A Look Back at the Best Stories From The Your Prep Sports Area in 2021
Ryan Murken
Your Prep Sports
Coming off a year like 2020, that for many was one to forget, 2021 was hopefully one that people would like to remember.
That was certainly the case for many athletes in the Your Prep Sports area.
On the eve of a new year we take a look back at 21 of the biggest and best stories in the Your Prep Sports area from 2021.
Epic Comeback Sends CCA Back to State
Clear Creek Amana returned to the state softball tournament for the first time since 2014 and the Clippers did it in absolutely unforgettable fashion.
The Clippers scored six runs in the bottom of the 11th inning to stun No. 12 Marion 11-10 in a Class 4A regional final in Oxford.
Gabrielle Bedford had the game-winning two-run double as Clear Creek Amana completed a come-back for the ages.
“It was the craziest game I have been part of,” Clear Creek Amana co-head coach Jodie Scheetz said. “We came in that last inning and they had the determination. They said, ‘We are going to win this thing still, even down five runs.’ Can’t ask for anything more than that.”
West Branch Golf Wins State Title
It was a long wait for the West Branch golf team but the Bears finally returned to the top in 2021.
West Branch rallied from a two-stroke deficit after the opening day to claim the first state title in nearly three decades winning the Class 2A state championship at Lakeside Golf Course in Fort Dodge.
The Bears shot a 323 the second day to finish the two-day, 36-hole event with a 644 edging runner-up Grundy Center by a single stroke.
It was the first state championship for West Branch since it won its fourth consecutive 2A title in 1992 and came after a runner-up finish in the most recent state tournament in 2019.
“I’ve been at this 25 years now and coach (Jason) Miller has been with me now 20 years and we’ve had some really solid teams that could never quite get over the hurdle to make it to state, we’ve had some really good teams that didn’t even make it out of districts and we’ve had a run here lately where we’ve had teams get to state but then not be able to get over the hurdle there,” West Branch coach Randy Sexton said. “So it was a long time in the making but boy it was certainly worth every minute.”
Martin Shines in Final Prep Meet
Three days after signing her letter of intent to swim for the University of Iowa West High senior Scarlet Martin was impressive in her final prep meet.
Martin won her third consecutive state title in the 100 butterfly in a time of 53.44 to become just the sixth swimmer in the 55-year history of the state meet to win the 100 butterfly three times and just the third to win the even three straight seasons.
She also posted a runner-up individual finish in the 100 backstroke and exits high school competition with five individual state championships and two relay titles.
“One of the best in the history of the state of Iowa,” West High Coach Byron Butler said. “There is no doubt about that. So proud of her, what she has meant to the program.”
City High Caps Turnaround With Dome Trip
City High completed one of the best turnarounds in recent state history going from 2-4 in 2020 to 10-2 with a trip to the Class 5A state semifinals in 2021.
Coming off four consecutive two-wins seasons first-year head coach Mitch Moore led the Little Hawks on a magical run in 2021.
City High opened the season with six consecutive wins and advanced to the UNI-Dome for the first time since 2010 with a 32-13 quarterfinal win over top-ranked and previously unbeaten Cedar Rapids Kennedy.
Darren Richardson rushed for 221 yards and three touchdowns in the quarterfinal win over the Cougars in which City High scored the final 12 points.
“We knew they were going to fight tonight,” senior offensive lineman Ostyn Friday said. “They’re a 10-0 team. They’re not just going to roll over, so when they came back we responded really well and scored those two touchdowns.”
Solon Wins State Cross Country Title
A dream season for Solon got its fairy tale ending in Fort Dodge.
Solon went nearly wire-to-wire as the top-ranked team in Class 3A winning the first state cross country title in program history at Lakeside Golf Course in Fort Dodge.
Junior Kayla Young finished fifth and senior Emma Bock was ninth to lead three Solon runners in the top 20 as the Spartans finished with 77 points to outdistance two-time defending state champion Ballard by 26 points.
Sophomore Anna Quillin finished 19th and senior Meghan O’Neill was 33rd for Solon.
“It’s everything that we have been working toward this entire season and we did it together,” Young said. “We are one big family and we did this together. That’s what makes it so much better.”
Keeney Claims Two More State Titles
Ashley Keeney entered the final day of the 2021 state track and field meet with a pair of state titles to her credit.
The Liberty High junior doubled that total in a matter of hours at Drake Stadium in Des Moines.
Keeney claimed titles in the 800 and 1,500 on the final day of the Class 4A state meet after winning titles in the 3,000 and 1,500 as a freshman in 2019.
She won the 800 in 2:11.57 and added a title in the 1,500 in a title of 4:41.3 during a downpour. “I heard lots of splashing on my right and I knew somebody was about to come around,” Keeney said. “I didn’t want them to come around me, get boxed in and then have to go around again so I just decided to go for it.”
