By Jamee A. Pierson PCM Explorer
Need to pay a city bill, view a meeting agenda or get a hold of a city official? Head on over to the new City of Monroe website. Completely redesigned, the website is made to be user-friendly and full of information for citizens and those
looking to visit the community.
“I think it looks great,” City Administrator Kim Thomas said. “It’s easy to use.”
The homepage features the latest news in the city from what is happening with the city council to community events and roadwork that is proposed or underway. The agenda center shows agendas for
all city meetings and is updated with minutes from those meetings as they occur.
Those looking to visit Monroe can learn the history of the town, from being founded in 1843 by Adam Tool and William Highland to some of the first settlers in the
Hive & Petal owner Catherine Schut brings her passion for connection and sustainability to her growing flower farm
By Jamee
About a decade ago, Catherine Schut started down a path that would bloom into a successful business and ongoing process of learning and
growing along with her land. Hive & Petal, a boutique flower farm dedicated to growing florals, is the product of a lot of hard work and passion for building a sustainable
Facility will allow for growth opportunities for sheriff’s office
By Christopher Braunschweig
Supervisors have recruited architectural firm BBS Architects Engineers to help with the Jasper County Law Enforcement Training Center project. Specifically, the board of supervisors approved a service order with BBS for the design and construction documentation, bidding assistance, construction administration and structural engineering for the training center, which is being renovated from the old Jasper County Animal Rescue League building. Adam Sparks, mainte-
nance director of Jasper County, presented the service order to supervisors during the July 15 board meeting. For the aforementioned scope of services, it will cost the county $79,900. BBS will essentially handle the schematic designs, bidding
Ghosts and ghouls of all ages had a great time at the 2025 Monroe Old Settlers
Send your event to news@pcmexplorer.com
The PCM Food Pantry at the Monroe Presbyterian Church, 113 S. Main St. in Monroe, is open 9 a.m. to noon Thursdays and 9 a.m. to noon and 6 to 7 p.m. Mondays.
The PCM Clothing Closet, 100 W. Jefferson St. in Prairie City, is open from 9 to 11 a.m. and 4 to 7 p.m. every Thursday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sundays.
Thursday, Aug. 7
• 10am Understanding end of life with clarity and care
• 8-11am Playgroup
• 1pm Movement with Sean
• 5pm Acoustic Jamm
Friday, Aug. 8
• 2pm Piano with Jacque Robinson
Monday, Aug. 11
• 10am Video Exercise Class
Tuesday, Aug. 12
• 8-11am Playgroup
• 8am Coffee and Prayer
Wednesday, Aug. 13
• 2:15pm Medicare/Medicaid Information
Thursday, Aug. 14
• 10am Patty Richards Show
• 1pm Movement with Sean
TOPS 1025 meets at 5:30 p.m. every Monday at the First Reformed Church in Prairie City for weigh-in, with meeting to follow. Go to the north side parking lot at the church and enter in the north door. Call 515-994-2200 for information.
Lighthouse Recovery Ministries host a Men’s and Ladies Recovery meeting at 6:30 p.m. each Monday at Grace Alive Church, 703 W. Second St. in Prairie City. Contact Barb at b.miller@lighthouserecoveryia.com with questions.
The Gathering Place in Monroe is hosting a free 90-minute seminar “Welcome to Medicare” at 2:15 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 13. The public is welcome to attend.
Lynnville Friends Church will host the Jasper County Hunger Relief (formerly Jasper County Take Away Hunger) meal packaging event Saturday, Aug. 23. The Jasper County Hunger Relief Board has partnered with The Outreach Program and have packaged a variety of new meals.
Each team participates in an assembly line that packages simple, nutritious meals following safety and health guidelines. Volunteers are asked to form a team of twelve people for
one hour of time, and a donation of $35 per person or $420 per team. Each team will assemble enough meal packages to serve 288 local families with food insecurity. All donations will help cover the costs for the ingredients of the meals packaged. Contact Bill Bennett by email at jaspercohunger@ gmail.com or by phone at 515-257-6460 to reserve a one-hour time slot for your team starting at 9 a.m. The deadline to register is Sunday, Aug. 17.
