May 19, 2024

INA All-State Baseball Teams chosen

Martensdale-St. Marys senior Ethan Westphal, formerly of Lenox, led the Blue Devils to consecutive state championships and a national-record 87-game winning streak. Today he is named captain of the Class 1A All-State Baseball Team by the Iowa Newspaper Association. He plans to play at Southwestern Community College, where his father, Steve, is an assistant coach. (CNA file)

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DES MOINES — The Iowa Newspaper Association announced its 2011 All-State Baseball selections today, selecting first, second, third teams and team captains for classes 1A, 2A, 3A, and 4A.

The four seniors selected as team captains are 4A – Austin Christensen, Cedar Rapids Kennedy; 3A – Taylor Kaufman, Glenwood; 2A – Bryce Berg, Kuemper Catholic; and 1A – Ethan Westphal, Martensdale-St. Marys.

Cedar Rapids Kennedy senior Austin Christensen was named 4A team captain. The outfielder-pitcher hit a robust .555 going into the state tournament with a school-record 19 home runs and 52 RBIs. His 42 career homers are tied for the most in Cedar Rapids Metro history with his older brother, Chad, a Cedar Rapids Washington graduate. The two will play together next year at the University of Nebraska.

A left-hander, Christensen also had a 7-0 pitching record and 2.38 earned run average this season. He holds Kennedy’s career record for victories, and the sports drink company Gatorade named him the state player of the year.

Ram ace

Glenwood’s Taylor Kaufman was named captain of the 3A team. The senior pitcher and outfielder was a standout on the mound, in the field and at the plate, going 6-3 with a 0.76 earned run average for the Rams while playing error-free defense.

The left-hander led Class 3A with a .568 batting average. He hit 10 home runs, scored 56 times, drove home 59 runs and stole 27 bases. His 1.137 slugging percentage led Class 3A and ranked fifth overall in the state while his 68 career doubles are tied for the most all-time in Iowa and rank third nationally all-time.

As a junior he led Glenwood to its first-ever Class 3A championship, striking out 10 in a 4-1 title-game victory. Kaufman plans to continue his baseball career at the University of Iowa.

Kuemper catcher

Class 2A’s captain is Kuemper Catholic catcher Bryce Berg, who also serves as the captain for the top-ranked Knights. Berg, who sports a .480 batting average and 62 RBI, is one of five Kuemper players on the 2A All-State teams and is truly a coach on the field for the Knights. Berg also pitched for the Knights, logging an 8-0 record with a 0.61 ERA in 46 innings pitched.

Berg’s younger brother Casey and cousin Matt each made Third Team All-State and Berg has spent time throughout the season calling pitches and providing guidance on the mound to his family members and teammates.

With a superior understanding of the game and leadership abilities on and off the field, Berg is headed to Kirkwood Community College to play baseball in the 2011-12 season.

The Class 4A first team includes a three-time selection from the Hawkeye 10 in Lewis Central’s Eric Toole, another Iowa recruit.

Kuemper had two other first-team players in 2A in senior Cody Williams and sophomore Chris Halbur.

Ben Bruck from Harlan’s runner-up team in Class 3A was named to the second team. Teammate Alex Brown was named to the third team, along with Kuemper cousins Matt Berg and Casey Berg.

Two titles

Martensdale-St. Marys’ Ethan Westphal completed a remarkable high school career last week, and added one more honor to his tremendous high school career by being named the Class 1A team captain.

The senior right-hander, who has signed with Southwestern Community College in Creston, was part of the reason the Blue Devils were able to increase the nation’s longest winning streak the past two seasons.

As a sophomore, he led a 10-man Lenox squad to a state runner-up finish, and he has been the top gun on the back-to-back Blue Devil team.

The three-time first team INA All-State selection has amassed over 40 career wins and 450 strikeouts during his outstanding career, while finishing with several single-season and career pitching state records.

As a senior, Westphal had a 14-0 ptching record with 113 strikeouts in 70 2/3 innings with a 0.89 ERA. Opponents had a .129 batting average against him. Offensively he was a leader of the Blue Devils as well, hitting. .466 with three home runs, 52 RBIs and a team-high 27 stolen bases in 28 attempts. He struck out only seven times in 133 at-bats.

The previous two years he was a combine 30-1 on the mound with an ERA under 0.30. He hit .451 as a junior and .598 for the Lenox Tigers as a sophomore, when he tied a state tournament pitching record with 15 strikeouts in a game.

2011 INA All-State baseball teams

Class 4A

First team

Pitchers - Andrew Hedrick, Sr., Ankeny; David Stagg, Sr., Valley, West Des Moines; Brad Chelleen, Sr., Dowling Catholic.

