Emergency room doctor Jeremy Owens, 43, isn’t a Burlington native. He’s from Cedar Rapids.

But he considers Burlington his adopted hometown and doesn’t plan on leaving anytime soon. When Owens became a Burlington firefighter in 2008, he fell in love with the town – and the people.

“I have a lot of friends in the fire department. It’s like a brotherhood. There’s a lot of new faces in the department too, but I still know a lot of people,” he said.

To be of more service to them, Owens left his adopted hometown of Burlington for a few years to become a full-fledged physician.

“It was tough. There were only a handful of non-traditional students like me in my class,” Owens said of attending medical school. “But hospitals want some of that. They want doctors who have some life experience.”

After 12 years of EMT experience, Owens started his job as a doctor in the Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center emergency room. He’s been there since June, working 12-hour shifts that often flip between graveyard hours and daytime work.

“There is no typical day. And that’s why I like it. You never know what you’re going to get when you walk through that door,” he said. “And I like the aspect of being out in the community.”

Growing up in Cedar Rapids, Owens wasn’t one of those kids who planned out their entire life trajectory. He didn’t know what he wanted to do when he grew up, and he didn’t care.

“I hated school, honestly. And when I graduated high school, I went to Kirkwood (Community College), and I was working at a bookstore,” he said.

Owens caught a glimpse of a possible future career one afternoon at the bookstore — and it wasn’t in any of the books.

“I remember seeing some firefighters respond to a fire alarm at the store next to us. And I was like, ‘Well, that seems like it’d be cool.’ And I started looking into that,” he said. “I was just taking some general classes at Kirkwood, and they had a fire science program there. So I started that.”

Owens came out of Kirkwood as a certified EMT, which is standard for a firefighter these days. Then he put that training to use.

“I started volunteering for the Hiawatha Fire Department up near Cedar Rapids. And they had just started an ambulance service up there. I liked that. I remember watching the paramedics there, and I always admired them. I wanted to be able to do what they could do,” Owens said.

Owens started at the Burlington Fire Department shortly after that, putting in eight years between 2008 and 2016. He loved the job but wanted more. The first step was to get his bachelor’s degree.

“So I started taking classes at the University of Iowa again, and I was driving back and forth for a while. I would get off work and drive up to Iowa City, do my classes, and come back down and work. And for about three years, that’s all I did was work and school,” he said.

Then Owens got into medical school and moved to Des Moines in 2016. It was all school after that, including residency work.

“I missed Burlington when I moved away,” he said.

Owens finished medical school in 2020 and started his residency in Peoria, Ill., just as the COVID-19 pandemic hit the world. He treated a lot of COVID-19 patients but never contracted it himself — as far as he knows.

“My second year (in residency), it was September of 2021, and we didn’t have hardly any COVID patients. It seemed like it had burned itself out in that population,” he said.

Owens doesn’t take much downtime. He finished his residency in June — the same month he started his new job at the Burlington ER. He unwinds in outdoor ways — hiking, running, and lately, archery.

Owens views his downtime more as a vacation than a release from the daily stress of being an ER medic. Though he can’t get into any specifics, Owens has treated everything an ER has to offer, from auto accidents and gunshot wounds to heart attacks.

None of it rattles him — not after a decade-plus of working traumatic scenes. Maintaining a calming presence via a soft but confident voice, Owens often delivers bad news to local people on one of the worst days of their lives.

Empathy is what keeps Owens in balance — and makes him that much more of a doctor.

“I have to remind myself that you’re dealing with people who are very stressed out, and you’ve got to take a step back and say, ‘Well, how would I feel in this situation?’” Owens said. “That’s one of the things I like about emergency medicine. It’s not only the patient, but their family you can help. Explain to them what’s going on, and what the next steps are, and relax the situation.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://d2eftiauov6o73.cloudfront.net/public/2023/11/1701363587948.jpeg" alt="Jeremy Owens once served residents of his adopted hometown as a Burlington firefighter from 2008 through 2016. He now helps the community as an emergency room physician at Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center. Photo/John Lovretta" />
 <figcaption>Jeremy Owens once served residents of his adopted hometown as a Burlington firefighter from 2008 through 2016. He now helps the community as an emergency room physician at Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center. Photo/John Lovretta</figcaption>
 </figure>By William SmithEmergency room doctor Jeremy Owens, 43, isn’t a Burlington native. He’s from Cedar Rapids.But he considers Burlington his adopted hometown and doesn’t plan on leaving anytime soon. When Owens became a Burlington firefighter in 2008, he fell in love with the town – and the people.“I have a lot of friends in the fire department. It’s like a brotherhood. There’s a lot of new faces in the department too, but I still know a lot of people,” he said.To be of more service to them, Owens left his adopted hometown of Burlington for a few years to become a full-fledged physician.“It was tough. There were only a handful of non-traditional students like me in my class,” Owens said of attending medical school. “But hospitals want some of that. They want doctors who have some life experience.”After 12 years of EMT experience, Owens started his job as a doctor in the Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center emergency room. He’s been there since June, working 12-hour shifts that often flip between graveyard hours and daytime work.Owens loves every minute of it.“There is no typical day. And that’s why I like it. You never know what you’re going to get when you walk through that door,” he said. “And I like the aspect of being out in the community.”Growing up in Cedar Rapids, Owens wasn’t one of those kids who planned out their entire life trajectory. He didn’t know what he wanted to do when he grew up, and he didn’t care.“I hated school, honestly. And when I graduated high school, I went to Kirkwood (Community College), and I was working at a bookstore,” he said.Owens caught a glimpse of a possible future career one afternoon at the bookstore — and it wasn’t in any of the books.“I remember seeing some firefighters respond to a fire alarm at the store next to us. And I was like, ‘Well, that seems like it’d be cool.’ And I started looking into that,” he said. “I was just taking some general classes at Kirkwood, and they had a fire science program there. So I started that.”Owens came out of Kirkwood as a certified EMT, which is standard for a firefighter these days. Then he put that training to use.“I started volunteering for the Hiawatha Fire Department up near Cedar Rapids. And they had just started an ambulance service up there. I liked that. I remember watching the paramedics there, and I always admired them. I wanted to be able to do what they could do,” Owens said.Owens started at the Burlington Fire Department shortly after that, putting in eight years between 2008 and 2016. He loved the job but wanted more. The first step was to get his bachelor’s degree.“So I started taking classes at the University of Iowa again, and I was driving back and forth for a while. I would get off work and drive up to Iowa City, do my classes, and come back down and work. And for about three years, that’s all I did was work and school,” he said.Then Owens got into medical school and moved to Des Moines in 2016. It was all school after that, including residency work.“I missed Burlington when I moved away,” he said.Owens finished medical school in 2020 and started his residency in Peoria, Ill., just as the COVID-19 pandemic hit the world. He treated a lot of COVID-19 patients but never contracted it himself — as far as he knows.By 2021, that had slowed down.“My second year (in residency), it was September of 2021, and we didn’t have hardly any COVID patients. It seemed like it had burned itself out in that population,” he said.Owens doesn’t take much downtime. He finished his residency in June — the same month he started his new job at the Burlington ER. He unwinds in outdoor ways — hiking, running, and lately, archery.“I like snowboarding too,” he said.Owens views his downtime more as a vacation than a release from the daily stress of being an ER medic. Though he can’t get into any specifics, Owens has treated everything an ER has to offer, from auto accidents and gunshot wounds to heart attacks.None of it rattles him — not after a decade-plus of working traumatic scenes. Maintaining a calming presence via a soft but confident voice, Owens often delivers bad news to local people on one of the worst days of their lives.Empathy is what keeps Owens in balance — and makes him that much more of a doctor.“I have to remind myself that you’re dealing with people who are very stressed out, and you’ve got to take a step back and say, ‘Well, how would I feel in this situation?’” Owens said. “That’s one of the things I like about emergency medicine. It’s not only the patient, but their family you can help. Explain to them what’s going on, and what the next steps are, and relax the situation.”

Healing with Empathy

Above:&nbsp; West Burlington-Notre Dame's Will Burke bowls a frame during their match against Mount Pleasant High School Tuesday at KingPins Bowling Center in Burlington. 

Above: West Burlington-Notre Dame's Brody Willdrick bowls a frame during their match against Mount Pleasant High School.

Above: West Burlington-Notre Dame's Sophia Blindt bowls a frame during their match against Mount Pleasant High School.

Above: West Burlington-Notre Dame's James Hunold bowls a frame during their match against Mount Pleasant High School.

Photos by John Lovretta<figure>
 <img src="https://d2eftiauov6o73.cloudfront.net/public/2023/11/1701364129559.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Above:&nbsp; West Burlington-Notre Dame's Will Burke bowls a frame during their match against Mount Pleasant High School Tuesday at KingPins Bowling Center in Burlington. <figure>
 <img src="https://d2eftiauov6o73.cloudfront.net/public/2023/11/1701364185735.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Above: West Burlington-Notre Dame's Brody Willdrick bowls a frame during their match against Mount Pleasant High School.<figure>
 <img src="https://d2eftiauov6o73.cloudfront.net/public/2023/11/1701364204063.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Above: West Burlington-Notre Dame's Sophia Blindt bowls a frame during their match against Mount Pleasant High School.<figure>
 <img src="https://d2eftiauov6o73.cloudfront.net/public/2023/11/1701364245671.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Above: West Burlington-Notre Dame's James Hunold bowls a frame during their match against Mount Pleasant High School.

On a Roll

Notre Dame standout is ready for volleyball season at U of I.

By John Bohnenkamp&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Burlington Beacon

Gabby Deery has been a member of the Iowa volleyball team since arriving on campus this summer, but Saturday’s (Aug. 19) intrasquad scrimmage at Xtream Arena was finally going to be the moment she wanted.

“It’s been so surreal,” Deery said in the media session before the scrimmage. “I’ve always wanted to be a Hawkeye. I feel like with this scrimmage, it will finally sink in — being on the court and competing. Yeah, it will be against each other, but it will be like, ‘I’m actually here as a Hawkeye.’”

Deery, the Notre Dame High School graduate who led the Nikes to two state championships, is competing for playing time at outside hitter for the Hawkeyes. Her work in the preseason impressed second-year coach Jim Barnes.

“She’s been a surprise, as a freshman, for how hard-working and serious she is in the gym,” Barnes said. “She gets in there and works hard, and that’s what I’m mostly proud of. We put her on the right side to add some depth, but she’s competing. She’s trying to win a position. And that surprised me too.”

“She’s diligent, hard-working. She’s a perfectionist. All of those things surprised me. I knew she’d be a good addition, but she’s surprised all of us. She’s getting after it.”

Deery, who had more than 1,500 kills with the Nikes, is playing a right-side hitter’s spot, a position she is getting comfortable with during practice.

“I have a little experience on the right side,” she said. “It’s the same basics. There’s not much to it.”

Deery is one of six freshmen Barnes brought in during the offseason, a rebuilding class that includes three transfers after a season in which the Hawkeyes went 10-21, 4-16 in the Big Ten.

Deery holds Notre Dame’s records in career kills, career blocks, single-season kills, single-season blocks, and single-season aces. She was the Iowa Girls Coaches Association Class 1A state player of the year for the last two seasons.

“It was an easy decision,” she said. “I’ve always wanted to play at the highest level of volleyball. It’s close to home. Great program, with great coaches. It all worked out for me.

“I’m super excited for what Coach Barnes has in store for our team. He has great goals for us, and I know we can fulfill those goals.”

Deery arrived on campus at the end of June and worked in the summer program led by the team’s captains. Once she could work with the coaches, her education has grown.

“They definitely keep us busy and I love it,” she said. “I really feel like I’ve been improving in these first two weeks of preseason. We’re always in the gym, and I’m glad we get the film, and coaches give us feedback.

“I have learned so much getting to compete with everyone in the gym. We have this thing where we’re not competing against each other, we’re competing with one another. And so that’s helpful in getting to learn new things.”

“She’s good at everything,” Barnes said.&nbsp;

“But she needs to be great at hitting, at blocking — two big things on the right side. That’s the thing — she’s got all of the tools to be great. She really does. It’s going to take work to get to our level. But it’s impressed us that she is good at everything. She’s a well-rounded player.”

Notre Dame standout is ready for volleyball season at U of I.<figure>
 <img src="https://d2eftiauov6o73.cloudfront.net/public/2023/8/1693249555327.jpeg" alt="Gabby Deery" />
 <figcaption>Gabby Deery</figcaption>
 </figure>By John Bohnenkamp&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Burlington BeaconGabby Deery has been a member of the Iowa volleyball team since arriving on campus this summer, but Saturday’s (Aug. 19) intrasquad scrimmage at Xtream Arena was finally going to be the moment she wanted.“It’s been so surreal,” Deery said in the media session before the scrimmage. “I’ve always wanted to be a Hawkeye. I feel like with this scrimmage, it will finally sink in — being on the court and competing. Yeah, it will be against each other, but it will be like, ‘I’m actually here as a Hawkeye.’”Deery, the Notre Dame High School graduate who led the Nikes to two state championships, is competing for playing time at outside hitter for the Hawkeyes. Her work in the preseason impressed second-year coach Jim Barnes.“She’s been a surprise, as a freshman, for how hard-working and serious she is in the gym,” Barnes said. “She gets in there and works hard, and that’s what I’m mostly proud of. We put her on the right side to add some depth, but she’s competing. She’s trying to win a position. And that surprised me too.”“She’s diligent, hard-working. She’s a perfectionist. All of those things surprised me. I knew she’d be a good addition, but she’s surprised all of us. She’s getting after it.”Deery, who had more than 1,500 kills with the Nikes, is playing a right-side hitter’s spot, a position she is getting comfortable with during practice.“I have a little experience on the right side,” she said. “It’s the same basics. There’s not much to it.”Deery is one of six freshmen Barnes brought in during the offseason, a rebuilding class that includes three transfers after a season in which the Hawkeyes went 10-21, 4-16 in the Big Ten.Deery holds Notre Dame’s records in career kills, career blocks, single-season kills, single-season blocks, and single-season aces. She was the Iowa Girls Coaches Association Class 1A state player of the year for the last two seasons.“It was an easy decision,” she said. “I’ve always wanted to play at the highest level of volleyball. It’s close to home. Great program, with great coaches. It all worked out for me.“I’m super excited for what Coach Barnes has in store for our team. He has great goals for us, and I know we can fulfill those goals.”Deery arrived on campus at the end of June and worked in the summer program led by the team’s captains. Once she could work with the coaches, her education has grown.“They definitely keep us busy and I love it,” she said. “I really feel like I’ve been improving in these first two weeks of preseason. We’re always in the gym, and I’m glad we get the film, and coaches give us feedback.“I have learned so much getting to compete with everyone in the gym. We have this thing where we’re not competing against each other, we’re competing with one another. And so that’s helpful in getting to learn new things.”“She’s good at everything,” Barnes said.&nbsp;“But she needs to be great at hitting, at blocking — two big things on the right side. That’s the thing — she’s got all of the tools to be great. She really does. It’s going to take work to get to our level. But it’s impressed us that she is good at everything. She’s a well-rounded player.”

Deery is ‘getting after it’ for the Hawkeyes

Notre Dame coach Chris Chiprez and Van Buren coach Chad Scott shared Coach of the Year honors for the Southeast Iowa Superconference's all-South Division baseball team. The seven coaches voted for the all-Division teams.

The Nikes and the Warriors competed this past week at the state's 1A and 2A tournaments, respectively, in Carroll.

Notre Dame finished 11-1 to claim the South Division title, and Van Buren was one loss behind them at 11-2. The Nikes went to state with a 26-6 record, and the Warriors with a 26-3 record.

Jackson Manning of Van Buren was chosen as Player of the Year. He hit .517 for the season, and his 14 doubles, four triples, and two home runs helped him to a .839 slugging percentage. He drove in 60 runs.

