Newell-Fonda captures Class 1A state title
By Jason Cowley Journal sports writer | Posted: Sunday, July 20, 2008
Newell-Fonda pitcher Lauren Devereaux, who had a shutout going into the seventh inning, and catcher Susan Kies celebrate their tean’s state championship Saturday. (Staff photo by Tim Hynds)
FORT DODGE, Iowa - Being on the big stage before helped the Newell-Fonda softball team Saturday afternoon in the state softball tournament at Rogers Sports Complex.
Playing in a state championship game for the second time this school year, the Mustangs felt no added pressure, unlike their opponent Martensdale St. Mary's.
Newell-Fonda junior Lauren Devereaux took a shutout into the seventh inning and the eighth-ranked Mustangs can call themselves Class 1A state champions following a 6-3 win over Martensdale St. Mary's.
Devereaux, named captain of the all-tournament team, gave up three earned runs -- all in the seventh inning -- on four hits with four walks and seven strikeouts.
Newell-Fonda's offense gave Devereaux an early 2-0 lead and added four crucial insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth.
The Mustangs had just four hits, but took advantage of a Martensdale St. Mary's club playing in its first ever-state championship game. St. Mary's committed five errors behind its senior pitcher Ashley Allen.
Allen was coming off a no-hitter in the semifinals as the second-ranked Blue Devils advanced to the title game with a 2-0 shutout over Alburnett.
Ellen Gruntorad, also a starter on Newell-Fonda's state runner-up basketball team this winter, went 2-for-3 with an RBI and scored twice.
"Its feels real good," said Newell-Fonda Coach Dick Jungers. "Teams we played gave us a lot of tough challenges every night.
"The kids fought hard through all the adversity and made it happen.
"I am so proud of that."
The Mustangs' two-run third inning started with a two-out walk to Karina Overgaard.
Overgaard, who scored the winning run in a 1-0 win over Preston in the first round, would score from second on an RBI single from Gruntorad.
"We really put the pressure on them," said Jungers, who's also the girls basketball coach. "They looked like they were playing tight in the infield.
"I think that's why they had a couple of errors like they had."
The Mustangs, who finished 35-9, scored four runs in the sixth on two hits and three Martensdale St. Mary's errors.
Newell-Fonda was playing in its second state title game in the school's history, after posting a runner-up finish to Akron-Westfield in 2006
FORT DODGE, Iowa - They played into the late evening Friday night at Rogers Sports Complex.
Newell-Fonda took down defending Class 1A state champion Highland 4-1 in a semifinal at the Iowa state softball tournament that ended at 11:30 p.m .
The eighth-ranked Mustangs advanced to the school's second state title game in its three appearances at the state softball tournament.
Newell-Fonda junior Lauren Devereaux outdueled Highland senior Ashlee Simon in a classic pitcher's duel.
Simon, who set a Class 1A tournament record with 16 strikeouts in last year's title game, struck out 11 against Newell-Fonda, but surrendered four unearned runs on four hits and two walks.
Devereaux allowed three hits and gave up one unearned run while walking three and striking out four.
Becky Kucera tripled and scored the lone Highland run in the second inning on an error.
Newell-Fonda finally got to Simon with a pair of two-run innings in the fourth and sixth.
Ellen Gruntorad started the fourth-inning rally with a one-out walk.
An error in the infield allowed the inning to continue and Alisa Christensen delivered a two-run double, giving the Mustangs the lead at 2-1.
Newell-Fonda tacked on a pair of insurance runs on two hits and an error in the sixth.
Highland's loss was the first for the Southeast Iowa Super Conference champs in the state tournament. The Huskies captured the 1A state title a year ago in the school's first-ever state appearance.
Playing in a state championship game for the second time this school year, the Mustangs felt no added pressure, unlike their opponent Martensdale St. Mary's.
Newell-Fonda junior Lauren Devereaux took a shutout into the seventh inning and the eighth-ranked Mustangs can call themselves Class 1A state champions following a 6-3 win over Martensdale St. Mary's.
Devereaux, named captain of the all-tournament team, gave up three earned runs -- all in the seventh inning -- on four hits with four walks and seven strikeouts.
Newell-Fonda's offense gave Devereaux an early 2-0 lead and added four crucial insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth.
The Mustangs had just four hits, but took advantage of a Martensdale St. Mary's club playing in its first ever-state championship game. St. Mary's committed five errors behind its senior pitcher Ashley Allen.
Allen was coming off a no-hitter in the semifinals as the second-ranked Blue Devils advanced to the title game with a 2-0 shutout over Alburnett.
Ellen Gruntorad, also a starter on Newell-Fonda's state runner-up basketball team this winter, went 2-for-3 with an RBI and scored twice.
"Its feels real good," said Newell-Fonda Coach Dick Jungers. "Teams we played gave us a lot of tough challenges every night.
"The kids fought hard through all the adversity and made it happen.
"I am so proud of that."
The Mustangs' two-run third inning started with a two-out walk to Karina Overgaard.
Overgaard, who scored the winning run in a 1-0 win over Preston in the first round, would score from second on an RBI single from Gruntorad.
"We really put the pressure on them," said Jungers, who's also the girls basketball coach. "They looked like they were playing tight in the infield.
"I think that's why they had a couple of errors like they had."
The Mustangs, who finished 35-9, scored four runs in the sixth on two hits and three Martensdale St. Mary's errors.
Newell-Fonda was playing in its second state title game in the school's history, after posting a runner-up finish to Akron-Westfield in 2006
FORT DODGE, Iowa - They played into the late evening Friday night at Rogers Sports Complex.
Newell-Fonda took down defending Class 1A state champion Highland 4-1 in a semifinal at the Iowa state softball tournament that ended at 11:30 p.m .
The eighth-ranked Mustangs advanced to the school's second state title game in its three appearances at the state softball tournament.
Newell-Fonda junior Lauren Devereaux outdueled Highland senior Ashlee Simon in a classic pitcher's duel.
Simon, who set a Class 1A tournament record with 16 strikeouts in last year's title game, struck out 11 against Newell-Fonda, but surrendered four unearned runs on four hits and two walks.
Devereaux allowed three hits and gave up one unearned run while walking three and striking out four.
Becky Kucera tripled and scored the lone Highland run in the second inning on an error.
Newell-Fonda finally got to Simon with a pair of two-run innings in the fourth and sixth.
Ellen Gruntorad started the fourth-inning rally with a one-out walk.
An error in the infield allowed the inning to continue and Alisa Christensen delivered a two-run double, giving the Mustangs the lead at 2-1.
Newell-Fonda tacked on a pair of insurance runs on two hits and an error in the sixth.
Highland's loss was the first for the Southeast Iowa Super Conference champs in the state tournament. The Huskies captured the 1A state title a year ago in the school's first-ever state appearance.
Story Comments
Read More and Post Comments 0 comment(s)
Please note: The following are comments from readers. In no way do they represent the views of The Sioux City Journal or Lee Enterprises. We will not edit or alter your comments, but we do reserve the right to not post or to remove comments that violate our code of conduct. No comment may contain potentially libelous statements; obscene, explicit or racist language; personal attacks, insults or threats. Terms of Service
