Few positions in high school sports wield more power than softball pitcher.

Many of the best hurlers throw virtually every pitch for their team. A good one quickly can send your program into the upper echelon of the state.

Creston junior Madison Frain and Treynor senior Kaitlin Floerchinger are prime examples. Their ability to carry their teams through difficult situations is one reason they are the honorary captains of The World-Herald's All-Western Iowa teams.

The newspaper again selected first and second teams in two divisions, Class 4-A/3-A and Class 2-A/1-A.

Frain and Floerchinger headline a star-studded group.

Frain marks her fourth year on the large-school first team. With a year to go, she has compiled a 121-25 career record, and she also has passed the 1,000-strikeout milestone. At the plate, Frain batted .390 with a team-high 43 RBIs.

The Creston standout lifted her team to a 3-A regional final, where it lost a 2-0, 10-inning heartbreaker to eventual state runner-up Winterset. The Huskies eliminated Creston in regional play for a fifth straight season, and Winterset coach Steve Corkrean's first thoughts after the game were with the Panther pitcher.

"She's a heck of a player and I just feel really bad for her, because she deserves to be at the state tournament,'' he said.

While Frain will have one more chance to get there, Floerchinger lifted Treynor to its second state appearance in her final season. She fired shutouts in all four of the Cardinals' regional games, collecting a perfect game, a no-hitter, a one-hitter and a two-hitter along the way.

Even though Floerchinger was a first-team All-WI choice as a junior, Treynor coach JoEllen Travis said she didn't fully realize her potential until her senior year.

"Knowing Kaitlin as long as I have, it was one of those deals where you knew the talent and ability was there, and you were just waiting for it to come out," she said. "I think her senior year she really stepped up, both physically and mentally."

The Northwestern College volleyball recruit finished her final year 26-6 with a 1.63 ERA, striking out 215 and walking 64 in 201 innings. She also led the Cardinals in batting average (.405), doubles (10) and RBIs (29).

Floerchinger edged Fremont-Mills senior Mindy Lorimor for the small-school captaincy. A South Dakota State recruit, Lorimor becomes a four-time, first-team All-WI selection, after making the second team as an eighth-grader.

Lorimor lost a 1-0 decision to Floerchinger in the regional semifinals. Lorimor finished 22-5 with a 0.68 ERA, along with 334 strikeouts and 32 walks in 176 innings. At the plate, she batted .472 with 16 doubles and 34 RBIs.

Juniors Molly Bryan of Glenwood and Katlin Briley of Creston become three-time, first-team All-WI choices in 4-A/3-A, after making the second team three years ago. Seniors Brooke Schaben of Harlan Community and Taylor Michaelson of Sioux City East in 4-A/3-A, along with Tiffani Housh of Missouri Valley in 2-A/1-A become two-time first-team picks, after making their respective second team two years ago.

Charter Oak-Ute's Tarin Clausen moves up to the small-school first team, after two years on the second team.

Six others join Floerchinger as repeat first-team selections: Council Bluffs Lewis Central's Allie Martinez, and Sioux City East's Brittney Mozer and Abby Pollow in 4-A/3-A, and Council Bluffs St. Albert's Hannah Sneed, Charter Oak-Ute's Nicole Dobernecker in 2-A/1-A.

Five others move up from last year's second team to this year's first unit: Sioux City East's Micayla Weaver in 4-A/3-A, along with Logan-Magnolia's Kelsey Frisk and Haleigh Rife, Exira-EHK's Erin Kliefoth and Clarinda's Kaylee Buch in 2-A/1-A.

The All-Western Iowa teams were chosen from ballots returned by western Iowa coaches, observations of World-Herald staff writers and a look at season statistical information.

ALL-WESTERN IOWA TEAMS

CLASS 4-A/3-A FIRST TEAM
Pitcher:
Madison Frain, Creston, Jr.
Molly Bryan, Glenwood, Jr.
Micayla Weaver, SC East, Sr.
Catcher:
Allie Martinez, CB Lewis Central, So.
Taylor Powers, CB Abraham Lincoln, Sr.
First Base:
Cassie Kruse, Glenwood, So.
Infield:
Katlin Briley, Creston, Jr.
Brittney Mozer, SC East, Sr.
Abby Pollow, SC East, Jr.
Outfield:
Alexa Beeck, Denison-Schleswig, Jr.
Jenna Bork, SC Heelan, Fr.
Taylor Michaelson, SC East, Sr.
Utility:
Brooke Schaben, Harlan, Sr.
Betsy Thomas, Sgt. Bluff-Luton, Sr.
Utility:
Frain, Creston
CLASS 4-A/3-A SECOND TEAM
Pitcher:
Miles Ludwigs, Sgt. Bluff-Luton, Fr.
Morgan Means, CB Lewis Central, So.
Larissa Uhl, SC Heelan, So.
Catcher:
MaKayla Augustine, SC Heelan, So.
Carla Smith, Creston, Sr.
First Base:
Lauren Meeker, CB Abraham Lincoln, So.
Infield:
Chelsea Acosta, CB Abraham Lincoln, Jr.
Rachel Koch, Denison-Schleswig, So.
Ana VanScoy, Glenwood, Sr.
Outfield:
ReAnn Cappel, Atlantic, So.
Madison Lee, SC North, So.
Taylor Thomas, CB Thomas Jefferson, Jr.
Utility:
Kelsey Croghan, Harlan, So.
Lindsey Schulz, Carroll, Jr.
Honorable Mention:
Taylor Anderson, CB Abraham Lincoln; Sam Claussen, Denison-Schleswig; Heather Davis, Sergeant Bluff-Luton; Cassie Evers, Carroll; Maddie Haines, Creston; Bailey Heaton, Sioux City Heelan; Carly Heese, Harlan; Morgan Hively, CB Abraham Lincoln; Jenna Hoch, Harlan; Megan Irwin, Sioux City North; Paige Isaacson, Red Oak; Chloe Kambach, Sioux City Heelan; Emily Keilman, Sioux City East; Paige Kennon, Atlantic; Shelby Kramer, Creston; Rachel Martin, Glenwood; Madison Massey, CB Lewis Central; Sami Moos, Sioux City North; Tayler Moriarty, Sergeant Bluff-Luton; Melissa Mounts, Sioux City East; Krissy Neumann, Sioux City Heelan; Grace Newman, Glenwood; Shelby Pieper, Denison-Schleswig; Drew Piersma, Sioux City North; Marissa Schmidt, Sergeant Bluff-Luton; Tara Schwaderer, Sioux City East; Jenni Semprini, Carroll; Anna Shanafelt, Sioux City West; Abby Sonderman, Harlan; Haley Stevens, Carroll; Allie Wegner, Sergeant Bluff-Luton.

