Iowa high school softball 2024 regional finals: A look at Tuesday’s area 5A, 4A and 3A games

Benton Community was flirting with catastrophe.

Down 8-4 midway through their Class 3A softball regional semifinal against Grinnell, the top-ranked Bobcats were in distinct danger of an early postseason exit.

“It wasn’t ideal,” Coach Jordon Rettenmeier said.

It was downright scary. But the Bobcats rallied for an 11-10 victory. Survive and advance, as the old cliche goes.

“The girls worked through it,” Rettenmeier said. “Hopefully this gives them confidence going forward ... no matter what, we’ve got a chance.”

Benton (30-7) will try to capitalize on its second life Tuesday, when it hosts Eagle Grove (17-7) in a 3A regional final.

That is one of nine matchups involving area 5A, 4A and 3A teams, with state-tournament berths on the line.

Also in 3A, No. 2 Williamsburg (29-12) — the reigning state champion — hosts Chariton (16-9), Center Point-Urbana (16-18) visits Solon (17-24) and Independence (22-18) plays at No. 3 Dubuque Wahlert (28-10).

In 4A, No. 4 Cedar Rapids Xavier (30-10) hosts No. 8 Carlisle (33-8), and No. 10 Clear Creek Amana (25-12) visits No. 9 Western Dubuque (29-9).

And in 5A, No. 7 Cedar Rapids Kennedy welcomes Cedar Rapids Prairie (23-17), No. 8 Iowa City Liberty (23-11) travels to No. 3 Muscatine (26-10), and Cedar Rapids Jefferson (22-16) is at No. 2 Pleasant Valley (36-3).

All games begin at 7 p.m., other than the Indee-Wahlert matchup, which starts at 5.

The Metro/Iowa City area didn’t have a dog in the 5A state hunt last year, but is guaranteed at least one qualifier, and could have as many as three.

“We are familiar with each other,” Kennedy Coach Maddison LeClere said of the Cougars’ matchup with Prairie. “That could be a blessing or a curse.”

Kennedy got past Linn-Mar, 3-0, on Cara Crock’s three-run home run in the bottom of the seventh; Prairie knocked off No. 14 Des Moines Roosevelt on the road, 8-4.

The CPU-Solon matchup guarantees the area an unranked, sub-.500 qualifier in 3A. The Stormin’ Pointers stunned No. 4 Mount Vernon in the regional semifinals; the Spartans knocked out No. 11 West Liberty.

“It’s been a long, twisting road for us this season,” Solon Coach Brad Holub said. “We’ve had a bunch of injuries and some other stuff. We are who we are, and we’re starting to click.

“I feel we are battle tested, and hopefully we still have something left (for Tuesday).”

Tuesday’s Class 5A Iowa high school softball regional finals (all 7 p.m.)

Cedar Rapids Jefferson (22-16) at No. 2 Pleasant Valley (36-3)

Jefferson is sixth all-time in state appearances with 24, but the J-Hawks haven’t been to Fort Dodge since 2018. They’re a step away now, thanks to an emphatic 5-1 win at No. 12 Dubuque Senior on Saturday. Pleasant Valley has won 17 of its last 18 games, and is an offensive juggernaut, leading the state in home runs (56), batting average (.419) and slugging percentage (.669). PV is after its fifth straight state appearance and was the 5A runner-up last year.

No. 8 Iowa City Liberty (23-11) at No. 3 Muscatine (26-10)

Now in Year 7, Liberty continues pursuit of its first state tournament. The Lightning have won six straight games, including a 15-3 rout of Davenport North in the regional semifinals, plating nine runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to end it early. Haley Schroeder and Mischa Reiners both drove in three runs. Lanie Meyer has smacked 12 home runs. Muscatine has five starters back from last year’s 5A third-place state team, led by senior Lucy Hoag (7 HRs, 50 RBIs).

Cedar Rapids Prairie (23-17) at No. 7 Cedar Rapids Kennedy (24-15)

These teams played just once in the regular season; Kennedy earned a 4-3 win on June 13. The Cougars got a two-hit shutout from Lily Knutson and a three-run home run in the bottom of the seventh by Cara Crock to beat Linn-Mar in the regional semifinals, 3-0; Prairie tripped No. 14 Des Moines Roosevelt, 8-4, scoring twice in the fifth and twice in the seventh to pull away. Audrey Lueck posted three hits and two RBIs.