Catcher - Jeff Pullen, Jr., Valley, West Des Moines

First Base - D.J. Utley, Sr., Cedar Rapids, Prairie

Infielders - Jake Peter, Sr., Mason City; Ryan Rumpf, Sr., Iowa City West; Jake Yacinich, Sr., Dowling Catholic

Outfielders - Austin Christensen, Sr., Cedar Rapids, Kennedy; Aaron Peller, Sr., Iowa City West; Eric Toole, Sr., Council Bluffs, Lewis Central

Utility - Terrell Sykes, Sr., Cedar Rapids, Kennedy; Adam Prybil, Sr., Iowa City, City High

Second team

Pitchers - Will Kenny, Sr., Fort Dodge; Brady Hanna, Jr., Pleasant Valley; Alex Hayden, Jr., Cedar Rapids, Kennedy

Catcher - Joel Lanning, Soph., Ankeny

First Base - Sam Norman, Jr., Roosevelt, Des Moines

Infielders - Nolan Lodden, Jr., Valley, West Des Moines; Zach Little, Jr., Southeast Polk; Aaron Huber, Sr., North Scott, Eldridge

Outfielders - Jordy Brown, Sr., Cedar Rapids, Washington; Dalton Parrott, Sr., Dowling Catholic; Dominique Thompson-Williams, Soph., Sioux City East

Utility - Jason McMurray, Sr., Dowling Catholic; Brandon Platts, Sr., Mason City

Third team

Pitchers - Anthony Gagliardi, Sr., Cedar Rapids, Prairie; Adam Bernstorf, Jr., Southeast Polk; Luke Tasler, Jr., Roosevelt, Des Moines

Catcher - Blake Wilson, Sr., Pleasant Valley

First Base - Austin Stubbs, Sr., Sioux City East

Infielders - Alex Crowl, Jr., Council Bluffs, Abe Lincoln; Jeremy Cronk, Sr., Iowa City West; Devon Jacobs, Jr., Cedar Rapids, Kennedy

Outfielders - Alex Alstott, Sr., Fort Dodge; Landon Schultz, Sr., Mason City; Ryan Lehmann, Jr., Western Dubuque, Epworth

Utility - Austin Stephens, Jr., Valley, West Des Moines; Connor Alberhasky, Sr., Iowa City, City High

Class 3A

First team

Pitchers - Taylor Kaufman, Sr., Glenwood; Jared Shoning, Sr., Carlisle; Brandon Shulista, Sr., Solon

Catcher - J.J. Reimer, Sr., Dubuque, Wahlert

First Base - Carsen Anderson, Sr., Storm Lake

Infielders - Nick Day, Sr., Solon; Taylor Ostrich, Sr., Carroll; David Kerian, Sr., Bishop Heelan Catholic, Sioux City

Outfielders - Tommy Argo, Sr., Davenport, Assumption; Brandon Jasper, Sr., Central Clinton, DeWitt; Derrick Loveless, Sr., Solon

Utility - Henry Krieger-Coble, Sr., Mount Pleasant; Austin Katzureck, Sr., Norwalk

Second team

Pitchers - Tyler Mitchell, Sr., Charles City; Scott Harris, Sr., Dallas Center-Grimes; Luke Kordick, Sr., Norwalk

Catcher - Zach Isakson, Jr., Charles City

First Base - Jake Wimmer, Sr., Sergeant Bluff-Luton

Infielders - Ben Bruck, Jr., Harlan Jr.; Michael McCabe, Sr., Storm Lake; Riley McCarron, Sr., Dubuque, Wahlert

Outfielders - Anthony Ossman, Sr., Washington; Tanner Truesdell, Jr., Clear Lake; Jake Kruger, Sr., Perry

Utility - Eric Jones, Sr., Knoxville; Marshall Koehn, Sr., Solon

Third team

Pitchers - Zach Brautigam, Sr., Dubuque, Wahlert; Schyler Kane, Jr., Pella; Tyler Hedtke, Jr., Marion

Catcher - Tyler Greiner, Sr., Williamsburg

First Base - Andrew Holden, Sr., Waverly-Shell Rock

Infielders - Tyler Ronan, Sr., Waukon; Kasey Semler, Sr., Marion; Ozzie Adams, Jr., Clear Lake

Outfielders - Mike Dahl, Sr., Boone; Joey Miller, Sr., Waverly-Shell Rock; Robert River, Sr., Maquoketa

Utility - Tyler Payton, Jr., Dallas Center-Grimes; Alex Brown, Sr., Harlan

Class 2A

First team

Pitchers - Calvin Mathews, Jr., Davis County, Bloomfield; Joe Goodman, Sr., Gilbert; Danny Pacha, Jr., Iowa City, Regina

