Game On - Spring 2025: The interactive media guide for the Gilbert High School spring sports. Includes information on Track and Field, Golf, Soccer, and Mario Kart.
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MEMBERS OF THE 2025 GILBERT GIRLS TRACK AND FIELD TEAM include (front row, left to right) Ali Doolittle, Lydia Strudthoff, Gemma Smith, Jane Black, Bree Iddings, Anna Thomas, Memphis Iddings, Reagan Ollila, Abby Deal, Raegan Murphy, Joelle Stoker, (second row) Raylene Chen, Sophia Bleich, Kaitlyn Dear, Lily Cowan, Maddie Moore, Kayla Rash, Jazzy Gehling, Brooklyn Nelson, Keaton Hanson, Keira Andersen, Kaitlyn Terry, Allie Grandgenett, (third row) Bia Dantas, Sophia Overman, Natasha Flower, Cora Holz, Evie Christenson, Lucy Kraehling, Averie Heie, Mollie Schnormeier, Claire Grandgenett, Claire Koenig, Avery Short, (back row) Coach John Ronca, Coach Jodi Hurn, Coach Laura Kautman, Coach Alli- son Schoenfelder, Paizley Doerder, Cece Hart, Aubrey Brandt, Morgan Loonan, Aliyah Gamblin, Bethany Bartholomew, and Kinsley Hill.
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S arah Feddersen field meet. She didn’t know what was considered a good time in the 400 or 800 meters. Heck, she didn’t even know the correct way to pass a baton to a teammate. Was she a sprinter? Was she better suited for middle dis- tance? Maybe she was a dis- tance girl? chuckles when she thinks back to her very first track and
nine points behind state cham- pion and Raccoon River Con- ference rival ADM. “When you’re at state, your top five teams are separated by so little,” Gilbert girls co-head coach Jodi Hurn said. Feddersen captured two of her three state gold medals a season ago, but she admits she didn’t allow herself to enjoy it as much as she did during her first year in the sport in 2023. But by recognizing that, she thinks she can make the correct alterations to have a more enjoyable 2025 season. “My sophomore year I had such an open mentality, but in my junior year I had an edge and I was never quite happy with everything,” Feddersen said. “Silently, I’m going to work harder than I ever have, but I’m going to be happy no matter what.” Feddersen is only one piece of what is an experienced and talented roster, one that has Hurn and fellow co-head coach Allison Schoenfelder excited about the possibilities. “The girls are super focused and dialed in on where they want to go,” Hurn said. “We’re very lucky our girls have many goals for themselves beyond even us having goals for them.” “They know what they need to do to get there and they’re
Feddersen didn’t know. Neither did her coaches.
“I just ran,” Feddersen, a Gil- bert senior, said as she thought back to that first indoor meet. “I led off a relay because I didn’t know how to do handoffs and I just stayed with the other runners. When there was about 200 meters left I remember thinking ‘I can pass these people,’ and I did.” On the surface, none of this seems that far-fetched. Any young runner would be inex- perienced, right? Well, this is the part of the story where we inform you that this all occurred only two years ago. And since then? All Fed- dersen, a former gymnast, has done is win three Class 3A state titles on relays for the Tigers, which led to a number of col- lege programs clamoring to get her attention. She chose the University of Northern Iowa as
her future destination, and she’ll run track for the Panthers next year. Feddersen’s bread and butter is the 800. She’s anchored Gil- bert’s 4x800 relay to back-to- back state crowns, she’s placed third twice in the open 800 at state, and she has a career- best time of 2:12. She’s not bad at the 400 either, and the odds are awfully strong she would be a contender in the 1,500 as well. Feddersen gave up gymnas- tics prior to the start of her sophomore year because she had lost her passion for the sport. Luckily, running was just
waiting for its next star. “I’m proud of all of the differ- ent things I’ve tried because I had a sport (gymnastics) that had defined me since elemen- tary school,” Feddersen said. “I didn’t really expect to find another sport where I could keep learning and growing so much.” Feddersen is poised to have a stellar senior year, which would only aid the Gilbert girls team as it attempts to contend for 3A team gold as well. A year ago, the Tigers were right in the thick of the title chase late into the final day of the state meet be- fore eventually finishing fifth,
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going to work hard,” Schoen- felder said. The Tigers weren’t nec- essarily hit hard by graduation, but the talent they lost was criti- cal to the success in 2024. Graduate Clare Stahr led off the 4x800, and Taylor Banning was a part of four school-record re- lays and ran the opening leg on the state championship dis- tance medley relay. But the talent Gilbert does re- turn? Hoo-boy, now we’re talk- ing. Let’s start with Sophia Bleich and Keira Andersen, veterans of the 4x800 relay themselves. That leaves one spot on the po- tentially golden relay, and the coaches say either Claire Koe- nig or Kaitlyn Dear could ulti- mately fill the void left by Stahr. The 2024 quartet broke its own school record numerous times over the past two sea- sons, and it currently sits at 9:19.36. Bleich and Andersen are ver- satile talents that could fill a va- riety of needs. Bleich has twice qualified for state in the 400 hurdles, and both joined Fed- dersen on the seventh-place 4x400 relay last spring. Sophia Overman, Allie Grand- genett, the Mizerak twins, Gretchen and Laurel, and Kea- ton Hanson all have ample
THURSDAY, MARCH 27: ADM EARLY BIRD Information: At Adel, 4:15 p.m. start time
WEDNESDAY, MAY 7: RACCOON RIVER CONFERENCE MEET Information: At Tiger Stadium, Gilbert, 4 p.m. start time
FRIDAY, APRIL 4: ROLAND-STORY COED Information: At Story City, 4:30 p.m. start time
THURSDAY, MAY 15: CLASS 3A STATE QUALIFYING MEET Information: At TBA, 4 p.m. start time
TUESDAY, APRIL 8: GILBERT COED Information: At Tiger Stadium, Gilbert, 4:30 p.m. start time
THURSDAY, MAY 22-SATURDAY, MAY 24: STATE MEET Information: At Drake Stadium, Des Moines, 9 a.m. start time each day
THURSDAY, APRIL 10: WAUKEE NORTHWEST RELAYS Information: At Waukee, 4 p.m. start time
Row 1: Sophia Bleich, Kaitlyn Dear, Kayla Rash, Jazzy Gehling, Keaton Hanson, Abby Deal, Keira Andersen, and Allie Grandgenett. Row 2: Bia Dantas, Sophia Overman, Natasha Flower, Cora Holz, Evie Christenson, Lucy Kraehling, Mollie Schnormeier, Claire Grandge- nett, and Claire Koenig.