Gryp Sprints Through Downpour to Win 1,600
Liberty High senior Bowen Gryp saw the ominous cloud approaching Drake Stadium in Des Moines and got excited.
As rain began to pelt the track prior to the start of the Class 4A 1,600 many competitors saw it as an obstacle, Gryp saw an opportunity.
Gryp sprinted his way through an absolute deluge to win the first individual title in Liberty High history claiming the 1,600 title in a career-best time of 4:19.02.
“Honestly, I liked it, that helped me I think,” Gryp said of the rain. “I saw it and I said, ‘bring it on’.”
It was the second title of the week for Gryp who was a member of the Liberty High 4×800 relay team that won the first state title in program history.
Solon’s Keith Has a Game for the Ages
Camryn Keith was no stranger to the long ball.
The solon junior first baseman had three home runs to her credit before the opening game of a doubleheader against Dyersville Beckman.
She needed just one game against the Blazers to surpass her career homer totals.
Keith homered in four consecutive at bats in the opening game against Beckman finished 4-for-5 with nine RBI.
Keith hit a solo home run in her second at bat after striking out in her first trip. She added a two-run homer in the third, a three-run shot in the fourth and a two-run homer in the fifth of an 18-3 win.
“I went up the second time and had a little more confidence and she threw me the same exact pitch again,” Keith said. “The next two I really didn’t think I was going to see many strikes and they even switched pitchers they threw me strikes.”
Clear Creek Amana Wins Shuttle Hurdle Title
Two years after finished 13th at the Class 3A state meet in the shuttle hurdle relay the Clippers returned to Des Moines expecting more
None of the four team members expected a state title.
That is exactly what Clear Creek Amana produced as the team of Kayla Jiras, Cileigh Smiddy, Emma Mathis and Silvana Kabolo did winning 1:05.39 to secure the second relay title in program history and first since the Clippers won the shuttle hurdle relay in 2015. “It’s unbelievable, two years ago we came in 13th and now we’re first,” Mathis said. “It just feels like it’s a whole new world that we are experiencing right now. It feels so good.”
Regina Returns to State Softball
Regina returned to the state softball tournament for the first time in two seasons and the Regals did so in thrilling fashion.
Gabby Sueppel scored the winning run on a wild pitch with two outs in the bottom of the 11th inning as Regina returned to the 2A state tournament for the first time since 2018 with a 5-4 win over Cardinal.
Regina trailed 4-1 entering the bottom of the seventh but rallied for three runs to force extra innings.
“You never know with Regina softball,” Regina senior Kate Milder said. “It happens all the time. You just gotta have faith in it, work through it. We just gotta get someone there and push through.”
West Branch Completes Historic Season
West Branch secured a second consecutive trip to the state basketball tournament in 2021 only this time the Bears made sure it was an extended stay.
Third-ranked West Branch earned the first state tournament win in program history with a 49-33 victory over No. 8 Grundy Center in a Class 2A quarterfinal at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.
Senior Sasha Koenig had a game-high 16 points and junior Delaynie Luneckas had a double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds.
West Branch concluded the most successful season in program history with a 21-2 record, a top-three ranking and a spot in the state semifinals.
“To finally get that first win in program history at the state tournament for us and for it to be defensive minded, to hold them to 33 points and play defense like we did today, that’s what makes it feel really good because that’s what we talk about all the time,” West Branch coach Jarod Tylee said. “I’m just super proud of how our kids executed our game plan.”
Garvin Completes Dominant Season
Hunter Garvin only got 17 matches during a pandemic-shortened junior season but the West High junior was dominant in every single one of them.
Garvin capped an unbeaten season with a second consecutive state title winning the Class 3A 138-pound crown with a third-period pin of Dylan Whitt of Cedar Falls.
During his unbeaten season Garvin didn’t have a match go all six minutes, ending every match via tech fall or fall, a first in the storied history of West High wrestling.
“I’m feeling great,” Garvin said. “It was a goal at the end of last year and it feels great. It feels awesome.”
Marv Cook Steps Down at Regina
After directing Regina to one of the most successful stretches of prep football in Iowa history Marv Cook announced he was stepping down as head coach in May.
In 14 seasons leading the Regina program Cook directed Regina to seven state titles, the third most for any coach in state history.
Cook led Regina to a six straight titles from 2010 to 2015 and led the Regals to the Class A title in 2020.
Title Number Two for Kueter
City High sophomore sensation Ben Kueter continued a stellar start to his career while moving halfway to become a four-time state champion with a second consecutive unbeaten season capped by a state title.
A year after going 24-0 on his way to the Class 3A 160-pound title Kueter put on 20 pounds jumped three weight classes and was even more impressive dominating on his way to the 195-pound championship.
