1996 ALL-STATE SOFTBALL TEAMS AND SEASON SUMMARY
(Selected from nominations of 1996 Summer Softball Coaches and members of Press and Radio. Classes listed are for the 1995-96 school year. Compiled by Mike Henderson of the Iowa Girls' High School Athletic Union.)


1996 Summary Master Page

Elite Special Mention, Special Mention & Honorable Mention Lists

All-Staters by Class and District

Statistics of All-Staters

FIRST TEAM



Batting Average
Position Name and School Class and Pitching Record
Pitcher Jenny Voss, Ankeny Senior 39-2--.288--121-22
Pitcher Penny Cope, Carlisle Junior 46-2--.421--135-11
Pitcher Susan Panter, Charles City Senior 36-3--.272--119-22
Pitcher Paige Stamp, Lisbon Senior 37-3--.419--159-16
Pitcher Christy Dalton, North Scott Senior 31-4--.485--132-15
Catcher Amy Farmer, Ankeny Senior .343
Catcher Kerra Kruse, Edgewood-Colesburg Senior .395
1st Base Kate McCannon, Burlington Senior .357
2nd Base Angie Strain, East Marshall Senior .325
3rd Base Melissa Stuber, Cedar Falls Junior .564
Shortstop Kylie Sloan, Carlisle Senior .519
Shortstop Nikki Buchheit, South Winneshiek Senior .516
Outfield Beth Scheetz, Clear Creek-Amana Junior .447
Outfield Nikki Romer, Muscatine Sophomore .446
Outfield Brandie Peters, Woodward-Granger Senior .359
Utility Liz Dennis, West Des Moines Dowling Sophomore 19-4--.472--41-10
Utility Jen Bice, Woodward-Granger Freshman 40-4--.322--64-7



1996 IOWA GIRLS SOFTBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR--
Paige Stamp, Lisbon (Senior--Pitcher--Class 1A)

1996 CLASS 3A SOFTBALL PLAYERS OF THE YEAR--
Jenny Voss, Ankeny (Senior-Pitcher) and Christy Dalton, North Scott (Senior-Pitcher)

1996 CLASS 2A SOFTBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR--
Penny Cope, Carlisle (Junior--Pitcher)



SECOND TEAM



Batting Average
Position Name and School Class and Pitching Record
Pitcher Cara Graver, Anamosa Sophomore 42-4--.307--89-23
Pitcher Kristi Moser, Maple Valley-Anthon-Oto Junior 28-8--.452--106-22
Pitcher Kristy Middagh, Muscatine Sophomore 31-3--.301--83-11
Pitcher Holly LaMaster, Sioux City North Senior 32-7--.281--106-24
Pitcher Cindy Foland, Sioux City West Senior 25-14--.291--76-49
Catcher Wendy Weber, Don Bosco Junior .540
Catcher Darcie Berry, Griswold Senior .410
1st Base Lisa Welch, Estherville Senior .361
2nd Base Michelle Junod, Ankeny Senior .324
3rd Base Tara Parrish, Muscatine Senior .412
Shortstop K. J. Johnson, Cedar Rapids Jefferson Freshman .451
Shortstop Kamber Hyde, Dubuque Hempstead Junior .302
Outfield Erin Doud, Cedar Rapids Jefferson Junior .389
Outfield Temple Windhorst, Clarinda Senior .407
Outfield Molly Thomas, Wapello Junior .420
Utility Melissa Navntoft, Burlington Senior 19-5--.401--57-11
Utility Donell Hotze, Riverside Senior 38-9--.455--104-38


THIRD TEAM



Batting Average
Position Name and School Class and Pitching Record
Pitcher Tara McClure, Cardinal Junior 35-8--.419--61-15
Pitcher Molly Rees, Highland Senior 26-9--.260--80-44
Pitcher Meredith Heller, Indianola Junior 34-8--.200--78-27
Pitcher Kyla Kiester, Johnston Junior 31-13--.410--70-47
Pitcher Jill Slagle, SCMT Senior 27-9--.319--116-45
Catcher Kim Kaplan, Cedar Rapids Jefferson Senior .360
Catcher Nancy Nguyen, Jefferson-Scranton Senior .369
1st Base Jamie Dardis, Sioux City Heelan Freshman .368
2nd Base Amber Morrow, Ottumwa Sophomore .465
3rd Base Lindsay Stumpff, BGM Senior .433
Shortstop Lindsay Wood, North Scott Sophomore .503
Shortstop Lisa Eller, Urbandale Senior .348
Outfield Stephanie Staveley, Cedar Falls Senior .367
Outfield Sarah Kinney, Clear Creek-Amana Junior .457
Outfield Sara Brookhart, Des Moines Lincoln Junior .452
Utility Jamie Pitcher, Cedar Rapids Kennedy Senior .521
Utility Krista Niezwaag, Charles City Senior .353


