Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

The Matchups

No. 3 Regina (27-7) vs. Treynor (19-13)

Red-hot Regina brings a 2A-best 10-game winning streak in an opening round rematch with Treynor.

Regina is hitting .405 as a team and has scored double digit runs five times during its current winning streak while outscoring opponents 9-4-22.

The Regals are battle tested after posting a 4-5 record against Class 3A and 4A competition and swept 2A fifth-ranked Wilton in a doubleheader last month.

After reaching the state semifinals a year ago Regina is seeking its first title game appearance since 1994 and is trying to become the first Iowa City team to win a state title.

Treynor returns to the state tournament for the second straight season and third time in four years after falling to Regina 5-0 in the quarterfinals last season.

The Cardinals have lost six consecutive state tournament games after last year’s quarterfinal loss to Regina and are seeking the first win at state since 1983.

Treynor lost six of nine games to close the regular season but averaged better than 10 runs in three postseason wins, knocking off two-time defending runner-up Carroll Kuemper 11-3 in the substate final.

Offense hasn’t been a problem for Treynor which ranks second among 2A qualifiers in runs per game (8.4) and third in team batting average (.336).

No. 9 Van Meter (29-8) vs. No. 10 Alta-Aurelia (20-4)

If you are looking for a pitchers’ duel in the 2A quarterfinals this could be the game for you as two of the top pitchers in Class 2A expect to battle for a spot in the state semifinals.

The only pitchers in 2A with double digit win totals this season will meet as Alta-Aurelia senior Alex Snyder (11-0, 1.56) and Van Meter sophomore Anthony Potthoff (10-1, 1.05 ERA) are expected to get the starts for their respective teams.

Alta-Aurelia is searching for the first state tournament win in program history in its first trip to state since making back-to-back trips in 2011 and 2012.

The Warriors bring a five-game winning streak to Principal Park and Snyder has been a big reason for the late surge posting a 4-0 record with an .85 ERA and 42 strikeouts in 24 2/3 innings during the current win streak.

Van Meter is back at state for the second straight season and fourth time in six years after falling to eventual runner-up Carroll Kuemper 5-3 in the quarterfinals last year.

The Bulldogs will likely go to Potthoff as they attempt to reach the semifinals for the third time since 2013.

Potthoff is a big reason Van Meter is back at state, allowing one earned run on 7 hits in 10 innings while posting two wins and a save in three postseason wins. 

No. 7 Estherville Lincoln Central (25-3) vs. Centerville (24-7)

One of the most anticipated 2A quarterfinals is a rematch of perhaps the best game in the 2A tournament a year ago.

Centerville edged Estherville Lincoln Central 3-1 in eight innings last season for its first state tournament win since the 2008 3A title game.

The Big Reds have won eight of their last nine games to reach the state tournament for the third time since 1995.

Centerville has a strong 1-2 combo atop its pitching staff in seniors Daniel Hargrave (8-1, 1.70 ERA) and Tyson Belloma (5-2, 1.86).

Belloma also leads the team with a .429 batting average and is second with 27 RBI.

Estherville Lincoln Central has relied heavily on its own strong pitching staff to make its second consecutive state tournament trip and third all-time.

The Midgets rank second in 2A with a 1.60 team ERA while averaging 1.39 strikeouts per inning.

Three pitchers boast a sub-1.00 ERA for Estherville Lincoln Central led by seniors Trey Jacobson (3-0, .92) and Evan Olesen (7-1, .57)

Estherville Lincoln Central has won seven straight and 14 of its last 15 games as it attempts to earn its first state tournament win.

No. 5 Wilton (25-5) vs. Denver (18-13)

One of the top programs in Class 2A over the past several years Wilton finally broke its state tournament drought with a substate final win over defending champion and fourth-ranked Dyersville Beckman.

Wilton is making its first state tournament appearance since completing the seventh unbeaten championship season in state history in 2005.

The Beavers come to Des Moines one of the hottest teams in the state, riding an eight-game winning streak that includes six shutouts.

Led by junior left-hander Jared Townsend (8-2, .88 ERA) Wilton has posted a 1.16 team ERA this season best in 2A.

Denver is making its fourth state tournament appearance and is still seeking its first win after falling 7-1 to top-seeded Dyersville Beckman in last year’s quarterfinal.

The Cyclones lost seven of eight games to close the regular season but rebounded to win three postseason games by a combined score of 32-6 including a 7-2 win over eighth-ranked New Hampton.

A .284 hitting team on the season, Denver is hitting .395 in three postseason games.

The record doesn’t sparkle but the Cyclones have a legit ace in senior Zach Miller (8-2, .95 ERA) and are 10-1 in games Miller starts.

