State News

Jer Garman grabs MVP honors in Shrine Bowl

AMES - Jer Garman showed Saturday night that he's big enough to play with the big boys on a big stage.

The Linn-Mar High School tailback was named the Offensive MVP for the North team and led all rushers in the 39th Annual Shrine Bowl at Jack Trice Stadium.

The South won an exciting game, 17-14, before approximately 5,000 fans.

Garman is a strong football player who prides himself on staying in great shape, but he's only 5-foot-8 and 175 pounds. He rushed for 1,601 yards and 26 touchdowns for Linn-Mar last fall, but his size scared all of the big schools away.

He'll report for football practice at the University of North Dakota on Aug. 1, but he proved Saturday night that he can play football with all of the elite players in Iowa.

"Yeah, I definitely did," he said after rushing for a game-high 60 yards on 15 carries. "I know that some stuff didn't happen my way, but it all happens for a reason. I'm happy to be a North Dakota Fighting Sioux and I'm going to make the most of it."

The South team rolled up 453 yards of total offense and collected 27 first downs, compared to just 157 yards and seven first downs for the North on a hot night in Ames, but the North stayed in the game with clutch plays on defense and special teams.

Dusty Albaugh of Marion High School made a leaping interception in the end zone for the North squad to prevent a touchdown with the North holding a 14-10 lead in the third quarter. It was one of four interceptions for the North in the all-star game.

"When it's in the air, it's my ball," Albaugh said. "Just grab it and don't let anybody else take it from you."

Albaugh, a defensive back, made several strong tackles and returned two punts for 18 yards on a busy night.

"We weren't even supposed to hang with them, with all their D-I players and all their D-I athletes that they have," Albaugh remarked. "They were supposed to crush us. It was kind of nice that we gave them a heck of a scare."

Chase Kleopfer of Xavier High School made several good plays for the North squad at defensive end. Ross Ellsworth from Kennedy High School started for the North at center.

The South took a 7-0 lead in the first quarter on a 15-yard touchdown pass from Connor Bravard of Dowling Catholic to Adam Cave of Harlan. Marshall Koehn of Solon kicked the PAT.

The North tied the game, 7-7, on a 91-yard interception return for a touchdown by Reid Nuss of North Fayette and the PAT by Kyle Wiest of Dubuque Hempstead.

Koehn booted a 25-yard field goal to give the South a 10-7 lead with 1:59 left in the first half, but that three-point lead lasted a total of just 16 seconds.

Koehn's kickoff was rolling along the turf, and when it turned toward the sideline one of the North assistant coaches yelled at Darreus Caston to let it roll out of bounds. Caston either didn't hear him or didn't care to listen, which was a big break for the North.

Caston grabbed the ball, cut to his left, cut back to his right, found an opening and scooted 82 yards for a touchdown. Wiest kicked the PAT and the North had a 14-10 edge at halftime.

Neither team scored in the third period, but the South kept moving the ball and kept threatening. The South finally scored on a 5-yard run by Nathan DePenning of Johnston to take a 16-14 lead with 7:17 left in the game. Koehn kicked the PAT to make it 17-14.

The North never got into South territory or came close to scoring again, getting all its points on an interception return, a kickoff return and two PATs.

Garman had runs of 8, 8, 11, 12 and 9 yards during the ballgame and accounted for three first downs. He said he enjoyed the week in Ames with many of the top graduated high school football players in the state.

"It's a great experience," he said. "I made more strong relationships than I would have ever imagined in just one week. We would have liked to have won, though."

Garman said he doesn't know if he'll be redshirted as a freshman at North Dakota this season or not. He said he's been working hard and is prepared to play.

"I'll go up there and get some kick-return time and some punt returns and maybe get some running back reps and hopefully I will play," he said. "This week is kind of a prep for going to college. It was a good time."

State softball tournament 7.22.11

STATE SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT
At Fort Dodge
(Harlan Rogers Complex)

FRIDAY'S CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS

4A
Des Moines East 6, Ankeny 3

3A
Clear Creek Amana 3, Winterset 2 (8 innings)

2A
Iowa City Regina 6, West Burlington 5

1A
Akron-Westfield 4, NSK-AR 0

CLASS 4A

First Round
Tuesday, July 19
Ankeny 4, Bettendorf 1
Burlington 3, D.M. Lincoln 2
Pleasant Valley 12, W.D.M. Dowling 2 (6 innings)
D.M. East 12, Fort Dodge 2 (6 innings)

Consolation Round
Wednesday, July 20
Bettendorf 8, D.M. Lincoln 3
W.D.M. Dowling 2, Fort Dodge 1

Fifth Place
W.D.M. Dowling 8, Bettendorf 3

Seventh Place
D.M. Lincoln 5, Fort Dodge 3

Championship Round
Thursday, July 21
Semifinals
Ankeny 4, Burlington 0
D.M. East 10, Pleasant Valley 0 (5 innings)

