Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

The Matchups

No. 1 Cedar Rapids Kennedy (33-4) vs. Pleasant Valley (20-17)

Cedar Rapids Kennedy won’t have to go far for its first state tournament appearance since 2015 travelling across town to Veterans Memorial Stadium

The top-seeded Cougars have been the most impressive offensive team in 4A this season posting a 4A-leading .357 team batting average and averaging 9.9 runs per game.

Three different players have at least eight home runs and 30 RBI in a potent Cougar lineup that is led by senior Nolan Grawe (.514, 14 HR, 53).

Seniors Grant Mather (.311, 10 HR, 30 RBI), Matthew Stoltenberg (.422, 8 HR, 49 RBI) and Lincoln Meyers (.378, 4 HR, 38) are all putting together impressive seasons.

Mather headline a solid Kennedy pitching staff, going 10-1 with a 2.58 ERA while striking out 73 in 62 1/3 innings and is backed up by senior Jace Scott (4-1, 3.44 ERA) and junior Colton Duerling (5-1, 2.39 ERA).

Pleasant Valley returns to the state tournament for the first time since winning the 4A title in 2021.

The Spartans lost eight of 11 games in late June and early July but enter the state tournament on a five-game winning streak that includes substate wins over seventh-ranked Davenport North and ninth-ranked Liberty High.

Pleasant Valley sophomore right-hander Lincoln Dalton (8-1, .67 ERA) will be tasked with slowing the potent Kennedy offensive.

Dalton allowed just two hits and one run in 12 postseason innings against Davenport West and Davenport North and has struck out 81 and walked just 11 over 62 2/3 innings this season.

No. 4 Johnston (33-5) vs. No. 8 Waukee Northwest (26-14)

The premier 4A program in the state over the last decade Johnston is making its ninth consecutive state tournament appearance and 11^th trip to state in the past 12 years, a stretch that features seven title game appearances and five titles.

Johnston won all three regular season matchups with Waukee Northwest outscoring the Wolves 25-6 in those games.

The Dragons are 9-2 against teams in the 4A state tournament field with three wins over Waukee Northwest and losses to West Des Moines Dowling and Waukee.

Johnston enters riding a 12-game winning streak, the longest among 4A qualifiers, after a 1-0, 13-inning win over Cedar Falls in the substate title game.

In two substate wins four Johnston pitchers combined to allow three hits and no runs while striking out 29 in 18 postseason innings.

Waukee Northwest is making its second appearance at the state tournament after reaching the 4A semifinals in its state tournament debut in 2022.

The Wolves outscored opponents 31-4 in three substate wins downing sixth-ranked Linn-Mar 8-1 in the substate final.

Of the 14 losses for Waukee Northwest this season 11 have come to state tournament qualifiers including 10 to 4A qualifiers.

Senior Brady Walton (.402, 4 HR, 36 RBI) leads a Waukee Northwest offense that is averaging 7.6 runs per game during its current five-game winning streak.

No. 2 Dallas Center-Grimes (35-3) vs. West Des Moines Dowling (23-15)

Dallas Center-Grimes returns to the 4A state tournament for the second straight season after falling to West Des Moines Dowling in quarterfinals last year.

The Mustangs are seeking their first state tournament win since reaching the 3A semifinals in 2020.

Dallas Center-Grimes has been impressive all season ranking second in 4A in home runs (25) and third in team batting average (.335) while averaging 7.4 runs per game.

The Mustangs have seven players hitting .303 or better this season led by junior Taitn Gray (.545, 13 HR, 38 RBI) and sophomore Cross Bandy (.404, 32 RBI).

Senior Keaton Fenn (9-1, 1.14 ERA) has struck out 103 in 61 2/3 innings this season and headlines a deep Dallas Center-Grimes pitching staff that also includes senior Dayne Mauk (8-0, 1.60 ERA) and freshman Brady Smith (5-2, 1.69 ERA).

West Des Moines Dowling returns to state for the fourth consecutive season and fifth time in the past six seasons.

