A SWEET REPEAT!!! Kee softball team outscores three opponents by 33-5 margin to claim second consecutive Class 1A State Tournament Championship
The Kee softball team continued its reign over Class 1A after successfully defending its Class 1A State Tournament Championship won last year with three consecutive victories again this year at the season grand finale held this past week at Rogers Sports Complex in Fort Dodge. Ranked and seeded number-one going into the Class 1A State Tournament, the Hawks' title defense included an 18-1 first-round victory over unranked Montezuma Monday, July 17, a 7-3 semifinals win over seventh-rated Westwood Thursday, July 20 and an 8-1 championship triumph over sixth-rated Clarksville in the Friday, July 21 Class 1A State Championship game to repeat as Class 1A State Tournament Champions. Pictured above with their Class 1A State Tournament Championship trophy following their successful "crack at back-to-back" are the following Kee softball team members: Left to right - Front row: Katie Brennan, Kristina Dibert, Elena Rolfs, Meredith Gruber, Nicki Wood, Makayla Peters, Claudia Mathis, Laura Colsch, Sydney Strong, Annabelle Dibert. Second row: Alexis Johnson, Madelyn Gruber, Heather Mooney, Ashlyn Seitz, Macy Manning, McKenzie Hawes, Ella Strong, Makayla Walleser. Back row: Assistant Coaches Julie Welsh and Ellie Cooper, Jenna Rethwisch, Kendra Cooper, Chloe Severson, Courtney Cooper, Casey Welsh, Manager Emily Benzing, Head Coach Liz Hill.
Members of the Kee softball team hold the Class 1A State Tournament Championship trophy over their heads as they celebrate with fans in the stands after winning a second consecutive Class 1A State Tournament Championship. Kee outscored its three opponents by a margin of 33-5 to repeat as the best softball team in Iowa’s Class 1A, a position they earned at last season’s grand finale and maintained throughout this entire season’s team rankings. View and find out how to purchase this photo and many more at the “Photo Galleries” link on this website.
Four Kee softball players, including the senior pair of pitcher/third baseman Courtney Cooper and right fielder Sydney Strong, along with junior third baseman/pitcher Kendra Cooper and sophomore catcher/first baseman Katie Brennan, were named to the Class 1A All-Tournament Team after the softball Hawks played to their second consecutive Class 1A State Championship at the season grand finale July 17-21 at Rogers Sports Complex in Fort Dodge. Kendra Cooper was named as Captain of that Class 1A All-Tournament Team. Pictured above, left to right, are members of this year’s Class 1A All-Tournament Team: senior Sydney Strong and sophomore Katie Brennan of State Champion Kee, junior Bethany Negen of State Runner-Up Clarksville, sophomore Katelyn Martian of third-place Westwood, senior Amy Russell of sixth-place Colfax-Mingo, junior Brynn VanEldik of fifth-place Akron-Westfield, junior Autum Barthelman of fourth-place Sigourney, senior Alyssa Mendenhall of third-place Westwood, senior Courtney Cooper of State Champion Kee, freshman Janet Borchardt of State Runner-Up Clarksville and Class 1A All-Tournament Team Captain junior Kendra Cooper of State Champion Kee. View and find out how to purchase this photo and many more by clicking on the “Photo Galleries” link on this website.
Most return trips in consecutive years to the State Tournament at Fort Dodge would produce a message such as “We’re Back!”.
But, in its first-ever return trip to the season grand finale in consecutive seasons, the Kee softball team’s message once all was said and done in Fort Dodge was “We’re Back-to-Back!” as the softball Hawks not only returned to every team’s ultimate destination for a second consecutive season, but also returned home with a second consecutive Class 1A State Tournament Championship.
“This is an unbelievable feeling,” Kee softball coach Liz Hill said of her team’s repeat accomplishment as the best team in Iowa high school softball’s Class 1A. “I am so beyond excited, happy and proud of these girls and what they’ve accomplished. It’s really impressive, as far as what one might expect out of high school girls. They have worked so hard for a long time to accomplish what very few teams have been able to.”
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