January 24, 2025

Panthers finish at Titans

By JARED LARSON

Avery Fuller, Creston's senior first baseman, tags out Titan freshman Brady Hetzel who was stranded on the base path between first and second. Visible behind Fuller are Panthers Conner Wiley (5) and Dylan Hoepker (6). (JARED LARSON)

COUNCIL BLUFFS — Creston was defeated 7-1 by No. 1 Lewis Central Monday night in 3A substate No. 8 second round action.

Panther bats struggled to hit the ball, as junior Gannon Greenwalt was the only Panther to tally a base hit. Titan ace Aron Harrington tallied 16 strikeouts against Creston.

“The Harrington kid, he was tough,” Creston coach Brandon Phipps said. “We knew we were going to see someone good. We knew we were going to have to string some runs together.”

Neither team scored for the first 1 1/2 innings of the game, but the Titans added a run and a pair of runs in the bottom of the second and third innings respectively.

Creston had the bases juiced in the top of the fourth. The lone Panther run of the game was tallied next to sophomore Cael Turner’s name when his first cousin Kyle Strider was walked.

Dylan Hoepker struck out and Conner Wiley chopped out to squander any further Creston scoring chances.

“We kind of had an opportunity there and we kind of let it slip through our hands,” Phipps said.

The hit difference, 11 for Lewis Central and one for Creston was seen as an “X factor” by the Creston skipper.

Turner left the mound in the top of the fifth and was replaced by Dylan Hoepker. Turner struck out four Titans and Hoepker struck out one.

Lewis Central added three runs in the bottom of the fifth.

Neither team scored for the remainder of the game.

“I think they’ll make a run at the title,” Phipps said.

The careers end for first baseman Avery Fuller and utility Gage Skarda who will exchange their vibrant Creston red for darker shades of red. Fuller heads to Benedictine College (Atchison, Kansas) to play college football and study pre-med. Skarda will continue his education at SWCC.

“Can’t say enough about them,” Phipps said. “They’re just two guys that stuck it out for five years, and it’s just those two. They were fantastic for me to come in my first year as they were going to be all in and bought in. That’s exactly what they were and I couldn’t ask more from them. We’re going to miss them, 100%. I’m definitely going to miss them.”

Creston finishes their season at 14-16, the first double digit win season since Fuller and Skarda’s freshman season, 2019.

No. 1 Lewis Central (30-3) faces Glenwood (19-9) on Wednesday in the substate final at Lewis Central. Ram senior hurler Jayme Fritts fanned eight Cyclone batters in the 5-4 win.