KELLER FROM AVERAGE TO MAJOR LEAGUE
DC-G FILLIES TEAM OF SISTERLY
LOVE
BOYS AND GIRLS STATE
SOCCER
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STAFF Rush Nigut President
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YOUTH TEAM OF THE MONTH
6
KELLER MAKING RAPID CHANGE
Sam Taylor Art Director
The Des Moines Cubs focus on making the game fun.
Cedar Rapids Xavier graduate Mitch Keller wasn’t on MLB teams’ radar just a few months ago. Now he’s a freshlysigned second-round pick.
sam@impactimagery.net
Tork Mason Editor-In-Chief
editor@sportsspotlight.com
Kari Elbert Sales Director
kari@sportsspotlight.com
CONTRIBUTORS
16
Elizabeth Robinson Darrin Cline
54
HIGH SCHOOL PHOTOS
More photos from the boys and girls state soccer tournaments.
SISTERLY LOVE
Dallas Center-Grimes softball owes a big part of its dominance this season to sisters Paige and Rachel Lowary.
Editor’s Note: In this issue, we bring you a look at the 2014 boys and girls state soccer tournaments, where weather had an impact and a new crop
of champions were crowned. We also highlight Cedar Rapids Xavier’s Mitch Keller, who transformed himself from just a good high school pitcher into an elite Major League prospect in just a few months. And be sure to check out our story featuring Dallas Center-Grimes’ Paige and Rachel Lowary, two sisters who are a big reason the Fillies are among the top contenders for the Class 4A softball championship.
STATE Soccer PG 10
High School
YOUTH TEAM OF THE MONTH: DES MOINES CUBS The Cubs stress having fun and developing a well-rounded skill set on the diamond. Darrin Cline | Contributor
You are never too young to find your passion. Some of Des Moines’ youngest baseball fans are fastdiscovering their enthusiasm — and talent — for the game. The Des Moines Cubs were founded four years ago by a group of parents who wanted to start a youth baseball team for their kids. “A group of people that knew each other, we just got together and we knew people who had kids in this age group, and that’s how we made the first team,” says Jim Nahas, who manages the 7U team. That first 7U team is now the 10U team, and the Cubs also now feature an 8U and the current 7U team. The youngest group has caught on to the game very quickly. “All the kids are passionate about the game, and we keep it fun,” Nahas said. “We always try to teach the fundamentals of fielding, throwing and catching, but we still try to keep it fun so they can stay engaged.” All Des Moines Cubs age groups compete as part of the United States Specialty Sports Association (USSSA). The USSSA facilitates competitive youth leagues in sports ranging from basketball and baseball to wrestling
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Volume 2 Issue 9
and lacrosse. In Central Iowa, teams from many metro communities, including West Des Moines, Urbandale and Norwalk, compete in local tournaments designed to instill a love and understanding for the game of baseball. They may have played their first game together in March, but the 11 members of the youngest group of Des Moines Cubs hit their stride early. They took home second place in their inaugural tournament — the CBL or Iowa — winning their first eight games before falling to the Iowa Mustangs from West Des Moines. Two weeks later the boys would take second place at the Kick Off Classic NIT. By mid-April, they had captured their first tournament title, going 3-0 at the Shootout NIT. Part of the goal for the league is to help players learn about all of the aspects of the game. “We move them around and move kids around each inning,” Nahas said. “At this level, kids are still learning the game and there’s no reason to have them at one position. We want them to try different things, and then maybe when they get older they can focus on one position. Right now,
The Des Moines Cubs had an outstanding season this year. Head coach Jim Nahas said he and the other coaches emphasize keeping the game fun for their players. (Photo courtesy of Jim Nahas)
everyone on the team plays every position,” Nahas says. No matter the lineup, the team continued to find success. They were able to develop a deeper passion for a game, all while taking first or second in every tournament this spring. “We want them to have had a good experience and have fun,” Nahas said. “When you have a team of kids this young, we want them to have had a
good time; we’re trying to give kids an opportunity to learn the game and have fun doing it.”
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In the
Spotlight Youth This page presented to you by:
Each month we publish youth action photos from around the state. We would love to get yours! Send us your photos at support@sportsspotlight.com On Thursday June 12th The Des Moines Police and Fire Departments participated in “Angels in The Outfield� with the Kiwanis Miracle League. Photos were taken at the Kiwanis Miracle League field . Photos courtesy of Impact Imagery.
