Messenger photo by Britt Kudla Bre Tjebben connects for Iowa Central last spring at Rogers Park.

When Bre Tjebben got the call from her dad Bo, she instantly became emotional.

Tjebben, 2018 Fort Dodge Senior High graduate, received the news that the remainder of her sophomore softball season at Iowa Central was done.

“I was at the store with my mom (Chrissy), my sister (Cassie) and my friend when my dad called me to tell me he just got off the phone with Coach (Rick) Sandquist,” Tjebben said. “He didn’t even have to finish his sentence for me to know what he was calling for.

“I started crying instantly.”

Earlier this week, the NJCAA made the decision to cancel the rest of the spring sports season across the country.

The decision came on the heels of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommending not to hold events in the general public.

Tjebben, a former all-stater for the Dodgers, couldn’t comprehend a future without the sport she had grown to love.

“My initial reaction was devastation and heartbreak,” Tjebben said. “I’m going to miss everything about this team. From hitting homeruns back-to-back, to turning double plays with Sophie (Cave), to playing for an amazing coaching staff, to cheering with my teammates whom I’ve created such amazing bonds with.”

The 18th-ranked Tritons were off to a solid start at 15-4 after winning 13 of their last 14 contests and putting up big numbers on the diamond.

Tjebben was third on a team that had blasted 50 home runs with seven long balls. She drove in 19 runs with a .386 batting average and collected 22 hits.

As a freshman for Iowa Central, Tjebben led the team with a .443 batting average. She had 74 hits, 13 home runs and 54 RBI.

“Everything was clicking and we were just getting into our groove,” Tjebben said. “I feel like we were about to explode and break records.

“(Nationals) were definitely in our sights.”