Prairie Softball

3 Metro teams make softball rankings

Jefferson, Xavier and Prairie have been ranked by the IGHSAU in the first girls softball polls of the season.

The J-Hawks are ranked No.5 in Class 5A, the Saints are ranked No.7 in Class 4A and the Hawks are ranked No.9 in Class 5A.

Jefferson (33-12) and Prairie (29-16) made the state tournament in 2013. Prairie reached the state tournament for the first time in school history in 2013.

Johnston is ranked No.1 in Class 5A and and Dallas Center-Grimes is No.1 in Class 4A.

CLASS 5A

(2013 records)

1. Johnston (30-11), 2. West Des Moines Valley (26-18), 3. Dowling Catholic (34-11), 4. Ankeny Centennial (NA), 5. Jefferson (33-12), 6. Southeast Polk (26-15), 7. Bettendorf (22-11), 8. Waukee (26-15), 9. Prairie (29-16), 10. Des Moines Lincoln (23-19).

CLASS 4A

1. Dallas Center-Grimes (38-5), 2. Carlisle (34-8), 3. Norwalk (36-5), 4. Solon (41-4), 5. Fort Dodge (26-16), 6. Indianola (34-10), 7. Xavier (29-11), 8. Ballard (25-11), 9. Fairfield (30-12), 10. Davenport Assumption (20-21), 11. West Delaware (25-15), 12. Oskaloosa (23-11), 13. North Scott (24-15), 14. Waverly-Shell Rock (35-10), 15. Winterset (35-9).

Jones, Kuch named softball all-state

Eight players from Metro area high schools have been named to the 2013 all-state softball teams, the Iowa Girls Coaches Association announced Tuesday.

Maddie Hansen, Alyssa Olson, Kaitlyn Davidson and Dani Stromert from Cedar Rapids Jefferson made the Class 5A all-state team.

Mallory Jones and Katie Kuch of Cedar Rapids Prairie also made the Class 5A all-state team.

Erin Drahozal and Sydney Galligan of Xavier were named to the Class 4A all-state team.

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J-Hawks edge Prairie for 5th place

FORT DODGE - Jefferson and Prairie went all the way to Fort Dodge to decide softball supremacy on the west side of Cedar Rapids and fifth place in the Class 5A state tournament.

The J-Hawks prevailed, 4-1, behind the two-hit pitching of sophomore Alyssa Olson and some clutch hitting by sophomore Maddie Hansen and freshman Erin Kuba.

Jefferson (33-12) won two games in Wednesday's consolation rounds. Prairie (29-16) split its two games.

The J-Hawks and Prairie Hawks split their doubleheader on June 4, the only time they met during the season.

This was the rubber match.

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No.2 Ankeny too strong for Prairie

FORT DODGE - Cedar Rapids Prairie pitcher Katie Kuch had a few big, moist tears in her eyes after the Hawks lost to Ankeny, 8-1, in the opening round of the state softball tournament Tuesday, but she knew the Hawks had just faced a formidable opponent.

Ankeny is the defending state champion, loaded with Division I talent and the No.1 seed in the tournament. Prairie, by contrast, had never been to the state tournament before and is the only unranked team in the Class 5A field.

The odds were extremely steep.

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