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Volume 2 Issue 8
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High School
KELLER MAKING RAPID TRANSFORMATION Cedar Rapids Xavier graduate Mitch Keller was an MLB afterthought just a few months ago. Now he’s a second round pick and kicking off his professional career. Elizabeth Robinson | Contributor
Cedar Rapids Xavier pitcher Mitch Keller pitches during the 2013 state baseball tournament. Keller was selected in the second round of the 2014 MLB First-Year Player Draft on (Photo by Tork Mason)
Do you have the power to change your fate? The ability to take your future into your own hands and make a difference? The potential to do something big? Mitch Keller, a recent graduate from Xavier High School in Cedar Rapids, knew his potential. He knew what it took to make it big and made a change that will affect him for the rest of his life. A few short months ago, Keller was a typical high school pitcher. Now, he’s a newly signed member of the Pittsburgh Pirates. “It’s always been a dream for me to be a professional baseball player,” Keller said. “It’s kind of crazy and unreal to think that my dream is actually becoming a reality now.” On Thursday, June 5, Keller and his family anxiously waited to hear his name called in the 2014 MLB FirstYear Player Draft. It was a day filled with stress, nerves and anticipation. Keller had worked so hard and so much had happened leading up to this moment. The Transformation “About three or four months ago he was just an above average pitcher, but not going to be a really high draft pick,” said Jon Keller, Mitch’s older
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Volume 2 Issue 9
brother. “But then he really just blew up on the draft scene. It really shows his hard work, dedication and wanting to get to his goal, reach it and go past that.” Mitch was fully aware of the level of skill and determination it took to make his dream a reality. Jon was selected by the Baltimore Orioles in the 22nd round of the 2013 First-Year Player Draft and has since found great success with the Delmarva Shorebirds, a low-A minor league affiliate. Watching Jon’s experience and transition into professional ball and working and training with Jon helped Mitch understand what was expected of him if he wanted to succeed. “[Jon] came home with his workout plan and everything, so I went with him and worked out and lifted; I just got a lot stronger; that helped a lot,” Mitch said. But Mitch didn’t stop there. That was just the beginning. Mitch was a good pitcher – that was evident. But there was room for improvement. If he wanted to get noticed, he had to throw faster than he’d ever thrown before. With the help of Jon’s agent, Mitch was connected with Brian DeLunas, the lead pitching
Cedar Rapids Xavier graduate Mitch Keller’s (right) transformation into a Major League-caliber prospect was started by his older brother, Jon, who was selected in the 2013 MLB First-Year Player Draft. (Photo courtesy of the Keller family)
instructor for Elite Baseball Training St. Louis and the pitching coordinator for the St. Louis Pirates Baseball Organization. With this introduction and a coordinated schedule, Mitch’s transformation into an elite athlete began. “When I first met Mitch, obviously I knew he was an 86 to 90 mph-type of arm, so he was a pretty good canvas to work with,” DeLunas said. “It was obvious that he’d worked hard to add some size and add some strength. But I think the biggest thing was the aptitude and attitude. He came in with pretty open eyes and ready to get after it. You could tell the commitment level was there.” For seven weekends over the course of the winter, Mitch and his father, Al, made the nearly five-hour trek to St. Louis, where DeLunas worked with Mitch on using his lower body to increase the velocity of his pitches. After weeks of driving through snowstorms and missing out on weekends with his friends, Mitch had improved in terms of mechanics, pitchability and velocity. According to DeLunas, Mitch “opened up a whole new power source for him to create energy and put into the ball.”