The Faces

REGINA: Ryne Schooley has been a force at the top of the Regina batting order, leading the Regals with a .432 average, five home runs and 36 RBI from his leadoff spot.

TREYNOR: Dean Bedell leads Treynor with a .477 batting average and the senior catcher has been at his best down the stretch, going 12-for-19 with multi-hit games in his last five games.

VAN METER: Sophomore Anthony Potthoff has established himself as one of the top frontline starters in 2A with a 10-1 record and 1.05 ERA in 60 innings.

ALTA-AURELIA: Alex Snyder has been as close to perfection as any hurler in 2A this season.

The senior is 11-0 with a 1.56 ERA in a 2A-leading 67 1/3 innings and ranks second in 2A with 122 strikeouts.

ESTHERVILLE LINCOLN CENTRAL: Few players in the 2A field mean more to their team than Trey Jacobson. The senior shortstop and leadoff hitter is hitting a team-leading .475 with 34 runs and 21 RBI and is also 3-0 with a .92 ERA and 49 strikeouts in 38 innings.

CENTERVILLE: Senior Daniel Hargrave has done it all hitting .368 with team-highs of three home runs and 32 RBI while posting an 8-1 record with a 1.70 ERA and 65 strikeouts in 53 2/3 innings.

WILTON: Iowa commit Jared Townsend leads 2A with 124 strikeouts to go with an 8-2 record and .88 ERA in 63 2/3 innings and leads the Beavers with a .407 average 17 doubles and 28 RBI.

DENVER: Looking for a reason for the Cyclones’ late-season surge? Look no further than freshman shortstop Bryce Phelps. Phelps is 7-of-10 with eight runs, three doubles and six RBI in three postseason wins and leads Denver is batting average (.462), runs (44), stolen bases (30) and walks (23).

The Favorite

Substate upsets claimed three of the top four ranked teams in Class 2A leaving the state tournament field as wide open as any in recent history.

Third-ranked Regina enters as the top seed and playing as well as any team in 2A.

A state semifinalist a year ago, Regina is riding a 10-game winning streak and has a pair of regular season wins over second-seeded Wilton making the Regals the favorite.

The Forecast

The seedings and the signs point toward an all-River Valley Conference title game with the top teams in the RVC South, Wilton and Regina meeting for a 2A title.

There are plenty of potential slipping points for each team along the way.

Wilton will need to get past Denver and ace pitcher Zach Miller in the quarterfinals while Regina has a strong hitting Treynor team in the quarterfinals.

Estherville Lincoln Central and Centerville each have enough arms to make a run.

The Focus

Who snaps the streak?

Over the past six seasons only five different teams have appeared in a 2A title game and none of those teams are in the 2A field.

That means the door is open for a couple of teams to break their title game droughts.

Five teams in the 2A field have played for a state title but none have been in a championship since Centerville won the 3A crown in 2008.

Only Van Meter (2003) and Wilton (2005) have played in a championship game since 2000.

Regina has been to three title games but hasn’t been in a championship since 1994 and Treynor played for one in 1983.

Five Fast Facts

*Treynor lost four games when it scored more than 10 runs, the other 31 teams to reach the state tournament combined to lose one game when scoring 10 runs or more.

*Alta-Aurelia sophomore shortstop Logan McCoy brings an 18-game hitting streak to the state tournament and is hitting .549 (28-51) during the streak.

*Six of the eight teams in the 2A field reached the state tournament a year ago, the most among any of the four classes. The lone 2A teams to not return from last year’s tournament are the two finalists from last season, Dyersville Beckman and Carroll Kuemper.

*Wilton junior pitcher Jared Townsend brings a 30-inning scoreless streak into the state tournament and has allowed just six hits and struck out 60 in his previous four starts.

*Regina is hitting .405 during its current 10-game winning streak to push it’s team batting average to .360 on the season fifth best in 2A this season and tops among 2A state qualifiers.

The Schedule

Monday’s Quarterfinals

Regina (27-7) vs. Treynor (19-13), 11 a.m.

Van Meter (29-8) vs. Alta-Aurelia (20-4), 1:30 p.m.

Estherville Lincoln Central (25-3) vs. Centerville (24-7), 5 p.m.

Wilton (25-5) vs. Denver (18-13)

Thursday’s Semifinals

Regina/Treynor winner vs. Van Meter/Alta-Aurelia winner, TBA

Estherville Lincoln Central/Centerville winner vs. Wilton/Denver winner, TBA

Saturday’s Championship

Semifinal winners, 1:30 p.m.