Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

City High

Coach: Jeff Koenig (5th season)

Assistant coaches: Molly Nicholson, Peyton Koenig

Last season: 25-19, 16-10 MVC (Class 5A State Quarterfinals)

Returning starters: Ayana Lindsey, Soph., P/SS; Carey Koenig, Soph., C/3B; Ella Cook, Soph., P/1B; Keli Potter, Jr., 2B/C; Sydney Fellows, Jr., LF; Brooke Bormann, Jr., SS/1B; Brianna Bentler, Sr., CF; Alexa Fredericks, Sr., RF; Makayla Ribble, Fr., 3B/P

Other returning letterwinners: Maggie Glenn, Jr., P; Kaylee Paulsen, Sr., OF; Jayden Young, Sr., C/INF; Libby Frantz, Fr., OF; Georgia Kimm, Fr., UTIL

Headliner: Sophomore Ayana Lindsey solidified herself as one of the top two-way players in the state last season when she hit .355 with two home runs and 32 RBI and went 12-11 with a 2.48 ERA and 108 strikeouts in 152 1/3 innings.

Keep an eye on: Carey Koenig doesn’t look like your prototypical power hitter but the sophomore catcher has big-time pop evident by her 22 extra-base hits and school-record eight home runs last season.

Circle the date: June 11 at Cedar Rapids Kennedy. The top two teams in the Mississippi Valley Conference and two of the best teams in 5A meet in a doubleheader that will feature a state tournament feel.

Breakdown: City High made a big jump last season by returning to the state tournament for the third time in program history and first time since 2001.

The Little Hawks will try to take another big leap this season as they enter the season ranked fourth and legitimate title contenders in Class 5A.

Every contributor returns this season from a City High lineup that set school records for hits, doubles, home runs, team batting average and slugging percentage.

Lindsey and fellow sophomore Ella Cook (13-7, 3.78 ERA in 120 1/3 innings) give the Little Hawks a strong pitching combination but it’s the lineup that makes City High a contender.

Seven players that had at least two home runs last season return led by Koenig (8) and juniors Keli Potter and Sydney Fellows who each slugged seven homers last season.

Six different players that hit better than .300 last season return led by Potter (.381) and Lindsey.

West High

Coach: Barb Lynn (2nd season)

Last season: 17-24, 8-18 MVC

Returning starters: Kiahna Hill, Jr., SS; Eva Burbidge, Jr., P/OF; Rylee Goodfellow, Soph., C; Kate Sehr, Jr., OF; Ryleigh Mulcahey, Sr., P/OF

Other returning letterwinners: Grace Schneider, Jr.; Hailee Hardin, Sr.

Headliner: Junior infielder Kiahna Hill had a breakthough sophomore season leading the Women of Troy in batting average (.402), home runs (7), RBI (24) and stolen bases (23).

Keep an eye on: Junior Eva Burbidge is a key two-way threat for West High after posting a 11-9 record and 4.42 ERA in 107 2/3 innings last season and hitting .268 with 20 RBI.

Circle the date: May 30 at City High. The Women of Troy make the trip across town for an MVC doubleheader with rival City High.

Breakdown: West High stumbled out of the blocks last season with an 0-8 start but was playing its best late in the season as it won nine of its final 16 games.

The Women of Troy will attempt to improve on its 8-18 conference record last season as it seeks bounce back from a rare down season a year ago.

Hill returns to headline the West High lineup and will get help from Burbidge and junior Kate Sehr and sophomore Rylee Goodfellow.

Burbidge is expected to handle the top spot in the pitching rotation while senior Ryleigh Mulcahey will look to take a step forward after posting a 4.86 ERA in 44 2/3 innings last season.

