Waukon baseball team plays to best season in a decade during 15-16 campaign that includes deepest venture into postseason play since 2011 State Tournament
Despite ultimately fielding one of its youngest teams in recent memory, the Waukon baseball team put together one of its best overall seasons in the past decade during its 2021 campaign. At times, with as many as three each of sophomores and freshmen in its line-up, the diamond Tribe’s 15-16 season record included the program’s most wins in a season and the Indians’ first postseason venture into a district tournament championship game since the 2011 Waukon baseball team played its way to the Class 3A State Tournament.
“We had the cards stacked against us with our lack of varsity experience, but this team is full of competitors,” Waukon baseball Coach Shane Schellsmidt shared. “This team stayed the course whenever we needed extra reps. This team got to work quicker than some of my college teams. What they lacked in varsity time, they made up for in preparation and a willingness to work until the end goal was in our sight, which was evident by our shining moments this season.”
No moment shined brighter for this season’s squad than their Class 2A District Tournament semifinals contest when the Indians matched their just under even season record up against a 20-plus win Waterloo Columbus team at Jesup, working their way back from an early deficit to pull out a 9-7 triumph after an 11-inning marathon. The baseball Tribe then came within just a single run of extending its season even further with just a 3-2 loss at top 10-rated Jesup in the Class 2A District Tournament finals.
“Our last win will be one of the first things I’ll look back at from the season - coming from behind to win in extra innings.” Coach Schellsmidt said. “A moment such as this has the potential to set the tone for next year. It showed this young squad has fight within them; a spark that I’d like to see turn into a roaring fire. With the help from our upperclassmen modeling consistency, our team performed beyond their years, at times looking like veterans between the white lines.
“If you have time to reflect, think back to how our last win ended - sophomores at the corners (third base and first base), freshmen up the middle (shortstop and second base), a freshman catcher and a sophomore pitcher. Most teams fielding a roster like this are not winning in extra innings in a play-off game, a step away from a district title game. They proved that to be successful, age is not a requirement. If you’re passionate and persistent, shining moments can happen.”
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