The 2025 High School Baseball season for the KQRadio area was similar to how the softball season played out. A lot of standout individual performances, but a building block into what could be a very fun summer in 2026.
Player of the Year: Gavin Griffith, Jr. P/1B (Webster City)
Hitting Stats – .343 AVG/.478 OBP/.457 SLG/.935 OPS, 1 HR, 20 RBI, 14 R, 3 SB, 24 H, 5 2B, 17 BB, 2 HBP
Pitching Stats – 9 starts, 6-3 record, 39 IP, 3.41 ERA, 24 BB, 36 K, 19 ER allowed, .167 BAA
Griffith emerged as a leader for a Webster City team that dealt with injuries and abnormalities all throughout 2025, as Griffith’s bat became a primary one for the Lynx with 20 RBI and an OPS of over .900. On the mound, Griffith provided consistency each time out, holding opponents to an average of well below the Mendoza line.
Pitcher of the Year: Cael Faber, Jr. (Roland-Story)
Stats – 10 starts, 6-3 record, 58.1 IP, 1.68 ERA, 12 BB, 69 K, 14 ER allowed, .194 BAA
Faber took the assignment as the Norsemen’s ace and excelled against some of the top teams Roland-Story faced off with in 2025. Faber led the Norsemen starting rotation in ERA (1.68), strikeouts (69) and opponents average (.194).
Defensive Player of the Year: Aiden Frey, So. CF (Roland-Story)
Stats – .295 AVG/.470 OBP/.352 SLG/.822 OPS, 1 HR, 23 RBI, 33 R, 33 SB, 23 H, 2 2B, 40 putouts, 6 assists, 1.000 F%
Frey was a metaphorical-vacuum in center field for the Norsemen, not making a single error in his sophomore season and making numerous web gems throughout the season.
Newcomer of the Year: Paxton Lingenfelter, 8th Grade, OF (Clarion-Goldfield-Dows)
Stats – .338 AVG/.451 OBP/.368 SLG/.819 OPS, 11 RBI, 19 R, 12 SB, 23 H, 2 2B, 20 putouts, .909 F%
Lingenfelter provided impressive consistency at the plate as an 8th grader, leading CGD starters in many hitting categories including total hits (23) and average (.338).
Coach of the Year: Chris Hill (Roland-Story)
Accomplishments – 22-10 record, T-3rd in HOIAC, District Finalist, Substate Semifinalist
Hill led a Norsemen team that grew by leaps and bounds after a surprise substate final appearance in 2024, and while the Norsemen didn’t make it back to the substate final, they managed to go down to the wire with one of the small school powers in Van Meter in their substate semifinal.
First Team All-Area
Catcher – William Zamzow, Sr. (Roland-Story)
Stats – .329 AVG/.570 OBP/.487 SLG/1.057 OPS, 1 HR, 31 RBI, 2 R, 25 H, 7 2B, 1 3B, 20 BB, 24 HBP, 241 putouts, 20 assists, .989 F%, 10 runners thrown out, 38 stolen bases allowed
A senior leader for the Norsemen, Zamzow proved to be one of the hardest batters to retire in all of Class 2A, with an OBP that was 2nd in the HOIAC (.570), while also being one of the state’s leaders in hit by pitches (24). Defensively, Zamzow was 3rd in the HOIAC in runners thrown out stealing (10).
First Base – Chaz Lane, So. (Clarion-Goldfield-Dows)
Stats – .214 AVG/.286 OBP/.257 SLG/.543 OPS, 14 RBI, 11 R, 4 SB, 15 H, 3 2B, 148 putouts, 6 assists, .975 F%
Lane’s production at the plate was hot and cold throughout 2025, but he excelled in the defensive role at first base, committing just 4 errors throughout the year. Lane’s 148 putouts ranked 5th in the NCC amongst all players.
Second Base – Tristan Kakacek, Jr. (Clarion-Goldfield-Dows)
Stats – .299 AVG/.520 OBP/.358 SLG/.879 OPS, 14 RBI, 23 R, 20 SB, 20 H, 4 2B, 26 BB, 5 HBP, 27 putouts, 41 assists, .919 F%
Kakacek emerged as an on-the-field leader for the Cowboys in 2025, being virtually impossible to consistently retire with an OBP of .520, ranking 6th in the NCC, with an impressive .919 fielding percentage at 2nd base.
Shortstop – Braden Young, Sr. (South Hamilton)
Stats – .452 AVG/.545 OBP/.677 SLG/1.223 OPS, 1 HR, 9 RBI, 17 R, 9 SB, 28 H, 7 2B, 2 3B, 58 putouts, 16 assists, .902 F%
Despite splitting time pitching and occasionally catching, Young was the batting champion of the HOIAC with a conference-high .452 average and led the Hawks in hits, extra-base hits, average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage and OPS.
Third Base – Gavin Jeter, So. (Roland-Story)
Stats – .198 AVG/.398 OBP/.346 SLG/.744 OPS, 2 HR, 22 RBI, 26 R, 8 SB, 16 H, 2 2B, 2 3B, 13 BB, 14 HBP, 13 putouts, 30 assists, .754 F%
It was an up-and-down season for Jeter at the hot corner, but his up’s, along with his ability to get on base and drive in runs, is enough for him to garner first-team honors in 2025.