From Dreams to Reality As the 2014 high school baseball season approached, Mitch was more prepared and more focused than ever. And people noticed. It wasn’t long before he was catching the attention of scouts from several MLB teams. “The scouts would come out and watch me play, and the first weekend it kind of got my adrenaline going a little too much,” Mitch said. “It was definitely fun the first weekend, but then after that weekend it kind of settled down and I got used to it.” More and more teams started showing interest in Mitch, which led to over 20 home visits from various scouts. But if the Kellers had learned anything from their draft experience with Jon, it was to take everything with a grain of salt. They learned the business of the draft process – the reality that you can’t believe everything you hear and that having an advisor or an agent is essential. Mitch had already secured a spot on the University of North Carolina roster, but with the draft approaching, his future was up in the air. “It’s risk-reward because I could go [to UNC], get better and be a firstrounder in three years, but you just SportsSpotlight.com
High School really have no idea.” Mitch said. “You could get injured and possibly never get drafted again, so it’s just a huge risk.” On June 5, Mitch sat at home with his family surrounding him and his eye on the phone. He had been told that he could be drafted in the first two rounds of the draft – anywhere from picks 35 to 50. But pick number 50 came and went, and still nothing. “I was sitting by my phone waiting for the call to come,” Mitch said. “Never got one, never got one. So I was getting kind of nervous – maybe I wasn’t going to get picked or something crazy.” Suddenly, Mitch received four calls in a row from various teams calling to gauge his interest and determine whether he’d be picked at that point in the draft or for a certain amount of money. After back and forth communication between the various teams and his agent, a decision was finally made at the 64th pick overall. “You’re a Pirate,” Mitch’s agent said. And from there, the celebration ensued. “The Pirates called and I said ‘yes’ to them and then I just ran over to the TV and watched my name being called. I just remember my family went crazy,” Mitch said. “Draft day was pretty stressful, but then after your name is called it’s the best feeling in your life.”
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Going Pro Just a week later, Mitch and his father made their way out to Pittsburgh to seal the deal. Mitch signed his contract with the Pirates on Friday, June 13 with a $1 million signing bonus, a much greater bonus than was expected from the assigned slot value of $866,800. The next day, Mitch flew to Bradenton, Fla., where he began play with the Pirates’ rookie league team. “It’s going be different and it’s going to be really fun to play against the top talent from everywhere,” Mitch said. “I’m just ready to get going, meet a bunch of new people and become friends with new people and just start working at it.” For Mitch, the hard work never stops. The adjustments, the challenges and the heightened competition that he will doubtlessly face are just part of the experience. But he has already proven his dedication, and he’ll continue to do so. Now it’s time for him to live his dream as a professional pitcher. “Not in our wildest dreams did we ever think this would happen,” said Mitch’s mother, Jonie. “I just want him to thoroughly enjoy the experience, because it’s just part of where he’s at and it’s part of his life journey. I just want him to enjoy it and embrace it, because gosh, not very many 18-yearold kids get to do this.”
Cedar Rapids Xavier pitcher Mitch Keller pitches during the 2013 state baseball tournament. (Photo by Tork Mason)
Volume 2 Issue 9
7
Student
Athlete
of the
MONTH
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CLICK IT OR TICKET Dillon’s Q & A What’s your favorite sport to play? Why? Baseball. I like baseball because even if you fail you get another chance. If you get out you always get another at-bat to redeem yourself. What’s your favorite sports memory? Placing fifth in the High Jump and getting a medal at State Track. Do you have any fun pre-game “rituals” that prepare you for an event? It might not be fun to others but I like to be active and work on game days to get my work ethic going for the day. I seem to play lazy if I just lay around all day. What’s your favorite subject in school and why? Agriculture because I’ve been around it my whole life and that’s what I plan to study in college and have a career in. Who inspires you? Why? My school and my family inspire me to do well because I don’t want to let them down. I want to represent the names on the front and the back of my jersey to the best of my ability. What is your dream job? To be the owner of an ostrich racing farm.
