February 05, 2025

Keeler selected for Register’s all-Iowa softball team

By TYLER HETU

Sara Keeler connects on a pitch against Red Oak during the 2019 season. (CNA photo)

Creston’s Sara Keeler racked up one final high school accolade Friday morning, receiving the selection in Class 3A for The Des Moines Register’s 2020 all-Iowa softball team.

Keeler, the Panthers’ primary first baseman, was an all-state first team selection by the Iowa Girls Coaches Association and was a unanimous first-team selection in the Hawkeye 10 for the 2020 season as well. She was a second team selection in 2019 by the IGCA, and is the first Creston softball player to receive the all-Iowa honor by The Register.

The Des Moines Area Community College commit finished second in Class 3A in batting average (.609). Out of the leadoff spot in Creston’s order Keeler hit two home runs, drove in 18 RBIs with 39 hits.

Keeler also led the team in runs scored (27), extra-base hits (16), on-base percentage (.662) and slugging percentage (.969).

Creston finished the season 13-6, clinching a state-berth for the first time since 2016 – Keeler’s 8th grade season.

Other Hawkeye 10 area players to get selected to the Register’s all-Iowa team was Healey Bach of Lewis Central and Chloe Johnston of Red Oak.

Elite team – Jasmine Rumley, Sr., Ankeny; Denali Loecker, Sr., Ogden; Ayana Lindsey, Jr., Iowa City High; Carey Koenig, Jr., Iowa City High; Alex Honnold, Sr., West Des Moines Valley; Rylie Moss, Jr., Muscatine; Brylee Klosterman, Sr., Iowa City Liberty; Tristin Doster, Jr., Fort Dodge; Kaylin Kinney, Sr., Cedar Rapids Kennedy.

Class 5A – Jasmine Rumley, Sr., Ankeny; Ayana Lindsey, Jr., Iowa City High; Peggy Klingler, Sr., Pleasant Valley; Carey Koenig, Jr., Iowa City High; Alex Honnold, Sr., West Des Moines Valley; Rylie Moss, Jr., Muscatine; Brylee Klosterman, Sr., Iowa City Liberty; Tristin Doster, Sr., Fort Dodge; Kaylin Kinney, Sr., Cedar Rapids Kennedy.

Class 4A – Jena Young, Fr., Winterset; Healey Bach, Jr., Lewis Central; Emma Dighton, Jr., Boone; Katelyn Lappe, So., Bondurant-Farrar; Ava Morris, So., Central DeWitt; Brooke Kilburg, Sr., North Scott; Coty Engle, Fr., Fairfield; Skylar Rigby, Sr., Ballard; Molly Hoekstra, Sr., Carlisle.

Class 3A – Kendal Clark, Jr., Humboldt; Alyse Harvey, Jr., Benton; Ellie Tallman, Sr., Anamosa; Sara Keeler, Sr., Creston; Haylee Lehman, Sr., West Liberty; Chloe Johnson, Sr., Red Oak; Hannah Foster, Jr., North Polk; Anna Wohlers, Jr., Davenport Assumption; Kameryn Etherington, Sr., Algona.

Class 2A – Denali Loecker, Sr., Ogden; Kylie Doty, So., Colfax-Mingo; Jenna Jensen, Sr., Jesup; Kylee Sanders, Jr., Louisa-Muscatine; Hannah Bridgewater, Sr., North Linn; Hope Steinberger, Sr., North Union; Josie Sowers, Jr., Pleasantville; Grace Flanagan, Sr., North Linn; Abby Flanagan, Sr., North Linn.

Class 1A – Alexis Houge, So., Colllins-Maxwell; Cheyenne Behrends, Jr., Clarksville; Megan Stuhr, Sr., Sigourney; Emily Jones, So., Wayne; Madison Meister, Sr., Bishop Garrigan; Bailey Sievers, Jr., Newell-Fonda; Dani Laughlin, Fr., Riverside; Hailey Worman, Sr., Newman Catholic; Kori Wedeking, Sr., Clarksville.

Honorable mention – Marina Carter, Jr., Ankeny; Jalen Adams, So., Fort Dodge; Teagan Loew, Sr., Des Moines Roosevelt; Chloe Fehn, Sr., Johnston; Loghen Schnetzer, Sr., Fort Dodge; Sophia Del Vecchio, Jr., Bettendorf; Macey Kleitsch, Sr., West Delaware; Kennedy Preston, Sr., Carlisle; Laken Lienhard, Sr., Crestwood; Jena Lawrence, Sr., Albia; Hailey Sanders, Sr., Louisa-Muscatine; Lexi Lander, Sr., West Monona; Mikayla houge, Sr., Collins-Maxwell; Talia Schon, Sr., Glidden-Ralston.