Notre Dame placed six on the first team and six on the second team.

Making the first team for the Nikes were: Jaxon Sadler, pitcher; Logan Brent, catcher, Caden Schwenker and Spencer Brent, infielders; Landry Haberichter, outfielder, and Hunter Shipley, utility.

Payne Prottsman was chosen as one of the second-team pitchers, Maddox Diewold made it as an infielder, Lucas Johnson and Isaiah Crow as outfielders and Dylan Kipp and Eli Oleson as utility players.

Jeremiah Crow received an honorable mention.

Mediapolis came in third in the South at 8-5. Their first-team picks were Kamden Stotlar behind the plate, Jackson Hutcheson in the outfield, and Lance Ludens in the infield. The second-team Bulldogs were outfielder Kyler Crow and infielder Grady Gunn. Xayvion Breuer and Grant Hilton received an honorable mention.

West Burlington came in fifth in the league with a 4-8 record. The Falcons Jace Figuereo made the first team as an infielder and Hayden Vandenberg was first-team utility. Brady Diewold was a second-team outfielder. Emry Watson and Brock Thuleen received honorable mentions.

For Danville, which finished seventh with a 1-13 mark, Kessler Whaley was a first-team outfielder, and Jaden Bauer was a first-team infielder. Deken Huff made the second team as an outfielder, and Henry Bellrichard was a second-team infielder. Quentin Stotlar and Addison Clayton received an honorable mention.

Rounding out the first team: pitcher Taylor Sprouse, infielder Manning and outfielder Anthony Duncan, of Van Buren; catcher Tate Welcher and utility player Brendan Richey, New London.

The rest of the second team: pitcher Dylan Richardson, catcher Izaak Loeffler and infielder Lucus Fett, Van Buren; catcher Bo Herdrich and utility player Corbin Pohren, Central Lee; and infielders Gavin Menke-Bailey and Memphis Watson, New London.

Schwenker, a junior, led his team with a .431 average (.608 slugging). He had eight doubles, two triples, and two home runs and drove in 37 runs. He also led the Nikes in drawing walks with 18. He stole 13 bases.

Spencer Brent, a junior, hit .381 (.517 slugging) and hit 13 doubles and one home run. He led in RBIs with 38 and struck out just 10 times in 118 at-bats. He stole 12 bases.

Haberichter, a freshman, batted .343 (.528 slugging). He had 13 doubles, two triples, and a home run.

Logan Brent, a junior, hit .330, with seven doubles and two home runs. He stole 13 bases.

Sadler, a junior, went undefeated in all six starts, and he pitched in eight others. His ERA was 3.03, and he struck out 61 and walked 20.

Shipley, the only senior on the team, started 11 games and went 8-1. He had a 1.43 ERA, the lowest of the regular hurlers. He struck out 52 and walked 26.

Figuereo, a senior, hit .531 for the Falcons (.703 slugging). He had three doubles and four triples to go with 27 singles in 64 at-bats. He and Vandenberg each walked 14 times. Figuereo struck out just three times in 64 at-bats.

Vandenberg, a senior, hit .483 but his 18 doubles and six home runs helped him get a .867 slugging percentage.

Stotlar, a junior, led the Bulldog starters in hitting at .365. He hit three doubles and led the team in RBIs with 24.

Hutcheson, a junior, hit .354 with four doubles and 14 RBIs.

Ludens, a sophomore, hit .338. He had two doubles, two triples, and four home runs. He struck out eight times in 80 at-bats.

Whaley, a sophomore, hit .518 to lead the Bears (.607 slugging). He hit five doubles.

Bauer, a sophomore, hit .392 and led the team in RBIs with 17.

<figure>
 <img src="https://d2eftiauov6o73.cloudfront.net/public/2023/7/1689693600285.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Beacon SportsNotre Dame coach Chris Chiprez and Van Buren coach Chad Scott shared Coach of the Year honors for the Southeast Iowa Superconference's all-South Division baseball team. The seven coaches voted for the all-Division teams.The Nikes and the Warriors competed this past week at the state's 1A and 2A tournaments, respectively, in Carroll.Notre Dame finished 11-1 to claim the South Division title, and Van Buren was one loss behind them at 11-2. The Nikes went to state with a 26-6 record, and the Warriors with a 26-3 record.Jackson Manning of Van Buren was chosen as Player of the Year. He hit .517 for the season, and his 14 doubles, four triples, and two home runs helped him to a .839 slugging percentage. He drove in 60 runs.Notre Dame placed six on the first team and six on the second team.Making the first team for the Nikes were: Jaxon Sadler, pitcher; Logan Brent, catcher, Caden Schwenker and Spencer Brent, infielders; Landry Haberichter, outfielder, and Hunter Shipley, utility.Payne Prottsman was chosen as one of the second-team pitchers, Maddox Diewold made it as an infielder, Lucas Johnson and Isaiah Crow as outfielders and Dylan Kipp and Eli Oleson as utility players.Jeremiah Crow received an honorable mention.Mediapolis came in third in the South at 8-5. Their first-team picks were Kamden Stotlar behind the plate, Jackson Hutcheson in the outfield, and Lance Ludens in the infield. The second-team Bulldogs were outfielder Kyler Crow and infielder Grady Gunn. Xayvion Breuer and Grant Hilton received an honorable mention.West Burlington came in fifth in the league with a 4-8 record. The Falcons Jace Figuereo made the first team as an infielder and Hayden Vandenberg was first-team utility. Brady Diewold was a second-team outfielder. Emry Watson and Brock Thuleen received honorable mentions.For Danville, which finished seventh with a 1-13 mark, Kessler Whaley was a first-team outfielder, and Jaden Bauer was a first-team infielder. Deken Huff made the second team as an outfielder, and Henry Bellrichard was a second-team infielder. Quentin Stotlar and Addison Clayton received an honorable mention.Rounding out the first team: pitcher Taylor Sprouse, infielder Manning and outfielder Anthony Duncan, of Van Buren; catcher Tate Welcher and utility player Brendan Richey, New London.The rest of the second team: pitcher Dylan Richardson, catcher Izaak Loeffler and infielder Lucus Fett, Van Buren; catcher Bo Herdrich and utility player Corbin Pohren, Central Lee; and infielders Gavin Menke-Bailey and Memphis Watson, New London.First-team statsNotre Dame(Stats before the state tournament)Schwenker, a junior, led his team with a .431 average (.608 slugging). He had eight doubles, two triples, and two home runs and drove in 37 runs. He also led the Nikes in drawing walks with 18. He stole 13 bases.Spencer Brent, a junior, hit .381 (.517 slugging) and hit 13 doubles and one home run. He led in RBIs with 38 and struck out just 10 times in 118 at-bats. He stole 12 bases.Haberichter, a freshman, batted .343 (.528 slugging). He had 13 doubles, two triples, and a home run.Logan Brent, a junior, hit .330, with seven doubles and two home runs. He stole 13 bases.Sadler, a junior, went undefeated in all six starts, and he pitched in eight others. His ERA was 3.03, and he struck out 61 and walked 20.Shipley, the only senior on the team, started 11 games and went 8-1. He had a 1.43 ERA, the lowest of the regular hurlers. He struck out 52 and walked 26.West BurlingtonFiguereo, a senior, hit .531 for the Falcons (.703 slugging). He had three doubles and four triples to go with 27 singles in 64 at-bats. He and Vandenberg each walked 14 times. Figuereo struck out just three times in 64 at-bats.Vandenberg, a senior, hit .483 but his 18 doubles and six home runs helped him get a .867 slugging percentage.MediapolisStotlar, a junior, led the Bulldog starters in hitting at .365. He hit three doubles and led the team in RBIs with 24.Hutcheson, a junior, hit .354 with four doubles and 14 RBIs.Ludens, a sophomore, hit .338. He had two doubles, two triples, and four home runs. He struck out eight times in 80 at-bats.DanvilleWhaley, a sophomore, hit .518 to lead the Bears (.607 slugging). He hit five doubles.Bauer, a sophomore, hit .392 and led the team in RBIs with 17.Final standingsNotre Dame 11-1, 26-6Van Buren, 11-2, 26-3Mediapolis, 8-5, 17-9Central Lee, 7-5, 15-8West Burlington 4-8, 9-10New London, 2-10, 8-15Danville, 1-13, 2-17

Chiprez, Scott share Coach of the Year honors

Burlington High School’s 12th-ranked softball team fell one win short of returning to the state tournament.