Name
Gr Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Jr.
Name
Gr So. So. So. So. So. So. So. So. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr.
SATURDAY, APRIL 12: JIM DUNCAN INVITE Information: At Drake Stadium, Des Moines, 8:30 a.m. start time
Sophia Bleich
Cora Holz
state-meet experience too. The Mizerak twins and Han- son joined Banning on the school-record 4x100, 4x200, and sprint medley relays a sea- son ago. Hanson ran alongside Banning and Feddersen on the gold medal distance medley relay. Gilbert was seventh in the 4x100 and eighth in the 4x200 at state a season ago. Add in a nice crop of fresh- men who can fill gaps through- out the lineup and Gilbert could and should again be one of the premier teams in the RRC and a potential contender at state.
for that 800,” she said. “I would love to get that down to a 2:10 at some point this season.” Feddersen also says the Tigers will have their work cut out for them in the 4x800. Sioux Center was just four seconds behind Gilbert en route to silver a season ago and the Warriors also return three members, in- cluding sophomore standout Audrina Jones, the 2024 state runner-up in the open 800. “We’re going to have to have that underdog mentality throughout the season to do the work that gets us where we want to go (at state),” Fed- dersen said.
Abby Deal
Memphis Iddings Lucy Kraehling Maddie Moore Raegan Murphy Addie Patten Kayla Rash Lydia Strudthoff Aubrey Brandt Izzy Campbell Lilly Cowan Paizley Doerder Ali Doolittle Aliyah Gamblin Breeonna Iddings Morgan Loonan Brooklyn Nelson Raegan Ollila Avery Short Gemma Smith Joelle Stoker Kaitlyn Terry Anna Thomas
“We’ve got a lot of depth that we can play with this year,” Schoenfelder said. “We have a lot of returners and a lot of freshmen with so much poten- tial.” Feddersen will be at the center of all of it. Tall and lanky, she’s molded to run the 800 and she has goals where that event is concerned. She’s not afraid to admit she had higher aspirations than a second straight bronze medal at state a season ago, but that only moti- vates her as she enters the stretch run of her prep career. “I definitely have some drive
Sarah Feddersen Claire Grandgenett Averi Heie Claire Koenig Laurel Mizerak Gretchen Mizerak Sophia Overman Mollie Schnormeier Keira Andersen Evie Christenson Ana Dantas Kaitlyn Dear Natasha Flower Keaton Hanson Kaylei Jacob Tovaria Smith Raylene Chen Jasmine Gehling Allie Grandgenett Jane Black
TUESDAY, APRIL 15: JIM DUEA RELAYS Information: At Ames, 4:15 p.m. start time
THURSDAY, APRIL 17: OGDEN INVITE Information: At Ogden, 4:30 p.m. start time
THURSDAY, APRIL 24-SATURDAY, APRIL 26: DRAKE RELAYS Information: At Drake Stadium, Des Moines, TBA for event start times
Jr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Jr.
THURSDAY, APRIL 24: CARROLL TIGER RELAYS Information: At Carroll, 4:30 p.m. start time
MONDAY, APRIL 28: GILBERT COED RELAYS Information: At Tiger Stadium, Gilbert, 4:30 p.m. start time
So. So. So. So. So.
THURSDAY, MAY 1: CARLISLE INVITE Information: At Carlisle, 4:15 p.m. start time
Cece Hart
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MEMBERS OF THE 2025 GILBERT BOYS SOCCER TEAM include (front row, left to right) Connor Rash, Benji Lenz, Cian Baumgard, Drew Chapman, Jacob Tallman, Nery Hernandez, Meldin Grosic, Chris Fisher, Jack McCaughey, Logan Nel- son, Anthony Fugere, (second row) Bennett Holz, Billy Terrones, Isaac Holtan, Judson Hatfield, Mitch Walter, Tayton Warg, Gabe Hicks, Will Youngberg, Zach Schrader, Felipe Maas, Camden Eggert, Owen Mattson, (third row) Cole Crawford, Asher Youngberg, Eli Hague, Preston Stensland, Matthew Weber, Charlie Maguire, Tyler Jerkins, Logan Harswick, Connor Mattson, Cole Kaptur, Tyler Holtan, (back row) Coach Kyle O’Riley, Coach BJ Jordison, and manager Hudson Stephens.
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T hinking back to the 2024 soccer season, there’s very little, if any- thing, that Gilbert boys head coach BJ Jordison would change. OK, so that’s not entirely accurate. He would have loved to change the out- come of his team’s final match, but when he looks at the big picture, he knows in the deep- est part of his heart that the season was a success. An undefeated regular sea- son. A season-long No. 1 rank- ing in Class 2A. Yet another perfect Raccoon River Confer- ence campaign and league championship. A third consecu- tive trip to the state tournament. A continuation of the program’s streak of never losing in the state quarterfinal round. A berth in the 2A Final Four. And those are just the bullet points. A 3-1 loss to eventual 2A state champion Sioux City Heelan in the state semifinals wasn’t what the Tigers had hoped for, but coming off a state crown in 2023, the boys put together the strongest two-year run in pro- gram history. And that means something. In fact, over the past four sea- sons, Gilbert has proven to be one of the statewide heavy- weights on the pitch. The Tigers have put together a 56-6 record
since the start of the 2022 sea- son, and you have to go all the way back to April 26, 2022, to find the last time they lost a conference match. They’ve been on the right side of 19 consecutive RRC encounters and have outscored their foes 84-5 during that stretch. We could go on and on. But we’ll leave you with this histori- cal fact: Gilbert has not had a losing season since 2013, and Jordison’s club has cranked out nine consecutive double-digit win seasons. Over that stretch, the Tigers are 141-38, a win- ning percentage of .788. “It’s been unreal, surreal really,” Jordison said of this run his program has been on in re- cent years. “It’s been the culmi- nation of a lot of hard work and a bunch of guys buying into a culture and style of play where we can be team first. But above all else, it takes good kids on and off the field. These last four years have been an amazing run, but you leave more with the program as a person than as a soccer player.” On the surface, the 2024 sea- son looks like a dream in many ways. What team wouldn’t want to run through the months of April and May unscathed? But it didn’t come without its chal- lenges, and Jordison says he and his players learned from the constant pressure that came from being in the spot- light.