CLASS 2-A/1-A FIRST TEAM
Pitcher:
Kaitlin Floerchinger, Treynor, Sr.
Kelsey Frisk, Logan-Magnolia, Sr.
Tiffani Housh, Missouri Valley, Sr.
Mindy Lorimor, Fremont-Mills, Sr.
Catcher:
Erin Kliefoth, Exira-EHK, Sr.
Sam Knudsen, Missouri Valley, Sr.
First Base:
Nicole Dobernecker, Charter Oak-Ute, Jr.
Infield:
Kendall Corbitt, Charter Oak-Ute, Jr.
Morgan Jacobsen, Treynor, Sr.
Lynsie Sievertsen, IKM-Manning, Jr.
Outfield:
Laura Eberly, IKM-Manning, Sr.
Haleigh Rife, Logan-Magnolia, So.
Alex Snyder, Treynor, Jr.
Utility:
Kaylee Buch, Clarinda, Jr.
Tarin Clausen, Charter Oak-Ute, Jr.
Hannah Sneed, CB St. Albert, Sr.
Cassidy Wilcke, OA-BCIG, Jr.
Honorary captain:
Floerchinger, Treynor

CLASS 2-A/1-A SECOND TEAM
Pitcher:
McKinzie Boes, Nodaway Valley, Sr.
Lindsey Brown, MVAO, Jr.
Rachel Smith, Exira-EHK, 8th
Ashli Walker, Walnut, Fr.
Catcher:
Courtney Auxier, Villisca, Sr.
Kendall Fichter, Fremont-Mills, So.
First Base:
Jody Hagedorn, IKM-Manning, So.
Infield:
Moriah Bohlman, Carroll Kuemper, So.
Courtney Oviatt, Logan-Magnolia, So.
Kadie Subbert, Stanton, Sr.
Outfield:
Hailey Hellstrom, Missouri Valley, So.
Shae Henkelman, IKM-Manning, Fr.
Allison Lynch, Carroll Kuemper, So.
Utility:
Taylor Baggett, A-H-S-T, Jr.
Katelynn Dilts, Underwood, So.
Sara Kerber, Nodaway Valley, Jr.
Kaitlyn Pulscher, Woodbine, So.
Honorable Mention:
Shelby Andersen, Treynor; Larissa Backhaus, Griswold; Jenny Bair, Clarinda; Lauren Baylor, A-H-S-T; Jensen Boger, OA-BCIG; Shelby Christensen, MVAO; Malory Christiansen, Tri-Center; Shelby Dick, Woodbine; Audrina Dickman, Logan-Magnolia; Maddie Eblen, Nodaway Valley; Anna Ewoldt, Glidden-Ralston; Molly Goltz, Nishnabotna; Mardi Goslar, Charter Oak-Ute; Britney Hansen, Griswold; Paige Hardisty, Corning; Maggie Hawley, Missouri Valley; Jessica Hausman, Ar-We-Va; Anna Hildebrand, Riverside; Becca Hilderbrand, CB St. Albert; Kendra Holcomb, Logan-Magnolia; Lindsey Holt, Sidney; Shelby Houston, Boyer Valley; Baily Janssen, Missouri Valley; Brittni Johnson, Nodaway Valley; Kate Killinger, Treynor; Sarah Klahn, Treynor; Liz Kottich, Tri-Center; Annie Lindburg, Essex; Lynde Madison, Fremont-Mills; Angela Martens, A-H-S-T; Allie Meyer, Underwood; Amber Miller, Nishnabotna; Chelsea Nelson, Exira-EHK; Laura Novotny, Riverside; Aimee Osborne, Sidney; Bobbie Patten, Orient-Macksburg; Jourdan Perkins, Shenandoah; Katie Porsch, Audubon; Madison Powers, Fremont-Mills; Keyla Reynolds, Griswold; Brenna Robinson, Lenox; Caitlin Rodenburg, Tri-Center; Shelby Rodman, Whiting; Skylar Ross, Essex; Sheri Schaaf, Villisca; Shelby Shull, West Monona; Lauren Sievers, Walnut; Roey Sink, Stanton; Marissa Spoo, Coon Rapids-Bayard; Darcy Sunderman, Clarinda; Jill Vanderhoof, Villisca; Lacey Vokt, Audubon; Kimber Wagg, Stanton; Cheyenne Wilcke, OA-BCIG.

Contact the writer:

402-444-1055, [email protected]

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