Norwalk, who was ranked fourth, blanked the Grayhounds, 5-0, Tuesday night in the championship game of the Class 4A, Region 6 tournament at Norwalk. The Warriors (31-9) advance to the state tournament July 17-21 at Harlan Rogers Park in Fort Dodge.

The young Burlington team ends its season at 20-9. On the Burlington roster, there are no seniors, four juniors, two sophomores, four freshmen, and six eighth-graders.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

The Grayhounds reached the championship game by edging Knoxville, 3-2, on Saturday night at Wagner Field in the semifinal round.

&nbsp;“I expect (Norwalk) to be wanting to put it to us because we beat them,” BHS head coach Larry Heath said Saturday night after the semifinal victory. The Grayhounds beat Norwalk on June 10 in the Xavier tournament at Cedar Rapids, 2-0.

“We made some good defensive plays (in the first game against Norwalk) and beat them 2-0,” Heath said. “Their pitching is very good. They’re a very good team and play some tough competition and they more than likely will be laying for us since they lost to us.”

BHS also faced Norwalk in the consolation play of last summer’s state tournament, falling to the Warriors, 5-0.

&nbsp;Last Saturday night, the Grayhounds held a 3-0 lead over Knoxville entering the seventh inning, then committed three errors and allowed two unearned runs. Burlington second baseman Hannah Heuvelmann then made a diving grab of Emma Duncan’s ground ball and Heuvelmann flipped the softball to shortstop Kierah Wiseman for the game’s final out, preserving the victory.

“We’ve been trying to get Hannah to just lay out on some of those balls that we think she can get to,” Heath said. “Obviously, she got there. It was a great play to win the game for us.”

Saydee Plummer (12-4) was the winning pitcher, giving up no earned runs on five hits and one walk in seven innings. She struck out 10 batters.

“Saydee pitched a great game,” Heath said. “She couldn’t close it out in the seventh inning. It should have been two outs and nobody on, but we had three errors in the last inning. We gave them some opportunities, and they almost took advantage of it. We managed to get through it. Saydee pitched a great game and had a big hit with two RBIs. That was the difference in the game.”

In the fifth inning, Wiseman reached on an error, and slugger Kylee Hill was intentionally walked. Plummer ripped a two-out single to left center to score both runners and give BHS a 3-0 lead.

In the second inning, Ava Fawcett doubled to left and scored on Maddy Taeger’s single to right to give Burlington a 1-0 edge.

Joining Norwalk in the 4A state tournament will be Fort Dodge, ADM, Winterset, Carlisle, North Polk, North Scott, and Western Dubuque.

<figure>
 <img src="https://d2eftiauov6o73.cloudfront.net/public/2023/7/1689131866147.jpeg" alt="Burlington High School's head coach Larry Heath huddles up with players before the start of their Class 4A Region 6 game against Knoxville High School on Saturday, July 8, at Burlington's Wagner Field. Photo/John Lovretta" />
 <figcaption>Burlington High School's head coach Larry Heath huddles up with players before the start of their Class 4A Region 6 game against Knoxville High School on Saturday, July 8, at Burlington's Wagner Field. Photo/John Lovretta</figcaption>
 </figure>By Joe GerenBurlington High School’s 12th-ranked softball team fell one win short of returning to the state tournament.Norwalk, who was ranked fourth, blanked the Grayhounds, 5-0, Tuesday night in the championship game of the Class 4A, Region 6 tournament at Norwalk. The Warriors (31-9) advance to the state tournament July 17-21 at Harlan Rogers Park in Fort Dodge.The young Burlington team ends its season at 20-9. On the Burlington roster, there are no seniors, four juniors, two sophomores, four freshmen, and six eighth-graders.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;The Grayhounds reached the championship game by edging Knoxville, 3-2, on Saturday night at Wagner Field in the semifinal round.&nbsp;“I expect (Norwalk) to be wanting to put it to us because we beat them,” BHS head coach Larry Heath said Saturday night after the semifinal victory. The Grayhounds beat Norwalk on June 10 in the Xavier tournament at Cedar Rapids, 2-0.“We made some good defensive plays (in the first game against Norwalk) and beat them 2-0,” Heath said. “Their pitching is very good. They’re a very good team and play some tough competition and they more than likely will be laying for us since they lost to us.”BHS also faced Norwalk in the consolation play of last summer’s state tournament, falling to the Warriors, 5-0.&nbsp;Last Saturday night, the Grayhounds held a 3-0 lead over Knoxville entering the seventh inning, then committed three errors and allowed two unearned runs. Burlington second baseman Hannah Heuvelmann then made a diving grab of Emma Duncan’s ground ball and Heuvelmann flipped the softball to shortstop Kierah Wiseman for the game’s final out, preserving the victory.“We’ve been trying to get Hannah to just lay out on some of those balls that we think she can get to,” Heath said. “Obviously, she got there. It was a great play to win the game for us.”Saydee Plummer (12-4) was the winning pitcher, giving up no earned runs on five hits and one walk in seven innings. She struck out 10 batters.“Saydee pitched a great game,” Heath said. “She couldn’t close it out in the seventh inning. It should have been two outs and nobody on, but we had three errors in the last inning. We gave them some opportunities, and they almost took advantage of it. We managed to get through it. Saydee pitched a great game and had a big hit with two RBIs. That was the difference in the game.”In the fifth inning, Wiseman reached on an error, and slugger Kylee Hill was intentionally walked. Plummer ripped a two-out single to left center to score both runners and give BHS a 3-0 lead.In the second inning, Ava Fawcett doubled to left and scored on Maddy Taeger’s single to right to give Burlington a 1-0 edge.Heuvelmann and Hill also hit singles.Knoxville ended its season at 15-14.Joining Norwalk in the 4A state tournament will be Fort Dodge, ADM, Winterset, Carlisle, North Polk, North Scott, and Western Dubuque.

Norwalk ousts BHS girls just short of state

Lauren Krieger's deep foul out to the Fairfield left fielder in the bottom of the ninth brought home West Burlington-Notre Dame teammate Isabella Blaufuss Thursday night and gave the Falcons a 2-1 extra-inning victory in a first-round Class 3A Region 8 game at Barb Carter Field.

WB-ND (22-11) plays Saturday night at West Liberty against the host Comets (20-11), which beat Columbus 8-6 Thursday.

Central Lee lost to Washington 10-1 on Thursday in the top-off of the region.

West Burlington-Notre Dame had gotten out of a bases-loaded jam in the top of the ninth. Winning pitcher Lauren Summers got the first two batters out, but then she gave up a single, a walk, and another hit to load the bases. But Lilly Bergren hit a grounder to third baseman Shonna Anderson, who threw home to Paige Summers for the force out.

Fairfield pitcher Cody Engle struck out the first Falcon batter in the ninth. But Blaufuss' hard grounder to third was mishandled, and Anna Engberg's grounder to short had the same result, putting both Falcons at first and second.

Engle threw a wild pitch, which moved the runners along. Krieger then lofted the fly ball in foul territory, far enough for Blaufuss to tag up after the catch and score the game-ending run.

It was a pitcher's duel: Summers struck out 12 batters, scattered seven hits, walked four, and hit a batter. Engle struck out 10 batters, spread out six hits, walked two, and hit a batter.

Two of the six hits came in WB-ND's first inning. Krieger singled, went to second on an error with Summers batting, and Elise Oleson singled in the first and only Falcons run for the first eight innings.

One of Summers' walks was to Laney Norris leading off the fourth. After Morgan Ament bunted her to second, Leah Helmick singled her home to tie the game at 1-1.