way — won’t be their only goal. “I would never say a team should go undefeated like we did last year, but I do believe this team can be as successful as that team was,” Jordison said. “If people decide they’re all in and they decide the team is better than any individual goals, then the sky is probably the limit in terms of how good this team can be.” Replenishing what was lost to graduation won’t be easy though. You don’t just replace someone like Jackson Johnson, a two-time first-team all-state midfielder, or someone like Tru- man Kruckenberg, arguably the
“I think the boys really en- joyed the ride, but I think some- times going undefeated can be a hindrance because you could just feel that the boys didn’t ever want to lose,” Jordison said. “You can’t not play a little uptight when you haven’t lost.” Jordison is hopeful his 2025 team will ignore the outside noise and pressures, and just play they way the players know how. Play aggressive. Play free. And play for each other. If the Tigers can do all of that, then a fourth straight trip to the state tournament — that would be a program record, by the
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backbone of the last two Tiger teams from the middle of the field. Nash Hanson, Isaac Weary, Dylan Terry and others leave sizable voids as well. Jordison says filling holes in the midfield is never easy, par- ticularly when players are as talented as Johnson and Kruck- enberg. “Those two guys in the center were the epitome of good leaders, maybe not with their voices but with their actions on the field,” he said. “Teams feel more when you lose that center midfield, that backbone of the whole formation. Every position is important, but you certainly feel changes like that more.” The good news is junior Billy Terrones returns to the midfield for his third year in the starting lineup, and Jordison is upbeat about the talent of sophomore Jacob Tallman. “Billy is just incredible and he covers so much ground. He’s always there in the right spot,” Jordison said. “Jacob is very technically gifted.” Gilbert returns plenty of offen- sive artillery as well, enough to make opponents gulp. It starts with all-state forward Tyler Hol- tan, a senior who scored 23 goals to go along with 11 as- sists a season ago. Also back on the front line is junior Pres- ton Stensland, who accounted for five goals and 10 assists a
season ago. “Everyone around here knows what Tyler can do,” Jordison said. “He has all the talent to be all-world if he wants to be. And Preston is bigger, stronger, and faster. He keeps getting more athletic every year.” Defensively, all-stater Logan Harswick, a junior, returns, as does senior Owen Mattson. During Jordison’s tenure, the Tigers’ defense has always been a strength. Throw in not one, but two of the area’s best goalkeepers in Matthew Weber and Tyler Jerkins — they com- bined for 74 saves a season ago — and it should be yet again. “I think it’s going to be a good blend of experience and skill,”
Jordison said of his defense. “The defense you see (in early April) and the defense you see in the middle of May will look to- tally different.” A key ingredient also returning to the fold is the talent and ex- perience of senior Connor Rash, who missed the entire 2024 season due to injury. Rash popped off for 12 goals in 2023 and, remember, it was his hat trick and match-winning goal in penalty kicks that cata- pulted Gilbert to the state title that spring. “We were missing Connor’s physical presence and just that swagger that he brings last year,” Jordison said. “He doesn’t overthink playing be- cause he’s confident in himself and how he plays.”
Jordison says a number of newcomers will also be varsity contributors, including poten- tially a few members of the freshman class. Gilbert expects to be right back in the thick of the race for the state crown. Jordison ad- mits 2024 champion Heelan will be and should be the favorite entering the season. He also expects his team to be battle- tested by the time the postsea- son rolls around due to another tough slate of conference teams. “We have good soccer in our conference and I love playing those teams,” he said. “You can’t take a night off.”
TUESDAY, APRIL 1: MASON CITY Information: At Mason City, 6:15 p.m. varsity start time
SATURDAY, MAY 10: PELLA Information: At Tiger Stadium, Gilbert, 10 a.m. varsity start time
THURSDAY, APRIL 3: DES MOINES CHRISTIAN Information: At Tiger Stadium, Gilbert, 7 p.m. varsity start time
SATURDAY, MAY 10: SIOUX CITY HEELAN Information: At Tiger Stadium, Gilbert, 1 p.m. varsity start time
MONDAY, APRIL 7: BALLARD Information: At Huxley, 7 p.m. varsity start time
TUESDAY, MAY 13: CARLISLE Information: At Tiger Stadium, Gilbert, 7 p.m. varsity start time
MONDAY, APRIL 14: ADM Information: At Tiger Stadium, Gilbert, 7 p.m. varsity start time
TUESDAY, APRIL 22: BOONE Information: At Boone, 7 p.m. varsity start time
VARSITY
JUNIOR VARSITY
No.
Name
Gr Jr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Fr. So. Jr. Sr. Sr. So. So. Jr. Fr. So. Fr.
No.
Name
Gr Fr. Jr. Jr. So. So. Jr. Sr. So. Fr. Sr. Fr. Sr. Fr. Fr. Sr. So. Sr. Fr.
0
Tyler Jerkins Matthew Weber Preston Stensland Tyler Holtan Cole Crawford Isaac Holtan Billy Terrones Connor Rash Owen Mattson Zachary Schrader Jacob Tallman Logan Harswick Asher Youngberg Tayton Warg Bennett Holz Cole Kaptur Mitch Walter
00 15 19 20 21 22 23 24 26 27 28 29 30 31 33 34 36 41
Charlie Maguire Drew Chapman Anthony Fugere Connor Mattson
Row 1: Owen Mattson, Connor Rash, Preston Stensland, Tyler Holtan, Mitch Walter, and Billy Terrones. Row 2: Matthew Weber, Zach Schrader, Eli Hague, Logan Harswick, Jacob Tallman, and Tyler Jerkins.
00
FRIDAY, APRIL 25: WINTERSET Information: At Tiger Stadium, Gilbert, 7 p.m. varsity start time
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
William Youngberg Fr.
