Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

City High

Coach: Brian Mitchell (8th season)

Assistant coaches: Bart Sueppel, Zach Kenyon

Last season: 24-18 (13-13 MVC)

Returning starters: DJ Heck, Sr., CF; Liam McComas, Sr., C/INF; Zach Kuepker, Sr., RF; Brady Herzic, Sr., P; Ry Threlkeld-Wiegand, Sr., P; Sam Lewers, Sr., INF  

Other returning letterwinners: Kyle Clark, Jr., P; Ben Steve, Sr., OF; Cade Hanrahan, Sr., INF; JD Alberhasky, Sr., P/C/1B; Riley Moore, Sr., P/OF; Dustin Dickerson, Sr., P/OF; Max DePrenger, Sr., CR

Newcomers to watch: Garrett Bormann, Jr., INF; Reese Hayden, Jr., INF; Jackson Ernst, Jr., 1B; Noah Kabat, Jr., OF; Jay Kennedy, Fr., P; Gable Mitchell, Fr., SS/P; Kolbe Schnoebelen, Jr., OF/DH; Garet Cotton, Jr., P

Headliner: Iowa recruit DJ Heck is a spark at the top of the City High order where the senior centerfield hit .346 with 30 runs scored and 15 RBI last season.

Keep an eye on: City High expects big things from senior catcher Liam McComas this summer after a breakthrough junior season in which McComas led the Little Hawks with five home runs and 41 RBI while batting .344.

Circle the date: July 12 vs. West High. The annual two-night, cross-town showdown returns to Mercer Park after the series opens a night early at West High. The Trojans won a pair of one-run games over City High last season 1-0 and 3-2.

Breakdown: A group of six returning starters that includes the top two pitchers and four of the top six hitters from last year’s squad has City High poised for a breakthrough season.

Heck, McComas and senior Zach Kuepker all return after hitting over .310 last season to lead a City High lineup that should be among the best in the MVC.

Senior Sam Lewers also returns after hitting .295 with 26 RBI last season.

Seniors Brady Herzic and Ry Threlkeld-Wiegand are back atop the City High pitching staff after emerging as the top two pitchers for the Little Hawks a year ago.

Herzic was 4-4 with a 2.78 ERA in 55 1/3 innings and Threlkeld-Wiegand went 7-3 with a 3.27 ERA and 55 strikeouts in 51 1/3.

The Little Hawks will also benefit from the return of Kyle Clark who went 2-0 with a 1.62 ERA in 13 innings before an injury shut down his sophomore season. 

West High

Coach: Charlie Stumpff (26th season)

Assistant coaches: Jesse Searls, Jamie O’Meara

Last season: 32-9 (18-8 MVC)

Returning starters: Jason Strunk, Sr., OF; Noah Aanestad, Sr., P/INF; Nick Biancuzzo, Sr., P/INF; Chase Calderwood, Sr., P/OF; Ryan Cooper, Sr., P/C; Nick Fleckenstein, Sr., INF; Ben Madden, Jr., P/INF; Marcus Morgan, Soph., P  

Other returning letterwinners: Ian Gluesing, Sr., 1B; Casey Marvin, Sr., P/INF; Owen McAreavy, Sr., 1B; Zac Moore, Sr., P/OF; Mason Sorge, Sr., OF; Alex Swack, Sr., P/1B; Nate Wilkinson, Sr., P/3B

Newcomers to watch: Brett Cherry, Jr., P/1B; Matthew Cupp, Jr., P/C; Mason Dains, Jr., OF; Clay Hulsebus, Jr., P/1B; Drew Klein, Jr., P/OF; Colin Leavy, Jr., INF; Daniel Song, Jr., P/OF; Ben Vanderleest, Jr., P/OF

Headliner: A rare four-year varsity starter, senior Jason Strunk will look to put the finishing touches on what has been an impressive career. Strunk is a career .341 with 15 career home runs after batting .342 with a career-high seven home runs and 31 RBI last year.

Keep an eye on: Sophomore Marcus Morgan is expected to take over as the ace of the West High pitching staff following an impressive debut season last summer. Morgan went 6-1 with a 1.75 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 36 innings as a freshman.