WB-ND stranded nine runners, including runners in scoring position five of the first eight innings.

The Trojans stranded 12 runners, including the bases loaded in the top of the ninth inning.

Engberg almost ended the game in a more traditionally dramatic fashion. With one out in the bottom of the seventh, she launched a deep fly ball to the left that looked like it might clear the fence. But Fairfield's Emmelia Miller stretched her glove and caught the ball at the fence.

Summers, whose career best is 16 strikeouts in a game, said of the nail-biting, low-scoring contest, “I like these types of games. I know I have to buckle down and do my job on the mound. I know we have good enough hitters too, when we come up to bat, get the job done.”

Falcon coach Dave Oleson said, “Summers was great on the mound tonight.”

But he praised Engle for the Trojans. “I don't think we've seen anybody as fast as her, possibly the Sigourney pitcher Goodwin, but she was throwing heat.”

Oleson said, “We could have scored some runs early on, but we didn't get the job done. But we battled and battled and battled and came up with the W.

“We forced them to make mistakes,” he said. “Sometimes you've got to be lucky and force the issue and good things happen.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://d2eftiauov6o73.cloudfront.net/public/2023/7/1688738418925.jpeg" alt="West Burlington-Notre Dame pitcher Lauren Summers brings home a pitch from the circle Thursday night in a Class 3A regional softball opener against Fairfield at Barb Carter Field. Summers struck out 12 batters in the nine-inning game, in which the Falcons won a walk-off foul out deep near left field territory. Photo/Chris Faulkner" />
 <figcaption>West Burlington-Notre Dame pitcher Lauren Summers brings home a pitch from the circle Thursday night in a Class 3A regional softball opener against Fairfield at Barb Carter Field. Summers struck out 12 batters in the nine-inning game, in which the Falcons won a walk-off foul out deep near left field territory. Photo/Chris Faulkner</figcaption>
 </figure>By Chris FaulknerLauren Krieger's deep foul out to the Fairfield left fielder in the bottom of the ninth brought home West Burlington-Notre Dame teammate Isabella Blaufuss Thursday night and gave the Falcons a 2-1 extra-inning victory in a first-round Class 3A Region 8 game at Barb Carter Field.WB-ND (22-11) plays Saturday night at West Liberty against the host Comets (20-11), which beat Columbus 8-6 Thursday.Central Lee lost to Washington 10-1 on Thursday in the top-off of the region.West Burlington-Notre Dame had gotten out of a bases-loaded jam in the top of the ninth. Winning pitcher Lauren Summers got the first two batters out, but then she gave up a single, a walk, and another hit to load the bases. But Lilly Bergren hit a grounder to third baseman Shonna Anderson, who threw home to Paige Summers for the force out.Fairfield pitcher Cody Engle struck out the first Falcon batter in the ninth. But Blaufuss' hard grounder to third was mishandled, and Anna Engberg's grounder to short had the same result, putting both Falcons at first and second.Engle threw a wild pitch, which moved the runners along. Krieger then lofted the fly ball in foul territory, far enough for Blaufuss to tag up after the catch and score the game-ending run.It was a pitcher's duel: Summers struck out 12 batters, scattered seven hits, walked four, and hit a batter. Engle struck out 10 batters, spread out six hits, walked two, and hit a batter.Two of the six hits came in WB-ND's first inning. Krieger singled, went to second on an error with Summers batting, and Elise Oleson singled in the first and only Falcons run for the first eight innings.One of Summers' walks was to Laney Norris leading off the fourth. After Morgan Ament bunted her to second, Leah Helmick singled her home to tie the game at 1-1.WB-ND stranded nine runners, including runners in scoring position five of the first eight innings.The Trojans stranded 12 runners, including the bases loaded in the top of the ninth inning.Engberg almost ended the game in a more traditionally dramatic fashion. With one out in the bottom of the seventh, she launched a deep fly ball to the left that looked like it might clear the fence. But Fairfield's Emmelia Miller stretched her glove and caught the ball at the fence.Summers, whose career best is 16 strikeouts in a game, said of the nail-biting, low-scoring contest, “I like these types of games. I know I have to buckle down and do my job on the mound. I know we have good enough hitters too, when we come up to bat, get the job done.”Falcon coach Dave Oleson said, “Summers was great on the mound tonight.”But he praised Engle for the Trojans. “I don't think we've seen anybody as fast as her, possibly the Sigourney pitcher Goodwin, but she was throwing heat.”Oleson said, “We could have scored some runs early on, but we didn't get the job done. But we battled and battled and battled and came up with the W.“We forced them to make mistakes,” he said. “Sometimes you've got to be lucky and force the issue and good things happen.”

Krieger lifts Falcons with long foul out in bottom of the ninth

Notre Dame’s eighth-ranked baseball team didn’t play like it was coming off an 11-day layoff.

Even on a night when heavy rains forced their home 1A district tournament game to be played at New London, the Nikes hit the ball well and took advantage of eight New London errors to win the district semifinal game 12-0 in five innings Wednesday.

The Nikes (24-6) host Moravia (23-7) at 7 p.m. Saturday.

New London finished at 8-15, having just one senior, Vegas Watson, and one junior, pitcher Brendan Richey, on the roster..

Notre Dame’s Hunter Shipley kept the Tigers in line on the mound for the first three innings. He gave up one hit and one walk and struck out three. Jaxon Sadler pitched the final two innings, giving up a two-out single in the fourth and then striking out the remaining four batters.

“It almost feels like we didn’t skip a beat,” Notre Dame coach Chris Chiprez said. Notre Dame beat Burlington on June 24 to end the regular season.

“To a lot of teams, that’s detrimental,” he said. But his Nikes “had a really good last 10 days of practice. We did a lot of live ABs (at-bats).”

Chiprez said the Nikes capitalized on the numerous New London errors, but also, “I thought we really did a good job with our two-strike approach. We had a lot of two-strike hits for RBIs.”

Errors led to Notre Dame’s first run. Landry Haberichter reached all the way to second on an infield throwing error. He stole third and scored on an overthrow.

Richey, who took the loss for the Tigers, got the next three batters out, but the worst was yet to come.

In the bottom of the second, Notre Dame scored seven runs on three hits and three errors and two hit batters.

Eli Oleson was hit by a pitch to lead things off, and Dylan Kipp singled. Isaiah Crow reached first on a fielder’s choice, but an error kept everyone safe, and Oleson was able to score. Kipp then scored on a wild pitch.

After Lucas Johnson grounded out to the pitcher, Maddux Diewold doubled in Crow.

Notre Dame’s eighth-ranked baseball team didn’t play like it was coming off an 11-day layoff..

The Nikes (24-6) hosts Moravia (23-7) at 7 p.m. Saturday.

Haberichter was hit by a pitch, and on Spencer Brent’s ground ball to short, the throw to second for the force out was bobbled, and Notre Dame had the bases loaded.

Caden Schwenker cleared the bases with a triple that hugged the right foul line and went deep. Schwenker then scored on a sacrifice fly by Logan Brent. A ground out ended the inning.

Crow singled in the third but was caught stealing. Lucas Johnson doubled but was stranded.

The Nikes scored four runs in the fourth, highlighted by a two-run double by Oleson.&nbsp; Kye Reighard relieved Richey and got the final out.

Cale Westerbeck and Memphis Watson had the only hits for the Tigers, who graduated just one senior: Vegas Watson. Richey was the only junior.

