Ciana Sonberg named to State Softball Class 4A All-Tourney Team
By John Burbridge sports@charlescitypress.com
FORT DODGE — They call third base the “hot corner”.
And when Charles City’s Ciana Sonberg plays the position, the temperature is usually at its highest setting.
In a sport where many infielders don face masks — even some outfielders — Sonberg often plays up-close “in your face” defense without a mask.
Sometimes she gets burnt — or bumped — like when she took a liner off the forehead during the Comets’ victory over top-ranked Benton in their Class 4A regional final to earn Charles City it’s second-straight State Softball Championships berth.
Sonberg was able to bounce back, even during the play in question, but the victorious and state-bound Comets didn’t emerge from the regional unscathed. Starting catcher Kelby Katcher had broken her thumb during the game.
“I knew going in that there would be a good chance of me playing catcher during the state tournament,” Sonberg said. “So I was prepared.”
Though the hot corner is usually hot enough, having to don catching gear during an oppressively hot week in Fort Dodge didn’t make things any easier for Sonberg when she was called in to replace Katcher several innings into the Comets’ first-round game against Fairfield.
Sonberg, who was Charles City’s starting catcher as a freshman, was able to make the adjustment.
Aside from going 3 for 4 with a homer and 2 RBIs in the Comets’ 5-4 win over Fairfield, Sonberg managed to make several good plays from behind the plate during the tournament.
After the Comets placed fourth in the tournament by way of losing to Oskaloosa in the third-place game and No. 1-seed Winterset defeated Ballard in the championship game, Sonberg was named to the Class 4A All-Tournament Team.
“We should be able to get back here next year,” Sonberg said after she was honored with fellow all-tourney team members. “We just got to keep working.
“I spent a lot of the offseason working on my hitting. I’m going to do that again this offseason.”
Sonberg and Katcher will both be seniors next season and will likely return to their No. 1 positions. But the versatile Sonberg will also be ready to fill in at catcher when needed.
Sonberg also has other items on her plate. She will likely be one of the captains for the Comets’ varsity wrestling team this fall/winter.
Last season, Sonberg recorded numerous impressive victories — several of the come-from-behind variety — against male combatants.
Class 4A All-Tournament Team
Natalie Hansen, Winterset
Isabell Hobbs, Ballard
Macy Johnson, Winterset
Alyvia Dubois, Carlisle
Ciana Sonberg, Charles City
Chi Glaha, Mount Pleasant
Alexis Groet, Oskaloosa
Skylar Rigby, Ballard
Danny Barker, Winterset
Rachel Newell, Ballard
Sophie Stover, Winterset (Captain)
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