Felipe Maas Gabe Hicks
TUESDAY, APRIL 29: BONDURANT-FARRAR Information: At Tiger Stadium, Gilbert, 7 p.m. start time
Nery Hernandez
Benji Lenz
Cian Baumgard Zeke Hatfield Meldin Grosic Chris Fisher Camden Eggert Jack McCaughey Logan Nelson Evan Goetz Judson Hatfield John Artz
THURSDAY, MAY 1: NEVADA Information: At Tiger Stadium, Gilbert, 4:30 p.m. varsity start time
10 11 12 13 14 16 17 18
SATURDAY, MAY 3: NORTH POLK Information: At Alleman, 11 a.m. varsity start time
Jr. Jr. Jr.
TUESDAY, MAY 6: CARROLL Information: At Carroll, 7 p.m. varsity start time
Eli Hague
THURSDAY, MAY 8: PERRY Information: At Perry, 7 p.m. varsity start time
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MEMBERS OF THE 2025 GILBERT GIRLS GOLF TEAM include (front row, left to right) Rachel Clouse, Madelyn Korrect, Reagan Crawford, Abigail Thompson, Zayda Boshart, Ruby Roberge, Norah Martens, Ava Witek, (middle row) Eloise Lepper, Carly Saienga, Avery Waite, Ava Lohrbach, Elisabeth Thompson, Sydney Zeigler, Ella Lohrbach, Abigail Randall, (back row) Coach Rob Lynch, Violet Flower, Bergen Roske, Ellie Wahlman, Grace Brosamle, Addi Winter, London Hibbing, Genevieve Lamm, and Coach Grant Walker.
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A sk the question and you shall re- ceive perhaps one of the most astounding answers you’ve ever heard. So, Coach Grant Walker, when is the last time your Gil- bert girls golf team lost in the regular season? Wait for it ... May 7, 2019, comes the reply from Walker after he taps a few keys on his computer to pull up the exact date. A six-shot loss to Nevada in a quadrangular meet at the Ames Golf and Country Club, to be exact. Britta Snyder wasn’t in the lineup that day. Had she been, well, let’s just say it’s a guarantee that loss wouldn’t have happened. Still ... that’s almost six years since the Tigers felt the sting of defeat in the regular season. And, really, there are only a few seniors on the roster that under- stand what it’s like to lose on the golf course at all. It’s only occurred once in their time with the program and that happened at the 2022 Class 3A state meet. Over the past two seasons, Gilbert has amassed a stagger- ing mark of 141-0, highlighted by back-to-back state cham- pionships. The four-year record will make you whistle too; 275- 2, with back-to-back state runner-up finishes in 2021 and
has happened in the past and celebrate those successes. But Walker doesn’t want to give the impression the program’s suc- cess is a thing of the past. The truth is, he thinks the Tigers can contend again in 2025. “We had a couple girls who could be on the varsity this year come and watch us at state last year, and one of them said to me, ‘When those seniors leave, we have no chance of doing that,’” Walker said. “And I looked at her and said, ‘What makes you think we won’t be right back here a year from today?’ “I think we can be right there at the end again this year.” Yes, losing four ultra-talented seniors creates a crater in the lineup, but Gilbert does return not one, but two of the best players in 3A, and they happen to look exactly alike. Identical twins Ava and Ella Lohrbach, juniors and the younger sisters of Eden Lohr- bach, have been scoring members on both of the state championship teams in 2023 and 2024. A season ago, Ava strung together consistent rounds of 77-77 (154 total) to finish fourth as an individual at state. Ella wasn’t happy with a Day 1 81, but rebounded to blister the course for a Day 2 75 (156 total) that put her 10th on the leaderboard.
2022. Walker is equally wowed when he sits and marinates on the accomplishments. It’s not normal, he knows that, which is why he takes none of it for granted. “You’ve got to step back and appreciate what we had,” Walker said. “You could make the case that crew last year is maybe the best team that has ever played together in the state of Iowa, and obviously that’s not normal. Just to say that sentence and for it to have some truth to it is pretty unbe- lievable.” The 2024 Tigers were as dominant as any Iowa team in any sport, boys or girls, throughout last school year. Led by three-time individual state champion and University of Ne- braska recruit Eden Lohrbach,
along with fellow talented sen- iors Macy Underwood, Josie Dukes, and Haley Loonan, Gil- bert set the all-time 3A scoring mark at the state tournament with a two-day total of 608 to beat runner-up Dubuque Wahlert by 43 strokes. The team’s Day 2 score of 299 was the first sub-300 round in the history of the girls state tourna- ment, and only West Des Moines Valley’s 36-hole total of 604 in 2021 bests the Tigers’ overall score. Walker is quick to point out that Valley’s score came at the par-70 Otter Creek Golf Course in Ankeny, while Gilbert’s 608 was at the par-72 Pheasant Ridge Golf Course in Cedar Falls. If you know golf, then you know that matters. It’s good to reflect on what
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Telling them apart on the golf course isn’t hard. Ava is right- handed while Ella plays from the left side, but the talents they possess are nearly identical. “They’re both obviously very good and they go about things the right way,” Walker said of the twins. “They know how to practice, they know how to pre- pare, and they know the pres- sure is going to be on them.” Walker says the twins will need to get comfortable as leaders inside the program. “I’m very interested to see what it looks like with them in a leadership role,” he said.
“They’ll be who everyone looks to and I think they’re ready for that.” Who fills those other four spots on the varsity roster will be the biggest question Walker will need to answer in early April. He knows senior Abigail Thompson, who was arguably the seventh-best player in the Raccoon River Conference be- hind her six varsity teammates a season ago, will be in the mix. Her younger sister, freshman Elisabeth Thompson, will be right there too. Norah Martens, a sophomore, has gotten se- rious about her game, the coach says, and he also thinks Bergen Roske and Sydney
Zeigler, both juniors, will contend for varsity time.
“There are going to be some bumps along the way, but we’re still going to be really compet- itive,” he said. “It we go out and play well this year and we’re fortunate enough to make it to the state tournament and for- tunate enough to be there in the end, it will probably be the best coaching job I’ve ever done.” The rest of the 3A power- houses — programs like Wahlert, Cedar Rapids Xavier, and West Delaware — will cer- tainly expect Gilbert to be a state contender. All of the pro- grams return some key pieces from a season ago, but like Gil- bert, they all have voids to fill, too. In addition to the Lohrbach twins, Xavier junior Mehar Julka is one of the state’s top players and she’ll be a contender for in- dividual gold. Walker says Wahlert and Xa- vier will always be competitive on a statewide level, and he’s ready to see what kind of chal- lenge they present in 2025. “I’ll be paying attention to those two teams because of their ability to turn around and get good players again,” he said. “After that, we’ll have to see how the season plays out.” Gilbert isn’t the near lock it was a season ago, but don’t count out the Tigers. You never know what might happen.
