Iowa high school softball 2025 regional finals: A look at Monday’s area 2A and 1A games

Let’s get this straight up front: Iowa Valley didn’t “back into” this opportunity.

For that matter, neither did Highland.

Two unlikely combatants will battle for a Class 1A berth in the state softball tournament Monday night at Riverside. If you thought it would be Southeast Warren and North Linn, you’d have been wrong by the second round.

Iowa Valley (14-11) knocked out the fourth-ranked Warhawks; Highland (16-9) dropped the perennial-power Lynx.

Two rounds later, here we are.

“We knew we had a chance,” Iowa Valley Coach Monica Miller said Saturday night, a few hours after the Tigers outslugged HLV-TC, 16-13, in the regional-semifinal round. “But we didn’t know it would be like this.”

Iowa Valley’s pursuit of its first state berth highlights Monday’s area slate in 1A/2A regional finals. In 2A, Dubuque County rivals Cascade (No. 11 and 19-9) and Dyersville Beckman (No. 10, 21-15) hook up at Dyersville, and No. 8 Lisbon (26-12) travels to No. 5 Durant (20-12).

Winners advance to Fort Dodge next week.

“The kids know what’s at stake,” Miller said. “But we don’t want to talk about it yet.”

By tripping Southeast Warren in Round 2, Iowa Valley pulled the upset of the postseason, in any class, so far.

The Tigers have been explosive lately, piling up 105 runs during their current eight-game winning streak.

“Everybody is hitting, up and down the lineup,” Miller said. “The Kriegels (Lydia and Izzy) have been great hitters throughout their career.

“Lydia has been in high-stress situations throughout her career. She’s leading the team, saying, ‘Follow me, we’ve got this.’”

Highland followed an 8-2 second-round win over North Linn with a 2-1 victory Saturday at BGM.

“We went over and watched it after our game. I think this will be a great game (Monday), and that we’ve got a shot at it.”

Monday’s Class 2A regional finals (all 7 p.m.)

No. 8 Lisbon (26-12) at No. 5 Durant (20-12)

Lisbon takes aim at an eighth consecutive state trip. The Lions led from start to finish in a 4-1 regional-semifinal win over No. 14 Jesup, their 11th straight victory. Eighth-grader Alexis Jensen (.448) has been the Lions’ top hitter, with sophomore Emma Pleasant (.402) notching 14 doubles. Pleasant hit a grand slam to break open the regional-semifinal win over Northeast. Durant handled Alburnett in the regional semifinals, 6-1. Sophomore Allison Toft stands out in the Wildcats’ lineup, hitting .493, and also is 10-2 in the circle.

No. 11 Cascade (19-9) at No. 10 Dyersville Beckman (21-15)

Beckman topped Cascade three times in a three-day span in June (5-4, 4-0 and 9-7), but the Cougars wear the River Valley Conference North Division crown, finishing one game ahead of the Blazers in the final standings. Cascade was a 4-1 victor over Maquoketa Valley in the regional semifinals and shoots for its first state appearance since 2015. Junior Addison Frake is hitting .400 with 25 RBIs. Beckman advanced with a 5-4 triumph over North Butler, and has an opportunity to secure its first state berth since 2019. Freshman Maggie Cassidy (.407, 29 RBIs) leads the Blazers’ attack.

State

Exira-EHK/Audubon (16-11) at No. 1 Van Meter (30-2)

Pella Christian (13-16) at No. 2 Louisa-Muscatine (28-6)

No. 9 Hinton (19-5) at No. 3 West Lyon (27-1)

East Marshall (26-9) at No. 4 Osage (28-1)

No. 15 West Monona (28-6) at No. 6 Treynor (20-4)

Central Spirings (15-14) at No. 7 West Fork (21-6)

Monday’s Class 1A regional finals (all 7 p.m.)

Iowa Valley (14-11) at Highland (16-9)

This matchup for a state berth would have been an extreme longshot two weeks ago. Iowa Valley was 6-11 on June 27; Highland was 9-9. But the Tigers have won eight consecutive games (scoring 105 runs in the process), and the Huskies have rattled off seven in a row (allowing just seven runs). Eighth-grade pitcher Jillian Stransky pitched a three-hitter in Highland’s 2-1 win over BGM on Saturday, while Iowa Valley outlasted HLV-TC, 16-13. Iowa Valley seniors Lydia Kriegel and Izzy Kriegel both were 4-for-5, with Lydia scoring five runs and Izzy driving in five. Highland’s last state trip came in 2014.

State

No. 14 Seymour (21-4) at No. 1 Wayne (24-2)

Riceville (20-13) at No. 2 Clarksville (27-4)

Don Bosco (21-13) at No. 3 Wapsie Valley (28-4)

Stanton (12-10) at No. 5 Oakland Riverside (23-3)

No. 12 Woodbine (19-6) at No. 6 Newell-Fonda (23-11)

Remsen St. Mary’s (16-7) at No. 7 Fort Dodge St. Edmond (23-10)

No. 11 Ankeny Christian (17-2) at No. 9 Mason City Newman (17-2)

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com