Perry senior pitcher Emma Olejniczak and junior shortstop Johanna Diw reached the highest honors today, as both were voted by the Iowa Girls Coaches Association to the Class 4A All-State First Team.
A total of 20 players were named to the First Team, with eight coming from Raccoon River Conference schools. In addition to Olejniczak and Diw, Abby Carlin and Skylar Rugby from Ballard, Dianna Slight (who will room with Olejniczak at UNI this year) and Laura Anderson (a Drake recruit) from Boone, Taylor Dubois of Carlisle and Macy Johnson of Winterset were also chosen for the First Team from RRC schools.
Others honored were Angie Gorkow of Benton Community, Mia Ruther of Burlington, Brooke Kramer of DC-G, Madisen Buckford of Des Moines Hoover and Bynna Bowman and Kaylee Watson of Fairfield. Also selected were Mackenzie Hupke of Indianola, Michaela Davis of Keokuk, Bailey Johnson of Mt. Pleasant, Alyx Witt and Amron Born of Norwalk and Oskaloosa’s Alexis Groet. Steve Corkrean of state champion Winterset was voted Coach of the Year.
Olejniczak was 23-11 with 1.28 ERA (best in 4A) in 219-1/3 innings (second most in 4A). She had 356 strikeouts, third best statewide and 71 more than Groet for 4A honors. She allowed 142 hits, walked only 36 batters and hit just two, yielding a .821 WHIP (walks/hits per inning pitched) that was third-best among all pitchers with at least 250 strikeouts.
She averaged 1.6 strikeouts as a senior and finishes her career with 1,234 sit-downs.
Olejniczak was strong offensively as well, hitting .385 with 40 hits. She had eight doubles, a triple and a home run while scoring 18 runs and driving in 26.
Diw was dynamic at the plate in the lead-off spot in the Jayette lineup. She scored 43 runs and drove in 40 while producing 58 hits.
Her 13 home runs tied with two others for second-best in 4A, and her .908 slugging percentage was eighth-best. Diw hit .454 overall, swatting 12 doubles and speeding to four triples. She was 16-of-19 on stolen base attempts.
Perry was 26-11 overall, bowing out in the Regional Finals.