Preparation can pave the way to professional success, and that utility extends beyond one’s career. Preparation also is a vital component of personal safety, particularly in relation to natural disasters. Knowledge of storms and weather-related events such as hurricanes, tornadoes and floods can be lifesaving, and various government agencies encourage adults and children alike to learn what they can do to stay safe should a storm strike. But it’s equally vital to personal safety to assemble a disaster supplies kit. Ready. gov, the official website of the United States Department of Homeland Security, recommends individuals gather and maintain the following items as part of a basic emergency supply kit.
• Water (one gallon per person per day for several days). Keep in mind that the water is not only for drinking, but also for sanitation.
• Food: Each person in your household should have a several-day supply of non-perishable food.
• Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Weather Radio with tone alert. Various retailers carry NOAA radios, which typically cost $50 or less.
• Flashlight: A flashlight for each person in the household is ideal.
• First aid kit
• Extra batteries: Enough extra batteries to keep flashlights and radios operational during a potentially dayslong power outage is recommended.
• Whistle: A power whistle that’s loud and carries for a significant distance can be used to signal for help, if necessary.
• Dust mask: Air can become contaminated during a natural disaster, so a dust
mask for each person in the household can ensure everyone can safely breathe.
• Plastic sheeting, scissors and duct tape: These materials can be employed to stay safe and warm or cool when ordered to shelter in place.
• Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties: Personal sanitation items such as these can help people stay healthy and keep an area sanitary when services such as garbage pickup and water utilities are not operating normally.
• Wrench or pliers: Tools such as a wrench and pliers can be used to turn off utilities when it’s necessary to do so, such as during a flood.
• Manual can opener: A manual can opener can open canned goods during power outages.
• Local maps: Local maps of areas around your home, place of business and children’s schools can help you get around if roads are closed.
Iowa’
Jasper County Conservation Board will host an Older, Wiser, Livelier Seniors (OWLS) program at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 13 at the Jasper County Armory/Annex Building in Newton.
The public is invited to come for coffee and a presentation given by Rachel Ruden, the Iowa DNR’s State Wildlife Veterinarian. Ruden will talk about what her job entails and go over some current health risks for wildlife, such as avian flu and chronic wasting disease.
The OWLS program is a conservation program that encourages seniors to stay active and learn new things about the natural world.
Contact the Jasper County Conservation Board office at 641-792-9780 for more information.
Gather and maintain a basic emergency supply kit so you’re not caught off guard
Even people who feel they know the areas where they live, work and attend school like the back of their hand are urged to keep maps of such regions readily available.
• Cell phone with chargers and a backup battery: Backup chargers and batteries can make it possible to maintain access to potentially lifesaving information and facilitate staying connected with loved ones and neighbors. A well-stocked disaster preparation kit can keep people and their loved ones safe should a weather-related storm or other dangerous event strike and present potentially dangerous living situations. — Metro Creative
ferent life, an area of their property had been used as a cattle lot and farrowing house. After years of no use, the lots started to get covered with soil. By the time they took over as owners, the area looked like fertile land.
Digging further, visitors can view documents including building permits, ordinances and housing openings. City staff information, including photos, is also available, along with community programs and services. People can also get to know the Monroe elected officials such as the mayor and city council members.
To get quick answers to frequently asked questions, there is an FAQ section that has information on community resources, licenses, permits and registration, public works, voting and parks and recreation.
“It has been a long, long process. There is all kinds of information,” Thomas said. “I would encourage everybody to review it, make some changes and give suggestions. I would appreciate it.”
organically inspired farm.
“I’m the type of person who likes to have projects lined up, things to do, things to keep me busy,” Schut said. “We were looking for a way to continue to add value to the property and I love growing beautiful things.”