The Maroons have reached the 4A semifinals each of the past two seasons, finishing runner-up in 2022 before falling to champion Johnston in the semifinals last season.

West Des Moines Dowling started the season 12-14 but has gone 11-1 since including a 2-0 win over fifth-ranked Ankeny Centennial in the substate title game.

In three postseason wins West Des Moines Dowling senior pitchers Trever Baumler (5-2, 1.17 ERA) and Cole Southard (3-2, 3.10 ERA) combined to allow 12 hits while striking out 31 in 22 scoreless innings.

A Texas Christian recruit, Baumler has struck out 78 in 48 innings this season and allowed eight hits and no runs while striking out 22 in 15 postseason innings.

No. 3 City High (33-7) vs. No. 10 Waukee (26-16)

City High returns to the state tournament for the third consecutive season and fourth time in the past five seasons.

The Little Hawks outscored substate opponents Clinton and West High 12-1 and allowed nine hits in two postseason wins.

City High has one of the best and deepest pitching staffs in the state led by juniors Talon Young (6-2, 1.38 ERA) and Jaxton Schroeder (6-1, 1.94) and seniors Johannes Boevers (6-0, 1.02 ERA), Jake Mitchell (4-0, .88 ERA) and Max Waldschmidt (3-2, 2.97 ERA).

Offensively five players are hitting over .300 for City High led by Schroeder (.392, 21 RBI), Drake Obermueller (.330, 23 RBI) and Kael Kurtz (.321, 18 RBI).

Waukee is making its ninth appearance at the state tournament in the last 11 years and returns for the fourth time in the last five seasons after missing out last year.

The Warriors have lost four consecutive quarterfinals, last reaching the 4A semis in 2017.

Waukee closed the season with back-to-back losses to top-ranked Cedar Rapids Kennedy and second-ranked Dallas Center-Grimes but rebounded to outscore Council Bluffs Thomas Jefferson and Sioux City North by a combined score of 10-0 in consecutive substate wins.

Junior two-way standout Grant Sorensen (6-2, 1.25) leads the Waukee pitching staff and is also hitting .338 with 35 RBI and a 4A-leading 43 stolen bases.

Seniors Braeden Billings (5-1, 2.28 ERA) and Nate Danielson (3-3, 2.35 ERA) add pitching depth while Davin de Jesus (.363, 19 RBI) and Carter Johnson (.302, 16 RBI) are both key pieces of the offense.

The Players

City High: Jaxton Schroeder, Jr., P/1B: Schroeder has emerged as an impact two-way player for City High this season hitting .392 with 16 extra-base hits, 26 walks, 34 stolen bases and 21 RBI and the hard-throwing left-hander is also 6-1 with a 1.94 ERA with 48 strikeouts in 39 2/3 innings.

Waukee: Grant Sorensen, Jr., SS/P: Sorensen has done it all this season hitting .338 and leading the Warriors in stolen bases (43), runs (33) extra-base hits (11) and RBI 35 while also going 6-2 with a 1.25 ERA, .99 WHIP and 52 strikeouts in 50 1/3 innings.

West Des Moines Dowling: Trever Baumler, Sr., P: A TCU recruit, Baumler is 5-2 with a 1.17 ERA and .71 WHIP with 78 strikeouts in 48 innings this season and is also hitting .329 with three home runs and 16 RBI.

Dallas Center-Grimes: Taitn Gray, Jr., C: The Notre Dame recruit has been one of the most productive players in the state this season leading 4A in batting average (.545), ranking second in home runs (13) and seventh in RBI (38).

Johnston: Tyne Weeden, Sr., OF: An elite all-state selection last season the Kirkwood commit is hitting .356 with 44 runs scored, 16 extra-base hits, 32 RBI and 14 stolen bases this season.

Waukee Northwest: Tanner Jackson, Jr., DH: Jackson has been a key cog in an impressive Wolves lineup this season batting .319 with 19 extra-base hits, four home runs and a team-high 36 RBI to go with a 1.042 OPS.