“I’m really excited to see how all of this comes together, and we’ve got several other fresh- men who I know play as well,” Walker said. “I’m excited to just get out there and figure out who is going to fill those spots. It will be fun.” The team that does step onto the course will have all eyes upon it, fair or unfair, which is why Walker knows it will be up to him to navigate the ship throughout sometimes rough seas, and it will probably re- quire the best coaching per- formance of his career.
MONDAY, APRIL 7: ADM Information: At River Valley Golf Course, Adel, 4 p.m. start time
MONDAY, MAY 12: RACCOON RIVER CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT Information: At Ballard Golf and Country Club, Huxley, 9 a.m. start time
THURSDAY, APRIL 10: GREENE COUNTY INVITE Information: At The Hill Golf Course, Jefferson, 4 p.m. start time
TUESDAY, MAY 13: GILBERT INVITE Information: At Ames Golf and Country Club, 4 p.m. start
MONDAY, APRIL 14: ANKENY CENTENNIAL INVITE Information: At Briarwood Golf Club, Ankeny, 12 p.m. start time
WEDNESDAY, MAY 21: CLASS 3A REGIONAL TOURNAMENT Information: At TBA, Time TBA
FRIDAY, APRIL 18: NORTH POLK (ALSO NEVADA) Information: At Ames Golf and Country Club, 4 p.m. start time
THURSDAY, MAY 29-FRIDAY, MAY 30: CLASS 3A STATE TOURNAMENT Information: At Saddleback Ridge Golf Course, Solon, Time TBA
TUESDAY, APRIL 22: OGDEN (ALSO VAN METER) Information: At Ames Golf and Country Club, 4 p.m. start time
VARSITY
JUNIOR VARSITY
THURSDAY, APRIL 24: ROLAND-STORY INVITE Information: At River Bend Golf Course, Story City, 1 p.m. start time
Name
Gr Sr. Sr. Sr.
Name
Gr Jr. So. So. So. So. So. So. So. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr.
Abigail Thompson Rachel Clouse Abigail Randall Ava Lohrbach
Grace Brosamle London Hibbing Madelyn Korrect Carly Saienga Ellie Wahlman Genevieve Lamm Violeta Flower Reese Kaptur Ruby Roberge Ava Witek Avery Waite Reagan Crawford
MONDAY, APRIL 28: WITMER-DUNPHY INVITE Information: At Perry Golf and Country Club, 4 p.m. start time
Jr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Jr.
Ella Lohrbach Eloise Lepper Bergen Roske Sydney Zeigler Norah Martens Addie Winter
TUESDAY, APRIL 29: TURK BOWMAN INVITE Information: At Veenker Memorial Golf Course, Ames, 10 a.m. start time
So. So. Fr.
THURSDAY, MAY 1: PCM INVITE Information: At Gateway Rec. Golf Course, Monroe, 1 p.m. start time
Elisabeth Thompson
THURSDAY, MAY 8: SOUTHEAST POLK INVITE Information: At Copper Creek Golf Club, Pleasant Hill, 9 a.m. start time
Over the past six seasons, Gilbert has crowned five individual 3A state champions and also had the runner-up. Britta Snyder sat atop the leaderboard in 2018 and 2019, followed by Eden Lohrbach’s first title in 2021. Lohrbach lost in a playoff to finish second in 2022, and then followed it up with back-to-back individual crowns in 2023 and 2024.
DID YOU KNOW? Gilbert Girls Golf Edition
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MEMBERS OF THE 2025 GILBERT BOYS TRACK AND FIELD TEAM include (front row, left to right) Brayden Howard, Emrick Ryan, Liam Trampel, Clark Savage, Jace Davison, Kaedan McKernan-Nichols, Josh Fink, Korben Wirth, Jack Dyche, Micah Leyva, Jace Tickle, (second row) Charlie Wadsley, Tayton Warg, Aidan Rash, Tate Larson, Tristan Limoges, Nathan Baldwin, Teddy Pistilli, Will Soupir, Cael O’Brien, Logan Bleich, Adrian Wallace, (third row) Emmett Barber, Lucas An- derson, Gabe Fierce, Nolan Zehr, Wyatt Pink, Ethan Rash, Jordan Martinek, Emerson Congdon, Zach Noe, Reggie Chittenden, Brody Soma, (fourth row) Will Hawthorne, Paul Marpe, Ethan Wilcox, Carson Squiers, Landon Lucht, Bo Kruse, Mar- cus Jacob, Eli Hague, Preston Stensland, Brady Hurn, Ayden Folkerts, (back row) Coach Pat Schoenfelder, Coach Nathan Graham, Coach Aaron Thomas, Coach Everett Charlson, Coach Joel Franzen, and Coach John Ronca.