Her journey started when she and her husband, Paul, purchased a 100-yearold acreage near Prairie City with “good bones” in need of restoration. Through many surprises, trials, errors and plenty of successes, she now has fruitful flower gardens and busy bees, along with her friendly farm cats and talkative chickens.
“In the beginning, having space like this, it was really hard to envision what it would be like because we bought this property as is. We took on a lot of the history and unknowns,” Schut said. “One of our biggest problems was almost one of the acres was completely concrete.”
Little did the couple know that in a dif-
“It had beautiful tall grass and we just thought it needed mowed,” Schut said. “One day I went out to dig and stuck something into the ground and heard a thunk. I was just like ‘Oh, no.’”
The hurdle took a while to get over with chunks of concrete removed as the couple worked on the property. Once the area was cleared, Schut could get to work planning out her future flower farm.
“Year by year, this space is turning into my dream flower farm,” Schut said. “At the peak of the season, my field is brimming with seasonal florals. A lot of my flowers are highly aromatic. I like it and my bees like it.”
In developing the farm she has taken an active interest in make it sustainable and using eco-friendly materials.
“I’m committed to sustainability on my three-acre farm,” Schut said. “I prioritize soil health, pollinators and plant care to
produce top-quality florals using organic inspired growing methods.”
It’s a choice that not only benefits her land but also her other passion — her bees.
“I’m not only a flower farmer, I’m also a beekeeper. My resident beehives thrive on the farm, sharing my passion for flowers,” Schut said. “The honeybees happily buzz from bloom to bloom in my fields, collecting nectar and pollen. Blooms that don’t meet my quality standards provide food for the bees, who, in turn, reward us with their delicious honey.”
The blooms that do make the cut are used in her floral business. Schut currently provides high-quality floral bunches to designers in about a 30-mile radius of her home to be used for their businesses. It is her hope one day to be able to invite the public to her farm to pick their own flowers and enjoy everything she has built.
“The farm is now alive with activity. The bees buzz amongst the flowers, and free-range hens chase bugs and lay eggs,” Schut said. “It’s demanding work, but incredibly rewarding — I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”
process and administration of the project.
According to county
documents, the renovated training center will include a classroom for up to 40 people, two to three offices, a renovated entry vestibule, a breakroom with kitchenette, a garage bay for ambulance
parking, two new private restrooms and with shows and an open unfinished training space. It has also been required the northwest section of wall be removed or replaced to accommodate overhead doors adjacent of all walls and roof structure.
In 2023, Newton News reported on the county’s intentions of turning the JCARL building to a training center. It was pitched by then-Sheriff John Halferty and Sergeant Tracy Cross of the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office. They said first re-
sponders throughout the county have struggled to find places to train for years. By having a year-round facility devoted to interior and exterior trainings, Cross said it would provide law enforcement officials opportunities to utilize all of their tools and test themselves in a variety of different scenarios. For instance, breach tools like rams or sledge hammers cannot feasibly be used on personal property.
“A lot of properties (used in the past) they ask that you don’t dam-
age anything. They don’t want you shooting in the house with stun guns either because it can damage a window or a wall. Then we have to clean that stuff up or pay for it,” Cross said, noting the JCARL building would be a marked training facility. Which would offset many liability concerns for the sheriff’s office. The marked training grounds may also give the sheriff’s office the ability to hold training courses with other departments and outside instructors. Cross said a lot of times instructors want specific ameni-
ties to teach, like a large enough gun range.
Other law enforcement trainings would be possible at the facility, including patrol scenarios, room clearing and traffic stops, among others. It would also allow the Central Iowa Regional Tactical Team (CIRTT), which Jasper County is a part of, to train more effectively, and, again, utilize all of their tools and techniques. Fire departments would be able to conduct vehicle extractions on-site, full-gear room clearing and breaching techniques. The building would also allow for medical-type training to help first responders expand their patient care and practice tactical medicine and medical rescues.
