CAM was the toast of the News-Telegraph’s coverage area on the baseball diamond this summer.
With Rolling Valley Conference district and substate championships, state tournament berth, and an area-best 27-3 record – that’s a 90% winning percentage – one would guess that the Cougars would dominate a newspaper’s all-star team.
Those readers figured right.
Seven of the 20 members of this year’s all-News-Telegraph baseball team – our fourth – hail from CAM and coach Dan Daugherty’s squad. They’re found all over the place: On the mound, behind the plate, around the horn and in the outfield.
Collectively, the group contributed to the Cougars’ hitting average of .347, 298 runs vs. 93 allowed, and had a bullpen that had a 2.45 ERA and struck out 188 opposing batters.
With that said, every team from the coverage area had at least one honoree. With 10 players juniors or younger honored, there’s plenty of talent that should make for another memorable 2023 season.
As has been the case for selecting all-NT teams, the baseball team is chosen based on post-season honors and contributions to their team’s success, along with who was the best players in the NT’s judgment. (As such, we will not take comments on our selections.)
For now, here’s who has the honors for the 2022 all-NT baseball team:
CAPTAIN
Lane Spieker, sr., CAM: Led the Cougars charge to the Iowa Class 1A state baseball tournament. Iowa Western commit hit .522, with a .607 on-base percentage, and had 40 RBI and 13 homers. Compiled a 1.35 ERA and 93 strikeouts in 46-2/3 innings. His other position was at shortstop. Led the Cougars to a Rolling Valley Conference championship. First team all-state by IA Baseball. Unanimous all-RVC, and all-IHSBCA Southwest District in Class 1A. Was also captain of the all-NT football team, leading the Cougars to the school’s first state championship in eight-man.
PITCHERS
Nick Denning, soph., AHSTW: Promising future for Viking sophomore, who compiled a 4-0 regular-season record with a 0.61 ERA and 0.85 WHIP, striking out 48 batters vs. 16 walks in 34-1/3 innings. At the plate, hit .403 with 25 hits, eight for extra bases. First-team all Western Iowa Conference, second team all IHSBCA Class 1A Southwest District.
Tyler Kingery, sr., Exira-EHK: On the mound, went 4-1, with a 1.81 ERA and an 0.84 WHIP, striking out 55 and walking 12 in 31 innings pitched. Stole 11 bases, a team-best. Second team all-Rolling Valley Conference.
CATCHERS
Miles Kading, sr., ACGC: The offensive leader for the Chargers, went .426 at the plate with a .500 on-base percentage. Drove in 29 runs on 40 hits, 12 for extra bases. Threw out seven would-be base stealers, while stealing 16 bases. Second-team all-West Central Activities Conference, second team all IHSBCA Class 2A West District.
Colby Rich, sr., CAM: The guy behind the plate who caught for the statebound Cougars. Threw out six baserunners attempting to steal. Hit .421 with an on-base percentage of .491; of his 40 hits, 18 went for extra bases including six home runs, driving in 40. First team all-state by IA Baseball; also first-team all-Rolling Valley Conference, second team IHSBCA Class 1A Southwest
INFIELD
Seth Hensley, jr., CAM: Hit .284 and had an on-base percentage of .430, with 27 hits and 16 RBIs. Lone non-senior to earn post-season honors for Cougars, earning second-team all Rolling Valley Conference honors, meaning he’ll be counted on for strong infield leadership in 2023.
Joe Kauffman, sr., CAM: Drove in a team-high 45 runs on a .407 batting average and .491 on-base percentage, with 14 of his 37 hits going for extra bases. Efficent on the mound, with a 3.32 ERA and 1.45 WHIP, with 64 strikeouts vs. 29 walks in 31-1/3 innings. First team all-state by IA Baseball; also first team all-Rolling Valley Conference, second team IHSBCA Class 1A Southwest District.
Gavin Smith, sr., Audubon: Finished off an outstanding athletic career for the Wheelers with a first team all-Rolling Valley Conference, first team IHSBCA Class 1A Southwest District. Went .464 at the plate and had an on-base percentage of .554, with 15 extra-base hits, five for home runs, and 24 RBIs. On the mound, went 3-3 and had a 4.06 ERA and 1.69 WHIP; struck out 43 batters and walked 27 in 39-2/3 innings. When not on the mound, was a strong quarterback for the infield.
Cade Ticknor, sr., CAM: The No. 2 pitcher for the Cougars state-bound baseball team, went 5-1 and compiled a 2.08 ERA and 1.29 WHIP, with 61 strikeouts vs. 24 walks in 40-1/3 innings. Went .276 but drove in 21 runs and had eight doubles offensively. Second team all-Rolling Valley Conference, second team IHSBCA Class 1A Southwest District.
OUTFIELD
Ethan Follmann, sr., CAM: Anchor of the Cougars’ outfield, with a 95% fielding average in 20 chances. Had a .402 average and a .477 on-base percentage, with 37 hits and 32 RBIs. Stole 19 bases. Also went 3-0 on the mound, with a 4.42 ERA and 11 strikeouts. First team all-Rolling Valley Conference, second team IHSBCA Class 1A Southwest District.
Jack Follmann, soph., CAM: A strong outfielder who will be counted on to help lead the Cougars in 2023 and 2024. Drove in 23 runs off 23 hits, and had a .295 average and .456 on-base percentage.
Lane Nelson, sr., Atlantic: Reliable player anywhere on the field at any position. Compiled a 4.99 ERA and 1.88 WHIP, with 26 strikeouts vs. 18 walks in 26-1/3 innings. Second team all-Hawkeye Ten Conference.
Tyler Petersen, jr., Exira-EHK: Offensive leader for the Spartans, with a .320 average and a .452 on-base percentage. Had 16 hits, including three doubles, and drove in 13 runs. On the mound, had a 4.94 ERA an a 1.77 WHIP, wiht 23 strikeouts vs. nine walks in 17 innings. Second team all-Rolling Valley Conference.
UTILITY
Grady Jeppesen, soph., Riverside: Leader of the up-and-coming Bulldogs, with a .351 average at the plate and a .493 on-base percentage. Drove in six runs and scored 13 runs. First-team all-Western Iowa Conference, honorable mention IHSBCA Class 1A Southwest District.
Zane Johnson, fresh., Griswold: Part of a promising young class of athletes for Tiger sports. Went .414 at the plate and had a .500 on-base percentage, with five extra-base hits and 10 RBIs. Stole eight bases, one of three to steal that many. Second-team all-Corner Conference.
Gavin Larsen, jr., Audubon: Went .366 at the plate and had a .446 on-base percentage, with nine extra-base hits among his 26 hits, including 22 RBIs. Second-team all-Western Iowa Conference.
Brayden Lund, jr., AHSTW: Statistically the offensive leader for the Vikings, going .468 with a .478 on-base percentage, with 10 of his 29 hits going extra bases and driving in 18 runs. Second-team all-Western Iowa Conference.
Jackson McLaren, jr., Atlantic: Anchor of the Trojan outfield. Hit .329 and had a .382 on-base percentage, with 19 runs and 12 RBIs.
Carter Pellett, jr., Atlantic: Had a .244 average and .337 on-base percentage, with four home runs (the most in several years by one player) and 12 RBIs. Stole a team-best seven bases. Honorable mention all-Hawkeye Ten Conference.
Wyatt Redinbaugh, sr., Atlantic: Both caught and pitched for the Trojans, one of several players to see both sides of the plate. Average of .347 and on-base percentage of .447; had 15 RBIs off 25 hits, six for extra bases including a home run. Second-team all-Hawkeye Ten Conference.