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G ilbert boys track and field head coach Joel Fran- zen has a secret that he cannot wait to spill to the rest of the squads in central Iowa and across the state. Here goes: his team is stacked. Se- riously, absolutely stacked. Sprints — check and check. Middle distance — check there, too. Distance — uh, remember that cross country team last fall? A lot of those guys are on the track team as well. So, yeah, check. With close to 50 bodies on the roster, Franzen sees the talent on a daily basis. He likes the talent, he likes the depth and, really, he likes everything. “I feel we have a good, well- rounded team,” Franzen said. “As I look, we have athletes ready to compete across the board, from our field events, to our sprinters, to our middle dis- tance, and our distance. And it’s good to have a really solid group of senior leaders.” The Tigers return close to 10 student-athletes who competed at the state meet last spring, and they’ve got plenty more who would like to finish the sea- son on the blue oval later this spring. Let’s start with the sprinters, a
group that has already built on the success it attained a season ago in the indoor season and early part of the outdoor season this spring. State qualifiers in the 4x100-meter relay a season ago, the quartet of Brayden Howard, Paul Marpe, Gabe Fierce, and Will Hawthorne has already broken the school record in the event twice this spring, and it hit the blue stan-
dard to qualify for Drake at the first outdoor meet in Adel. The group has run a best time of 43.34 seconds, which is more than a half-second better than its fastest time in 2024. Of course, Hawthorne on the anchor proved to be one of the fastest sprinters in Class 3A a season ago. The Iowa State University football recruit and
2024 Gatorade Iowa Football Player of the Year reached the state finals in the 100 while get- ting under 11 seconds for the first time. Could he go even faster in his final season? “I could see Will taking another step, and then that 4x100 group has really gelled together,” Franzen said. “All of our sprinters have gotten
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better.” Marpe currently sits in the top six in 3A in the open 200, and guys like Nolan Zehr and Ethan Wilcox give the Tigers depth in the sprints. The shuttle hurdle foursome of the Rash twins, Aidan and Ethan, Reggie Chittenden, and Brady Hurn broke a school record as well with a clocking of 1:03.86 early this season. And like the sprint relay, sophomore distance standout Logan Bleich hit his own blue standard to qualify for Drake in the 3,200 with a time of 9:14.87. That would have placed him third at
state a season ago, and his best 1,600 time of 4:20.97 this season would have earned him a state medal a season ago also. Add in the fact that Carson Squiers is also among the top mile and two-mile runners in the class and you start to under- stand why the Tigers could be a contender for meet team cham- pionships throughout the 2025 campaign. Franzen has been particularly pleased with the strides made by Squiers, who like Bleich is a two-time all-state cross country runner. The duo both placed in-
side the top 10 at the 2024 fall state meet when Gilbert broke the 3A team scoring record en route to its second straight state title. “Carson reminds me of Wil- liam Wadsley,” Franzen said. “The build William made from his freshman season to his sen- ior season, that’s what Carson is doing. He’s also shown me he has some speed.” Both Bleich and Squiers will have to contend with two of the state’s premier distance runners when the state meet rolls around. Western Dubuque’s Quentin Nauman and Pella’s
Canaan Dunham have both run sub-9:14 in the 3,200 and sub- 4:16 in the 1,600. Emmett Barber, Emrick Ryan and Preston Stensland, three more of those vaunted cross country runners, give Gilbert quality racers in the middle dis- tance events, as does Liam Trampel. Barber and Stensland both ran on the 2024 4x800 relay that medaled at state, while Ryan and Barber com- peted in the 4x400. Gilbert took a number of events to the state meet a sea- son ago — nine, to be exact — but came away with only four team points. The opportunities will certainly be there to score more this spring, as the Tigers look to chase down Raccoon River Conference power ADM, which finished second as a team behind only Western Du- buque at state in 2024. “ADM just always seems to have a lot of really good guys,” Franzen said. “Our conference is always tough and it will be again.” One thing working in Gilbert’s favor is it will get to run in front of its home fans when it hosts the league meet on May 7. “This is just one of those years where we’ve got guys ac- ross the board,” Franzen said. “I really like where we’re at.”
THURSDAY, MARCH 27: ADM EARLY BIRD Information: At Adel, 4:15 p.m. start time
WEDNESDAY, MAY 7: RACCOON RIVER CONFERENCE MEET Information: At Tiger Stadium, Gilbert, 4 p.m. start time
FRIDAY, APRIL 4: ROLAND-STORY COED Information: At Story City, 4:30 p.m. start time
THURSDAY, MAY 15: CLASS 3A STATE QUALIFYING MEET Information: At TBA, 4 p.m. start time
TUESDAY, APRIL 8: GILBERT COED Information: At Tiger Stadium, Gilbert, 4:30 p.m. start time
THURSDAY, MAY 22-SATURDAY, MAY 24: STATE MEET Information: At Drake Stadium, Des Moines, 9 a.m. start time each day
SATURDAY, APRIL 12: JIM DUNCAN INVITE Information: At Drake Stadium, Des Moines, 8:30 a.m. start time
Name
Gr Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Jr.
Name
Gr Jr. Jr. Jr.
MONDAY, APRIL 14: SOUTHEAST VALLEY INVITE Information: At Gowrie, 4:30 p.m. start time
John Artz
Aidan Rash Ethan Rash Emrick Ryan William Soupir Carson Squiers Preston Stensland Lucas Anderson Logan Bleich Marcus Jacob Micah Leyva Jordan Martinek Jace Tickle Liam Trampel Adrian Wallace Tayton Warg
Nathan Baldwin Emmett Barber Will Hawthorne Brayden Howard Danny Buss Brady Hurn Bowen Kruse Tristan Limoges Andrew Soupir Ethan Wilcox Nolan Zehr Emerson Congdon Zach Noe Wyatt Pink
Jr. Jr. Jr.
TUESDAY, APRIL 15: FRED SMITH RELAYS Information: At Ankeny, 4:30 p.m. start time
So. So. So. So. So. So. So. So. So. So. Fr. Fr.
THURSDAY, APRIL 17: SAYDEL INVITE Information: At Des Moines, 4:30 p.m. start time
THURSDAY, APRIL 24-SATURDAY, APRIL 26: DRAKE RELAYS Information: At Drake Stadium, Des Moines, TBA for event start times
THURSDAY, APRIL 24: CARROLL TIGER RELAYS Information: At Carroll, 4:30 p.m. start time
Jack Dyche Ean Eldred Gabe Fierce
Jr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Jr.
Cam Zehr
Reggie Chittenden
Jace Davison Joshua Fink
Ayden Folkerts
Fr. Kaedan Mckernan-Nichols Fr. Teddy Pistilli Fr. Clark Savage Fr. Brody Soma Fr. Charles Wadsley Fr. Korben Wirth Fr.
MONDAY, APRIL 28: GILBERT COED RELAYS Information: At Tiger Stadium, Gilbert, 4:30 p.m. start time
Eli Hague
Lual Kenyang Tate Larson Landon Lucht Paul Marpe Cael O’Brien
Row 1: Nolan Zehr, Brayden Howard, Wyatt Pink, Nathan Baldwin, Tristan Limoges, and Zach Noe. Row 2: Will Hawthorne, Emmett Barber, Ethan Wilcox, Bo Kruse, and Brady Hurn.