contracts
by the
The Council analyzes proposals to meet community
initiates action for new programs and determines the ability of the
for City operations. The Council also reviews, modifies, and approves the annual budget. Additionally, the Council performs other miscellaneous duties, including appointments to various boards and commissions and responds to community groups and individual constituents. Each Council member is assigned to a city department.
to provide
DOES YOUR basement or crawl space need some attention? Call Thrasher Foundation Repair! A permanent solution for waterproofing, failing foundations sinking concrete and nasty crawl spaces FREE Inspection & Same Day Estimate $250 off ANY project with code GET250. Call 1-866-554-1730
POPE CREEK Gun and Knife Show ? August 2224, 2025, Bridge View Center 102 Church St Ottumwa. Buy-Sell-Trade Event Friday 5pm-9pm Saturday 9am-5pm, Sunday 9am-3pm, www.pcshows.net or 309-5826268
PREPARE FOR power outages today with a Generac Home Standby Generator Act now to receive a FREE 5-Year warranty with qualifying purchase Call 1-855-954-5087 today to schedule a free quote. It's not just a generator. It's a power move
SAFE STEP. North America's #1 Walk-In Tub. Comprehensive lifetime warranty Top-of-the-line installation and service. Now featuring our FREE shower package and $1600 Off for a limited time! Call today! Financing available. Call Safe Step 1-844-376-4154
SMALL ENGINE REPAIR, SALES, AND SERVICE Sell Toro Scag, and Exmark Service many other brands as well Prairie Ag Supply. 12372 Hwy 163 W. Prairie City 515-9943200
WANTED: 4X4 small size pick-up, Ranger, Tacoma S-10 in useable condition. Please call 641-521-5368.
FOR SALE: 12” porter cable dove-tail machine, will do blind & thru dovetail & finger joints, like new-$125, obo 8 gal sp & s w/2 handles $80, obo. Dark blue swivel rocker, like new $50 Walnut duouble bedroom suite, dresser, chest and bookcase head board. $200 excellent condition. Please call 641-521-5368.
2022 ALPHA Wolf Cherokee Limited 26RB-L. 33 travel trailer. Excellent condition Great couple's camper Asking $21,000. Contact Mike (515) 7784274.
FOR SALE: 3 shelf unitNew. W-18”, H-36” $25. Please call 641-521-8450
FOR SALE: 4 Goodyear Wrangler tires 265/70 R17. Mounted on 6 bold silver painted Ford F 150 wheels. Less than 20,000 miles. $350. Please call 641831-9435.
FOR SALE: 6" Red Wing Vase, Magnolia pattern$15 00. 2 Pillow cases with embroidery designs - $5.00. 2 Assorted size Indian Dolls - $10.00 Please call: 641-275-7600
FOR SALE: Cedar Chest. $50.Please call 641-5218450.
FOR SALE: Michael Kors purses: $30 Banana Republic Jeans size 6 and two pair of 26 waist, like new $5 each Copper waterfall fountain 5 ft tall: $15. Please call 641-840-5073 and ask for Kathy FOR SALE: TUFF Country Long Control arms upgrade kit
The PCM softball team went undefeated in conference play and locked up the Heart of Iowa Activities Conference championship with plenty of room to spare this past season.
Nearly the entire Mustangs’ starting lineup was rewarded for their efforts as nine PCM players were named to the all-conference squad that was released after the Mustangs completed their run in the state tournament on July 26.
Leading the way for the Mustangs were senior Addison Steenhoek, junior Tori Lindsay and freshmen Camden Webb and Libby Winters, who all were first-team selections.
Juniors Rylee Parsons, Kyra Naeve and Lillian Humpal earned second-team recognition and junior Addison Hudnut and freshman Hadley Millang were the honorable mention choices.
All-conference recognition is based on statistics inside conference play only.
PCM won the league with a 15-0 record.
Webb earned first-team honors as a pitcher. She led the HOIAC with an earned run average of .40 and an opponents’ batting average of .125.
Webb ranked eighth in the conference in wins and her 5-0 record came in eight games and five starts. She also tied for first with two saves, ranked third with 57 strikeouts and was 10th with 35 1/3 innings.
