Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

As softball season approached many feared that the global coronavirus pandemic would stop the 2020 season before it ever got going.

Though the season was a little shorter and came with more guidelines and different sets of challenges there was indeed high school softball in Iowa this summer and players in the Your Prep Sports area took advantage of the opportunity.

The annual Your Prep Sports softball team honors players that were able to shine under difficult circumstances this season.

This year’s 16-member Your Prep Sports team is made up of players from all seven area schools and features conference players of the year and Division I recruits.

For the second straight season the Your Prep Sports team has nine repeat selections from the previous year, five seniors, one freshman and an eighth-grader.

City High juniors Carey Koenig and Ayana Lindsey are the 2020 Your Prep Sports co-players of the year and captains of the team.

Lindsey and Koenig tied for the state lead with 12 home runs and combined for 68 RBI while leading City High to an 18-5 record and a Mississippi Valley Conference Mississippi Division title.

2020 Your Prep Sports Softball Team

*P – Ayana Lindsey, Jr., City High: A Northwestern recruit, Lindsey continued to build on her reputation as one of the best all-around players in the state with a spectacular season that saw her earn MVC Divisional athlete of the year honors for the second year in a row. Lindsey hit .500 with 39 runs scored, 31 RBI and 18 stolen bases and tied for the state lead with 12 home runs. She also posted an 8-5 record and a 2.25 ERA with 75 strikeouts in 74 2/3 innings.

P – Kara Maiers, Jr., Liberty High: Maiers was one of the biggest breakout stars in the state this summer posting a 10-3 record and .76 ERA while fanning 155 in 92 1/3 innings on her way to being named MVC Valley Division athlete of the year. Few pitchers in the state were better than Maiers down the stretch. She won eight of her final nine starts, a stretch that included a perfect game and two no hitters with the lone loss a 1-0 11-inning regional final setback to eventual 5A champion Cedar Rapids Kennedy.

*C – Carey Koenig, Jr., City High: Drake recruit continued to build on an incredible career tying for the state lead in home runs while homering once every 5.3 at bats. A unanimous first-team MVC Mississippi Division pick, Koenig hit .484 with 12 home runs and a team-high 37 RBI in 64 at bats. Koenig walked 14 times and struck out just five while tying for the team lead with 20 extra-base hits.

C – Ainsley Schrock, Sr., Clear Creek Amana: A huge senior season from Schrock was among the biggest reasons Clear Creek Amana posted its first winning season since 2015. Schrock hit .419 and led the Clippers in hits (31), doubles (7), home runs (6), walks (12) and RBI (37).

INF – Hilary Wilson, Fr., Solon: There was no year-two slump for Wilson who followed up a strong debut season with a stellar freshman year. Wilson slid from third base to shortstop and saw her offensive production rise hitting a career-high .513 and leading Solon in runs (37), home runs (5) and RBI (39).

INF – Kiahna Hill, Sr., West High: One of only two unanimous first-team selections in the MVC Valley Division, Hill capped a stellar career with a strong senior season. Hill hit a career-best .423 and led West High in seven offensive categories including extra-base hits (11), RBI (20) and stolen bases (17).

INF – Annie Gahan, Jr., Regina: A versatile threat, Gahan showed off her vast set of skills while leading the Regals in 10 offensive categories and earning RVC Elite Team honors for the first time. Gahan hit .378 with four home runs and 15 RBI and added 21 runs scored and 24 stolen bases.

INF – Jadyn Jeter, Sr., Solon: Jeter closed her career with a bang, hitting a career-best .431 with two home runs and 32 RBI in a stellar senior season. After moving from first to third base for her final season, Jeter scored 31 runs and led the Spartans with 15 extra base hits.

INF – Miranda Jones, Jr., Liberty High: Already a three-year starter, Jones enjoyed her breakthrough season as a junior posting career-highs in batting average (.412), runs (19) and home runs (4) while leading the Lightning with 22 RBI and 11 doubles.

OF – Monet Barnhouse, Jr. Solon: Barnhouse earned first-team all-WAMAC East Division honors for the first time following a breakthrough junior season in which she hit a career-high .426 with 26 runs scored, 24 RBI and 11 stolen bases.

OF – Nicki Henson, Jr., West Branch: A career .470 hitter, Henson led West Branch in hits for the fourth consecutive season this summer while hitting over .485 for the third time. The speedy center fielder hit a team-best .500 while leading the Bears with 15 runs scored, 13 stolen bases and a .541 on-base percentage.

OF – Sydney Fellows, Sr., City High: Fellows backed up a strong junior season with another big season, earning first-team MVC Mississippi Division honors after hitting .380 with two home runs and 17 RBI. Fellows led the Little Hawks with eight doubles and scored 21 runs.

OF – Brylee Klosterman, Sr., Liberty High: One of the best pure hitters in the state Klosterman wrapped up a brilliant prep career with a stellar senior season. An Iowa recruit, Klosterman hit .459 with five home runs, 18 RBI and 26 runs scored. A career .435 hitter, Klosterman hit .411 or better four times in a five-year varsity career that concluded with 105 extra-base hits including 19 home runs, 146 RBI, 172 runs scored and 64 stolen bases.

UTIL – Gabrielle Bedford, Jr. Clear Creek Amana: Bedford enjoyed a breakthrough season hitting a team-high .429 with four home runs and 25 RBI while leading the Clippers with 23 runs scored. The junior tied for the team lead with 13 extra-base hits and stole 15 bases while earning first-team all-WAMAC West Division honors.

UTIL – Mischa Reiners, 8^th, Liberty High: Reiners made an immediate impact in her first prep season while establishing herself as one of the top young hitters in the state. In her debut season Reiners hit .397 with six extra-base hits and 13 RBI.

UTIL – Ella Cook, Jr., City High: A four-year starter, Cook posted another stellar season hitting .333 with seven home runs, 33 runs scored, 23 RBI and a team-high 15 walks. In the circle Cook was 8-0 with a 4.10 ERA and 53 strikeouts in 56 1/3 innings.

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