Catcher - Bryce Berg, Sr., Kuemper Catholic, Carroll

First Base - Michael Goerdt, Sr., Columbus Catholic, Waterloo

Infielders - Josh Martsching, Jr., Davis County, Bloomfield; Logan Murry, Sr., West Branch; Nate Steger, Jr., Beckman Catholic, Dyersville

Outfielders - Jake Greco, Jr., North Fayette, West Union; Cody Williams, Sr., Kuemper Catholic, Carroll; Robbie Anstoetter, Jr., Beckman Catholic, Dyersville

Utility - Chris Halbur, Soph., Kuemper Catholic, Carroll; Cale Henke, Jr., Hudson

Second team

Pitchers - Christian Weiland, Sr., Alta-Aurelia; Justin Shaffer, Soph., Durant; AJ Reuter, Sr., Monticello

Catcher - Jack Verducci, Sr., Iowa City, Regina

First Base - Ben Stutt, Sr., Monticello

Infielders - Noah Pickard, Jr., North Polk; Mitch Peschon, Sr., Spirit Lake; Kyle Whitman, Jr., Maquoketa Valley, Delhi

Outfielders - Cale Austin, Sr., Wilton; Levi Ettleman, Sr., Logan-Magnolia; Regan Takes, Sr., Cascade

Utility - Lucas Kemp, Sr., Louisa-Muscatine; Matt Bushbaum, Jr., Osage

Third team

Pitchers - Court Garrett, Sr., Van Buren, Keosauqua; Patrick Buhr, Sr., St. Edmond, Fort Dodge; Ben Hecker, Jr., St. Albert, Council Bluffs

Catcher - Lucas Jacque, Jr., Beckman Catholic, Dyersville

First Base - Matt Berg, Sr., Kuemper Catholic, Carroll

Infielders - Anthony Flattery, Sr., St. Edmond, Fort Dodge; Max Lund, Sr., Central Springs; Casey Berg, Soph., Kuemper Catholic, Carroll

Outfielders - Zach Fligg, Sr., Davis County, Bloomfield; Dillon Robinson, Sr., Underwood; Greg Hegstad, Sr., Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn

Utility - Luke Skinner, Jr., Lawton-Bronson; Lucas Hadaway, Sr., North Polk, Alleman

Class 1A

First team

Pitchers - Ethan Westphal, Sr., Martensdale-St. Marys; Blake Louscher, Sr., Newman Catholic, Mason City; Dakota McFatridge, Sr., Montezuma

Catcher - Jacob Esdohr, Sr., Coon Rapids-Bayard

First Base - J.D. Nielsen, Jr., Martensdale-St. Marys

Infielders - Dillon Coates, Sr., Martensdale-St. Marys; Kyle Denning, Sr., Cedar Falls, Northern University; Hunter King, Sr., Newman Catholic, Mason City

Outfielders - Andrew Utterback, Sr., Sigourney; Brendon Boerm, Sr., North Tama, Traer; Drew Verstegen, Sr., Newman Catholic, Mason City

Utility - Tony Becker, Sr., Don Bosco, Gilbertville; Tyler Cizek, Sr., North Tama, Traer

Second team

Pitchers - Derek Frahm, Sr., Walnut; Jon Heiderscheit, Sr., Kee, Lansing; Taylor Klingenberg, Sr., George-Little Rock

Catcher - Brandon Welter, Sr., Don Bosco, Gilbertville

First Base - Isaac Gribben, Sr., Newman Catholic, Carroll

Infielders - Tanner McClenahan, Sr., Keota; Colton Bormann, Soph., Preston; Zack Rohrbeck, Sr., Glidden-Ralston

Outfielders - Andrew Stone, Sr., Cedar Falls, Northern University; Tyler Cooklin, Sr., East Greene, Grand Junction; Chaz McBirnie, Sr., North Mahaska, New Sharon

Utility - Billy Steichen, Sr., Remsen St. Mary’s; Zeb Noel, Jr., Martensdale-St. Marys

Third team

Pitchers - Marshall Morgan, Jr., Lisbon; Brandon Bainbridge, Jr., Kingsley-Pierson; Jay Carstens, Sr., Coon Rapids-Bayard

Catcher - Mike Burroughs, Sr., Kee, Lansing

First Base - Sean Sellers, Sr., Sigourney

Infielders - Spencer Gritsch, Jr., BGM, Brooklyn; Marcus Mechaelsen, Jr., Northeast Hamilton, Blairsburg; Austin Vaske, Jr., Bishop Garrigan, Algona

Outfielders - Josh Defenbaugh, Jr., Martensdale-St. Marys; Zane Phillips, Sr., Remsen St. Mary’s; Austin Lowary, Sr., Notre Dame, Burlington

Utility - Casey Krull, Sr., North Butler, Greene; Kyle Helmerson, Sr., New London