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The nominees for High School on SI’s Iowa High School Athlete of the Week cover standout performances from the recent state baseball tournament. Voting runs through Sunday, Aug. 2, and the winner will be revealed the following week — these selections spotlight athletes whose games mattered most on the biggest stage this week.
Why this matters now: many nominees earned their place through clutch playoff outings, so this poll doubles as a community snapshot of which players delivered when it counted most.
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This week’s nominees
- Easton Ingle — North Polk: Collected three hits in six at-bats and drove in four runs in a 7-6 Class 2A victory over Western Dubuque.
- Jack Dilulio — Davenport Assumption: A key contributor in Assumption’s run — three hits including a double and four RBIs in an upset of Carlisle, then added two hits and an RBI in the championship game.
- Gavin Barber — Pleasant Valley: A perfect 4-for-4 night with a triple and three RBIs in the quarterfinals, then followed with two more hits and an RBI in later rounds.
- George Blake — Indianola: Threw a no-hitter while striking out five and limiting walks; also helped at the plate with an RBI and two runs scored.
- Ryan Stedman — West Des Moines Valley: Dominant two-hitter with nine strikeouts and an added RBI in a 2-1 state-tournament win over Waukee.
- Quinn Flanagan — Dubuque Wahlert Catholic: Pitched a complete-game four-hitter, fanning nine and issuing just one walk against North Polk.
- Kason Clayborne — Sioux City East: Went 5-for-6 with two runs scored in the Class 4A semifinals and contributed earlier in the quarterfinals as well.
- West Cole — Mason City Newman Catholic: The centerfielder produced multiple timely hits — 2-for-3 with three RBIs and two runs in the quarterfinals, then scored twice and drove in a run in the final.
- Dalton Klein — Remsen St. Mary’s: Pitched a complete game, allowing five hits while striking out 10 in a narrow 1-0 quarterfinal loss.
- Liam Thompson — North Linn: Mirrored Klein’s outing: complete game with 10 strikeouts, one walk and five hits allowed — and delivered a hit of his own.
- Adler Van Essen — Unity Christian: Went 3-for-5 with three RBIs and three runs scored in the quarterfinals and added another RBI in the semifinals.
- Colby Gast — Durant: Completed a solid pitching performance in the quarterfinals with nine strikeouts and later produced a big offensive night (3-for-5, five RBIs) in the semis.
- Jackson Green — Cascade: Another nine-strikeout performance in a 2-1 quarterfinal win, plus contributions on offense across the remainder of the tournament.
- William Mescher — Pleasantville: Hit a home run in a 10-0 quarterfinal win (1-for-1 that game) and followed with multi-hit and multi-RBI efforts in the semis and final.
- Blake Ewing — Moravia: Struck out four across two scoreless relief innings in the semifinals, added a hit, an RBI and further offense in the title game.
Timing and context
The poll closes at 11:59 p.m. PT on Sunday, Aug. 2. Results will be published the next week. This edition focuses exclusively on players from the state baseball tournament; nominees from the recent state softball championship will appear in next week’s ballot.
These selections are rooted in measurable postseason contributions — dominant pitching lines, multi-hit games and key RBIs that shifted tournament outcomes — and they reflect performances that will be remembered locally as the summer’s defining high school moments.
About the Athlete of the Week poll
The High School on SI poll is intended as a community-driven way to recognize excellent performances. It’s a celebratory snapshot rather than a formal award: fans across the state can show support, but winners do not receive official prizes unless explicitly noted. The aim is to highlight standout efforts and give players and their communities a moment in the spotlight.
Results from this voting period will capture who resonated most with readers after the state tournament weekend and provide a quick barometer of local sentiment heading into the next high school season.