Liberty High

Coach: Jeff Kelley (2nd season)

Assistant coaches: Emily Stumpff, Steve Sproule, Jason Gavin

Last season: 18-22

Returning starters: Brylee Klosterman, Jr., OF; Kara Maiers, Soph., P; Raquel Trolliet, Soph., SS; Miranda Jones, Soph., 1B; Ashlyn Geasland, Soph., OF; Kelsey Phipps, Soph., 3B; Claire Geiman, Soph., C; Addie Schmierer, Soph., 2B; Marit McCaffery, Soph., OF; Kinsley Robertson, Fr., P; Ella McGlaughlin, Fr., OF  

Newcomers to watch: Tiffany Jones, C, Soph; Courtney Olson, Jr., C/3B; Eva Stewart, Soph., P/UTIL; Blythe Geiman, Soph., P/INF; Kylie Hammers, 8th, P/UTIL; Kennedy Daughtery, 8th, P/UTIL; Ella Johnson, Jr., 1B/DP

Headliner: Iowa recruit Brylee Klosterman is a three-time all-state pick and one of the top players in the state. Klosterman hit .360 with seven triples, three home runs and 26 RBI last season.

Keep an eye on: Sophomore Kara Maiers established herself as a threat in the circle and the batters box last season hitting .304 with six doubles and going 14-6 with a 2.08 ERA in 118 innings.

Circle the date: June 5th at West High. The two rivals meet for the first time in a doubleheader rescheduled from May by weather.

Breakdown: Liberty High won 18 games in its inaugural varsity season last summer and brings back its roster virtually intact as it makes the move into the Mississippi Valley Conference.

Klosterman gives the Lightning a star and Maiers has shown the ability to be a high-end pitcher.

Building up the rest of the lineup and pitching rotation will be the key for Liberty High but second-year head coach Jeff Kelley is bullish about the roster.

Addie Schmierer hit .343 last season and Kinsley will look to build on an eighth-grade season in which she posted a 4.26 ERA in 92 innings.

Clear Creek Amana

Coach: Matthew Trosky (3rd season)

Assistant coaches: Blake Wilson, Jamie Henze, Eden Campbell, Maddy Beckler, Makenzie Melby

Last season: 16-18, 7-9 WAMAC

Returning starters: Abigail Crow, Sr., OF; Lydia Banwart, Sr., C; Katie Pitlick, Sr., INF; Anna Fox, OF; Karsyn Stratton, Jr., INF; Gabrielle Bedford, Soph., INF; Grace Bedford, Soph., OF/P; Raina Henze, Jr., P; Peyton Grafft, Soph., P/OF; Ainsley Schrock, Jr., C/DP; Gracie Downes, Jr., OF; Allison Rummelhart, Jr., UTIL

Newcomers to watch: Greta Downes, Soph.; Katelyn LeFleur, Soph.; Stormey Bauwens; Ella Miller, Soph.; Eleanor Crow; Bailey Olerich, Fr.

Headliner: Already a three-year starter Karsyn Stratton returns to solidify the Clippers middle infield after hitting .325 with four home runs and 20 RBI last season.

Keep an eye on: Junior Ainsley Schrock hit .321 last season with 15 extra-base hits and has 15 home runs and 69 RBI over the past two seasons.

Circle the date: June 14-15 at Fort Dodge Tournament. The Clippers head to Fort Dodge for two days of competing against some of the best teams in the state.

Breakdown: With just one starter gone from last season expectations are high at Clear Creek Amana which is seeking its first winning season since 2015.

Schrock and Stratton highlight a lineup that returns nearly intact and will feature four regulars that batted over .300 last season.

Sophomores Gabrielle and Grace Bedford returns after hitting .300 and .319 respectively last season while combining for 36 runs and 30 RBI.

The Clippers return the pitching combo of junior Raina Henze and sophomore Peyton Grafft that together threw every inning for the Clippers a year ago.

Henze was 14-9 with a 2.34 ERA and 68 strikeouts in a team-high 137 2/3 innings last season.

West Branch

Coach: Chandran Lapel (1st season)

Assistant coaches: Mary Madsen, Emily Sones

Last season: 10-21 4-14 RVC

Returning starters: Lexie Peak, Soph., INF; Courtney Jarret, Sr., OF; Kaiya Luneckas, Jr., P/1B; Chloe Pence, Soph., C/INF; Maddy Hatfield, Soph., C/INF; Nicki Henson, Soph., OF/INF; Bailey Donohoe, Soph., C/INF; Mackenzie Heise, Jr., UTIL; Taylor Thein, Jr., SS/UTIL

Other returning letterwinners: Lexi Klinkkamer, Fr., P/1B

Newcomers to watch: Sasha Koenig, Jr., UTIL

Headliner: Sophomore Nicki Henson earned RVC Elite team and all-state status last season during a freshman campaign in which she hit .370 and led the Bears with 37 hits, 26 runs and 25 stolen bases.

Keep an eye on: Junior Kaiya Luneckas hit .384 and led West Branch with 15 extra-base hits last season and also went 5-10 with a 4.09 ERA in a team-high 87 1/3 innings.

Circle the date: June 27 at Regina. The two lone time rivals hook up in a River Valley Conference South Division doubleheader in Iowa City.

Breakdown: First-year head coach Chandran Lapel takes over at West Branch and inherits an experienced team seeking a breakthrough following a 10-win season last summer.

The strength for the Bears is a lineup that returns nine players with starting experience including its top eight hitters from a year ago.

Henson is a threat at the top of the order with her speed (25-of-25 on stolen bases) while Luneckas and Mackenzie Heise (3 home runs) provide the pop in the middle of the lineup.

The key for the Bears will be the growth of several of the other return starters like junior Taylor Thein and sophomores Lexie Peak and Chloe Pence.

Regina

Coach: Jake Koolbeck (2nd season)  

Assistant coaches: Courtnee Hahn, Alyssa Olson, Madi Miller, Morgan Goedken

Last season: 25-16 (Class 2A State runner-up)

Returning starters: Katie Bracken, Sr., P; Jess Hunter, Sr., CF; Lauren Marth, Sr., 2B; Carrigan O’Connor, Sr., RF; Maeve Dunne, Sr., C; Elly Gahan, Jr., 1B; Annie Gahan, Soph., SS; Emma Nibaur, Fr., LF/P

Other returning letterwinners: Emma Sueppel, Soph., OF; Abby Clark, Soph., OF; Kate Milder, Soph., OF/C

Newcomers to watch: Courtney Kessler, 8th, C; Jaelynn Ernst, Soph., P/3B

Headliner: A two-time first-team all-state selection senior Katie Bracken is one of the top players in Class 2A and coming off a season that saw her hit .376 with 22 RBI while posting a 17-14 record and 2.56 ERA with 158 strikeouts in 183 innings.

Keep an eye on: Senior Jess Hunter is the all-time stolen base leader at Regina and the catalyst for the Regal offense. Hunter hit .350 with two home runs and 19 RBI last season and stole 42 bases.  

Circle the date: June 3 vs. Wilton. Regina hosts preseason third-ranked Wilton in a top-five Class 2A showdown that will have major River Valley Conference South Division title implications.

Breakdown: The defending 2A runner-up Regals reload as well as any team in the state and will be seeking a fifth consecutive state title game appearance.

Regina returns eight starters from last year’s squad that fell to Louisa-Muscatine in the Class 2A state title game.

Bracken and Hunter lead the offensive charge for Regina but Lauren Marth, Emma Nibaur and Carrigan O’Connor all return after hitting .293 or better last season.

Marth hit .325 and had 21 RBI while O’Connor ranked second on the team with 32 runs scored and Nibaur hit .320 as an eighth-grader.

Bracken gives the Regals a dominant presence in the circle while Nibaur is expected to take on a bigger pitching role after posting a 3.00 ERA in 35 innings last season.

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