Friday, July 22
Third Place
Pleasant Valley 5, Burlington 0

Championship
D.M. East 6, Ankeny 3

CLASS 3A

First Round
Tuesday, July 19
Dallas Center-Grimes 9, Keokuk 6
Clear Creek Amana 6, West Delaware 5 (9 innings)
Carlisle 5,  Sioux City Heelan 4 (8 innings)
Winterset 7, Solon 2

Consolation Round
Wednesday, July 20
Keokuk 4, West Delaware 3
S.C. Heelan 5, Solon 4

Fifth Place
Keokuk 6, S.C. Heelan 1 (6 innings)

Seventh Place
West Delaware 3, Solon 2

Championship Round
Thursday, July 21
Semifinals
Clear Creek Amana 7, Dallas Center-Grimes 2
Winterset 5, Carlisle 2

Friday, July 22
Third Place
Dallas Center-Grimes 3, Carlisle 0

Championship
Clear Creek Amana 3, Winterset 2 (8 innings)

CLASS 2A

First Round
Monday, July 18
Mid-Prairie 4, Nodaway Valley 3
West Burlington 3, Missouri Valley 2
Iowa City Regina 9, Central Springs 4
Bondurant-Farrar 5, Estherville-Lincoln Central 3

Consolation Round
Wednesday, July 20
Nodaway Valley 11, Missouri Valley 5
Estherville-Lincoln Central 6, Central Springs 1

Fifth Place
Estherville-Lincoln Central 4, Nodaway Valley 0

Seventh Place
Central Springs 16, Missouri Valley 11 (11 innings)

Championship Round
Thursday, July 21
Semifinals
West Burlington 8, Mid-Prairie 3
Iowa City Regina 5, Bondurant-Farrar 4

Friday, July 22
Third Place
Bondurant-Farrar vs. Mid-Prairie, ccd., rain

Championship
Iowa City Regina 6, West Burlington 5

CLASS 1A

First Round
Monday, July 18
Akron-Westfield 3, Earlham 2 (10 inn.)
Preston 7, Treynor 0
NSK-AR 10, Lynnville-Sully 0 (6 inn.)
Martensdale-St. Marys 8, Des Moines Christian 6

Consolation Round
Wednesday, July 20
Earlham 1, Treynor 0
Lynnville-Sully 8, D.M. Christian 7 (8 innings)

Fifth Place
Earlham 8, Lynnville-Sully 2

Seventh Place
D.M. Christian 7, Treynor 2 (8 innings)

Championship Round
Thursday, July 21
Semifinals
Akron-Westfield 5, Preston 1
NSK-AR 14, Martensdale-St. Marys 7

Friday, July 22
Third Place
Preston vs. Martensdale St. Mary's, ccd., rain

Championship
Akron-Westfield 4, NSK-AR 0

Four inducted into softball Hall of Fame

The Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union inducted four softball greats into the IGHSAU Softball Hall of Fame on Friday at the Girls State Softball Tournament.

Dubuque Wahlert's Ashley Rogers, Laurie Bowden of Southeast Polk, Solon's Quinn Morelock and Spirit Lake's Katie Brown were inducted Friday afternoon between the Class 3A and 4A state championship games.

Rogers, a 2004 Dubuque Wahlert graduate, joins her sister, Rachael as the third set of sisters inducted into the softball hall of fame. She was a three time all-state selection at Dubuque Wahlert, earning elite all-state honors as a senior when she batted a state-best .595 with 66 hits and an .847 slugging percentage.

Rogers went on to play softball for Wartburg and was a four-year starter in volleyball and softball. A three-time all-conference selection in softball, she helped Wartburg reach the NCAA Division III tournament three times. As a senior, she batted .400 and was among the top five conference leaders in four statistical categories. As a senior, she was the Iowa Conference’s 2009 nominee for the prestigious NCAA Woman of the Year Award.

She was named head softball coach at Loras in 2010 and just finished her second season with the Duhawks.

Morelock, a 2005 Solon graduate, was a four-time all-state recipient, earning Iowa Player of the Year honors as a senior in 2005. She helped Solon reach the state tournament three times, winning a championship in 2003 while finishing third in 2004 and second in 2005.

As a senior, she compiled .502 batting average with 23 home runs, 83 runs batted in and a slugging percentage of 1.057. Her 23 home runs was one shy of tying the state single season record.

Morelock went on to the University of Iowa and was a four-year letterwinner for the Hawkeyes. As a junior, she was a third-team all-Big Ten  all conference selection in helping the Hawkeyes reach the 2008 NCAA Tournament.

Bowden, was  three time elite all-state pitcher for Southeast Polk from 1986 to 1990 and compiled an impressive overall record of 105-31.

She was a three-time first-team all-state selection with 1,436 career strikeouts and a sterling career ERA of 0.42. She guided Southeast Polk to a third place finish at the 1986 fall state tournament and was named captain of the all-tournament team.

She went on to become one of the most decorated pitchers in Drake University history. She is Drake’s career wins leader and holds school records for single season wins, shut outs and ranks second on the Bulldogs’ career  strikeout list with 679. She was named the Missouri Valley Conference Rookie of the Year and was a two-time first-team all conference selection.