FRIDAY, MAY 2: SOUTH HARDIN INVITE Information: At Eldora, 4:30 p.m. start time
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MEMBERS OF THE 2025 GILBERT GIRLS SOCCER TEAM include (front row, left to right) Alex Weary, Kylie Marquette, Lila Kruckenberg, Raya Mueller, Bree Iddings, Izzy Terrones, Scarlett Murdoch, Lily Cassady, Ali Doolittle, (second row) Maggie Danilson, Kennady Hansen, Lily Cowan, Bianca Goetz, Shelly Ockey, Madisen Powers, Greta Platts, Sammy Johnson, Noreen Diaconu-Voinea, Kaylin Richards, (third row) Anna Saltzman, Keaton Hanson, Allie Grandgenett, Carly Saienga, Annika Yoder-Stoulil, Emma Deal, Isla Wadsley, Charlotte Lepper, Mady Hermsen, (back row) Coach Kelly Herbers, Coach Heather Currans, Avery Wilson, Abby Patel, Taylor Pyle, Claire Koenig, Rylie Jordison, Regan Richards, Coach Tom Isen- hart, and Coach Danny Jones.
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F ew coaches smile more than Gilbert girls soccer co-head coaches Danny Jones and Heather Currans. They live and coach with posi- tivity, and that’s not going to change anytime soon. The smiles turn into wide grins when they think back to that magical time in the late spring of 2023 when their team defied the odds and reached the Class 1A state champion- ship match. Those smiles be- came strained moments later though as they are asked to think back to a match in which they were on the other side of an upset in a 1-0 loss to Dike- New Hartford during the 2024 regional final round. But, hey, that’s sports. It’s a rollercoaster. One moment, teams are at the top of the hill with their arms spread and en- joying the view. And in the next moment, teams are white- knuckling it and screaming as the ride takes them downhill. It can be frustrating. But it’s also what make sports so magi- cal. You just never know what’s going to happen. “Upsets happen and that was definitely an upset last year,” Jones, who is in his 16th year with the program, said as he thought back to that overtime setback against Dike-New Hart- ford last spring. “The girls were determined to get back to
Front: Anna Saltzman, Keaton Hanson, Raya Mueller, Greta Platts, Madisen Powers, and Noreen Diaconu-Voi- nea.
Middle: Kennady Hansen, Allie Grandgenett, Annika Yoder- Stoulil, Sammy Johnson, and Izzy Terrones. Back: Taylor Pyle, Claire Koenig, and Abby Pate.l
where they were the year be- fore (the state tournament) and that’s what was most dis- appointing to them. But I didn’t consider anything about last season a disappointment.” The 2024 Tigers spent the en- tire season ranked inside the 1A top 5 and put together a 14-4 overall record, including 7-1 in- side the Raccoon River Confer- ence. Not only were they a predominant favorite to reach state, but they had all of the ing- redients to make another run at state gold. Still, losing isn’t what was so heartbreaking, not for the coaches anyway.
“We always say, us playing in the postseason just means we get more time together,” Cur- rans, who is in her eighth year overall with the program and her seventh as a co-head coach, said. “When that ends, it means we don’t get to be to- gether anymore as a team and that’s the sad part.” Jones, Currans and the entire roster will look to ward off that end for as long as possible this spring, as Gilbert has its sights set on another state tournament trip. The Tigers have competed in six of the past eight state tournaments and 10 overall. In addition to the 2023 state finals appearance, they’ve also reached the semifinal round in
2019 and 2022. “I never have a doubt we’re going to be able to put a solid team on the field because I feel the excitement the girls have every year, and this year is no different,” Jones said. “Yeah, we have some years where there is a little more apprehension, but it’s always, hey, who’s going to step up? And it always happens.” Gilbert doesn’t necessarily have to replace quantity from a season ago, but there was defi- nitely quality lost to graduation. Identical twin sisters Elle and Katie O’Brien were program pil- lars for several years, and
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Sarah Thatcher was also part of what the coaches call the Three Amigos up top. The trio ac- counted for 38 goals a season ago, but just as importantly they provided the leadership that made the locomotive move. Re- placing them won’t be easy. “They just had this way about them ... they finished each others sentences, they flowed together, and that’s not some- thing you coach or even de- velop,” Currans said. “It just happened organically.” Who fills that leadership void on the pitch this spring? It will start with this crop of seniors, veteran players like Claire Koe- nig, Abby Patel, Anna Saltzman, and Taylor Pyle. Koenig and Patel rifled in nine and eight goals, respectively, a season ago. Saltzman, who was a part of the rotation during the 2023 march to the state finals, missed the majority of the 2024 campaign due to injury. Pyle is a rock on the back line and will be called upon to be a defen- sive stopper again this spring. “We’re already seeing some great leadership out of those girls,” Currans said. “Claire Koenig, she came to us and said she wanted to do some things to help build a com- munity within our team, and she asked if we were OK with her brining in some different activ- ities during open gyms. She did that all on her own, it was planned by her, and she got
Powers. “And Madisen won’t back down from anything. She’s ultra competitive.” If healthy, junior Lila Krucken- berg will have the opportunity to join Koenig and Powers in the middle of the field. Fellow junior Keaton Hanson provides more experience, as she’ll return as a standout on the defense. Also returning in the back will be sophomores Sammy Johnson an Kennady Hansen. And don’t forget, talented goa- lie Annika Yoder-Stoulil, also a junior, returns as well. She col- lected 36 saves a season ago. Another thing that won’t change for Gilbert is a treacher- ous schedule. Not only will the Raccoon River Conference slate be difficult (what else is new?), the non-conference por- tion with matches against the likes of Nevada, Des Moines Christian, Southeast Polk, Pella, and Dallas Center- Grimes will be anything but easy. An undefeated campaign probably won’t be in the cards, but that’s the last thing the coaches will worry about. They know a tough schedule will only be beneficial come the postsea- son when the same goal as al- ways comes into focus. “If you ask the girls, there’s no difference this year than there was last year with goals,” Jones said.
