Hansen earns official nod
Posted: Thursday, July 24, 2008
DES MOINES -- Pete Hansen has always had a sharp eye. That's why he averaged 36 points a game in basketball at old Ayrshire High School and later at now-closed Westmar College.
As an official in all sports, the current Orange City resident has made the "right call'' as consistently as any over the years, both at the prep and college levels.
Some may disagree, but those folks are in the group forever packing a pocketful of sour grapes.
"C'mon blue, the plate has corners'' and "both ways'' are derisive chants from the crowd that don't bother Hansen in the least. Even the latest in creative jeers like, "Hey ump, your German Shepherd is whining,'' fall of deaf ears.
Hansen, who is working his 28th state baseball tournament and quite likely will get the call behind the plate for a 15th championship game Saturday, is honored in the Iowa High School Athletic Association's 2008-09 Official's Guide.
The IHSAA lauded Hansen, who became a licensed official in 1972, for his dedication to the profession and student-athletes, particularly those from Iowa high schools.
The recognition is well-earned.
This corner, as always, seconds the IHSAA's nomination, so to speak.
When the Class 4A portion of the state baseball tournament opened Wednesday, the new substate seeding format for big schools, adopted this year, was apparent.
Of the eight qualifiers, seven were top seeds in substate play, including Sioux City North.
The only top seed to not qualify was Dubuque Hempstead, the No. 2 seed in substate No. 3. The ninth-ranked Mustangs showed they belonged, however, losing a tight 5-3 decision to No. 1-ranked and top state seed Johnston.
The top seed in Hempstead's substate, fourth-ranked Bettendorf, was upset in its first post-season game by Davenport North.
Johnston, now 38-0, is trying to become the first unbeaten 4A title team since the tourney expanded to four classes in 1981.
Seven of the top 10 teams in the final Iowa Baseball Coaches Association ranks are playing this week. Left at home were Bettendorf, West Des Moines Valley (5) and Des Moines East (10).
Current members of the sprawling 18-school Central Iowa Metropolitan League have won every 4A state baseball title since 1995.
The last non-CIML school to reign supreme was Cedar Rapids Washington in a four-team tourney in 1994. Interestingly, Council Bluffs Thomas Jefferson, experiencing little diamond success recently as a member of the Missouri River Activities Conference, won the 4A crown in 1993.
Marshalltown Coach Steve Hanson is also the faculty advisor for the school's student newspaper - Pebbles.
Hanson probably learned the rudiments of the newspaper dodge as an undergraduate at Buena Vista University.
The Dallas Center-Grimes team that dropped Carlisle is a first-round 3A clash Tuesday night, is coached by Byron Peyton, who also graduated from Buena Vista.
The '81 BV grad should be familiar to Sioux City fast-pitch softball fans. Peyton spent many a day at Penn Corp Park and Hubbard Park playing for the old Des Moines Metros.
In eight seasons at DC-G, he owns a 166-83 record.
St. Ansgar, a first-round winner in Class 2A over previously unbeaten Interstate 35, is also coached by a Buena Vista grad, Devin Schwiesow, class of '98. And, the 1A qualifier from Lenox, is coached by Steve Westphal, BV class of '77.
The attendance for the Wednesday afternoon 4A session at Principal Park was 3,423, the largest for a first-round or semifinal session in the class since the tournament moved to Des Moines in 2005.
Through Wednesday afternoon, total paid attendance was at 12,673.
Journal sports writer Steven Allspach may be reached at 712-293-4207 or e-mail steven.allspach@lee.net
As an official in all sports, the current Orange City resident has made the "right call'' as consistently as any over the years, both at the prep and college levels.
Some may disagree, but those folks are in the group forever packing a pocketful of sour grapes.
"C'mon blue, the plate has corners'' and "both ways'' are derisive chants from the crowd that don't bother Hansen in the least. Even the latest in creative jeers like, "Hey ump, your German Shepherd is whining,'' fall of deaf ears.
Hansen, who is working his 28th state baseball tournament and quite likely will get the call behind the plate for a 15th championship game Saturday, is honored in the Iowa High School Athletic Association's 2008-09 Official's Guide.
The IHSAA lauded Hansen, who became a licensed official in 1972, for his dedication to the profession and student-athletes, particularly those from Iowa high schools.
The recognition is well-earned.
This corner, as always, seconds the IHSAA's nomination, so to speak.
When the Class 4A portion of the state baseball tournament opened Wednesday, the new substate seeding format for big schools, adopted this year, was apparent.
Of the eight qualifiers, seven were top seeds in substate play, including Sioux City North.
The only top seed to not qualify was Dubuque Hempstead, the No. 2 seed in substate No. 3. The ninth-ranked Mustangs showed they belonged, however, losing a tight 5-3 decision to No. 1-ranked and top state seed Johnston.
The top seed in Hempstead's substate, fourth-ranked Bettendorf, was upset in its first post-season game by Davenport North.
Johnston, now 38-0, is trying to become the first unbeaten 4A title team since the tourney expanded to four classes in 1981.
Seven of the top 10 teams in the final Iowa Baseball Coaches Association ranks are playing this week. Left at home were Bettendorf, West Des Moines Valley (5) and Des Moines East (10).
Current members of the sprawling 18-school Central Iowa Metropolitan League have won every 4A state baseball title since 1995.
The last non-CIML school to reign supreme was Cedar Rapids Washington in a four-team tourney in 1994. Interestingly, Council Bluffs Thomas Jefferson, experiencing little diamond success recently as a member of the Missouri River Activities Conference, won the 4A crown in 1993.
Marshalltown Coach Steve Hanson is also the faculty advisor for the school's student newspaper - Pebbles.
Hanson probably learned the rudiments of the newspaper dodge as an undergraduate at Buena Vista University.
The Dallas Center-Grimes team that dropped Carlisle is a first-round 3A clash Tuesday night, is coached by Byron Peyton, who also graduated from Buena Vista.
The '81 BV grad should be familiar to Sioux City fast-pitch softball fans. Peyton spent many a day at Penn Corp Park and Hubbard Park playing for the old Des Moines Metros.
In eight seasons at DC-G, he owns a 166-83 record.
St. Ansgar, a first-round winner in Class 2A over previously unbeaten Interstate 35, is also coached by a Buena Vista grad, Devin Schwiesow, class of '98. And, the 1A qualifier from Lenox, is coached by Steve Westphal, BV class of '77.
The attendance for the Wednesday afternoon 4A session at Principal Park was 3,423, the largest for a first-round or semifinal session in the class since the tournament moved to Des Moines in 2005.
Through Wednesday afternoon, total paid attendance was at 12,673.
Journal sports writer Steven Allspach may be reached at 712-293-4207 or e-mail steven.allspach@lee.net
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