Achievements Sports: Football, Basketball, Track and Field, Baseball Athletic Achievements/Honors: Football—All-State defensive back (2013), First-Team AllDistrict quarterback (2x); Basketball—All-State (2014), All-Conference (2x), 1000-Point Club; Track and Field—State qualifier (3x), 5th place high jump (2013), 10th place shuttle hurdle relay (school record) (2012), 14th place high jump (2014); Baseball—All-Conference (2x) Academic Achievements/Honors: A Honor Roll, 4-sport Academic All-Conference (3x), Perfect Attendance, Student Council Vice President College or post-high school plans: Attend Indian Hills Community College for Sustainable Agriculture Photo by Tork Mason
Dillon Lain
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BOYS STATE:
SOCCER It might have forced a delay, but heavy rains weren’t about to keep a new batch of state champions from being crowned at the James W. Cownie Soccer Complex in Des Moines from June 5-10. Fans and teams arrived for the championship and consolation matches on June 8 but were forced to sit through a weather delay for nearly two hours before a brief inspection of the fields proved that playing conditions were unsafe. So everyone had to wait until June 10, because there weren’t enough certified officials to handle both the boys tournament and the girls regional finals on June 9th. Class 1A Iowa City is hardly a stranger to winning state championships, particularly on the pitch. And Iowa City Regina maintained its grasp upon the Class 1A crown. The Regals reached their second-straight championship game after outscoring their opponents 6-1 in their quarterfinal and semifinal victories over West Central Valley (Stuart) and Clear Lake. But Mid-Prairie (Wellman) put up more of a fight and forced a draw through the first 100 minutes of regulation and overtime, leaving the outcome up to the goalkeepers in a shootout. Regina senior Aidan Mullan was up to the task, as he stopped three of the Golden Hawks’ five attempts to help the Regals earn a 3-2 shootout victory and win their fifth state title in six years. The Regals were paced offensively throughout the tournament by sophomore Emilio Tovar, who scored 3 goals and tallied an assist in his team’s first two victories. Class 2A One of the better storylines throughout the week was Perry’s run to the state championship match. But in the end, it was the Warriors of Norwalk who went out on top. Norwalk never left itself much in the way of breathing room during the tournament, as none of the Warriors’ contests were decided by more than one goal and their quarterfinal match against Glenwood went to penalty kicks before ending in a 2-1 Warrior triumph. But they continually found the back of the net when they needed to. The Warriors’ MVP was almost certainly sophomore goalkeeper Jake Potratz, who made 29 saves in 30 tries over the course of the tournament, which included 1-0 shutouts of both Perry and Cedar Rapids Xavier, the defending state champs in Class 2A. Class 3A Entering the 2014 season after winning back-to-back titles, the question facing Iowa City West was if they could find a way to replace departed seniors Paris Martins and Justin Baker. That duo scored 44 goals during the Trojans’ championship runs of 2012 and 2013, and their absence left a significant hole to fill. Iowa City West saw its 33-game winning streak come to an end during the regular season, but they never lost again en route to their third-straight championship — making them the first-ever Class 3A school to win three titles in as many years. The Trojans were dominant as ever, as they never allowed a goal during the tournament, and they took down undefeated Johnston, 1-0.
2014 State champions Class 1A..........................Iowa City Regina Class 2A..........................................Norwalk Class 3A.............................Iowa City West
GIRLS STATE:
SOCCER
The 2014 girls state soccer tournament had a little bit of everything. From high scoring contests to shootouts and dramatic finishes, from Cinderella stories to continued dominance, there was something for everyone to love over the tournament’s three days. Class 1A There wasn’t much in the way of suspense during the Class 1A tournament. Davenport Assumption entered 2014 having won the last three titles, and they rolled through the field once again. The Knight opened up with a commanding 5-2 win over Columbus Catholic (Waterloo) in the quarterfinals, led by senior Maddi Irmen’s hat trick. They followed that up with 2-0 and 3-0 shutouts against Bishop Heelan (Sioux City) and Nevada, respectively. The semifinal match against Bishop Heelan was physical throughout and reached its peak in the final minute. That’s when Heelan’s Brooke Bleeker took down Irmen on a breakaway and earned a red card. It was a game that tested the Knights’ toughness, and they clearly passed. The Cubs were undefeated entering the championship game, and the Knights’ victory marked the third time in four years that they gave their championship game opponent its first loss of the season. Irmen and four-time Gatorade Player of the Year Rose Ripslinger led the way all week, as the duo combined to score 7 goals and tally 6 assists in three games. Class 2A North Scott (Eldridge) made everything look easy in a 5-0 quarterfinal victory over Lewis Central (Council Bluffs), but the Lancers showed a flair for the dramatic in their next two contests. In a semifinal battle with eight-time defending champion Cedar Rapids Xavier, the Lancers fought to a draw through regulation and two overtime periods. That left the game’s outcome up to a shootout, where North Scott netted all five of its attempts to edge out the Crusaders, 5-4, and advance to the state title game. In the finals against top-ranked Waverly-Shell Rock, the Lancers again went into overtime, but ended the game in the 89th minute when Katie Connor put the ball in the
back of the net to give North Scott a 2-1 victory and its first state championship in any sport since 2002. Class 3A Not many teams ever face such a difficult stretch of games and come away unscathed, much less with a state title on the line, but unranked Cedar Rapids Kennedy pulled off four major upsets on its way to claiming the Class 3A crown. The Cougars first took down top-ranked Linn-Mar (Marion) in the regional finals, and then followed that up with victories over No. 2 Bettendorf, No. 6 Waukee and No. 4 Dubuque Hempstead. Not only did the Cougars make waves by winning each of those games, but they did so in dominating fashion. Over those four games, the Cougars outscored their opponents, 10-3, including a 5-2 drubbing of Hempstead in the state championship game. But for all the offense the Cougars displayed, they didn’t have a single dominant performer and their run was a textbook case of team effort. Over those four games, eight different players scored a goal with sophomore Carly Langhurst being the only player to score twice.