Kueter had seven pins and two tech falls in 11 wins as a sophomore defeating Waverly-Shell Rock sophomore Jake Walker 5-0 in the 195-pound championship. “I’ll never get used to that feeling, it gets better every single time,” Kueter said. “It’s the best feeling in the world.”
Clear Creek Amana Track Posts Highest State Finish
Clear Creek Amana coach Ben Robison preached throughout a pandemic-cancelled 2020 season and all through 2021 that the Clippers could compete with the best track teams in Class 3A.
Over the course of three days in May at Drake Stadium in Des Moines the Clippers went out and proved their coach right.
Clear Creek Amana capped its best state meet showing ever with a pair of top-three finishes on Saturday and closed with 35 points while placing sixth in Class 3A.
The sixth-place finish was the best in program history and the 35 points were the second most and the highest point total since the Clippers had 35 in 2011.
“Our coaches have just developed us and bought in to us,” Clear Creek Amana senior Alex Figueroa said. “Coach Robison, coach (Gabe) Bakker, coach (Jackson) Litterer, they just bought into us and said you guys can compete with the big dogs you just have to do it.”
Third Time is a Charm for Taylor
Hayden Taylor put himself in elite company in the history of prep wrestling in Iowa becoming the 94th three-time state champion in state history with his third title in as many years.
The top-ranked Solon junior posted a 7-2 win over second-ranked Wyatt Appleseth of Panorama in the Class 2A 160-pound title match to cap a 37-0 season and push his personal winning streak to 111 consecutive victories.
Taylor didn’t allow an opponent to score on a two-point move this season (reversal or takedown) while posting the third unbeaten season in Solon history.
“This one feels a lot better, so much more than the last one,” Taylor said. “Last time I was a little bit disappointed and this time I felt like I just wrestled solid. I didn’t give up any positions I just wrestled solid and won the match.”
City High Bowlers Make History
The City High girls bowling team made history in 2021 with the first state championship appearance in program history.
The Little Hawks finished sixth at the Class 3A state tournament at Cadillac Lanes in Waterloo with a score of 2,649.
Britney Russell led City High with a 22nd place finish with 374 pins while Kenda Schwarting was 27th with 362 and Elyse Rios was right behind in 28th with a 358.
West High Wins Thriller to Return to State Semifinals
Under head coach BJ Mayer West High always seems to play its best basketball at the state tournament.
That was the case again in 2021 as sixth-ranked West High upset third-ranked Waterloo West 65-63 in a Class 5A quarterfinal thriller at Wells Fargo Arena.
Sophomore Meena Tate led three West High players in double figures with 21 points as West High rallied from an eight-point second half deficit to advance to the state semifinals for the sixth time in seven trips to state.
“Our kids believe,” Mayer said. “They believe in each other and they play for each other and if you do that good things can happen. It’s very powerful.”
West High’s Gross Gets Win 300
West High head tennis coach Mitch Gross earned career victory number 300 with a 9-0 win over Cedar Rapids Washington.
Gross, who stepped down after 20 seasons leading the West High program in August, closed with a 314-38 record in 22 seasons with the final 20 years coming at West High which he turned into one of the premier programs in the state in any sport.
West High won eight state titles under gross and played in the state title match every season since 2011.
The Trojans also had five runner-up finishes under Gross who also coached five state singles champs and four doubles state champions.
West High Senior McKane Runner-up At State Cross Country
West High senior Alex McKane capped an illustrious prep cross country career with a runner-up finish at the Class 4A state meet at Lakeside Golf Course in Fort Dodge.
McKane clocked a time of 15:30.65 to finish behind only state champion Jackson Heidesch of West Des Moines Dowling.
The runner-up finish from McKane was the best for a West High runner since Obsa Taddese was runner-up in 2007 and secured a second consecutive state medal for McKane who was 11th as a junior.
“There are no weight classes, no events, you don’t to pick 5K or 10K it’s one event and its everybody in the state and there are some good runners that are at home right now,” West High coach Josh Kidman said. “It’s a huge deal to be second. There can only be one winner and that’s the most bold thing is to be the cross country champion and props to Jackson it’s a huge accomplishment to even be in that top 15. I don’t know how many runner-ups we’ve had but the list isn’t real long.”
Solon Finishes Runner-up at State Track Meet
Solon knew it would take a team effort to earn a trophy at the state track and field meet.
That is exactly what the Spartans got while finishing runner-up at the Class 3A state meet at Drake Stadium in Des Moines.
Solon won both the 4×800 and distance medley relay, Emma Bock finished third in the 800 and four more Solon relay teams scored points on the final day of the state meet as the Spartans rolled up 51 points to match their best state finish since 2013.
Bock ran on both of the Spartans winning relay teams and was a part of the Solon 4×400 squad that finished second.
“I think that’s a really good finish for us,” Bock said. “We got a lot of points that we weren’t really expecting and that is really great to do as a team.”
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