Circle the date: July 5 vs. Cedar Rapids Washington. West High gets its firs crack and the Warriors since a disappointing 5-2 loss to Cedar Rapids Washington in a 4A substate final last season.

Breakdown: West High missed the state tournament for the first time since 2013 a year ago falling to Cedar Rapids Washington in a substate final.

With eight starters returning the Trojans bring back more than enough talent to get back to Principal Park this year.

Seniors Nick Biancuzzo, Chase Calderwood and Ryan Cooper return along with Strunk to lead the way for West High.

Biancuzzo hit .307 and scored 28 runs, Calderwood hit .326 and drive in 21 runs and Cooper hit .379 with three home runs and 25 RBI a year ago.

Morgan will lead the West High rotation but he will have help from seniors Cooper, Noah Aanestad and Casey Marvin.

Aanestad was 4-2 with a 2.55 ERA in 35 2/3 innings last season while Marvin and Cooper combined to post a 2.70 ERA in 23 1/3 innings last year.

Liberty High

Coach: Tom Cronk (2nd season) 

Assistant coaches: Brent Kimm, Jacob Neilson, Uby Martinez, Tommy Smith

Last season: 11-22

Returning starters: Isaac Bender, Jr., SS/P; Tyler Dahm, Jr., 2B/P; Nolan Frey, Jr., P/OF; Alec Boldt, Jr., 1B; Keian Secrist, Soph., P/3B; Sam Funke, Jr., C; Ethan O’Donnell, Soph., P   

Newcomers to watch: Jacob Norris, Jr., P/OF; Cody Schroeder, Soph., P/INF

Headliner: Junior Tyler Dahm emerged as a leader for Liberty High in its first varsity season hitting a team-high .371 while leading the Lightning with 27 runs scored while driving in 13.

Keep an eye on: Keian Secrist showed ace type stuff last season as a freshman while posting a 3-3 record and team-best 2.80 ERA. Secrist struck out 37 in 34 innings pitched a year ago.

Circle the date: June 3 at West High. The rivals face off for the first time ever as long-time West High assistant and Lightning head coach Tom Cronk makes his return to Trojan Field.

Breakdown: Liberty High went 11-22 in its debut season last fall with a roster filled with underclassmen. The Lightning will be improved this summer but face the challenge of joining the always loaded Mississippi valley Conference.

Dahm returns to lead the Liberty High lineup along with juniors Isaac Bender, Nolan Frey and Alec Boldt.

Bender hit .333 and drove in a team-high 23 runs last season while Frey batted .287 and Boldt hit .303 and led Liberty High with nine doubles.

Secrist and Frey will headline the Liberty High pitching staff along with junior Ethan O’Donnell.

Frey was 4-5 with a 3.57 in a team-high 47 innings pitched last year while O’Donnell went 2-3 with a 4.91 ERA in 31 1/3 innings.

Solon

Coach: Keith McSweeney (20th season)

Assistant coaches: Todd Linderbaum, Tim Wheeler

Last season: 32-10 (23-5 WAMAC) Class 3A State Quarterfinals

Returning starters: Cam Miller, Jr., P/INF; Adam Bock, Sr., C/OF; Ryan Geistkemper, Sr., P/OF; Lucas Walker, Jr., P/OF; Chris McSweeney, Sr., 2B; Jackson Pipolo, Sr., OF

Newcomers to watch: Cole Arduser, Jr., INF; Jax Flynn, Jr., UTIL; Brady Jeworrek, Soph., SS

Headliner: Cam Miller followed a strong freshman season with a sophomore campaign that established him as one of the top pitchers in Class 3A. Miller went 9-3 with a 1.17 ERA and struck out 82 in 66 innings.

Keep an eye on: A four-sport standout headed to South Dakota State to play football Bock will close his prep career on the diamond this summer. Bock hit .316 with three home runs and 41 RBI last season.

Circle the date: June 26 vs. Davenport Assumption. It’s a mid-week non-conference game that likely won’t feature either team’s top pitchers but the Spartans get a chance to see where they stack up against defending 3A champ and perennial power Assumption.