2014 State champions Class 1a.............Davenport Assumption Class 2A...................................North Scott Class 3A..............Cedar rapids kennedy
Photo by Tork Mason
Moorman took home his second state championship in three years at the boys state golf meet. The junior shot 70-73-143 to win the Class 3A individual title by one stroke over West Delaware’s Clayton Larsen, and now has a chance to become just the fourth Iowan to win three golf titles.
Irmen capped her career on the pitch by helping the Knights win their fourth-straight Class 1A girls soccer title. The senior was spectacular throughout the tournament, netting 4 goals and tallying 3 assists in the Knights’ three victories, including a hat trick against Columbus Catholic in the state quarterfinals.
Photo by Tork Mason
Roby has been one of the state’s most dominant players, both on the mound and at the plate. He boasts a .559 batting average and has 24 RBI on the year. He also owns a 0.39 ERA and struck out 31 batters in 18 innings.
Pollard electrified Drake Stadium in the Class 3A 3,200-meter run at the state track meet on May 22. The junior ran a blistering time of 8:50.43 to set a new all-time record. He also finished third in the 1,600-meter run and anchored the distance medley and 4x800 relays, which finished third and sixth, respectively.
Jalynn Roberts-Lewis Photo by Tork Mason
Roberts-Lewis won gold in four events at the state track meet. She won the Class 4A long jump with a leap of 19-feet-2 and set or tied meet records in the 100- and 200-meter dashes. She also ran on the winning 4x100 relay.
Resnick had to rally from a 4-6 loss in the opening set of the Class 1A girls singles tennis final before knocking off Red Oak’s Katie Walker, 4-6, 6-0, 6-4. The victory gave Resnick her second-straight singles title, making her just the fourth girl to defend her Class 1A crown since the IGHSAU expanded to two classes in 1994.
Michael Adam
Junior | Iowa City Regina
Small earned the top seed in the Class 2A girls singles state tennis tournament after taking runner-up honors a year ago and finishing third as a freshman. Small came up short of the title this year, finishing runnerup to Valley’s Chloe Jefferies.
Otis Roby
Haley Resnick
Photo by Tork Mason
Senior | Des Moines Roosevelt
Photo courtesy of Iowa City High School
Junior | Twin Cedars (Bussey)
Junior | Iowa City High
Eve Small
Thomas Pollard
Senior | Davenport Assumption
Photo courtesy of Kyle Ocker/The Daily Iowegian
Junior | Gilbert
Senior |Davenport Assumption
Junior | Centerville
Maddi Irmen
Alex Moorman
Photo by Tork Mason
Adam was the leader for the Regals, who won their fifth state soccer title in six years. The junior kept up the pressure against Mid-Prairie in the Class 1A title game, which was a 1-0 shootout victory, and was named the All-Tournament team captain.