<figure>
 <img src="https://d2eftiauov6o73.cloudfront.net/public/2023/7/1688674125598.jpeg" alt="Lucas Johnson of Notre Dame looks for where his bat sent the baseball in the fourth inning of a Class 1A district semifinal game with New London Wednesday night at the Tigers’ diamond.&nbsp; Photo/John Lovretta&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Lucas Johnson of Notre Dame looks for where his bat sent the baseball in the fourth inning of a Class 1A district semifinal game with New London Wednesday night at the Tigers’ diamond.&nbsp; Photo/John Lovretta&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>By Chris FaulknerNotre Dame’s eighth-ranked baseball team didn’t play like it was coming off an 11-day layoff.Even on a night when heavy rains forced their home 1A district tournament game to be played at New London, the Nikes hit the ball well and took advantage of eight New London errors to win the district semifinal game 12-0 in five innings Wednesday.The Nikes (24-6) host Moravia (23-7) at 7 p.m. Saturday.New London finished at 8-15, having just one senior, Vegas Watson, and one junior, pitcher Brendan Richey, on the roster..Notre Dame’s Hunter Shipley kept the Tigers in line on the mound for the first three innings. He gave up one hit and one walk and struck out three. Jaxon Sadler pitched the final two innings, giving up a two-out single in the fourth and then striking out the remaining four batters.“It almost feels like we didn’t skip a beat,” Notre Dame coach Chris Chiprez said. Notre Dame beat Burlington on June 24 to end the regular season.“To a lot of teams, that’s detrimental,” he said. But his Nikes “had a really good last 10 days of practice. We did a lot of live ABs (at-bats).”Chiprez said the Nikes capitalized on the numerous New London errors, but also, “I thought we really did a good job with our two-strike approach. We had a lot of two-strike hits for RBIs.”Errors led to Notre Dame’s first run. Landry Haberichter reached all the way to second on an infield throwing error. He stole third and scored on an overthrow.Richey, who took the loss for the Tigers, got the next three batters out, but the worst was yet to come.In the bottom of the second, Notre Dame scored seven runs on three hits and three errors and two hit batters.Eli Oleson was hit by a pitch to lead things off, and Dylan Kipp singled. Isaiah Crow reached first on a fielder’s choice, but an error kept everyone safe, and Oleson was able to score. Kipp then scored on a wild pitch.After Lucas Johnson grounded out to the pitcher, Maddux Diewold doubled in Crow.By Chris FaulknerBeacon sportsNotre Dame’s eighth-ranked baseball team didn’t play like it was coming off an 11-day layoff..Even on a night when heavy rains forced their home 1A district tournament game to be played at New London, the Nikes hit the ball well and took advantage of eight New London errors to win the district semifinal game 12-0 in five innings Wednesday.The Nikes (24-6) hosts Moravia (23-7) at 7 p.m. Saturday.New London finished at 8-15, having just one senior, Vegas Watson, and one junior, pitcher Brendan Richey, on the roster..Notre Dame’s Hunter Shipley kept the Tigers in line on the mound for the first three innings. He gave up one hit and one walk and struck out three. Jaxon Sadler pitched the final two innings, giving up a two-out single in the fourth and then striking out the remaining four batters.“It almost feels like we didn’t skip a beat,” Notre Dame coach Chris Chiprez said. Notre Dame beat Burlington on June 24 to end the regular season.“To a lot of teams, that’s detrimental,” he said. But his Nikes “had a really good last 10 days of practice. We did a lot of live ABs (at-bats).”Chiprez said the Nikes capitalized on the numerous New London errors, but also, “I thought we really did a good job with our two-strike approach. We had a lot of two-strike hits for RBIs.”Errors led to Notre Dame’s first run. Landry Haberichter reached all the way to second on an infield throwing error. He stole third and scored on an overthrow.Richey, who took the loss for the Tigers, got the next three batters out, but the worst was yet to come.In the bottom of the second, Notre Dame scored seven runs on three hits and three errors and two hit batters.Eli Oleson was hit by a pitch to lead things off, and Dylan Kipp singled. Isaiah Crow reached first on a fielder’s choice, but an error kept everyone safe, and Oleson was able to score. Kipp then scored on a wild pitch.After Lucas Johnson grounded out to the pitcher, Maddux Diewold doubled in Crow.Haberichter was hit by a pitch, and on Spencer Brent’s ground ball to short, the throw to second for the force out was bobbled, and Notre Dame had the bases loaded.Caden Schwenker cleared the bases with a triple that hugged the right foul line and went deep. Schwenker then scored on a sacrifice fly by Logan Brent. A ground out ended the inning.Crow singled in the third but was caught stealing. Lucas Johnson doubled but was stranded.The Nikes scored four runs in the fourth, highlighted by a two-run double by Oleson.&nbsp; Kye Reighard relieved Richey and got the final out.Cale Westerbeck and Memphis Watson had the only hits for the Tigers, who graduated just one senior: Vegas Watson. Richey was the only junior.

Nikes breeze past NL; host Moravia Saturday

The Burlington Bees extended their winning streak to three games Thursday night by sweeping the Springfield Lucky Horseshoes, 6-4 and 3-1, at Community Field.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

On Saturday, all active duty military personnel and military veterans will be admitted free to the 6:30 p.m. game against the Jackson Rockabillys at Community Field. The event is sponsored by Des Moines County American Veterans (AMVETS) Post 29.

Fireworks will follow Monday’s game against the Clinton LumberKings. Monday’s first pitch is also set for 6:30 p.m.

The Bees are scheduled to play at Quincy Friday and Sunday nights.

In Thursday’s first game, Tanner Holland and Caleb Wulf both went 2-for-4 for the Bees. Holland had two RBIs.

A three-run fourth inning secured the victory. Drew Gaskins and Trent Rice both drew walks, then Holland singled to left field to drive in two runs. Holland scored when Springfield third baseman Daedrick Cail muffed Connor Laeng’s ground ball.

Starter Jeremy Fox (1-2) went five innings for the win.

In Thursday’s second game, the Bees scored the winning run in the sixth inning. Tied at 1-1, Brandon Bickford then doubled Keanu Spenser home. Cedric Dunnwald added insurance with an RBI single to center.

Bickford led the Bees at the plate with two singles in three trips. Chase Golden (1-0) pitched two innings for the win. Drew Martin pitched the final inning for his second save.

Both games Thursday were seven-inning games.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://d2eftiauov6o73.cloudfront.net/public/2023/6/1688137244120.jpeg" alt="Burlington Bees first baseman Caleb Wulf (4) attempts to pick off Payton Matthews (20) during the first game of a doubleheader against the Springfield Lucky Horseshoes on Thursday at Community Field. Photo/John Lovretta" />
 <figcaption>Burlington Bees first baseman Caleb Wulf (4) attempts to pick off Payton Matthews (20) during the first game of a doubleheader against the Springfield Lucky Horseshoes on Thursday at Community Field. Photo/John Lovretta</figcaption>
 </figure>Beacon SportsThe Burlington Bees extended their winning streak to three games Thursday night by sweeping the Springfield Lucky Horseshoes, 6-4 and 3-1, at Community Field.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;On Saturday, all active duty military personnel and military veterans will be admitted free to the 6:30 p.m. game against the Jackson Rockabillys at Community Field. The event is sponsored by Des Moines County American Veterans (AMVETS) Post 29.Fireworks will follow Monday’s game against the Clinton LumberKings. Monday’s first pitch is also set for 6:30 p.m.The Bees are scheduled to play at Quincy Friday and Sunday nights.In Thursday’s first game, Tanner Holland and Caleb Wulf both went 2-for-4 for the Bees. Holland had two RBIs.A three-run fourth inning secured the victory. Drew Gaskins and Trent Rice both drew walks, then Holland singled to left field to drive in two runs. Holland scored when Springfield third baseman Daedrick Cail muffed Connor Laeng’s ground ball.<figure>
 <img src="https://d2eftiauov6o73.cloudfront.net/public/2023/6/1688138035607.jpeg" alt="Burlington Bees Jeremy Fox (18) delivers a pitch during the first game of a doubleheader against the Springfield Lucky Horseshoes on Thursday, June 29, at Community Field. Photo/John Lovretta&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Burlington Bees Jeremy Fox (18) delivers a pitch during the first game of a doubleheader against the Springfield Lucky Horseshoes on Thursday, June 29, at Community Field. Photo/John Lovretta&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>Starter Jeremy Fox (1-2) went five innings for the win.In Thursday’s second game, the Bees scored the winning run in the sixth inning. Tied at 1-1, Brandon Bickford then doubled Keanu Spenser home. Cedric Dunnwald added insurance with an RBI single to center.Bickford led the Bees at the plate with two singles in three trips. Chase Golden (1-0) pitched two innings for the win. Drew Martin pitched the final inning for his second save.Both games Thursday were seven-inning games.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://d2eftiauov6o73.cloudfront.net/public/2023/6/1688138857846.jpeg" alt="Burlington Bees pitching coach Jack Gray (5) talks with pitcher Jeremy Fox (18) while the rest of the team gathers around during the first game of a doubleheader against the Springfield Lucky Horseshoes at Community Field. Photo/John Lovretta&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Burlington Bees pitching coach Jack Gray (5) talks with pitcher Jeremy Fox (18) while the rest of the team gathers around during the first game of a doubleheader against the Springfield Lucky Horseshoes at Community Field. Photo/John Lovretta&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>

Bees sweep Springfield

It’s not uncommon for a father to want his son to follow in his footsteps.