FOURTH TEAM



Batting Average
Position Name and School Class and Pitching Record
Pitcher Laura Biechler, Ames Senior 23-9--.155--80-59
Pitcher Liz Erbe, Cedar Rapids Jefferson Sophomore 26-5--.313--41-11
Pitcher Erin Quass, Cedar Rapids Jefferson Sophomore 22-4--xxx--47-10
Pitcher Janelle Cook, Davenport West Junior 20-7--.487--68-27
Pitcher Sara Sparks, Hudson Junior 28-12--.414--105-50
Catcher Kim Hoover, Indianola Junior .388
Catcher Tiffany Davis, West Sioux Junior .398
1st Base Kim Delagardelle, Anamosa Senior .327
2nd Base Anny Burdorf, Emmetsburg Sophomore .393
3rd Base Kim Rohret, Clear Creek-Amana Junior .445
Shortstop Kristi Johnson, Alburnett Junior .440
Shortstop Linda Lappe, Winfield-Mt. Union Sophomore .450
Outfield Amy Smith, Cardinal Freshman .444
Outfield Cindy Holland, Forest City Senior .354
Outfield Jenny Kumle, Mount Pleasant Senior .475
Utility Allison Stewart, Urbandale Junior 23-4--.293--31-7
Utility Stefanie Martin, Webster City Senior 28-10--.297--57-18



FIFTH TEAM



Batting Average
Position Name and School Class and Pitching Record
Pitcher Angie Sparano, Cedar Rapids LaSalle Senior 30-11--.215--114-52
Pitcher Deana Hoganson, Des Moines Lincoln Senior 24-6--xxx--50-19
Pitcher Shivaunne Booth, Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn Sophomore 27-5--.287--38-16
Pitcher Stephanie Eberhart, North Fayette Senior 32-10--.276--108-67
Pitcher Cindy Dykstra, Sioux City Heelan Sophomore 20-10--.222--41-17
Catcher Jenny Sabourin, Highland Junior .436
Catcher Haley Backman, Sioux City North Senior .349
1st Base Sarah Gassman, Dubuque Hempstead Senior .389
2nd Base Dawn Curtis, Vinton-Shellsburg Senior .369
3rd Base Susan Tucker, Cedar Rapids Regis Senior .387
Shortstop Kari Good, Davenport North Senior .410
Shortstop Kate Marsh, Linn-Mar Senior .457
Outfield Tiffany Cornine, Maple Valley-Anthon-Oto Senior .443
Outfield Nicole Matthias, Wapsie Valley Senior .424
Outfield Karen Smith, West Marshall Junior .349
Utility Andrea Nechanicky, Union Senior 29-8--.382--84-34
Utility Elaine Kenney, Colo-Nesco Senior 25-11--.285--70-31

FOUR REPEAT SELECTIONS HEAD 1996 ALL-STATE SOFTBALL

Four repeat selections head the 1996 Iowa Girls' High School All-State Softball team. All four are pitchers and they are named as the 1996 Iowa High School softball players of the year. National strikeout record holder Paige Stamp of Lisbon and North Scott's Christy Dalton are named as first team picks for the fourth straight year. Ankeny's Jenny Voss and Carlisle's Penny Cope are on the first team for the third straight year.

All four have pitched their teams to state championships--Stamp, Cope and Voss all won 1996 state titles. Stamp has been the 1A state tournament most valuable player three straight years in leading the Lions to consectutive state titles. Voss and Cope were also on state winning teams in 1994 while Dalton pitched North Scott to the state title as a freshman in 1993.

Stamp is named as the overall player of the year for the second straight year, while Cope won the 2A honor and Dalton and Voss share class 3A player of the year.

The total career stats for all four along with a few other selected all-staters are included later in this release. Stamp had 590 strikeouts this Summer and 1975 for her five year career. Both are national records (the career mark is 1703 with 272 8th grade subtracted). She had 29 perfect games, 33 no hitters and 114 career shutouts. She was a third team selection as an eighth grader prior to the four-year run on the first team. Her pitching got most of the headlines, but she was also an outstanding offensive player with a .383 career batting average (.429 this year) and 212 career RBIs. Stamp will play softball at Illinois-Chicago.

Cope is the only junior among the players of the year. She could challenge Stampšs national strikeout record next year as she now has 1209 strikeouts in her 135-11 career record. Cope finished the season with eleven straight shutouts and had thirty-seven for the season, which has to be near an all-time best.

Dalton and Voss are also at NCAA Division I schools preparing to play softball. Dalton, whošs at Northern Illinois was 31-4 this year and 132-15 for her career. Her season ERA was 0.27 with 328 strikeouts and 27 walks in 210 innings. She improved offensively throughout her career--hitting .485 as a senior with 45 RBIs and 20 extra basehits. Dalton had 1244 career strikeouts.

Ankeny's Voss is now at the University of Nebraska. She allowed just five earned runs in a 39-2 season (0.13 ERA), with 343 strikeouts (1145 career). She was also on Ankeny's state championship sprint relay team at the state meet. Had twenty-five shutouts this season and a number of no hitters.