In the
Spotlight High School This page presented to you by:
Each month we publish high school action photos from around the state. We would love to get yours! Send us your photos at support@sportsspotlight.com Photos were taken during the 2014 state soccer tournaments at James W. Cownie Soccer Complex from June 5-14. All photos taken by Tork Mason
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Volume 2 Issue 9
17
High School
SISTERLY BOND STRONG FOR FILLIES
Dallas Center-Grimes is a strong candidate to repeat as a state champ, thanks in part to the Lowary sisters. Darrin Cline | Contributor
Dallas Center-Grimes’ Paige Lowary is one of the biggest reasons the Fillies remain one of the favorites to win the Class 4A championship this year. The senior dominates hitters from the circle, but also boasts a .581 batting average and a .997 slugging percentage. (Photo by Tork Mason)
18
Softball fans, young and old, waited along the third baseline, donned in the familiar red and white of the Dallas Center-Grimes Fillies. The adorning fans had just watched their hometown team defeat Newton in a doubleheader on a picturesque summer night in Dallas Center. No matter if they were future players, former players or proud relatives, all were excitedly awaiting their turn in line for autographs. In what has become a beloved display of fanfare, friends and family line up to get their team poster signed by the Filly softball players. Rachel Lowary was once among the ambitious youngsters, watching her older sister perform on the diamond. “I started pitching and I just played softball because Paige did,” said Lowary, a freshman outfielder and pitcher for the Fillies. The knack and passion for softball is a part of the fabric for the family. “Our mom was a softball player in high school, and I just grew up playing it,” said Paige Lowary, the older sister and primary pitcher. “We didn’t know life without softball. Rachel and I are really different pitchers, though. I’m more of a speed and power pitcher, whereas she has a great changeup. We use our differences to help each other.” Volume 2 Issue 9
Last year, the younger Lowary joined her sibling in the Dallas Center-Grimes dugout, and the pair has helped guide the Fillies to the top of the Class 4A softball ranks. The proud softball tradition at Dallas Center-Grimes has been elevated to the next level since the start of the decade. In 2011, the team took home third place at the state tournament; in 2012, the Fillies came away with a second place finish. “The program here has always been competitive,” head coach Steve Schlafke said. “The kids have stuck with it and here we are today. I want to make sure our kids have fun playing the game, I want our kids to be the best people and the best sports they can be, and I want them to give me the best efforts they can.” Last year they finally climbed to the top of the mountain, defeating rival Carlisle for the Class 4A state championship. Then-senior Macey Wolfe was named Class 4A Player of the Year, with Paige being named Pitcher of the Year. In addition, Brooke Kramer was named second team All-State and Rachel was selected to the third team. “Our kids played so hard, they played great defense,” Schlafke said. “We set a school record for fewest errors, we had great hitting and great
Rachel Lowary might be young, but she’s making a big impact for the Fillies’ lineup. The freshman was batting .429 as of June 20. (Photo by Tork Mason)
pitching — we played well and it was a great season.” The Lowary sisters and Kramer, along with 2013 state tournament team members Taylor Draisey and Dani Heritage, have helped form a core for the 2014 squad. Part of Schlake’s philosophy is to present each player with an opportunity to contribute, which has led to a deep roster with varsity players from 9th to 12th grades. The Lowary sisters were among the players to capitalize on the chance to perform, and have made the most of the opportunity. With just one full varsity season on the books, Rachel is already showing signs reminiscent of her sister. Both sisters started as primarily outfielders before slowly being transitioned into more prominent roles as pitchers. Last season, she split her time between the outfield and the mound, starting a total of 40 games. In 10 starts as a pitcher, she has tallied an 8-2 record with a 1.75 ERA and a .168 opponent batting average. “I didn’t realize how much effort it took to play high school softball, and how tough it is to pitch in high school,” Rachel said. “[Paige] makes it look so easy and I thought I was just going to go out there and pitch, but I learned that it’s a lot more than that.” The sample size for Paige has been
much larger. In each of the last three seasons, she earned first team AllState accolades. During that span, she has collected 89 wins, 982 strikeouts, and a 1.06 ERA. In 2012, her 0.39 ERA was the second-lowest in the state among pitchers with 200 or more innings, and her 353 strikeouts were third-best statewide. To further stuff the stat sheet, Lowary tied for the team lead in home runs in 2013 with 5 round-trippers. Paige’s performance caught the eyes of college recruiters. After entertaining offers from schools across the country, she signed on to play for the Missouri Tigers. A spot in the Missouri rotation will afford her the opportunity to play against of the nation’s top programs in the softball-rich SEC. The conference is home to the 2014 national champion Florida Gators and national runnerup Alabama Crimson Tide. While this summer will mark the final time that the sisters are going to play side-by-side, the two varsity seasons together have been special for both sisters. “It makes it even better, because she’s my best friend and I love pitching by her side,” Paige said.
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