Here are the 2023 Iowa high school girls’ soccer regional brackets

Class 1A teams have had a few days to study their paths to state. Thursday, the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union completed the regional field by releasing the brackets for the other two Iowa high school girls’ soccer classes.

How the Iowa high school girls’ soccer regional brackets work

The IGHSAU relies on its rankings to split up the state’s top teams. The top eight teams in each class are in separate regions and the highest-ranked teams in the final IGHSAU regular-season rankings will host regional finals.

Iowa high school girls’ soccer postseason schedule

Class 1A kicks off regional play with a few first-round games on Monday. Most 1A teams start the postseason with regional quarterfinals on Wednesday. The other two classes follow with quarterfinals next Friday.

All regional semifinals are Tuesday, May 23, with the regional finals in all three classes set for Thursday, May 25.

Regional winners advance to the state tournament at Cownie Soccer Park in Des Moines, which begins May 31.

Class 3A Iowa high school girls’ soccer regional brackets

The highest-ranked team in Region 7, No. 7 Linn-Mar (11-3) will try to make it back to state for the first time since 2019. The Lions fell in regional finals on their home field the last two seasons but won’t have to deal with Muscatine this year — No. 15 Dubuque Hempstead (12-2) and Dubuque Senior (5-9) meet in the other semifinal.

Defending state champion and eighth-ranked Ankeny Centennial (7-5-1) is in Region 8, where Cedar Rapids Prairie (9-2) travels to ninth-ranked Bettendorf (10-2) for a semifinal.

Iowa City High (7-4) hosts Cedar Falls (6-7) in a Region 1 semifinal, with top-ranked Waukee Northwest (12-1) on the other side.

The other top-eight teams are West Des Moines Valley (12-2), Johnston (9-4), Ankeny (8-3-1), West Des Moines Dowling (8-5) and Pleasant Valley (12-3).

Here are all eight Class 3A regional brackets.

Class 2A Iowa high school girls’ soccer regional brackets

Unbeaten and up to No. 4 in the Class 2A rankings after starting the season 10th, Independence (12-0) is the favorite in Region 4.

⧉ Related article: Undefeated Independence girls’ soccer team possesses the ball and climbs up the rankings

The Mustangs will host Western Dubuque (6-6) or Iowa City Liberty (6-7) in a semifinal. No. 10 Marion (9-2) hosts the other semifinal against Mount Vernon (8-6) or Clear Creek Amana (3-9). Independence just beat the surging Wolves 4-0 in their regular-season meeting.

In order to qualify for a sixth straight state tournament, No. 12 Cedar Rapids Xavier (5-5) probably has to get past top-ranked Waverly-Shell Rock (13-0) in Region 1. The Go-Hawks haven’t even given up a goal this season.

Dallas Center-Grimes (11-3), which topped WSR for last year’s 2A state title, is ranked second and in Region 2. The other top-eight teams are North Scott (9-2-1), Pella (11-2), North Polk (10-5), Adel ADM (8-4) and Spencer (13-3).

Here are all eight Class 2A regional brackets.

Class 1A Iowa high school girls’ soccer regional brackets

No Gazette-area Class 1A teams received top billing in a region.

No. 9 Center Point-Urbana (8-2) reached the state quarterfinals last year and is scheduled to host a pair of Region 2 games. Wamac West rival Vinton-Shellsburg (9-5) is also on its side of the bracket. Second-ranked Nevada (11-3) is the region favorite and could face Solon (8-5) in the regional semifinals.

River Valley Conference front-runner Dyersville Beckman (11-2), ranked 12th, hosts Dubuque Wahlert (1-12) in the Region 4 quarterfinals and would host again in the semifinals. No. 3 Davenport Assumption (8-4) will be seeking its 16th consecutive trip to state out of that region.

A program on the rise, Anamosa (8-2) is slated to host two games in Region 1. That starts with West Liberty (7-7), a team that just upset the Blue Raiders in double-overtime Monday night. Iowa City Regina (10-5) is also on that side of the bracket and hosts Grand View Christian (5-5) in a quarterfinal. Top-ranked, defending state champion Des Moines Christian (11-2) likely awaits in the final.

The other regions’ highest-ranked teams as of Thursday are Van Meter (7-3), Underwood (8-2), Gilbert (8-4), Sioux City Heelan (11-3) and Denver (13-1).

Here are all eight Class 1A regional brackets.

Comments: nathan.ford@thegazette.com