Outfield – Alex Staley, So. (Webster City)
Stats – .243 AVG/.341 OBP/.351 SLG/.693 OPS, 1 HR, 27 RBI, 18 R, 5 SB, 18 H, 5 2B, 32 putouts, 5 assists, .860 F%
Staley had a lightning fast start to the season, including an 8-RBI game in a season-opening win over Clarion. After a mid-season, slump, Staley found the bat in time for the stretch run and would lead the Lynx in RBI in 2025 with 27.
Outfield – Aiden Frey, So. (Roland-Story)
(See Defensive Player of the Year)
Outfield – Syrus Willard, Jr. (Eagle Grove)
Stats – .403 AVG/.442 OBP/.514 SLG/.955 OPS, 11 RBI, 9 R, 9 SB, 29 H, 6 2B, 1 3B, 41 putouts, 5 assists, .939 F%
Willard may not have had the run-producing numbers he had in 2024, but his efficiency has never been higher than in 2025. Willard would finish 3rd in the TOIW in average (.403), 2nd in hits (29), and tied for 4th in total bases (37.0).
Pitcher – Cael Faber, Jr. (Roland-Story)
(See Pitcher of the Year)
Utility – Gavin Griffith, Jr. (Webster City)
(See Player of the Year)
Second-Team All-Area
Catcher – Trenton Robinson, So. (Eagle Grove)
Stats – .226 AVG/.304 OBP/.274 SLG/.579 OPS, 10 RBI, 2 R, 14 H, 3 2B, 155 putouts, 18 assists, 6 thrown out stealing, 58 stolen bases allowed, .989 F%
First Base – Andrew Jensen, Sr. (South Hamilton)
Stats – .228 AVG/.362 OBP/.281 SLG/.643 OPS, 5 RBI, 5 R, 1 SB, 13 H, 1 2B, 87 putouts, 4 assists, .978 F%
Second Base – Brady Asklund, Sr. (Webster City)
Stats – .260 AVG/.506 OBP/.400 SLG/.906 OPS, 1 HR, 13 RBI, 21 R, 14 SB, 13 H, 4 2B, 14 BB, 12 HBP, 19 putouts, 27 assists, .909 F%
Shortstop – Matt Tesdahl, Jr. (Webster City)
Stats – .318 AVG/.426 OBP/.341 SLG/.767 SLG, 15 RBI, 24 R, 13 SB, 27 H, 2 2B, 10 BB, 6 HBP, 32 putouts, 39 assists, .807 F%
Third Base – Owen Sweeney, Sr. (Clarion-Goldfield-Dows)
Stats – .209 AVG/.545 OBP/.233 SLG/.778 OPS, 9 RBI, 16 R, 4 SB, 9 H, 1 2B, 16 BB, 17 HBP, 30 putouts, 19 assists, .831 F%
Outfield – Cooper Triggs, So. (Roland-Story)
Stats – .284 AVG/.402 OBP/.455 SLG/.856 OPS, 2 HR, 20 RBI, 27 R, 12 SB, 25 H, 3 2B, 3 3B, 11 BB, 7 HBP, 28 putouts, 2 assists, .968 F%
Outfield – Colin Willis, Fr. (Roland-Story)
Stats – .312 AVG/.435 OBP/.344 SLG/.779 OPS, 27 RBI, 24 R, 9 SB, 29 H, 3 2B, 19 BB, 2 HBP, 25 putouts, 1 assist, 1.000 F%
Outfield – Hayden Schafer, Jr. (Eagle Grove)
Stats – .439 AVG/.492 OBP/.491 SLG/.983 OPS, 10 RBI, 13 R, 7 SB, 25 H, 1 2B, 1 3B, 17 putouts, .895 F%
Pitcher – Braden Wallace, So. (Roland-Story)
Stats – 9 appearances, 8 starts, 6-1 record, 2.06 ERA, 66 K, 10 BB, 14 ER allowed, .215 BAA
Utility – Braylon Dyvig, Jr. (Webster City)
Hitting Stats – .338 AVG/.524 OBP/.446 SLG/.970 OPS, 1 HR, 19 RBI, 21 R, 7 SB, 25 H, 5 2B, 22 BB, 7 HBP
Pitching Stats – 8 starts, 3-3 record, 2.68 ERA, 34 K, 14 BB, 13 ER allowed, .222 BAA
All-Area Honorable Mention
INF – Carter Mickelson, Jr. (Webster City)
OF – Gordon Bargfrede, Fr. (Webster City)
UTL – Landon Sogard, Sr. (South Hamilton)
OF – Paxton Lingenfelter, 8th Grade (Clarion-Goldfield-Dows)
UTL – Kolton Hefti, Jr. (Clarion-Goldfield-Dows)
P – Jacob Ruba, Fr. (Clarion-Goldfield-Dows)
C – Huxley Lingenfelter, So. (Clarion-Goldfield-Dows)
INF – Jake Knoll, Fr. (Roland-Story)
OF – Sam Knoll, Sr. (Roland-Story)
INF – Leelan Spencer, Jr. (Eagle Grove)
UTL – Jaxon Morris, Sr. (Eagle Grove)