Some exemplary performances on the baseball diamond for Iola High this season garnered state honors for five Mustangs.
Four of them, Ryker Curry, Jarrett Herrmann, Brandon McKarnin and Korbin Cloud, were named to the all-state team in Class 4A, with Curry, Herrmann and McKarnin all bringing home first-team honors and Cloud being named to the second team.
That quartet also raked in first-team All-Pioneer League recognition to go along with Landon Weide, who was named to the All-Pioneer League second team.
“Being a 4A school that plays in a league of 3A schools can be tough when it comes to state recognition,” Iola head coach Ryan Latta noted. “You don’t have a lot of opponents who can talk up your guys to the other coaches.”
But it so happened that coaches from Rock Creek, the defending Class 3A state champion that Iola eliminated this year in the regional finals, spoke on the Mustang players’ behalf.
“I’m definitely excited for the guys,” Latta said. “They’re well deserving.”
Each made an impact on Iola baseball in ways they hadn’t originally planned.
Curry started the season as Iola’s front-line starting pitcher, and has signed to pitch next season at Pittsburg State University.
But a sore shoulder derailed his mound duties a few weeks into the season, so he shifted over to designated hitter.
For the season, he batted a robust .424 with 26 RBIs and a 1.109 OPS. In his brief work on the mound, Curry went 4-1 with a 2.85 ERA striking out 29 batters over 19 innings.
“He probably would have been all-state as a pitcher if he wasn’t dealing with medical issues,” Latta said. “To get first team as a designated hitter is great.”
Curry also was voted to play in a KABC Senior All-State Game next Wednesday at Kansas State University. Players from all six classes are tapped to be part of the festivities.
The game will be at KSU’s Toynton Family Stadium. Admission is $5 for adults and $4 for students.
As an aside, Crest High head coach Roland Weir has been selected as a coaching representative from Class 2-1A for the game.
HERRMANN and McKarnin, both juniors, reset the IHS history books in terms of batting averages.
