Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

The Matchups

No. 1 Johnston (33-4) vs. Liberty High (21-19)

In its first ever state tournament contest Liberty High meets a Johnston program that has become a regular at the state tournament over the past decade.

Johnston is making its seventh consecutive state tournament trip and is seeking a fourth consecutive state title game appearance after finishing runner-up to Pleasant Valley a year ago.

The Dragons won 4A titles in 2017 and 2020 and are 4-2 in state quarterfinals during their string of seven consecutive appearances.

Johnston brings a six-game winning streak into the state tournament after downing fifth-ranked Ankeny Centennial in the substate title game.

The Dragons rank fourth in 4A in runs scored and lead 4A in run differential outscoring opponents by an average of 6.2 runs per game.

After an up and down roller coaster of a regular season Liberty High found some consistency in the postseason to reach the state tournament for the first time in just the fifth year of the program.

The Lightning sat at 12-15 after splitting a doubleheader with Cedar Rapids Kennedy on June 20 but won five of their next six and have won four of five entering the state tournament.

Liberty High rallied past Clinton in its substate opener before back-to-back wins over top-10 teams Cedar Falls (14-1) and defending state champion Pleasant Valley (5-4).

The Liberty High lineup is led by seniors Luke Meyers (.350 BA, 30 runs), Jack Funke (.272 BA, 3 HR), Hayden Vickroy (.360 BA, 28 RBI) and Ian Gates (.330 BA, 24 runs).

Senior Boyd Skelley will get the start for the Lightning on Tuesday and owns a 3-3 record and 3.35 ERA with 41 strikeouts in 46 innings this season.

No. 4 Waukee (27-11) vs. No. 6 Waukee Northwest (26-12)

Another meeting of first-time state qualifier against tournament regular but this comes with a cross-town twist.

Waukee Northwest earned the first state appearance in program history with a 1-0 win over West Des Moines Valley in the substate final and will take on its state tournament experienced neighbor in the 4A quarterfinals.

Waukee is making its third consecutive state tournament appearance and eighth trip to state in the past nine seasons following a 9-4 win over Southeast Polk in the substate title game.

The Warriors haven’t reached the state semifinals since 2017 and have scored three total runs in three consecutive quarterfinal losses.

Waukee swept Waukee Northwest in a regular season doubleheader back on May 26 but will have its hands full in its rematch with the Wolves on Tuesday and ace Anthony Watts.

Watts didn’t pitch in the regular season matchup against Waukee and has been sensational of late allowing just four hits and no runs while striking out 19 in 10 postseason innings.

No. 2 City High (31-8) vs. Indianola (26-12)

City High returns to the state tournament for the second time in three seasons seeking an extended stay in its return trip.

The Little Hawks fell to Dubuque Hempstead 7-6 in a heartbreaker in the 2020 quarterfinals at Principal Park in Des Moines.

City High will make the trek across Iowa City on Tuesday to make its state debut at Duane Banks Field and should reap the benefits of some home field advantage and a large crowd.

The Little Hawks have been playing their best down the stretch and enter the state tournament with a 4A-best 10-game winning streak.

City High didn’t allow a run in a pair of substate wins and has been among the most difficult teams in 4A to score against this season leading 4A with a 2.12 ERA and has given up the fewest hits of any 4A team.

The Little Hawks are led by a pair of Iowa recruits in senior shortstop Gable Mitchell and senior pitcher/outfielder Cade Obermueller.

Mitchell ranks fourth in 4A with a .477 batting average and has scored 52 runs and driven in 28 while Obermueller has allowed just five hits and struck out 27 in 11 1/3 scoreless innings in the postseason.

Indianola is appearing at the state tournament for the first time in more than a decade, qualifying for the first time since 2010 with an 8-6 win over No. 10 Urbandale in the substate final.

Like City High the Indians are playing their best at end of the season and enter the state tournament winners for five straight and seven of their last eight.

Indianola was the third seed in its substate and downed fourth-seeded Ottumwa (5-1), second-seed Ankeny (8-5) and top-seeded Urbandale.

No. 3 Cedar Rapids Prairie (31-8) vs. No. 7 West Des Moines Dowling (25-14)

Yet another intriguing quarterfinal in the 4A tournament is a rematch of last year’s 4A quarterfinal won by Cedar Rapids Prairie 8-4.

The Hawks outlasted Cedar Rapids Kennedy 2-1 in nine innings in the substate title game to return to state for the fifth time in program history.

Cedar Rapids Prairie is making its second straight trip to state after falling to eventual champion Pleasant Valley in the semifinals last season and its fourth in the last seven seasons.

The Hawks have won 18 of their last 20 games and outscored a pair of opponents 10-1 in substate play.

Junior Maddux Frese tossed eight strong innings in the win over Kennedy and is 6-2 on the season with a 2.12 ERA in a team-high 56 innings and is likely to get the starting nod on Tuesday.

Dowling returned to state for the second straight season and fourth time in the past six years with a 9-2 win over Linn-Mar in the substate final.

The Maroons lost three straight to close out the regular season but outscored Linn-Mar and Marshalltown 24-2 in a pair of substate wins.