Chris Chiprez, head baseball coach for Notre Dame, coached his son Drew for most of his childhood, and Drew recently served as an assistant for his dad for a couple of seasons.

But on Tuesday, May 30, Chris Chiprez went head-to-head against his son, who is the new varsity baseball coach for Danville.

For that special matchup, Drew said, “At first I was more focused on my player, going through the infield and outfield.

“Early in the game, I looked over (to the Notre Dame dugout) when I was at third base,” Drew said. “I looked over at my dad, and I thought, ‘This is awesome.’”

Baseball is an emotional game anyway, Drew said, “and he had coached me for so long.”

So Drew was “trying to implement what he taught me and what other coaches have taught, trying to put a loss in his column. Even though he is my dad, I still wanted to beat him.”

For Chris, “It was special. Being able to coach my son from T-ball on up, and then being able to coach him at Notre Dame and then having him on my coaching staff the last two years to coaching against him, you can’t ask for more than that.”

Drew graduated in 2020 and then played a year at Southeastern Community under Coach Justin Schulte, who had just gotten done guiding the Blackhawks to a national runner-up spot in the NJCAA World Series.

Drew finished his associate’s degree and transferred to Iowa to get a degree in education.

“It’s been a struggle,” Drew said, of coaching a high school team that has a preseason that begins while college is still in session.

Chris, also a Notre Dame graduate, has coached the Nikes the past eight seasons and coached his son Carson, who graduated last year.”

It wasn’t until after his baseball career ended that Drew thought of becoming a coach.

“I learned a lot from (Chris), and I learned a lot from Justin Schulte,” he said. “They both inspired me to teach the game the right way, to teach the players what quality baseball looks like.”

Drew also coached with Ron Walker in the Perfect Game League. Walker recently finished a coaching stint at Fort Madison High School, where he turned that program around.

Drew helped the two seasons under his father and then decided, “I think it’s time I try to bring this style of coaching to another program.”

Chris had called him when he heard the Danville job was open, and Drew took on the challenge.

It’s been eight years since the Bears have had a winning season (14-11), and they’ve averaged four victories a year since.

But Chris has confidence in his son and said Drew is already more knowledgeable than he was when he started out.

“He is mature beyond his years,” Chris said. “He always has been. He’s got a very high baseball IQ. He’s got a very good knowledge of the game. He helped a majority of our guys as our infield coach and hitting coach.”

Drew said he wants to change the baseball culture at Danville, which he defined as, “buying into the program,” and not just what goes on between the chalk lines on the baseball diamond.

“Knowing the sport goes well beyond just the baseball field,” he said. “We preach day in and day out helping out in your community and your school.”

On or off the field, “Taking pride in doing the little things right. Knowing that it’s going to be tough and a lot of work. There’s been a lot of changes in the last 5-6 months. I think these players responded well.”

The young Bears need encouragement so he tells them, “‘I don’t expect perfection.’ You keep feeding them positive thoughts.

“I learned it from my dad: You get a 3 out of 10 on a test and you fail. You hit (a baseball) 3 out of 10 and you’re in the Hall of Fame,” Drew said. “It’s a very difficult sport. It will continue to find any way to make you fail. Are you going to hang your head or pick yourself up and go on to the next play?”

<figure>
 <img src="https://d2eftiauov6o73.cloudfront.net/public/2023/6/1687109474675.jpeg" alt="Drew Chiprez (left) went from playing for his father Chris most of his life to helping his dad coach to now coaching against him in the South Division of the Southeast Iowa Superconference. Chris won the first meeting, 12-1, on May 30. Photo/Chris Faulkner" />
 <figcaption>Drew Chiprez (left) went from playing for his father Chris most of his life to helping his dad coach to now coaching against him in the South Division of the Southeast Iowa Superconference. Chris won the first meeting, 12-1, on May 30. Photo/Chris Faulkner</figcaption>
 </figure>By Chris FaulknerIt’s not uncommon for a father to want his son to follow in his footsteps.Chris Chiprez, head baseball coach for Notre Dame, coached his son Drew for most of his childhood, and Drew recently served as an assistant for his dad for a couple of seasons.But on Tuesday, May 30, Chris Chiprez went head-to-head against his son, who is the new varsity baseball coach for Danville.Notre Dame won that battle 12-1.&nbsp;For that special matchup, Drew said, “At first I was more focused on my player, going through the infield and outfield.“Early in the game, I looked over (to the Notre Dame dugout) when I was at third base,” Drew said. “I looked over at my dad, and I thought, ‘This is awesome.’”Baseball is an emotional game anyway, Drew said, “and he had coached me for so long.”So Drew was “trying to implement what he taught me and what other coaches have taught, trying to put a loss in his column. Even though he is my dad, I still wanted to beat him.”For Chris, “It was special. Being able to coach my son from T-ball on up, and then being able to coach him at Notre Dame and then having him on my coaching staff the last two years to coaching against him, you can’t ask for more than that.”Drew graduated in 2020 and then played a year at Southeastern Community under Coach Justin Schulte, who had just gotten done guiding the Blackhawks to a national runner-up spot in the NJCAA World Series.Drew finished his associate’s degree and transferred to Iowa to get a degree in education.“It’s been a struggle,” Drew said, of coaching a high school team that has a preseason that begins while college is still in session.Chris, also a Notre Dame graduate, has coached the Nikes the past eight seasons and coached his son Carson, who graduated last year.”It wasn’t until after his baseball career ended that Drew thought of becoming a coach.“I learned a lot from (Chris), and I learned a lot from Justin Schulte,” he said. “They both inspired me to teach the game the right way, to teach the players what quality baseball looks like.”Drew also coached with Ron Walker in the Perfect Game League. Walker recently finished a coaching stint at Fort Madison High School, where he turned that program around.Drew helped the two seasons under his father and then decided, “I think it’s time I try to bring this style of coaching to another program.”Chris had called him when he heard the Danville job was open, and Drew took on the challenge.It’s been eight years since the Bears have had a winning season (14-11), and they’ve averaged four victories a year since.But Chris has confidence in his son and said Drew is already more knowledgeable than he was when he started out.“He is mature beyond his years,” Chris said. “He always has been. He’s got a very high baseball IQ. He’s got a very good knowledge of the game. He helped a majority of our guys as our infield coach and hitting coach.”Drew said he wants to change the baseball culture at Danville, which he defined as, “buying into the program,” and not just what goes on between the chalk lines on the baseball diamond.“Knowing the sport goes well beyond just the baseball field,” he said. “We preach day in and day out helping out in your community and your school.”On or off the field, “Taking pride in doing the little things right. Knowing that it’s going to be tough and a lot of work. There’s been a lot of changes in the last 5-6 months. I think these players responded well.”The young Bears need encouragement so he tells them, “‘I don’t expect perfection.’ You keep feeding them positive thoughts.“I learned it from my dad: You get a 3 out of 10 on a test and you fail. You hit (a baseball) 3 out of 10 and you’re in the Hall of Fame,” Drew said. “It’s a very difficult sport. It will continue to find any way to make you fail. Are you going to hang your head or pick yourself up and go on to the next play?”

