The Ravens of Summer Recieve Postseason Awards
by Zach Ulin, KCII Radio
After a record setting season, four Hillcrest Academy Raven softball players were named to All-Conference teams by the Southeast Iowa Superconference.
SOFTBALL
Junior Malia Yoder was a first team All-SEISC selection as a utility player. Yoder hit .571, eighth in Class 1A, with a .637OBP, sixth in 1A in Iowa, and .818 slug, third in the Superconference. She finished with 44 total hits, fourth in league play, 34 runs scored, fourth in the Superconference, 33RBI, sixth in conference, and belted three homers, second most in conference, while collecting 13 walks, eighth most in conference. In the circle, she threw 134 innings with an 11-12 record, 4.31ERA, seventh in the Superconference, and .207 opponent batting average, sixth in conference play, striking out 173 hitters, second most in the Superconference.
Junior Delaney Shaw was a second team Superconference choice behind the plate. She hit .402 with a .438OBP and .707 slug, seventh in the Superconference. Shaw had 33 hits, 24RBI, 10th in the league, 23 runs scored and smacked three home runs, second most in the Supeconference. Behind the plate she threw out nine base runners this season, fifth most in 1A softball, and posted a 97% fielding percentage on nearly 200 total chances.
A pair of Ravens were named honorable mention. Junior Morgyn Nafziger hit .203 with a .433OBP and .219 slug. The second baseman scored 33 runs, fifth most in conference play, walked 26 times, fifth most in Class 1A, had 13 hits and 10RBI.
Sophomore Claire Withrow was honorable mention at short stop, compiling a .389 average, .476OBP and .431 slug with 28 hits, 21 driven in and 20 runs scored to go with 11 walks, 10th most in conference.
The Ravens had their first winning conference record in program history, finishing 8-7, fourth in the Superconference North with a 12-14 overall mark.
BASEBALL
After a successful summer, seven members of the Hillcrest Academy Raven baseball team were named All-Conference by the Southeast Iowa Superconference.
Three Ravens were first team selections. Junior Catcher Liam Schrock was a first team pick. At the plate, Schrock hit .364, ninth best in the Superconference, with a .533OBP, second best in the conference and a league-leading .621 slug. Schrock also led the conference with 29 runs scored, had 24 total hits, third most, drove in 14, seventh most and collected 19 walks, while belting three homers. Behind the plate, he threw out seven base runners this season, ninth most in Class 1A, while holding a 98% fielding percentage. On the mound, Schrock finished with a 3-0 record, .212 opponent batting average and ERA of two, third lowest in the SEISC.
Junior Seth Ours was a first team choice as a utility man. He hit .300 with a .407OBP. His 26 runs scored were second most in the conference, to go with 21 total hits, fifth most and 16 driven in, fifth most. On the mound, Ours had a 4-3 record with a 3.20ERA, 10th in the Superconference, to go with 31 strikeouts.
Sophomore Rowan Miller was a first team infielder. Miller hit .407, third in the Superconference, slugged .508, ninth highest, and had a .525OBP fifth best, with 24 total hits, third most, a league leading 23RBI and scored 14 times, eighth most. On the mound, Miller was a perfect 5-0, with a WHIP of one, second best in conference, a .158 opponent average, third best, 2.03ERA fourth best and 34 strikeouts, eighth most.
Second-teamers included utility man Phoenix Anderson. He hit .283 for the year with a .458OBP, 19RBI, second in conference, 14 runs scored, eighth most and 17 total hits, ninth in the league, while collecting 17 walks. On the mound, Anderson went 2-2 in 39 innings of work with a 3.77ERA and 31 strikeouts.
Outfielder Mason Helmuth was named to the second team. He hit .333 with a .441OBP, driving in 16 runs, fifth most in conference on 19 hits, the seventh highest total with 14 runs scored, eighth in the SEISC.
The Ravens two honorable mention selections included junior Mason Bender who hit .164 with a .312OBP on 10 total hits, scoring 20 runs, third in conference with seven walks and 13RBI, ninth in the Superconference. Freshman Lawson Schrock hit .250 with a .400OBP, 16 hits, 13RBI, ninth in conference, 14 walks and 12 runs scored. On the mound, Schrock went 2-0 with 4.54ERA and 1.05WHIP third in conference play.
HERSHBERGER NAMED BACK-TO-BACK SEISC COACH OF THE YEAR
Head coach Danny Hershberger has been named Southeast Iowa Superconference North Division Coach of the Year for the second straight season.
Under his direction, Hillcrest did it in all aspects. The Ravens led the league, hitting .273 as a group with a .421OBP and .363 slug. Hillcrest hitters drove in a conference best 136 runs, while collecting a league leading 125 walks and scoring a Superconference high 174 times.
Hillcrest had the highest team fielding percentage in the conference at 93%. As a pitching staff they led the Superconference with a collective 3.04ERA and 1.29WHIP, surrendering just 60 earned runs and 50 walks both conference lows. This week, Hershberger joined the KCII Radio Coaches Corner to talk about what the award means to him and the program. Hershberger said, “It’s really a team award. Conference champions back-to-back seasons is never an easy thing to do. I think that’s something our guys can be pretty proud of, even if the postseason didn’t go the way we wanted. Winning conference is a statement for our team. You want to improve each time out and stay on top of the conference.”
The Ravens won the North Division title in the Superconference for the second straight season with a 9-2 record, having won 21 of their last 23 conference games dating back to last season. They finished this season with a 16-5 overall record. This is the third time Hershberger has won this award. He was also recognized in 2023 and 2019.