Cedar Rapids Kennedy: Nolan Grawe, Sr., 3B: A South Dakota State recruit Grawe has been one of the best all-around hitters in the state leading 4A with 14 home runs and 53 RBI and ranking second in 4A in batting average (.514) while posting 29 extra-base hits and an OPS of 1.653.

Pleasant Valley: Lincoln Dalton, Soph., P: Dalton has emerged as one of the best in the state with a breakthrough sophomore season in which he has posted an 8-1 record and ranks fourth in 4A with a .67 ERA and fifth with 81 strikeouts in 62 2/3 innings.

The Favorite

Cedar Rapids Kennedy is top-ranked and top-seeded, Dallas Center-Grimes has an impressive resume and City High, Waukee and Waukee Northwest are all dangerous teams.

However, any time Johnston is in the 4A field the Dragons need to be considered the favorite.

The two-time defending 4A champs, Johnston has played in the 4A title game five consecutive seasons, winning three titles during that span.

Johnston is making its nine consecutive state tournament appearance, its 11^th in the past 12 years and has won five 4A titles since 2013.

The Underdog

Pleasant Valley entered the postseason a .500 team at an even 17-17 before completing the most improbable postseason runs in any class.

The Spartans won back-to-back substate games over ranked teams Davenport North and Liberty High to return to the state tournament for the first time since 2021.

Eighth-seeded Pleasant Valley is certainly the underdog in the 4A bracket but with standout sophomore Lincoln Dalton (8-1, .67 ERA, .59 WHIP) on the mound the Spartans certainly have some bite.

The Darkhorse

While Johnston is the two-time defending champion, Cedar Rapids Kennedy is top-ranked with impressive offensive numbers and Dallas Center-Grimes is the up and comer gaining attention City High fits perfectly into the role of Darkhorse.

Winning with pitching (4A-best 1.81 team ERA) and defense (.961 fielding percentage) City High has quietly put itself in a position to return to the semifinals for the second time in three seasons.

With its pitching depth the longer City High plays the tougher the Little Hawks can be to beat so with a quarterfinal win on Tuesday City High immediately becomes a serious title contender.

The Focus

Can anyone take down Johnston?

The Dragons are looking to build on what is quickly becoming a 4A dynasty with three titles in the past five seasons including the last two 4A crowns.

Cedar Rapids Kennedy, Dallas Center-Grimes and City High are the top candidates to wrestle the crown away from the Dragons but all face challenging matchups before a potential meeting with Johnston.

Five Fast Facts

*- City High has the lowest team ERA in Class 4A at 1.81 as five different Little Hawks (Talon Young, Jaxton Schroeder, Johannes Boevers, Jake Mitchell, Raymond Nugent) pitched 20 or more innings while posting an ERA of below 1.95.

*- Johnston is attempting to win a third state title in a third different stadium in a span of five seasons. The Dragons won the 2020 title at Principal Park in Des Moines and won the last two 4A titles at Duane Banks Field in Iowa City.

*- City High has 176 stolen bases this season, most among 4A qualifiers and 54 more than any other team in the 4A field.

*- Cedar Rapids Kennedy leads Class 4A with 44 home runs this season, 19 more homers than any other 4A team.

*- The 35 wins for Dallas Center-Grimes this season are the most of any team in the state.

The Schedule

Quarterfinals, July 23

Cedar Rapids Kennedy (33-4) vs. Pleasant Valley (20-17), 11:30 a.m.

Johnston (33-5) vs. Waukee Northwest (26-14), 2 p.m.

Dallas Center-Grimes (35-3) vs. West Des Moines Dowling (23-15), 5 p.m.

City High (33-7) vs. Waukee (26-16), 7:30 p.m.

Semifinals, July 25

Cedar Rapids Kennedy/Pleasant Valley winner vs. Johnston/Waukee Northwest winner, 5 p.m.

Dallas Center-Grimes/West Des Moines Dowling winner vs. City High/Waukee winner, 7:30 p.m.

Championship, July 26

Semifinal winners, 7:30 p.m.

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