Our fourth biggest story from Hillcrest Academy athletics last year takes us into the Hillcrest archives, where the Ravens rewrote the pages of their record books.
It started in the fall when freshman Marie Yoder arrived on scene and immediately made her presence felt on the cross country course. Yoder finished second at the Southeast Iowa Superconference Championship meet, tying the highest individual finish for a female runner in school history. Yoder advanced to the State meet after winning the state qualifier title. At State, Yoder was 13th, the second highest finish for a female runner in school history. Her time of 19:41 in Fort Dodge is a girl’s racing record.
On the volleyball court, junior Malia Yoder finished third in school history, averaging 4.4 digs per set. Sophomore Claire Withrow is in 8th place in school history with 6.9 assists per set.
In the winter season, Raven basketball saw junior sharp shooter Seth Ours take aim at history. Ours broke the school record shooting 49.3% from long range for the year. His 69 made threes were the fourth highest total for a year and his 86% free throw percentage is the sixth highest in school history. Sophomore Rowan Miller averaged 5.2 assists per game, 10th most for a Raven in a season.
In girls hoops, Claire Withrow was second in program history with 66 made threes last year. Malia Yoder’s 73 steals were the fourth highest total for a season and Delaney Shaw finished with the sixth most rebounds for a year, 180 in Raven history.
In the spring, records fell on the oval. Sophomore Rya Scott sprinted into the record books with a new school best time in 100, 12.69 seconds and the 200, 26.54 seconds.
On the soccer pitch, more names were added to the book. Rowan Miller scored four goals in a game, tying him for the individual match record. Junior Micah Gerber’s two hat tricks put him second. Seth Ours posted a hat trick of assists in a match, the fourth most for a single game in program history. His 11 assists on the season were the eighth highest total ever. As a group, the Ravens scored 10 times in a win over Sigourney-Keota, the fifth highest goal total for a single match. The Hillcrest defense gave up just .93 goals per match, the fifth lowest average ever and their seven shut outs during the year are the third most for the Ravens in a single season.
The largest rewrite of the year came over the summer, where it was an assault on the Raven record books on the softball diamond. Malia Yoder set new school records for a season, scoring 34 runs, posting 44 hits, smacking three homers, driving in 33 runs, hitting .571 with a .637OBP while slugging .818, and striking out 173 batters during her time in the circle. Her 11 wins on the season as a pitcher are the third highest total. Yoder’s eight doubles are the sixth highest total, her 134 and two thirds innings of work are the ninth most for a year, and her 4.31 ERA is ninth lowest.
Junior Delaney Shaw belted three homers, tying for the all-time record. Her 24RBI are the second most, as were her 26 walks. Shaw smacked three triples, third most, 10 doubles, fourth most, 33 total hits fourth most, while slugging .707, fourth best. Her 23 runs scored are the seventh highest total for a year and her .402 average is the 10th highest for a Raven.
Junior Morgyn Nafziger scored 33 runs, second most in program history, and stole 15 bases, the eighth highest mark.
Claire Withrow drove in 21 runs this year, third most in a year. Her 28 hits are the eighth most and her 20 runs scored are 10th most.
Junior Kylee Statler’s 16RBI are the ninth most for a player in a season in Raven History.
The Hillcrest countdown continues Wednesday with a look at the third biggest story in Raven sports when we highlight Hillcrest State archers.