Sr., South Central Calhoun; C: Joel Vaske, Sr. Dyersville Beckman; 1B: Daniel Hargrave, Sr., Centerville; INF: Zane Johnson, Sr., East Marshall; Mitch Pomeroy, Sr., Van Meter; Jackson Bennett, Sr., Dyersville Beckman; OF: Blake Berns, Sr., Regina; Chase Bovee, Sr., Pocahontas Area; Josh Fenske, Sr., New Hampton; UTIL: Dean Bedell, Sr., Treynor; Collin McCrabb, Jr., Wilton                              

Third Team – P: Harrison Hoffman, Jr., Cascade; Evan Doyle, Soph., Central Lee; Carter Cuvelier, Jr., Aplington-Parkersburg; C: Jacob Manternach, Sr., Monticello; 1B: Justin Ridout, Sr., East Marshall; INF: Trey Jacobson, Sr., Estherville-Lincoln Central; Tyson Belloma, Sr., Centerville; Gannon O’Brien, Sr., Cascade; OF: Kaleb Sleezer, Sr., Alta-Aurelia; Ryan Schott Sr., Regina; Trenton Massner, Sr., Wapello; UTIL: Alex Dickey, Sr., West Marshall; Ryan Manternach, Sr., Monticello            

Class 3A

First Team – P: Julien Broderson, Jr., Davenport Assumption; Brett Sears, Jr., Harlan; Max Hackbarth, Sr., Webster City; C: Spencer Kleene, Soph., Sergeant Bluff-Luton; 1B: Ryan Doran, Sr., Harlan; INF: Luke Ira, Sr., Solon; Colin Kasperbauer, Sr., Sioux City Heelan; Nate Mortimer, Sr., Carlisle; OF: Hunter Hope, Sr., Sioux City Heelan; Brady Kluender, Spencer; Trevor Bormann, Sr., Algona; UTIL: Nic McCay, Sr., Carlisle; Nick Gottilla, Jr., Davenport Assumption                     

Second Team – P: Cam Miller, Soph., Solon; Jayden Gibson, Jr., Grinnell; Zach Noble, Sr., Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley; C: Jaden Rolffs, Sr., Pella; 1B: Austin Simpson, Jr., Fairfield; INF: Cam Steffens, Sr., Central DeWitt; Ryan Willis, Sr., Waverly-Shell Rock; Gabe Lux, Sr., Cedar Rapids Xavier; OF: Casey Young, Soph., Winterset; Jacob Zuck, Sr., Knoxville; Nick Foss, Sr., Harlan; UTIL: Dylan Steen, Jr., Webster City; Lucas Bixby, Jr., Central DeWitt                         

Third Team – P: Rick Atkins, Jr., Marion; Evan Appenzeller, Sr., Boone; Isaiah Henrichs, Jr., Carlisle; C: Seth Adrian, Soph., Davenport Assumption; 1B: Spencer Goerdt, Sr., Dubuque Wahlert; INF: Drake Shelton, Jr., Decorah; Gabe Eckstaine, Sr., LeMars; Kyle Moeder, Jr., Cedar Rapids Xavier; OF: Tanner Bedier, Sr., Bondurant-Farrar; Easton Darling, Soph., Winterset; Brady Leonard, Sr., Waverly-Shell Rock; UTIL: Jackson Boever, Sr., Sioux City Heelan; Jack Higgans, Sr., Nevada

Class 4A

First Team – P: Sam Goodman, Jr., Western Dubuque; Luke Llewellyn, Sr., Urbandale; Clayton Nettleton, Sr., Davenport West; C: Tony Barreca, Sr., North Scott; 1B: Peyton Williams, Jr., Johnston; INF: Chris Miller, Sr., Urbandale; Drew Beazley, Sr., Johnston; Brooks Sunny, Sr., North Scott; OF: Levi Usher, Sr., Cedar Rapids Prairie; Lincoln Riley, Jr., Cedar Rapids Washington; Evan Martin, Soph., Southeast Polk; UTIL: Calvin Harris, Soph., Western Dubuque; Jacob Bockenstedt, Sr., Cedar Rapids Washington        

Second Team – P: Duncan Davitt, Sr., Indianola; Sean Nussbaum, Sr., Johnston; Drew Irvine, Sr., Waukee; C: Noah Cook, Sr., Urbandale; 1B: Evan Crawford, Sr., Pleasant Valley; INF: Brayden Frazier, Sr., Cedar Rapids Jefferson; T. J. Mahoney, Sr., Des Moines Lincoln; Griff Clark, Sr., Cedar Rapids Prairie; OF: Andrew Nord, Jr., Johnston; Ben DeTaeye, Jr., West Des Moines Valley; Brook Heinen, Jr., Urbandale; UTIL: Cade Moss, Jr., Johnston; Braden Houston, Sr., West High          

Third Team – P: Luke Patzner, Sr., Urbandale; Will Moritz, Sr., West Des Moines Valley; Nate Vance, Sr., Marshalltown; C: Lucas Karwal, Sr., West High; 1B: Jesse Elgert, Jr., Sioux City West; INF: Trevor Burkhart, Sr., Davenport West; Tynan Shahidi, Sr., Ames; Brendan Sher, Sr., Indianola; OF: Bryce Butler, Sr., Mason City; Noah Susong, Jr., Waterloo West; Drake Nettles, Jr., Council Bluffs Lewis Central; UTIL: Harrison Cook, Jr., Cedar Rapids Prairie; Carter Baumler, Soph., West Des Moines Dowling