Webb only walked five and her fielding percentage was .957.
Steenhoek was a first-team catcher after batting .422 and ranking 10th in the conference with an on-base percentage of .509.
Her eight doubles ranked second in the league and Steenhoek finished second with 104 putouts, ranked tied for second with four hit by pitches and tied for sixth with 30 total bases.
Steenhoek added 19 hits, 12 runs, one homer, 12 RBIs, four walks and she tied for the conference lead with zero errors in 110 chances.
Lindsay made the first team as an infielder. She led the conference with seven hit by pitches, ranked sixth in batting average at .463 and finished third with an OBP of .577.
She ranked third in the HOIAC with 20 runs and 12 steals, tied for third with
two homers, tied for fourth with five doubles, tied for sixth with 30 total bases and tied for ninth with 14 RBIs.
Lindsay also finished with 19 hits and four walks and she committed zero errors in 29 chances.
Winters was a first-team outfielder after leading the conference with a .542 batting average. She also led the HOIAC with three triples, ranked tied for second with 26 hits and finished second with 21 runs, 17 steals and 37 total bases.
Winters ranked fourth with an OBP of .569, tied for fourth with five doubles, finished eighth with 15 RBIs and totaled three walks. She committed zero errors in 13 chances and struck out only once in 48 at-bats.
Parsons’ second-team selection came as a pitcher. She ranked second in wins,
finished 9-0 in nine starts and ranked third with an ERA of 1.94.
The nine starts ranked tied for fifth and Parsons finished fifth with an opponents’ batting average of .222, ranked seventh with 35 strikeouts and ended up ninth with 39 1/3 innings pitched. She also walked seven.
Naeve was a second-team outfielder after batting .600 and leading the HOIAC with an OBP of .622.
She tied for fourth with one triple, five doubles and two hit by pitches, tied for seventh with eight steals and finished with 18 hits, 13 runs, 12 RBIs, 25 total bases and three walks. Naeve struck out only one time in 30 at-bats.
Humpal was a second-teamer at utility. She batted .341, had an OBP of .471 and tied for third in the league with two homers. Her four hit by pitches ranked tied for second and she ranked tied for sixth with 16 RBIs, tied for seventh with 15 runs and tied for ninth with four doubles.
Humpal also totaled 14 hits, six walks, 24 total bases and three steals.
Hudnut batted .303, reached base 38.5 percent of the time and ranked third in the HOIAC with 18 RBIs. She also was tied for fourth with two hit by pitches and tallied 10 hits, 12 runs, two doubles, three walks, 12 total bases and six steals. Her fielding percentage was .962.
Millang batted .400 and ranked third in the conference with six doubles. Her OBP was .432 and she finished with 16 hits, 10 runs, two walks and 22 total bases and she ranked tied for sixth in the
Jenna Randall, so., West Marshall; Jenna Davidson, so., Saydel.
All-Conference
First Team
Pitchers: Camden Webb, fr., PCM; Aubree Greenwood, so., West Marshall. Catchers: Addison Steenhoek, sr., PCM; Peyton Jeter, sr., Roland-Story.
Infielders: Tori Lindsay, jr., PCM; Becca Anderson, jr., Greene County; Jillian Karsjen, sr., West Marshall; Livy Vander Sluis, jr., Grand View Christian.
Outfielders: Libby Winters, fr., PCM; Grace Kruse, jr., Grand View Christian; Lily Fischer, sr., West Marshall.
Utility: Payton Kokenge, sr., Greene County; Chloe Cox, fr., Grand View Christian; Miley Geise, so., Roland-Story.
Second Team
Pitchers: Rylee Parsons, jr., PCM; Alaina Heard, so., Greene County. Catchers: Maiah Murphy, jr., Grand View Christian; Karagyn Whelchel, jr., Perry. Infielders: Bella Johnson, so., Greene County; Lily Zahnd, sr., West Marshall; Jorie Hillman, so., Nevada; Brookelyn Jondle, so., Roland-Story. Outfielders: Kyra Naeve, jr., PCM; Kaycee Pittman, jr., Greene County; Amelia Ranson, sr., West Marshall. Utility: Lillian Humpal, jr., PCM; Addie Hackett, jr., Grand View Christian; Cate Erickson, so., Perry; Rachel Randall, jr., West Marshall.
Honorable Mention Addison Hudnut, jr., PCM; Hadley Millang, fr., PCM; Morgan Pelham, jr., Grand View Christian; Sophie Bird, 8th, Grand View Christian; Makenna Ebersole, so., Greene County; Sara Morlan, so., Greene County; Meagan McGaffin, sr., Nevada; Jadyn Melon, jr., Nevada; Kalley Whelchel, so., Perry; Tina Kanealy, sr., Perry; Lauren Crabbs, fr., Roland-Story; Keely Oberender, jr., Roland-Story; Savannah McClay, fr., Saydel; Colbie Tenborg, jr., Saydel; Emma Lammers, fr., South Hamilton; Claire Hewitt, jr., South Hamilton; Riley Randall, jr., West Marshall.
Senior Trigg Steenhoek led the PCM baseball team in batting average, hits, doubles and total bases in conference play and sophomore Jaden Houser batted .326 in his first season as a varsity starter.
Both Mustangs earned second-team all-conference honors recently. The Heart of Iowa Activities Conference baseball teams were announced a few weeks ago after Saydel lost in the semifinals of the Class 3A state baseball tournament.
Steenhoek was a first-teamer in the outfield despite playing most of his games on the infield. Houser earned his recognition as an infielder and seniors Kaleb DeVries and Trenner Van Dyke were the honorable mention selections. All-conference recognition is based on statistics inside conference play only. All four Mustangs started all 15 conference games.
Steenhoek led the Mustangs with a .381 batting average. He also finished with a team-best 16 hits, 20 total bases and four doubles and added 10 runs, nine walks, seven RBIs and four steals. Steenhoek had an on-base percentage of .481.
Houser batted .326 and had an OBP of .420. He totaled 14 hits, nine runs, three doubles, five RBIs, seven walks, 17
total bases and four steals. DeVries made a case for at least second team after ranking in the top 10 in the conference in OBP, walks and hit by pitches. DeVries batted .325 and his .526 OBP ranked ninth in the HOIAC. He led the league with 13 walks, ranked tied for seventh with four hit by pitches and finished with 13 hits, 13 runs, three doubles, eight RBIs, 16 total bases and five steals.
DeVries was one of six players in the league with at least 23 chances to not commit an error in HOIAC play.
He was 2-2 as a pitcher with an earned run average of 2.95. Opponents batted .202 against him and he fanned 31 batters in 21 1/3 innings.
Van Dyke batted .216, had an OBP of .340 and finished with eight hits, three runs, one triple, one homer, seven walks, 17 total bases and led the team with 12 RBIs and four doubles.
Van Dyke’s fielding percentage was .962. He was 2-3 as a pitcher with an ERA of 4.15. Opponents batted .182 against him and he ranked ninth in the conference with 35 strikeouts and tossed 28 2/3 innings, which ranked tied for fifth in the league.
Heart of Iowa Activities Conference
Final Standings Baseball Team Conference Overall
Saydel 13-3 29-8
West Marshall 13-3 24-10
Roland-Story 10-5 22-10
Grand View Christian 10-5 16-12 PCM 7-8 9-14 Nevada 6-8 12-13
Greene County 4-12 7-15
South Hamilton 3-12 5-17 Perry 3-13 3-24
All-Conference
First Team
Pitchers: Brady Hicks, so., Saydel; Luke Jordan, so., Grand View Christian.
Catcher: AJ Dee, sr., West Marshall.
Infielders: Owen Meyers, sr., Perry; Kamden Jorgensen, jr., Saydel; Austin Jordan, sr., Grand View Christian; Drake Hinson, jr., Nevada.