Dowling has been tough to score on all season especially senior ace Evan Curran who is 5-0 with a .82 ERA with 42 strikeouts in 42 2/3 innings.

Expect a clean game here between the top two teams in 4A in fielding percentage and fewest errors this season.

Cedar Rapids Prairie leads in both fielding percentage (.961) and fewest errors (43) and Dowling is second in both (.954) and (49).

The Players

City High: Cade Obermueller, Sr., P/OF: Iowa recruit could be a MLB draft selection by the time he takes the mound on Tuesday. The left-handed throwing Obermueller is 6-1 with a 1.20 ERA and 98 strikeouts in 46 2/3 innings pitched and has also hit .402 with a team-high 38 RBI.

Liberty High: Luke Meyers, Sr., OF: Senior leadoff hitter is hitting .350 and leads the Lightning in runs (30), stolen bases (18) and also has 18 RBI.

Cedar Rapids Prairie: Cal Sullivan, Jr., 3B: Sullivan has been among the most productive hitters in 4A this season ranking in the top five in hits (56), doubles (17), RBI (46) and total bases (94).

West Des Moines Dowling: Trever Baumler, Soph., C: One of the top prospects and most intriguing talents in the state Baumler ranks second in 4A in batting average at .514, leads in home runs with 11 and is tops in hits with 57.

Johnston: Miles Isley, Sr., CF: The Dragon leadoff hitter is batting a team-high .452 and leads Johnston in runs (48), hits (56), doubles (15), home runs (6), extra-base hits (24) and RBI (36).

Indianola: Brady Blake, Jr., P/SS: Among the best two-way players in the 4A field this week Blake is 8-2 with a 3.13 ERA in 53 2/3 innings and has also hit .393 with nine home runs, 21 extra-base hits and 31 RBI.

Waukee: Camden Kaufman, Sr., P: One of the top pitchers in the state this season Kaufman is 8-2 with a 1.95 ERA and has struck out 71 in 61 IP and also hit .324 with 14 RBI.

Waukee Northwest: Anthony Watts, Sr., P: Creighton recruit is 8-1 with a 1.09 ERA and leads Class 4A with 111 strikeouts in 57 2/3 innings.

The Favorite

Johnston has been the gold standard for 4A baseball programs in the state for almost a decade.

The Dragons are seeking a fourth consecutive title game appearance in their seventh straight trip to state and chasing a third title in the past seven seasons.

Johnston is 33-4 on the season and a perfect 8-0 against Class 4A tournament state qualifiers this season.

The Underdog

It is tough to get a better underdog story than Liberty High.

The Lightning were a game below .500 when the postseason opened and needed a late rally to down Clinton in the substate quarterfinals.

Since its playoff opener Liberty High has been razor sharp winning back-to-back road games over ranked teams taking out defending state champion Pleasant Valley in the substate final.

Liberty High is hot, they are confident and throw in the fact they are playing close to home and you have the potential for the underdog season to continue.

The Darkhorse

It seems a little out of line to think of second-ranked and second-seeded City High as a darkhorse but with most the title attention on top-ranked Johnson the Little Hawks can fly under the radar.

City High has a legit ace in Cade Obermueller, a solid lineup top to bottom, pitching depth, senior leadership and homefield advantage.

All of that makes the Little Hawks more than capable of coming up with a title run.

The Focus

The field 4A field is split with half the teams from the CIML (Waukee, Waukee Northwest, West Des Moines Dowling, Johnston) and half the teams from non-CIML leagues (City High, Liberty High, Cedar Rapids Prairie, Indianola).

Over the past decade plus the Des Moines teams have flexed their muscle at the state tournament, with five CIML teams combining to win nine of the past 11 4A titles.

The tide turned last season when Pleasant Valley joined Cedar Rapids Prairie in 2016 as the only non-CIML teams in the last 10 years to win the 4A crown in the tournament’s debut season in Iowa City.
Will Eastern Iowa teams go 2-for-2 in 4A titles at Banks Field?

Five Fast Facts

* – Top-ranked Johnston is a perfect 8-0 this season against Class 4A state qualifying teams.

* – City High leads Class 4A in batting average against this season holding opponents to a .182 average.

* – Cedar Rapids Prairie junior Cal Sullivan has struck out three times in 151 plate appearances this season.

* – City High senior pitcher Cade Obermueller ranks second in 4A in strikeouts (98) and leads 4A averaging 2.1 strikeouts per inning.

* – Johnston has amassed a 235-39 record over the last seven seasons during its run of consecutive state tournament appearances.

The Schedule

Quarterfinals, July 19

Johnston (33-4) vs. Liberty High (21-19), 11:30 a.m.

Waukee (27-11) vs. Waukee Northwest (26-12), 2 p.m.

Cedar Rapids Prairie (31-8) vs. West Des Moines Dowling (25-14), 5 p.m.

City High (31-8) vs. Indianola (26-12), 7:30 p.m.

Semifinals, July 19

Johnston/Liberty High winner vs. Waukee/Waukee Northwest winner, 5 p.m.

Cedar Rapids Prairie/West Des Moines Dowling winner vs. City High/Indianola winner, 7:30 p.m.

Championship, July 22

Semifinal winners, 7:30 p.m.

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