State

Ames (23-17) at No. 1 West Des Moines Valley (35-4)

No. 15 Des Moines Lincoln (27-12) at No. 4 Waukee Northwest (32-7)

No. 11 Urbandale (21-18) at No. 5 Johnston (30-10)

No. 13 Waukee (19-17) at No. 6 Ankeny Centennial (29-9)

No. 10 Southeast Polk (20-20) at No. 9 Ankeny (20-20)

Tuesday’s Class 4A regional finals (all 7 p.m.)

No. 8 Carlisle (33-8) at No. 4 Cedar Rapids Xavier (30-10)

One of Tuesday’s premier matchups in any class; Xavier takes aim at one of the state’s most tradition-rich programs. Carlisle has made 21 state appearances (five consecutive) and was fifth in 4A last year. Jim Flaws is in his 42nd year of coaching and has more than 1,200 wins. Junior-rich Xavier is aiming for its first state trip since 2018. The Saints struck for four first-inning runs and coasted past Fort Madison, 6-0, in the regional semifinals behind Braylen Conlon’s seven-strikeout two-hitter.

No. 10 Clear Creek Amana (25-12) at No. 9 Western Dubuque (29-9)

With 35 state appearances and nine championships, Clear Creek Amana is as decorated of a softball program as any in Iowa. But the Clippers haven’t been to Fort Dodge since 2021, and only once in 10 years. CCA ousted Charles City, 5-2, in the regional semifinals and has two hitters — sophomores Kyla Schulte and Lizzie Pasbrig — with 50-plus RBIs. MVC Valley Division champion Western Dubuque has been to two of the last three state tournaments, winning the 4A title in 2021.

State

Gilbert (18-16) at No. 1 North Polk (35-4)

Perry (10-18) at No. 2 Dallas Center-Grimes (31-8)

Pella (22-11) at No. 3 Norwalk (28-7)

No. 11 Winterset (23-16) at No. 5 Adel ADM (28-9)

No. 14 Sergeant Bluff-Luton (29-6) at No. 6 Fort Dodge (29-12)

No. 13 Burlington (23-5) at No. 7 North Scott (29-5)

Tuesday’s Class 3A regional finals (7 p.m. unless noted)

Eagle Grove (17-7) at No. 1 Benton Community (30-7)

Benton got a severe wakeup call in the regional semifinals, rallying from 8-4 and 10-7 deficits to edge Grinnell, 11-10. Hannah Greiner drove in five runs, and Ana Glawe hit a game-tying home run (her 13th of the year), extending her season RBI total to 62. Eagle Grove has a 140-mile trip to Van Horne, and it will be a difficult task for the Eagles — in the midst of their first winning season since 2017 — to make their first state trip in 20 years.

Chariton (16-9) at No. 2 Williamsburg (29-12)

The reigning-champion Raiders have gotten through a pair of low-stress postseason games by scores of 4-0 and 4-1. Offensive balance is the buzzword for the Raiders, who are solid from 1 through 9. Sophomore Jersey Metz is the likely go-to pitcher; she is 20-6 with a 2.65 ERA. Senior Addie McGee is hitting .564 for Chariton. A win would send Williamsburg to state for the fifth straight year; it finished second, third and third before going all the way in 2023.

Independence (22-18) at No. 3 Dubuque Wahlert (28-10), 5 p.m.

This game (and the one below) reflects the strength and balance of the Wamac Conference East Division. At 8-14, Independence finished last in the division, but the Mustangs have been competitive since rebounding from an 0-7 start. Senior Havana Griffith has been one of the area’s top hitters, at .520. Wahlert, the champion of the MVC Mississippi Division, is a solid favorite, though. Sophomore Julia Roth has 14 doubles and 12 home runs.

Center Point-Urbana (16-18) at Solon (17-24)

Not the matchup you expected? Same here. Center Point-Urbana crashed the party with a regional-semifinal 3-0 win over No. 4 Mount Vernon behind Mya Hillers’ five-hit shutout. Solon, meanwhile, emphatically took out No. 11 West Liberty, 11-1, busting it open with eight runs in the final three innings. Addie Miller drove in four runs. Miller leads the Spartans in average (.402), home runs (six) and RBIs (34). Solon last qualified for state in 2016, CPU in 2017.

State

Central Lee (25-10) at No. 5 Davenport Assumption (24-12)

No. 10 West Lyon (22-3) at No. 6 Estherville ELC (30-6)

No. 14 West Marshall (25-8) at No. 7 Sumner-Fredericksburg (32-3), 5 p.m.

No. 9 Clarinda (33-7) at No. 8 Monroe PCM (23-4)

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com