A Chip(rez) off the old block

On the night that Coach Chris Chiprez was honored by his alma mater Notre Dame, his players presented him with a 6-2 victory over West Burlington Friday at Winegard Field.

Chiprez was one of seven inducted to the Wall of Fame, where a plaque will recognize their achievements as player, coach or support staff for the Nikes.

Notre Dame (13-3) was playing in its sixth game in five days and will play two more today (Saturday) at the North Scott Tournament in Eldridge.

With that grueling schedule, Coach Chiprez – along with assistant coaches Rod Brent and Daren Orth – continue to do pitching by committee to keep the arms as fresh as possible.

Payne Prottsman gave up two hits and a run in the top of the first to West Burlington. Jace Figuereo singled, stole second, and one out later, Hayden Vandenberg singled him home.

But Prottsman, Isaiah Crow, Jaxon Sadler, and Jeremiah Crow didn't allow a single hit after that.

“Our pitching did a really good job,” Chiprez said.

He also praised Brent and Orth. “They do a great job without pitching in trying to track it and trying to game plan throughout the week,” Chiprez said.

Notre Dame scored its six runs on six hits, taking advantage of seven walks and a Falcon error.

In the bottom of the first, Spencer Brent tied the game at 1-1 when he single, stole second, stole third, and then scored on a sacrifice fly by Caden Schwenker.

Eli Oleson doubled, stole third, and scored when the catcher's throw got past the third baseman.

Logan Brent walked with two outs in the third, and his courtesy runner, Jack Drew, scored one batter later on a single by Isaiah Crow.

West Burlington's other run came on two errors by the Nikes in the fifth. Connor Etchison walked, went to second on a wild pitch, moved to third on an infield error with Figuereo batting, and then scored on the same play on a wild throw home.

The Nikes padded the lead in the sixth. With one out, Oleson walked, and Hunter Shipley bunted him over to second. Maddox Diewold walked, and Landry Haberichter loaded the bases with an infield hit. Spencer Brent walked to bring in Oleson, and Schwenker hit a base hit that scored two, but Brent was thrown out at home trying to make it a third run.

“It was nice to bounce back and get the victory tonight in front of a nice crowd,” Chiprez said.

Notre Dame had lost its third game of the season and second in a week with a 6-4 loss to Van Buren, leaving the Warriors unbeaten and in first in the South.

Zach Webb took the loss for the Falcons, who fall to 4-5. Brady Diewold came on in relief, but he had hurt his arm early in the year and was finally cleared. He threw a shutout inning in the fifth, but, “little things here and there,” West Burlington coach Aaron Brown said, “and they finally put a three-run inning together and that was kind of a damper.”

Brown said the Falcons were putting the ball in play, but, “we still struggle with the bottom of the lineup, swinging at pitches above their hands.”

The Falcons don't play until Tuesday when they host Van Buren County.

In Van Buren's win over Notre Dame, the Nikes committed seven errors.

The Nikes scattered seven hits, including doubles by Oleson, Logan Brent, Schwenker, and Haberichter.

Schwenker was the losing pitcher in relief of Spencer Brent.

Also honored with Chiprez were: Kollin Alfred, former girls basketball coach; Mary Jo Miller, a long-time teacher at Notre Dame; Dan Reid, former baseball coach; Ryan Rump, former Athletic Director and boys basketball coach; Bill Walters, former baseball coach, and Randy Trine, former boys basketball and boys golf coach.

<figure>
 <img src="https://d2eftiauov6o73.cloudfront.net/public/2023/6/1686411932555.jpeg" alt="Spencer Brent of Notre Dame slips under the tag of West Burlington shortstop Jace Figuereo in the first inning of the varsity baseball game Friday at Winegard Field. Brent went on to score, tying the game at 1-1. Notre Dame defeated the Falcons 6-2. Photo/Chris Faulkner" />
 <figcaption>Spencer Brent of Notre Dame slips under the tag of West Burlington shortstop Jace Figuereo in the first inning of the varsity baseball game Friday at Winegard Field. Brent went on to score, tying the game at 1-1. Notre Dame defeated the Falcons 6-2. Photo/Chris Faulkner</figcaption>
 </figure>By Chris FaulknerOn the night that Coach Chris Chiprez was honored by his alma mater Notre Dame, his players presented him with a 6-2 victory over West Burlington Friday at Winegard Field.Chiprez was one of seven inducted to the Wall of Fame, where a plaque will recognize their achievements as player, coach or support staff for the Nikes.Notre Dame (13-3) was playing in its sixth game in five days and will play two more today (Saturday) at the North Scott Tournament in Eldridge.With that grueling schedule, Coach Chiprez – along with assistant coaches Rod Brent and Daren Orth – continue to do pitching by committee to keep the arms as fresh as possible.Payne Prottsman gave up two hits and a run in the top of the first to West Burlington. Jace Figuereo singled, stole second, and one out later, Hayden Vandenberg singled him home.But Prottsman, Isaiah Crow, Jaxon Sadler, and Jeremiah Crow didn't allow a single hit after that.“Our pitching did a really good job,” Chiprez said.<figure>
 <img src="https://d2eftiauov6o73.cloudfront.net/public/2023/6/1686411987596.jpeg" alt="Hayden Vandenberg of West Burlington stroked an RBI single in the top of the first to bring home teammate Jace Figuereo in a varsity baseball game Friday at Winegard Field. Notre Dame beat West Burlington 6-2. Photo/Chris Faulkner" />
 <figcaption>Hayden Vandenberg of West Burlington stroked an RBI single in the top of the first to bring home teammate Jace Figuereo in a varsity baseball game Friday at Winegard Field. Notre Dame beat West Burlington 6-2. Photo/Chris Faulkner</figcaption>
 </figure>He also praised Brent and Orth. “They do a great job without pitching in trying to track it and trying to game plan throughout the week,” Chiprez said.Notre Dame scored its six runs on six hits, taking advantage of seven walks and a Falcon error.In the bottom of the first, Spencer Brent tied the game at 1-1 when he single, stole second, stole third, and then scored on a sacrifice fly by Caden Schwenker.Eli Oleson doubled, stole third, and scored when the catcher's throw got past the third baseman.Logan Brent walked with two outs in the third, and his courtesy runner, Jack Drew, scored one batter later on a single by Isaiah Crow.West Burlington's other run came on two errors by the Nikes in the fifth. Connor Etchison walked, went to second on a wild pitch, moved to third on an infield error with Figuereo batting, and then scored on the same play on a wild throw home.The Nikes padded the lead in the sixth. With one out, Oleson walked, and Hunter Shipley bunted him over to second. Maddox Diewold walked, and Landry Haberichter loaded the bases with an infield hit. Spencer Brent walked to bring in Oleson, and Schwenker hit a base hit that scored two, but Brent was thrown out at home trying to make it a third run.“It was nice to bounce back and get the victory tonight in front of a nice crowd,” Chiprez said.Notre Dame had lost its third game of the season and second in a week with a 6-4 loss to Van Buren, leaving the Warriors unbeaten and in first in the South.Zach Webb took the loss for the Falcons, who fall to 4-5. Brady Diewold came on in relief, but he had hurt his arm early in the year and was finally cleared. He threw a shutout inning in the fifth, but, “little things here and there,” West Burlington coach Aaron Brown said, “and they finally put a three-run inning together and that was kind of a damper.”Brown said the Falcons were putting the ball in play, but, “we still struggle with the bottom of the lineup, swinging at pitches above their hands.”The Falcons don't play until Tuesday when they host Van Buren County.In Van Buren's win over Notre Dame, the Nikes committed seven errors.The Nikes scattered seven hits, including doubles by Oleson, Logan Brent, Schwenker, and Haberichter.Schwenker was the losing pitcher in relief of Spencer Brent.Also honored with Chiprez were: Kollin Alfred, former girls basketball coach; Mary Jo Miller, a long-time teacher at Notre Dame; Dan Reid, former baseball coach; Ryan Rump, former Athletic Director and boys basketball coach; Bill Walters, former baseball coach, and Randy Trine, former boys basketball and boys golf coach.

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