Last summer, North Polk was stunned in the opening round of the Class 4A state softball tournament by North Scott.

A year later, Ava Husak made sure there would be no repeat of that disappointing loss.

Husak hit a home run and pitched a two-hitter as the top-ranked Comets downed Western Dubuque here Monday evening, 7-2. North Polk (37-4 overall) will now face Adel-ADM in the semis Wednesday at 12:45 p.m. on Iowa Central Field.

Just a junior who Drake University last month, Husak showed why she is one of the elite athletes in 4A. She struck out seven and did not walk a batter while going 2-for-3 at the plate with three RBI.

During one stretch of the game, Husak retired 12 straight batters. Her home run — that came on the first pitch — was the 13th of the season as she now has 47 RBI.

“We are on a revenge tour,” Husak said. “After losing last year that has been what we have been fighting for and what we’ve been going after (winning a state title).”

Lucy Lucas and Tessa Dillinger both had two hits for the Comets as head coach Rick Dillinger earned his 1,242 career win. He has now led North Polk to 12 state tournament appearances and four titles overall.

All four losses by the Comets came to state qualifiers in 5A programs Waukee Northwest and Ankeny, 3A Williamsburg and 2A Van Meter. In the regular season finale, North Polk topped ADM, 4-0, to go along with a 5-0 win in late May.

Western Dubuque (30-10), who won it all in 2021, will face Fort Dodge in a consolation contest on Tuesday at 12:45 p.m. on Dodger Field.

NORTH POLK 7, WESTERN DUBUQUE 2

Western Dubuque 100 000 1 — 2 2 2

North Polk 101 410 x — 7 10 2

WP–Ava Husak (28-4, 7 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 7 K, 0 BB). LP–Kiya Steger (15-3, 4ª IP, 9 H, 5 ER, 3 K, 2 BB).

HR–WD: Kiya Steger; NP: Ava Husak. 2B–NP: Lucy Lucas (2), Larissa Koth, Elyse Engbretson. RBI–WD: Kiya Steger; NP: Larissa Koth, Ava Husak (3), Lucy Lucas, Madelyn Klever. SB–WD: Carson Koerperich.