Comets draw Vikings in Class 4A softball regional first round

By John Burbridge

sports@charlescitypress.com

In virtually every major ball sport, it’s difficult to beat a team three games in a row.

That will be something to think about … or not think about … for Northeast Iowa Conference rivals Charles City and Decorah as they have drawn each other for the quarterfinals (opening-round game) for the Class 4A-Region 8 softball bracket.

Next Thursday (July 6) at 7 p.m., the Comets are due to face the Vikings in Decorah. The winner faces No. 8-ranked Western Dubuque at Western Dubuque in the semifinals the following Saturday (July 8) at 7 p.m.

The regional final with a State Softball Championships berth on the line will take place July 11 at site yet to be determined.

Other teams in the Class 4A-Region  8 bracket include No. 13-ranked Maquoketa, Marion and Independence.

Before the Comets and Vikings are to face each other in the postseason, they still have some unfinished business to attend to — Decorah is hosting a doubleheader between the two teams next Monday (July 3) to conclude the regular season.

Having beaten the Comets earlier this season (11-5 on June 13), the Vikings are leading the NEIC with an 8-3 league mark with Charles City currently in second (6-5) as of the start of this week with a NEIC home doubleheader against Waukon on Tuesday.

Conceivably, the Comets-at-Vikings DH may determine the conference champion (Charles City is the defending NEIC champ) three days before the postseason opener.

The Comets are amidst a winning streak heading into the final week of the regular season.

After defeating NEIC rival Crestwood on the road 12-2 in five innings on Friday, Charles City picked up two more victories against Denver (7-3) and South Winneshiek (4-0) during a weather-shortened Dunkerton Invitational on Saturday.

With a previous doubleheader sweep of New Hampton earlier that week, Charles City (14-11) has won five in a row going into Tuesday’s DH against Waukon.

In the shortened win against the Cadets, senior Ava Ellis clubbed her team-leading third home run of the season; eighth-grader Edie Collins was 3 for 3 with a double, 2 runs scored and an RBI; senior Delaney Ruzicka was 2 for 3 with a 2-RBI triple (leads team with two 3Bs); junior Lauren Staudt was 2 for 4 with a double and 2 RBIs; junior Alex Wohlers was 2 for 4 with a double, 2 runs scored and an RBI; sophomore Mya Rimrod had 2 RBIs; and senior Natalie White yielded three hits and 2 earned runs in five innings for the pitching win.

In the invite win against Denver, junior Madie Lensing and Staudt each had three hits for the Comets.

* The Class 1A-Region 6 softball bracket begins Friday (June 30) for several local teams.

North Butler will host Nashua-Plainfield at 7 p.m. with the winner advancing to face No. 13-ranked Newman Catholic in the quarterfinals on July 5 at 7 p.m.

Rockford will face Saint Ansgar at 7 p.m. Friday with the winner traveling to face Riceville in the quarterfinals on July 5 at 7 p.m.

The semifinals are July 7 and the finals are July 10 for the Class 1A-Region 4 bracket.