Storm Lake baseball leans on experience, aims to clean up mistakes

Storm Lake is entering summer with seven starters back, four all-conference players returning and a clear mission from Michael Knapp: turn a talented roster into a more disciplined one. The Tornadoes finished 8-14 a year ago, and Knapp said the difference now is experience, with Storm Lake bringing back more of it than the other four teams in the Lakes Conference.

That matters in a league built on familiarity and execution. The Lakes Conference includes Cherokee Washington, Estherville Lincoln Central, Spencer, Spirit Lake and Storm Lake, and last year the Tornadoes were often forced to learn the hard way against older, steadier teams. Knapp’s message for this season is that maturity has to show up in the details, especially in tight games where one mistake can swing an entire night.

The biggest reason for optimism is the group Storm Lake brings back. Four all-conference players return, the most of any conference team, giving the Tornadoes a core that has already proven it can compete at the top of the league. Catcher David Gonzalez-Santos is one of the headliners after hitting .276 and throwing out 17 runners trying to steal. That total ranked sixth in Iowa and second in Class 3A, a sign that Storm Lake’s defense can control the running game when opponents try to force the issue.

Brock Edwards also returns after being named a second-team all-Lakes pitcher and infielder. In 34 innings, Edwards struck out 48 batters and finished with a 2.85 ERA, giving Storm Lake another arm with proven ability. Rylan Richardson is back as a second-team all-league outfielder, and Bobby Boeckman returns as an honorable mention outfielder, adding more experience across the lineup and in the field.

The program’s recent history shows why this season feels important. Charlie Dvergsten was the Lakes Conference Pitcher of the Year in 2025, going 3-3 with a 2.66 ERA in 44 innings while striking out 75 batters. Storm Lake also leaned on him at the plate, where he hit .271 with 19 hits. Knapp said Dvergsten was a major presence for the program, and younger players looked up to him.

The Tornadoes’ postseason exit last July still hangs over the team as a warning. Storm Lake lost 5-3 to Spencer in a Class 3A district game after stranding 12 runners on base, a snapshot of the timely-hitting problems that have kept the program from turning close games into wins. With Carson Taylor, Garbieno Weno and a sophomore class expected to push for varsity time, Storm Lake now has the ingredients for a turnaround. The question is whether that experience can finally produce cleaner baseball when the games tighten in northwest Iowa.