MONDAY, MARCH 31: NEVADA Information: At Nevada, 7 p.m. varsity start time
THURSDAY, MAY 8: PERRY Information: At Tiger Stadium, Gilbert, 7 p.m. varsity start time
THURSDAY, APRIL 3: DES MOINES CHRISTIAN Information: At Des Moines, 7 p.m. varsity start time
SATURDAY, MAY 10: NORTH POLK Information: At Tiger Stadium, Gilbert, 7 p.m. varsity start time
MONDAY, APRIL 7: BALLARD Information: At Tiger Stadium, Gilbert, 7 p.m. varsity start time
TUESDAY, MAY 13: CARLISLE Information: At Carlisle, 7 p.m. varsity start time
THURSDAY, APRIL 10: SOUTHEAST POLK Information: At Tiger Stadium, Gilbert, 7 p.m. varsity start time
FRIDAY, MAY 16: DALLAS CENTER-GRIMES Information: At Grimes, 7 p.m. varsity start time
MONDAY, APRIL 14: ADM Information: At Adel, 7 p.m. varsity start time
THURSDAY, APRIL 17: PELLA Information: At Pella, 7 p.m. varsity start time
VARSITY
JUNIOR VARSITY
No.
Name
Gr Sr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Sr. Jr. Fr. Jr. Sr. So. Sr. Fr. So. Sr. Sr. So. Fr. So.
No.
Name
Gr Jr. Fr. So. Jr. Fr. Sr. Fr. Sr. Fr. Fr. Fr. So. Fr. Fr. Fr. So. So. So.
1 2 4 6 7
Claire Koenig Raya Mueller Lila Kruckenberg Madisen Powers Anna Saltzman Keaton Hanson Michelle Ockey
4 5 8
Lila Kruckenberg Rylie Jordison Lillian Cassady Maggie Danilson Scarlett Murdoch Isla Wadsley Ali Doolittle Kaylin Richards Kylie Marquette Charlotte Lepper
TUESDAY, APRIL 22: BOONE Information: At Tiger Stadium, Gilbert, 5:30 p.m. start time
10 15 18 19 23 25 27 30 34 35 37 38 41 42 44 53
11 12 13 14 16 17 18 19 20 23 24 26 30 34
FRIDAY, APRIL 25: WINTERSET Information: At Winterset, 7 p.m. varsity start time
good results.” “The silent partner would be Taylor Pyle,” Jones said. “She’s not going to say a whole lot, but that girl shows up and plays hard all the time.” In addition to a solid core of seniors, Gilbert will rely on jun- ior attacking midfielder Madisen Powers, who is a supreme tal-
ent on the pitch. A starter since her freshman season, Powers contributed 13 goals and nine assists a season ago while dealing with an abundance of attention from opposing de- fenses match after match after match. And that’s not going to be any different this season. “She’s a first-team all-state caliber player,” Jones said of
Annika Yoder-Stoulil Jr.
Greta Platts Taylor Pyle
TUESDAY, APRIL 29: BONDURANT-FARRAR Information: At Bondurant, 7 p.m. varsity start time
Sammy Johnson Isla Wadsley Ali Doolittle Allie Grandgenett Kaylin Richards
Emma Deal Izzy Terrones Lilly Cowan Bianca Goetz
FRIDAY, MAY 2: MASON CITY Information: At Tiger Stadium, Gilbert, 7 p.m. varsity start time
Breeonna Iddings Mady Hermsen Alexandria Weary Carly Saienga
Abby Patel
Kennady Hansen
Emma Deal Izzy Terrones
TUESDAY, MAY 6: CARROLL Information: At Tiger Stadium, Gilbert, 7 p.m. varsity start time
Noreen Diaconu Voinea So.
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MEMBERS OF THE 2025 GILBERT BOYS GOLF TEAM include (front row, left to right) Cody Puck, Merek Ritland, Cooper Mitchell, Tyler Weber, Landon Witek, Taylor Dukes, Elliott Dyche, Ryan Lynch, Jack Bunda, Holden Hibbs, (second row) Isaac Shannon, Owen Wilcox, Ben Randall, Gray Woodin, Isaac Brown, Logan Youngberg, Johnny Bouska, Zane Lytle, Estan Buttery, (third row) Gavin Weber, Danny Lempiainen, Ayden Shaw, Cam Zehr, Grant Johnson, Kody Koerner, Josh Bald- win, Rowan Sents, Sam Randall, Joey Lempiainen, (fourth row) Chase Deike, Luke Andersen, John Hales, Hudson White, Kyler Grooters, Brody Hague, Easton VanCleave, Asher Youngberg, Elijah Dahlstrom, (back row) Coach Spencer Clatt, Coach Holly Lester, and Coach Rob Lynch.
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G olf — it’s arguably the most mental game ever in- vented. On a Mon- day, a good player may go out and shred a golf course and metaphorically sit on top of the world. On a Tuesday, on the same course and in the same conditions, that same player can get chewed up like a dog toy and consider the sport a new kind of four-letter word. That’s the game. You can love it and hate it ... and love it again and hate it again ... and love it ... well, you get the idea ... all in the span of a single round. Every golfer out there reading this right now is undoubtedly si-
lently nodding to himself or her- self. Longtime Gilbert boys golf coach Holly Lester knows all too well about how the mental side of the game can make or break a round and a season. That’s why she’s constantly preaching its importance, and that won’t change this spring as the Tigers expect once again to be a contender in the Class 3A landscape statewide. “We just need to go out, play, and have fun, and the team score will fall into place,” Lester said when asked about her message to her players. “In the past, I’ve gotten from some of our guys after they leave that
they play their best golf when they’re out of high school be- cause they’re only playing for themselves and they’re not wor- ried about the team. So we just really need to try to get our guys to understand that they shouldn’t think so hard over each shot. Just go play.” Lester knows though that sometimes it’s hard to avoid that pressure, particularly when you’re a part of a program as accomplished as the one that she has established at Gilbert. The Tigers have won two team state championships in 2021 and 2022. They also have a state runner-up finish under their belt (20008), and Lester’s crew has been third and fourth,
respectively, at the state tourna- ment over the past two sea- sons. Last year’s fourth-place finish came in a one-day affair at Veenker Golf Course in Ames. The second and final round was washed away by torrential rain, and Raccoon River Conference rival ADM secured the team championship. “We would have really liked to have two days, but it was pour- ing and there was no way we could have gone out to play,” Lester said. The Tigers lost three players off last year’s team to gradu- ation — Joey Currans, Ian
Front: Tyler Weber, Zane Lytle, Ryan Lynch, and Isaac Brown. Back: Logan Young- berg, John Hales, Hudson White, and Brody Hague.
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