Submitted photo: Newell-Fonda softball team members are, front row (left to right): Aubrey Richter, Diem Johnson, Cecilia Weekley, Kyia Copp, Hadleigh Neppl, Madelyn Vanderhoff and Kennady Hoberman. Middle: Quinn Sievers, McKayla Hanson, Danika Meyer, Bailey Mandernach, Abby Leu, Elliot Hamilton, Vienna Wingert and Paige Erickson. Back: Rylee Hogrefe, Ellie Sievers, Anna Mercer, Kinzee Hinders, Mylie Hinders, Jocee Walsh, Jaicee Vanderhoff, Camryn Puhrmann.

Earlier this season, the Newell-Fonda softball team made the short drive over to Rogers Park to compete in the Fort Dodge Invitational.

Two days of competing against several ranked — and bigger — opponents only fueled the fire for the Mustangs to return for the state tournament.

Newell-Fonda has done just that, punching a ticket to the Class 1A quarterfinals. The sixth-ranked Mustangs (24-11 overall) will face No. 5 Riverside (24-3) on Tuesday at 5:15 p.m. on Iowa Central Field.

State trips are nothing new for this perennial power, as Newell-Fonda advanced to the finals of the 1A state basketball tournament this past winter with 12 of the same girls who are leading the softball team.

Last summer, though, they were denied a trip to Rogers Park after falling to Remsen St. Mary’s in a regional final, 2-0.

Head coach Courtney (Vaughn) Darrow is a graduate of Fort Dodge Senior High and Iowa Central, having played softball for both schools.

“I’m so proud of our girls,” Darrow said. “They work extremely hard in the offseason and during (the year) to give our team the best shot of performing and getting back to state.

“And that’s exactly what they did.”

Winners of the Twin Lakes Conference for a seventh consecutive time, the Mustangs played No. 9 (5A) Ames and 14th-ranked (5A) Des Moines Roosevelt during the FDSH Invitational, along with Charles City and Mid-Prairie. Five of their losses came by one run, and N-F has gone 10-0 vs. 1A foes.

Senior Kinzee Hinders leads the way with a .452 batting average. Classmate Anna Mercer is right behind at .447.

Mercer has a team-high 44 RBI, with junior Jocee Walsh sitting at 37 driven in and eight home runs.

Freshman Ellie Sievers leads the team with nine home runs and 10 doubles, and is tied for first with three triples. She has 42 runs scored and 39 RBI, with 20 steals as well.

Hinders also has swiped 20 bags. Senior Jaciee Vanderhoff has driven in 32.

Mercer is 16-7 inside the circle with 109 strikeouts, Sievers has six wins and Walsh has two.

Riverside knocked out Stanton, 11-1, to advance, scoring six runs in the fourth. They won the Western Iowa Conference title, and arrive in Fort Dodge on a 10-game winning streak.

Five starters are hitting over .400, as junior Madison Kelley has four homers and 11 doubles with 46 RBI. Classmate Adaline Martens, sophomores Sydney Somers and Sophia Fenner, and freshman Peyton Schafer are all over .400 at the plate.

Schafer is the ace, going 23-3 with 133 strikeouts and a 2.22 earned run average on the year.

Newell-Fonda last won the 1A state title in 2021.