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Area softball players named all-state

Messenger photo by Britt Kudla Ellie Jacobson of Humboldt gets a hit at Rogers Park during the regular season.

Ellie Jacobson stepped into a high-pressure situation with the Humboldt softball team this summer and delivered.

A freshman pitcher on a squad with seven senior starters, Jacobson helped get the Wildcats back to the Class 3A state tournament on the diamond, placing fifth last week at Rogers Park.

For her efforts, Jacobson earned first team all-state honors by the Iowa Girls Coaches Association.

Humboldt teammate Avery Terwilliger made the second team and Mady Lange the third in 3A. Fort Dodge’s Maggie Harvey was a 5A first team selection and St. Edmond’s Megan Flattery earned 1A honorable mention status.

Other first team selections from the area included Anna Ingalls of North Union, Gigi Byrkeland of Bishop Garrigan and Olivia Larsen from Newell-Fonda.

Jacobson went 28-3 in over 196 innings inside the circle, striking out 246 batters and walking just 43. She allowed only 44 earned runs all year (1.57 earned run average) and opponents hit just .176 off her.

“It has been a really fun year, one I will remember for a long time,” said Jacobson, who was surprised by being named first team all-state. “Over the past four years I’ve spent a lot of time working on softball, so it’s kind of cool to be recognized with this honor.”

Jacobson’s strikeout total was fifth-best in 3A, while her 28 wins were the tied for second-most.

Terwilliger, a previous all-state selection for the Wildcats and a future Wartburg College basketball player, hit .453 with 40 RBI, 28 steals, nine extra-base hits and struck out just three times in 117 plate appearances.

Harvey, who is headed to Minnesota State University in the fall to continue her softball career, added yet another all-state honor to her resume after batting .381 with 37 RBI, 20 steals, 13 doubles and six home runs for the Dodgers.

“I’m incredibly humbled and excited to be a five-time all-stater, to be respected and recognized by coaches that I respect is an incredible honor that not a lot of people can say they receive once — especially five times,” Harvey said. “The talent in 5A this year was at an all-time high, so to be recognized alongside those players is something that’s very humbling.

“My coaches, though, deserve all the glory once again for this honor. Without Coach (Andi) Adams, Coach (Jaci) Schreiber, Coach (Lexi) Slater and Coach (Bo) Tjebben, this wouldn’t have been achieved so I would like to thank them, my family and the entire Fort Dodge community for their support.”

Ingalls helped the Warriors return to state this past year, going 23-6 and striking out 238 batters. The senior also hit .425 with 15 steals, 15 RBI and 17 extra-base hits.

Byrkeland, a junior, had a slugging percentage of .702 this year, hitting four homers, 13 doubles and a triple. She also drove in 34 runs and swiped eight bases, hitting .442.

Larsen had 38 steals, hit .412, drove in 25 and had four triples during her sophomore season for the Mustangs. She also posted a 17-6 record with 173 strikeouts in just over 138 innings.

Flattery, a senior, concluded her five-year St. Edmond run a game away from returning to state. She hit .461 with 20 steals, 25 RBI and 14 extra-base hits, including four homers.

“This is just a great way to end an incredible season and such a fun career,” Flattery said. “I could not have had any of this success without my team. I have absolutely loved playing softball with my teammates and coaches.”

North Union’s Kyarsten Mullen and Kate Anderson, and Garrigan’s Madison Meister were named to the second team, while Greene County’s Megan Carey, Eagle Grove’s Laine Morgan and Newell-Fonda’s Megan Morenz claimed third-team honors.

Eagle Grove’s Hannah Beecher and Jarika Eisentrager, Emmetsburg’s Kate Jackson, North Union’s Bre Anderson and Maddie Rolling, Bishop Garrigan’s Aubree Altman, and Newell-Fonda’s Emily Archer were all tabbed honorable mention all-state.

Skyler Shellmyer, the daughter of Fort Dodge Senior High graduate Chad Shellmyer, was again named first team all-state for Urbandale in Class 5A.

IOWA GIRLS COACHES ASSOCIATION ALL-STATE SOFTBALL TEAMS

(Area players only)

Class 5A

Second Team

Maggie Harvey, Fort Dodge, sr.

Class 3A

First Team

Ellie Jacobson, Humboldt fr.

Second Team

Avery Terwilliger, Humboldt, sr.

Third Team

Megan Carey, Greene County, sr.; Mady Lange, Humboldt, fr.

Class 2A

First Team

Anna Ingalls, North Union, sr.

Second Team

Kyarsten Mullen, North Union, sr.; Kate Anderson, North Union, jr.

Third Team

Laine Morgan, Eagle Grove, soph.

Honorable Mention

Hannah Beecher, Eagle Grove, soph.; Jarika Eisentrager, Eagle Grove, sr.; Kate Jackson, Emmetsburg, sr.; Bre Anderson, North Union; Maddie Rolling, North Union, soph.

Class 1A

First Team

Gigi Byrkeland, Bishop Garrigan, jr.; Olivia Larsen, Newell-Fonda, soph.

Second Team

Madison Meister, Bishop Garrigan, fr.

Third Team

Megan Morenz, Newell-Fonda, fr.

Honorable Mention

Aubree Altman, Bishop Garrigan, fr.; Emily Archer, Newell-Fonda, sr.; Megan Flattery, St. Edmond, sr.

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