high school baseball

**AntiSnob** · 07-31-2010, 08:34 PM

whatever happened to CIML baseball?

For those of you who don't know the CIML is the Central Iowa Metropolitan League which has the DM Area teams in Polk County the outerlying schools (Indianola, Waukee) and some medium sized cities (Ottumwa, Mason City, Fort Dodge, Ames, Marshalltown).

For years this was the powerhouse conference for baseball and they won something like 14 titles in a row and it was like SEC Football. The conference seems to have dropped off as of late. At the state tournament the CIML went winless against the rest of the state. Indianola was ten runned by Hempstead, Dowling, who many expected to win the whole thing, was ten runned by CR Kennedy, and Mason City, who only got to the semifinals because they beat another CIML team in the quarterfinals, lost 11-4 to IC West.

I think one of the factors is that a former powerhouse WDM Valley has fallen on hard times in baseball. There was a time they won 4 titles in a row and were really talented. They experienced there first sub .500 year in over 20 years this summer. Johnston and Urbandale, who have also won state titles before, were below .500 this year too.

**gwoodclone** · 07-31-2010, 08:44 PM

I don't know much of anything about CIML baseball, but I'm pumped about Glenwood's win in the 3A finals tonight. First state baseball title ever, and first team sport state title in school history. Go Rams!

**rbrook** · 07-31-2010, 09:04 PM

Martensdale wins 1A going 43-0 for the season. That's just unbelievable. Only 9 teams have ever gone undefeated.

**tm3308** · 07-31-2010, 09:06 PM

Personally, I don't care for 3A/4A all that much. West Deleware was a lot of fun to watch with Hermsen on the mound, and Centerville I enjoyed mostly because I'm from Corydon (25 miles away).

It's the 1A/2A games that always entertain me the most. Martensdale won the 1A title with a shutout performance from Ethan Westphal (pitching on 1 day's rest, no less).

Plus, I liked to see the public schools (Martensdale, Solon) beat the private schools (Remsen St. Mary's, Carroll Keumper).

**rbrook** · 07-31-2010, 09:13 PM

Originally Posted by tm3308

Personally, I don't care for 3A/4A all that much. West Deleware was a lot of fun to watch with Hermsen on the mound, and Centerville I enjoyed mostly because I'm from Corydon (25 miles away).

It's the 1A/2A games that always entertain me the most. Martensdale won the 1A title with a shutout performance from Ethan Westphal (pitching on 1 day's rest, no less).

Plus, I liked to see the public schools (Martensdale, Solon) beat the private schools (Remsen St. Mary's, Carroll Keumper).

I agree.

**whirlybirds** · 07-31-2010, 09:14 PM

my hometown team, Knoxville, was a 1 seed and got spanked yesterday

**mtowncyclone** · 07-31-2010, 09:18 PM

i think martensdale could beat the crap out of almost any team in the state, there for real

**rbrook** · 07-31-2010, 09:29 PM

Originally Posted by mtowncyclone

i think martensdale could beat the crap out of almost any team in the state, there for real

And team is mostly made up of Juniors and Sophmores. Only a couple Seniors started.

**Chizit** · 07-31-2010, 09:54 PM

Indianola might not be in the CIML starting in '11, and it's about time they moved.

**tm3308** · 07-31-2010, 09:55 PM

Originally Posted by rbrook

And team is mostly made up of Juniors and Sophmores. Only a couple Seniors started.

They were a little weak up the middle on the infield defensively (though that doesn't say a whole lot, given how good the rest of the D is). Losing Defenbaugh at short won't hurt them too much, as Westphal is much better there anyway. Losing his stick is going to hurt though. Ferin was a very good catcher, and a solid bat handler to help anchor the bottom of the order. Not sure who they have to replace him. VanHoose could be a tough one to replace, solid pitcher and a good outfielder with a good stick.

But with Westphal on the mound they are damn near unbeatable. Ethan had about the same level of stuff against Mason City Newman last year and got shelled because he didn't have much help outside of Peterson at Lenox. Of course it doesn't hurt to play a team that's nowhere near as good as Newman was last year too lol.

The guy to look out for next year I think will be Jamie Swihart. Jeff Douglas at I-35 was none too happy to lose him. He's going to be a dominant guy on the mound in the future.

**tm3308** · 07-31-2010, 10:00 PM

Originally Posted by mtowncyclone

i think martensdale could beat the crap out of almost any team in the state, there for real

"Beat the crap out of" is a little strong given that they only won 3-0 today, and Remsen wasn't THAT good. I don't know anything about the 4A teams this year, but 3A was either REALLY deep this year or REALLY down (I'm thinking it's the latter choice), because Glenwood was the only ranked team to get in (they were #8 and got the 2 seed). Honestly, when's the last time an unranked team got the #1 seed?

But I think that Martensdale vs. Solon would have been a tremendous game. Solon has two very good pitchers, and a lot of speed. From what I know, and what I saw today, those could very well be the two best teams in the finals, regardless of class.

**Cyforce** · 07-31-2010, 10:04 PM

Originally Posted by mtowncyclone

i think martensdale could beat the crap out of almost any team in the state, there for real

Schedule was set up that 1As quarters and finals were a week a part so they only needed 2 pitchers. 3A ans 4A were much more condensed. I question if they'd match up as well against quality teams on a regular basis.

**tm3308** · 07-31-2010, 10:10 PM

Originally Posted by Cyforce

Schedule was set up that 1As quarters and finals were a week a part so they only needed 2 pitchers. 3A ans 4A were much more condensed. I question if they'd match up as well against quality teams on a regular basis.

Martensdale had 5 pitchers who were legitimately good at the 1A/2A level, including Westphal who could pitch well at any level. The lineup was top to bottom solid. They wouldn't go 43-0, but they could have more of a Davenport Assumption record where they have 10 losses to bigger schools, but were still very competitive.

Just checked their box scores. Westphal started all three games, but only pitched a total of 6 innings in the first two games, then went the distance today. TJ Foster and Zeb Noel split the other innings, and both of those guys are very good as well.

**Cyforce** · 07-31-2010, 10:16 PM

Originally Posted by tm3308

Martensdale had 5 pitchers who were legitimately good at the 1A/2A level, including Westphal who could pitch well at any level. The lineup was top to bottom solid. They wouldn't go 43-0, but they could have more of a Davenport Assumption record where they have 10 losses to bigger schools, but were still very competitive.

Just checked their box scores. Westphal started all three games, but only pitched a total of 6 innings in the first two games, then went the distance today. TJ Foster and Zeb Noel split the other innings, and both of those guys are very good as well.

just curious, do you know how many of those kids came up through The Closers program?

**tm3308** · 07-31-2010, 10:20 PM

Originally Posted by Cyforce

just curious, do you know how many of those kids came up through The Closers program?

I have no idea. I'm not from Martensdale, I just played against a lot of the guys on the team (I graduated from Wayne in 2008). I just know what I've seen from them over the last 4 years.