Ankeny Girls Softball Team Wins Class 5A State Championship

The Ankeny girls softball team clinched another championship victory for the school district last Friday.

The Hawkettes (39-6) defeated East High School in a dramatic 2-0 victory to win the first-ever Iowa Class 5A state championship.

Shayla Starkenburg pitched a two-hitter and struck out 11 East batters. Starkenburg ended her season with a perfect 31-0 record, according to the school district website, and is headed to the University of Iowa on a softball scholarship.

Eighth-grader Kendyl Lindaman walked away from the game with three home runs, one short of a tournament record. Lindaman also was named the tournament's Outstanding Player.

Joining Lindaman and Starkenburg on the All-Tournament team were Aly Cappaert, who is headed to Iowa State University on a softball scholarship and junior Ashlie Chambers.

The championship game also marked the last for head coach Amy Farmer, who will leave the district for an assistant principal position with Burlington Schools. Farmer was a member of the last Ankeny girls softball to win a state championship, according to the Ankeny school district website.