Outfielders: Beckham DeSotel, sr., West Marshall; DJ Ridout, sr., West Marshall; Jackson Burlage, sr., Nevada.
Utility: Anthony Eaton, sr., Nevada; William DeSotel, sr., West Marshall; Tate Moulton, jr., Grand View Christian. Second Team
Pitchers: James Tounsley, sr., Saydel; Cael Faber, jr., Roland-Story.
Catcher: William Zamzow, sr., Roland-Story.
Infielders: Jaden Houser, so., PCM; Braydon Boston, so., Saydel; Caden Pfantz, sr., West Marshall; Crew Conner, sr., Greene County.
Outfielders: Trigg Steenhoek, sr., PCM; Dawson Bear, sr., West Marshall; Aiden Frey, so., Roland-Story. Utility: Braden Wallace, so., Roland-Story; Braden Young, sr., South Hamilton; Jaron Jacobs, so., Greene County. Honorable Mention Kaleb DeVries, sr., PCM; Trenner Van Dyke, sr., PCM; Titus Jordan, so., Grand View Christian, Thomas Childs, jr., Grand View Christian; Noah Hinote, sr., Greene County; Gavyn Winters, sr., Greene County; Gabe Kramer, sr., Nevada; Clay Franzen, jr., Nevada; Geren Kenney, sr., Perry: Colin Willis, fr., Roland-Story; Jake Knoll, so., Roland-Story; Adam Mein, sr., Saydel; Cooper Lindahl, sr., Saydel; Landon Sogard, sr., South Hamilton; Garrett Johnson, fr., South Hamilton; Holden Simms, sr., West Marshall; Evan Siegert, jr., West Marshall.
The PCM softball team finalized its best season ever at the state tournament a few weeks ago.
Four Mustangs were recognized for their efforts a few days later as junior Rylee Parsons and freshmen Libby Winters and Camden Webb were named to the Class 3A all-state first team by the Iowa Girls Coaches Association.
Senior Addison Steenhoek grabbed second-team recognition as well as an academic allstate honor.
It was the second all-state honor for both Parsons and Winters, who were third-team selections last summer.
was 23-of-23 in stolen-base attempts. As a pitcher, Winters was 4-1 with an earned run average of 2.07. She struck out 27 batters in 20 1/3 innings and committed zero errors in 33 chances.
centage of .913. Webb was 9-3, and she tied for third in 3A with three saves. Her ERA was 2.37 in 23 games and 10 starts and she struck out 103 batters in 85 2/3 innings. Webb had a .969 fielding percentage and opponents batted .239 against her.
All four Mustangs were part of the 3A Central District squad and head coach Shaun Hudnut was the district coach of the year for the second straight season after leading PCM back to the state tournament.
Joining Steenhoek, Winters, Webb and Parsons on the 3A Central District squad were West Marshall’s Jillian Karsjen and Lillian Fischer, Roland-Story’s Peyton Jeter and Greene County’s Becca Anderson.
Winters established herself as one of the top players in 3A after ranking seventh in the class with a .529 batting average. She also ranked tied for second with 15 doubles and tied for seventh with five triples.
Winters’ on-base percentage was .555 and she added 54 hits, 41 runs, 32 RBIs, 79 total bases and seven walks and she
Both Parsons and Webb did most of their damage in the circle.
Parsons was 13-2 with an ERA of 2.49 in 23 games and 20 starts.
She struck out 57 batters in 84 1/3 innings, opponents batted .259 against her and she walked only 14.
Parsons had a fielding per-
At the plate, Webb had an OBP of .435 and she finished with 14 runs, 16 RBIs, 28 total bases and a team-most 15 walks. Steenhoek batted .398 and had an OBP of .472 in her final season. Her 13 doubles ranked tied for 10th in 3A and she totaled 37 hits, 19 runs, two homers, 18 RBIs, 56 total bases, seven walks and seven hit by pitches. Her fielding percentage was .991. She committed two errors in 216 chances.
