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Home ›SILVER LINING: Kee softball team wins two of three to finish as Class 1A State Runner-Up
“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.
For more complete coverage, pick up this week's print edition of The Standard or check out our electronic edition.