SILVER LINING: Kee softball team wins two of three to finish as Class 1A State Runner-Up
Members of the Kee softball team hoist their Class 1A State Tournament Runner-Up trophy toward their cheering crowd following their 12-1 loss to Class 1A dynasty Akron-Westfield in the State Championship game at Fort Dodge Friday, July 25. View and find out how to purchase this photo and much more by clicking on the “Photo Galleries” link.
A trio of Kee softball players, including eighth grade pitcher Kendra Cooper, sophomore second baseman Ellie Cooper and senior catcher Ellie Heiderscheit, were named to the Class 1A All-Tournament Team after the softball Hawks played to their Class 1A State Runner-Up finish at the season grand finale this past week. Pictured above, left to right, are members of this year’s Class 1A All-Tournament Team: senior Kayla Tindall (Team Captain) of Akron-Westfield, Kendra Cooper, Ellie Cooper and Ellie Heiderscheit of Kee, sophomore Katie Johnson and junior Kortney Hedlund of Akron-Westfield, senior Morgan Rose of AGWSR, eighth grader Kaitlyn Schad of Martensdale-St. Mary’s, senior Madison Fryslie of AGWSR, sophomore Jamie Jordan of Martensdale-St. Mary’s, and freshman Bailey Davis of Akron-Westfield.
“WE BELIEVE ...”
It was a simple statement on the back of the t-shirts worn by Kee softball players and fans as they made their way to Fort Dodge this past week. But after the Class 1A State Softball Tournament dust has settled, most others who watched the softball Hawks play their way to their State Tournament runner-up finish with two wins in three games now believe as well.
The Kee diamond dandies topped off what has undeniably been the greatest season in Kee softball history with a run to the Class 1A State Championship game, defeating two of the three top-five rated teams they faced on the way to finishing where 95 other Class 1A teams would love to have been. The Hawks began their runner-up effort with a 4-0 triumph over second-rated Lynnville-Sully (34-1) in the opening round of tournament play Tuesday, July 22 before knocking off fourth-rated Ackley-Geneva/Wellsburg-Steamboat Rock (AGWSR), 3-1, Thursday, July 24 to earn that berth in the state championship game. In that state championship finale, Kee became the 54th consecutive victim, 12-1, of a recent Akron-Westfield dynasty that has now won four of the past five Class 1A State Tournament championships, ending Kee’s brilliant postseason tournament surge and leaving the Hawks as the 2014 Class 1A State Tournament Runner-Up.
“It’s been truly amazing,” Kee softball coach Liz Hill said of her charges’ journey to a Class 1A State Tournament Runner-Up finish. “We really appreciate all the support that was given to us along the way. The crowd was amazing down there for the entire tournament, and the support from the community was just awesome.”
The Lady Hawks compiled an overall season record of 34-10, a mark that included a new school record for victories in a season and a 20-2 record that resulted in the program’s first-ever Upper Iowa Conference championship.
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