Iowa: Jorgensen Is Softball Player of the Year

By Bob Bakken

MaxPreps.com

Southeast Webster-Grand’s Jennifer Jorgensen has been named the overall offensive player of the year in Iowa high school softball, according to the All-State teams released by the Iowa High School Girls’ Athletic Union. She was named an All-State utility player on the Class 1-A and Elite teams.

Jorgensen hit .596 for the Eagles this summer. Her stats also included 84 hits, 68 runs scored, 70 stolen bases and 29 RBI. She helped Southeast Webster-Grand play in its third state tournament in the past four years. 

Jorgensen has 380 career stolen bases, believed to be a national record. Her career totals also included a state record for hits (442) and she tied the career state record for runs (344).

Baseball: Hermsen Signs with Twins

B.J Hermsen is following a dream and has decided to go pro, foregoing college to play professional baseball in the Minnesota Twins organization. The Manchester-West Delaware pitcher led the Hawks to the state Class 3-A title last year and to the finals of this summer’s tournament.

Hermsen had signed a national letter-of-intent to play collegiately at Oregon State, but opted instead to accept a $650,000 signing bonus plus money for four years of college. In exchange, Hermsen is heading to play at the Twins’ Instructional League team in Fort Myers, Fla.

Baseball: Burlington Notre Dame Coach Resigns

Burlington Notre Dame is seeking a new baseball coach for next summer, after the resignation of Tim Gall, who has been with the Nikes for the past 17 years. Gall leaves after being a part of all seven of Notre Dame’s state baseball tournament appearances, either as a player of coach.

Gall’s overall coaching record at Notre Dame was 161-134 and he had one state tournament appearance as a coach. He was a graduate of the school and returned after college to teach and coach.

This year’s squad finished with a 17-11 record and a berth in the Class 1-A district semifinals.

Baseball: Keokuk Pitcher to Play for Illinois JUCO

Keokuk High School has been a pretty good pipeline for players into the program at an Illinois junior college, and the latest addition should continue that success. John Wood Community College in Quincy, Ill., is adding pitcher Matt Chaknine, who will pitch for the NJCAA Division II School next spring.

Chaknine is the fourth player from Keokuk to play for the community college in the past six years. He had interest from other schools for his services, but John Wood was the first to approach him about playing baseball for them after high school.

“I want to pitch in the starting rotation,” Chaknine told the Keokuk Daily Gate City newspaper. “If that doesn't happen, I hope to contribute out of the bullpen my first year and then work my way into the starting rotation by my sophomore season.”

Baseball: Iowa Sweeps Illinois in All-Star Series

A group of Iowa high school baseball players defeated their counterparts from Illinois in the Iowa-Illinois Senior All-Star doubleheader played at Bettendorf High School.

Scores of the games were 12-2 and 10-7 for the Hawkeye State contingent, led by Bettendorf’s Joel Hutter. He hit a pair of homers in the first game and ended the twin-bill with six hits and five runs.

Hutter was named the most valuable player of the series.

Football: Hempstead Player Verbals for Iowa State

Josh Lenz will play one more football season for the Dubuque Hempstead Mustangs, but he has his sights on a college career at Iowa State in the future. Lenz has verbally committed to play for the Cyclones and will sign a national letter of intent next February.

He has sub-4.5 speed in the 40-yard dash, making 65 tackles and intercepting two passes for the Mississippi Valley Conference school last fall. Offensively, he rushed for 600 yards and 12 touchdowns from the backfield. Iowa State coaches have told him they project him as a slot receiver.

Lenz is the first Dubuque high school player to receive a Division I football scholarship immediately out of high school since 2003.