Brown, a 2006 graduate from Spirit Lake, was a four-time All-State selection, three-time Elite All-State pick and twice named the Class 3A State Player of the Year. As a sophomore, she led the State with a 42-4 record with a 0.29 ERA with a  state-best 431 strikeouts. She also hit .396 with 13 homeruns and a state best 64 RBIs in leading Spirit Lake to the Class 3A state title. In the Indians' state tournament run, she allowed just two earned runs in 21 innings and was captain of the 3A all-tournament team.

She was 41-4 on the mound as a junior as her team was the Class 3A state runner-up and she was, again, selected to the all-tournament team. Spirit Lake was fourth in 2006 State Tournament, where she pitched a no-hitter in the team’s first round game and earned all-tournament honors. She finished her career with a pitching record of 163-29, which ranks 20th on Iowa’s all-time win list.

She earned a scholarship to the University of Iowa and was a key contributer for the Hawkeyes. As a sophomore in 2008, She earned first-team all-Big 10 honors , batting .280 with 27 RBI’s and eight homeruns. She was a second team All-Big 10 pick as a junior, hitting .346 with 12 doubles, seven home runs and 33 RBIs.  She was also a two-time Academic All-Big Ten selection.

State softball tournament 7.21.11

STATE SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT
At Fort Dodge
(Harlan Rogers Complex)

CLASS 4A

First Round
Tuesday, July 19
Ankeny 4, Bettendorf 1
Burlington 3, D.M. Lincoln 2
Pleasant Valley 12, W.D.M. Dowling 2 (6 innings)
D.M. East 12, Fort Dodge 2 (6 innings)

Consolation Round
Wednesday, July 20
Bettendorf 8, D.M. Lincoln 3
W.D.M. Dowling 2, Fort Dodge 1

Fifth Place
W.D.M. Dowling 8, Bettendorf 3

Seventh Place
D.M. Lincoln 5, Fort Dodge 3

Championship Round
Thursday, July 21
Semifinals
Ankeny 4, Burlington 0
D.M. East 10, Pleasant Valley 0 (5 innings)

Friday, July 22
Third Place
Pleasant Valley 5, Burlington 0

Championship
D.M. East 6, Ankeny 3

CLASS 3A

First Round
Tuesday, July 19
Dallas Center-Grimes 9, Keokuk 6
Clear Creek Amana 6, West Delaware 5 (9 innings)
Carlisle 5,  Sioux City Heelan 4 (8 innings)
Winterset 7, Solon 2

Consolation Round
Wednesday, July 20
Keokuk 4, West Delaware 3
S.C. Heelan 5, Solon 4

Fifth Place
Keokuk 6, S.C. Heelan 1 (6 innings)

Seventh Place
West Delaware 3, Solon 2

Championship Round
Thursday, July 21
Semifinals
Clear Creek Amana 7, Dallas Center-Grimes 2
Winterset 5, Carlisle 2

Friday, July 22
Third Place
Dallas Center-Grimes 3, Carlisle 0

Championship
Clear Creek Amana 3, Winterset 2 (8 innings)

CLASS 2A

First Round
Monday, July 18
Mid-Prairie 4, Nodaway Valley 3
West Burlington 3, Missouri Valley 2
Iowa City Regina 9, Central Springs 4
Bondurant-Farrar 5, Estherville-Lincoln Central 3

Consolation Round
Wednesday, July 20
Nodaway Valley 11, Missouri Valley 5
Estherville-Lincoln Central 6, Central Springs 1

Fifth Place
Estherville-Lincoln Central 4, Nodaway Valley 0

Seventh Place
Central Springs 16, Missouri Valley 11 (11 innings)

Championship Round
Thursday, July 21
Semifinals
West Burlington 8, Mid-Prairie 3
Iowa City Regina 5, Bondurant-Farrar 4

Friday, July 22
Third Place
Bondurant-Farrar vs. Mid-Prairie, ccd., rain

Championship
5 p.m. - Iowa City Regina (30-12) vs. West Burlington (34-6)

CLASS 1A

First Round
Monday, July 18
Akron-Westfield 3, Earlham 2 (10 inn.)
Preston 7, Treynor 0
NSK-AR 10, Lynnville-Sully 0 (6 inn.)
Martensdale-St. Marys 8, Des Moines Christian 6

Consolation Round
Wednesday, July 20
Earlham 1, Treynor 0
Lynnville-Sully 8, D.M. Christian 7 (8 innings)

Fifth Place
Earlham 8, Lynnville-Sully 2

Seventh Place
D.M. Christian 7, Treynor 2 (8 innings)

Championship Round
Thursday, July 21
Semifinals
Akron-Westfield 5, Preston 1
NSK-AR 14, Martensdale-St. Marys 7

Friday, July 22
Third Place
Preston vs. Martensdale St. Mary's, ccd., rain

Championship
7 p.m. - Akron-Westfield (35-1) vs. NSK-AR (38-3)