Matt Levins - The Hawk Eye / John Gaines Photography
The Notre Dame baseball team had a successful season.
While the Nikes fell short in their quest to return to the Class 1A state tournament in Carroll, they accomplished every other goal on their list.
The Nikes reaped their reward by landing a school-record eight players on the Class 1A all-district team released this week by the Iowa High School Baseball Coaches Association.
Earning first-team honors were seniors Jaxon Sadler, Spencer Brent, Caden Schwenker and Dylan Kipp, and sophomore Landry Haberichter.
Garnering second-team accolades were sophomores Payne Prottsman and Eli Oleson, and freshman Maddox Diewold.
For the Nikes, it was icing on the cake after a 28-4 season and a perfect 11-0 mark in the SEI Super Conference South Division.
“That’s probably the most our team has ever had on an all-district team and the most anybody from southeast Iowa has ever had,” Notre Dame coach Chris Chiprez said.
“That’s a testament to our guys and the dedication and hard work they put in. I am so proud of them.
“While we are all disappointed that we couldn’t go to Carroll and play for a state championship, we had one of the best seasons in school history.”
Sadler posted a 7-1 record as the Nikes’ No. 1 pitcher while Prottsman was 7-1 as the No. 2 pitcher.
Brent, a second baseman, hit .449, while Schwenker, a shortstop, hit .432. Kipp, the Nikes’ third baseman, hit .446. Haberichter, the center fielder, hit .413.
Oleson, who played left field and designated hitter, batted .376. Diewold, named as a utility player, hit .406 playing mostly second base after Brent’s mid-season injury.
The Notre Dame contingent made up the majority of representatives from southeast Iowa.
A total of 21 area players landed spots on the southeast Iowa all-district teams in their respective classes.