The other pitchers earning first team mention are Susan Panter, Charles City; Jen Bice, Woodward-Granger and Liz Dennis, West Des Moines Dowling. Panter ends with a 119-22 record and moves up from the second team last year , third team in 1994 and fifth team as a freshman.

Bice already has a 64-7 career record and has three seasons remaining. She pitched the Hawks to runner-up finishes behind Lisbon in the last two state class 1A tournaments. She had an 0.47 ERA this year with 382 strikeouts and 19 walks. Dennis, a sophomore spent equal time as a pitcher and third baseman for Dowling. Shešs a three year starter for team that was elminated by state champion Ankeny in the regional final.

Six of the ten position players on the first team received all-state team honors last year. Carlisle shortstop Kylie Sloan was a second team pick a year ago while the other five were on the third team--Kate McCannon, Burlington; Amy Farmer, Ankeny; Angie Strain, East Marshall, Melissa Stuber, Cedar Falls and Nikki Romer, Muscatine.

Sloan was a five-year starter at Carlisle and played in four state tournaments. She's the national career leader in doubles with 110 (98 in four years) and had 322 career hits. She hit .519 this season and made only two errors. She'll play at Northern Iowa.

McCannon (first base) hit .408 for her career and had a .708 career slugging average with 35 doubles, 32 triples and 15 homers. Her 17 triples as a sophomore is the state and national record. McCannon has signed at Iowa.

Farmer joins battery mate Voss on the first team. She was named as captain of the all-tournament team and is playing at Missouri. Strain closed out a consistent career with a .325 batting average (.335 career). She handled just short of 800 chances in her career at second base for the Mustangs. She'll play at Indian Hills.

Stuber was named first team at third base which was the toughest position to pick this year. The state was loaded at that position with all five of the 1995 all staters returning, along with five or six others who had great 1996 seasons. I probably should have used a few more of the utility spots for third basemen. Stuber led the state in hitting for the second straight year with a .564 average (.607 as sophomore). She was named as MVP in her division of the tough Mississippi Valley Conference. Stuber has 175 hits and 131 runs in the last two seasons.

Romer was the lead off batter for the Muscatine team that was top rated in class 3A throughout the season. The sophomore outfielder had 70 base hits this season and 67 as a freshman. Her teammates Kristy Middagh (pitcher) and Tara Parrish (third base) are both second team picks.

The first teamers moving up who didn't make teams last year are Kerra Kruse, Edgewood-Colesburg (catcher); Nikki Buchheit, South Winneshiek (shortstop); Beth Scheetz, Clear Creek-Amana (outfield) and Brandie Peters, Woodward-Granger (outfield).

Kruse became one of Northeast Iowa's most feared power hitters her last three seasons. She drove in 60 runs this year and had eight homers. She hit .345 for her career and had 1174 putouts.

South Winneshiek's Buchheit had a great senior season--leading the state in slugging percentage at .926. She had 16 doubles, eight triples and six homers while hitting .516. Scored 132 career runs and had 175 hits in four seasons. Peters played in five straight state tournaments for Woodward-Granger. She hit .359 and scored 43 runs this season and had 166 career runs.

Scheetz is one of three from Clear Creek-Amana's outstanding junior class to gain all-state team recognition. Others are third baseman Kim Rohret (fourth team) and outfielder Sarah Kinney (third team). The three are at the top of the summer list in batting average, hits and runs for the season and are a lot of reason that Clear Creek-Amana team set a national record for hits in a season and moved into the number two spot for runs scored in a season.


A special thanks to the record number of coaches and friends from the press who took time to fill out all-state ballots and sent season ending stats. We had over 350 ballots returned and about 280 teams filed season ending reports.

NOTE ON STATE TOURNAMENT NO HIT RECORD

Lisbon's Stamp has enough records for her five-year career without us giving her an extra one. We gave her credit for the first ever no-hitter in a state championship game--it was the second.

Hall of Famer Kris Turner of Southeast Warren actually had the first championship game no hitter. Like Stamp, she closed out her career with a gem in her final game as the Warhawks topped Nesco for the 1968 state Summer title.

All of the tournament information and record book was in error on the complete listing of no hitters. We apologize to Kris and her family for this oversight. It will be corrected in all future IGHSAU programs and record books.

"The Buck stops Here" on the record errors, but perhaps we should explain the background. The Iowa Girls' High School Athletic Union has almost totally complete records from 1955 through 1965 which was the final year of the IGHSAU Yearbook.

From the time we moved to Fort Dodge for the tournament in 1970 through the most recent season, we have total and complete records for both tournament and regular season play.

However, there's a blank spot--from 1966 through 1970 which remains as a mystery time for softball marks and in many cases basketball records. That was before Jack North started picking all-state softball teams and the tournament was held in Hubbard. We can't find much from newspaper microfilm.

This creates problems when the IGHSAU Hall of Fame committees are evaluating candidates for the various sports. In many cases we've had to go to individual player personel scrapbooks and review coaches score sheets to get documented information on deserving players from that time.