Breakdown: The Spartans have some holes to fill with the departure a talented senior class but bring back big building blocks in Miller, Bock and senior Chris McSweeney.

A state tournament qualifier two of the past three seasons, Solon will once again feature a strong pitching staff.

Miller leads the way but the Spartans have quality arms behind him starting with senior Ryan Geistkemper and junior left-hander Lucas Walker.

Geistkemper went 4-4 with a 2.44 ERA in 43 innings last season while Walker posted a 6-1 record and 1.23 ERA last season in 40 innings and tossed a pair of no-hitters.

Bock and McSweeney are back to lead the offense after each hitting over .300 a year ago.

McSweeney hit .328 with 17 RBI while Bock batted .316 with three home runs and 41 RBI.

Regina

Coach: Todd Becker (1st season)

Assistant coaches: Zach Galindo, Kale Orman, Payton Raso

Last season: 29-8, 16-1 RVC (Class 2A State Runner-up)

Returning starters: Joey Molony, Sr., P/OF

Other returning letterwinners: Alex Meister, Jr., P/INF

Newcomers to watch: Chase Becker, Soph., P/INF; Caden Smith, Sr., P/INF

Headliner: Junior Alex Meister is the top returner on a Regina pitching staff that has been a big part of the Regals recent success. Meister was 3-1 with a 2.58 ERA last season in 19 innings pitched.

Keep an eye on: Sophomore Chase Becker will provide a big boost after spending last season as a freshman starter at Cedar Rapids Kennedy. Becker led the Cougars with 27 runs scored, three home runs, 23 walks and 14 stolen bases last season and also went 1-2 and struck out 19 in 19 1/3 innings.

Circle the date: June 3 vs. Wilton. The long-time leaders of the River Valley Conference South Division meet in an early season double header that will go a long way in determining who rules the South Division this season.

Breakdown: The defending 2A runner-up and River Valley Conference South Division champs, Regina must reload after losing a big hunk of its production from last season.

First-year head coach Todd Becker takes the reins of the program replacing Jeff Pacha as Regina attempts to continue its string of recent success that includes back-to-back state semifinal appearances.

Meister and senior Joey Molony are the top returners from last year’s team that fell to Centerville in the 2A title game.

The Regals expect to get a boost from the additions of Becker and senior Caden Smith.

West Branch

Coach: Andy Lapel (1st season)

Assistant coaches: Brian Espensen, Hud Johnson, Brian Pierce

Last season: 12-15, 7-11 RVC

Returning starters: Matt Paulsen, Jr., P/1B; Brady Lukavsky, Sr., P/C/INF

Other returning letterwinners: Ted Bridges, Sr., P/1B/OF; Trey Eagle, Jr., P/3B/OF; Pete Espensen, Jr., P/OF

Newcomers to watch: Gavin Hierseman, Soph., INF; Matt Whaley, Jr., INF; Brad Hunger, Jr., P/1B

Headliner: Junior Matt Paulsen emerged as the ace of the West Branch staff last season when he posted a 1.20 ERA with 42 strikeouts in 46 2/3 innings pitched.

Keep an eye on: Senior Ted Bridges is a valuable two-way player for West Branch that hit .300 with 10 RBI and six doubles last season and also posted a 2-2 record and 3.47 ERA in 34 1/3 innings.

Circle the date: May 23 vs. Durant. The home opening doubleheader for West Branch provides an opportunity for the Bears to get off to a strong start under first-year head coach Andy Lapel after opening the season with a trip to defending 2A semifinalist Wilton.

Breakdown: First-year head coach Andy Lapel takes over at West Branch and inherits a young but experienced roster.  

West Branch returns six players that saw extensive action last season led by Bridges, Paulsen and senior Brady Lukavsky.

Juniors Trey Eagle and Pete Espensen got their feet wet last season as did sophomore Gavin Hierseman. All of those players are expected to take on bigger roles this year as West Branch attempts to improve on its 12-15 record from a year ago.

Eagle hit .255 and scored 17 runs while Espensen batted .279 and led the Bears with 20 RBI a year ago. Both will add to the West Branch pitching depth this season after tossing more than 17 innings last year.

Eagle had a 4.29 ERA in 31 innings as a sophomore.

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