As a new school year approaches, Aplington-Parkersburg Activities Director Jason Berkey reflects on a memorable 2023-2024 school year in athletics.
To conclude the school year, the summer sports season was one of the most successful in school history, with the baseball team qualifying for the state tournament and the softball team taking a major leap. The softball team went 10-14 to record its most wins since 2013.
“Coach Williamson and Coach Walker have done an outstanding job,” Berkey says. “Sara Jansen was part of that and stepped down and went to junior high. We’ll basically have everyone back other than two girls, and we got some excitement going in our program, and I couldn’t be more excited for those girls. A lot of those girls have put in a lot of time. We had an all-state performer in Eva Walker, that’s first time since 2013 I believe.”
Recording an 18-8 record, the baseball team qualified for its first-ever state tournament, a postseason run which included a 5-0 win over #1 (2A) West Marshall in the district final.
“What the baseball team did the year before, went down to State Center, kind of in the same situation, was up big and then kind of just faltered there at the end. But this year, we went to State Center and Devin Davis had an unbelievable pitching performance. And to beat Grundy, to beat West Marshall, to beat Roland-Story, three very, very good teams. What Brett and Carter have done has been outstanding and our community was 100 percent behind them. We went down to the state tournament, obviously a devastating loss with Devin in the substate game with the injury. And I think if we had him, I think the outcome, you never know, might have been a little different. We had a good draw and we were right there and just had one bad inning late in the game. But I couldn’t be more proud for Brett and Carter and those boys and how they represented the community.”
Student-athletes will begin fall sports practices on Monday.
Jason Berkey interview:
