Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

The Matchups

No. 1 Regina (27-8) vs. No. 12 Northeast (22-11)

Defending 2A state champion Regina returns to Rogers Sports Complex for the third straight season in search of the first back-to-back titles in program history.

As always the Regals come to Fort Dodge battle tested with six of its eight losses this season coming to ranked teams from larger classes.

The lone loss for Regina to a 2A opponent was a 6-3 setback at ninth-ranked Wilton on May 29.

Regina went 3-4 during the regular season against state tournament qualifiers with wins over 2A fourth-seeded Lisbon, 4A qualifier Fort Dodge and 5A qualifier Bettendorf.

The Regals have been well-rounded this season ranking in the top five in 2A in team batting average (.394), team ERA (1.90) and team fielding percentage (.947).

Eight starters for Regina are hitting over .300 led by senior center fielder Dani Laughlin who leads 2A with a .612 batting average.

Senior catcher Courtney Kessler is a returning all-stater and leads the Regals in extra-base hits (19), home runs (2) and RBI (52) while batting .537.

River Valley Conference North Division member Northeast is making its second ever state tournament appearance and first since reaching the 2A semifinals in its debut appearance in 2020.

The Rebels enter the state tournament riding a nine-game winning streak after a 7-2 win over seventh-ranked Cascade in the regional semifinals and 5-1 win over ninth-ranked Wilton in the regional title game.

Sophomores Leah Mangelsen and Emma Kjergaard join junior Madison Kluever to provide some pop at the top of the Northeast batting order.

Mangelsen is hitting .440 with nine home runs and 35 RBI while Kjergaard is batting .429 with 12 extra-base hits and 21 RBI to go with a team-high 42 runs scored.

No. 4 Lisbon (34-7) vs. No. 5 Interstate 35 (25-12)

Lisbon is appearing at the state tournament for the second consecutive season and fifth time in the past six years with its last four trips coming in Class 1A.

The Lions bring a 10-game winning streak into the state tournament, a stretch in which they have outscored opponents 110-15.

Lisbon leads 2A with 353 runs scored and has outscored opponents by a 2A-best 247 runs this season.

The potent Lisbon offense is led by senior Peyton Robinson who leads 2A with 66 hits this season and is hitting a team-high .489 with 20 extra-base hits and 39 RBI.

Seniors Ryleigh Allgood (.475) and Ella Clark (.433) join Robinson in hitting over .400 while senior Blair Baltes is hitting .368 and has seven home runs and 43 RBI.

Interstate 35 returns to the state tournament for the first time since 2017 after downing South Hardin 2-1 in the regional title game.

Don’t let the 12 losses fool you, the Roadrunners have faced a rugged schedule with all but one loss coming to ranked competition including seven losses to ranked teams from larger classes.

Of the 12 losses for Interstate 35 eight have come by one run with the Roadrunners going 4-8 in one-run games.

Interstate 35 has won 12 of its last 13 games entering the state tournament with the lone loss in that stretch a 6-5 setback to 5A top-ranked Ankeny Centennial.

Senior pitcher Katie Murphy ranks second in 2A with a 1.35 ERA and has struck out 134 in 182 innings pitched.

Junior Trinity Darst (.409, 7 HR) and senior Josie McCuddin (.378, 12 HR) have combined for 19 home runs and 72 RBI.

No. 2 Van Meter (34-5) vs. No. 8 Missouri Valley (29-3)

Van Meter returns to the state tournament for the second consecutive season red hot outscoring opponents 118-33 during a 12-game winning streak.

The Bulldogs won three regional games by a combined score of 29-0 downing Pocahontas 10-0 in the regional championship.

Van Meter is 4-4 against state qualifying teams with wins over 4A qualifiers North Polk and ADM as well as victories of 3A qualifier Saydel and 2A qualifier Interstate 35.

The Bulldogs have been impressive offensively ranking third in 2A with a team batting average of .381.

Sophomore Finley Netten leads 2A with 69 runs scored and 48 stolen bases and is hitting .443 while junior Maddie Waldorf is hitting .495 with six home runs and leads 2A with 60 RBI.

Missouri Valley is appearing at the state tournament for the third time in program history and first since 2011 after an 8-4 win over No. 11 Sioux Central in the regional title game.

The Lady Reds are averaging better than 8.5 runs per game this season and are hitting .355 as a team with four players in the lineup batting over .400.

Freshman Emerson Anderson leads the way with a .427 batting average and 39 RBI while sophomore Audrie Kohl is hitting .404 with five home runs and 35 RBI.

Eighth-grader Dilynn Meade is hitting .420 with 36 runs scored and 13 RBI.

No. 3 Central Springs (25-5) vs. No. 6 West Monona (29-6)

A regular at the state tournament for nearly a decade Central Springs is making its ninth consecutive appearance in Fort Dodge after a dominating run through regional play.

The Panthers won three regional games by a combined score of 27-0 including a 6-0 win over No. 14 Waterloo Columbus in the regional title game.

Semifinalists each of the last two seasons, Central Springs has won eight in a row and has six shutouts during its current win streak.

Three of the five losses for the Panthers have come to state qualifiers, Clarksville (1A), Ankeny Centennial (5A) and Winterset (4A).

Central Springs leads 2A with 30 home runs with sophomore Sharli Fessler (.405, 10 HR) and senior Abby Pate (.493, 9 HR) combing for 19 home runs.

West Monona returned to the state tournament for the first time since 1976 with a 7-6 win over No. 10 North Union in the regional title game.

The Spartans have won 12 of their last 13 games while scoring 10 or more runs seven times during that stretch.

West Monona leads 2A with 206 stolen bases with junior Kacy Miller (.434, 5 HR) ranking third in 2A with 44 steals.

Senior Carly Miller is 17-3 with a 1.96 ERA and 1.26 WHIP and has struck out 97 in 128 1/3 innings.

The Players

Regina: Ashley Webb, Sr., P: A Ferris State recruit, the senior lefthander has been among the top pitchers in 2A this season posting a 16-6 record, 1.53 ERA and 1.05 WHIP while striking out 162 in 118 2/3 innings.

Northeast: Madison Kluever, Jr., P: Kluever makes it all go for the Rebels leading the way in the circle with a 15-5 record, a 2.32 ERA and 174 strikeouts in 129 2/3 innings while also hitting .446 with 12 doubles, five home runs and 34 RBI.

Lisbon: Ryleigh Allgood, Sr., P: Allgood has been among the best hurlers in 2A this season ranking second in 2A with 22 wins while posting a 1.91 ERA and 1.00 WHIP with 190 strikeouts in 157 2/3 innings.

Interstate 35: Josie McCuddin, Sr., 3B: The Class 2A home run leader with 12 homers this season, McCuddin is hitting .378 with 24 extra-base hits and a team-high 46 RBI.

Van Meter: Macy Blomgren, Sr., P: A DMACC recruit Blomgren has been one of the most impressive two-way players in the state this season. She leads 2A with a .65 ERA, .51 WHIP and .124 opponents batting average while striking out 73 in 43 innings and is also hitting .455 with nine home runs and 44 RBI.

Missouri Valley: Audrie Kohl, Soph., P: Kohl leads 2A in wins (27) and strikeouts (302) and is second in innings pitched (188) while boasting a 1.90 ERA and .95 WHIP.

Central Springs: Cooper Klaahsen, Sr., P: Klaahsen is 20-4 with a 1.71 and a .86 WHIP while striking out 197 in 126 2/3 innings,

West Monona: Kacy Miller, Jr., SS: One of the most dynamic players in the 2A field Miller ranks third in 2A with 44 stolen bases and is hitting .434 with 26 extra-base hits including 5 home runs and 38 RBI.

The Favorite

Defending champion Regina has been the favorite to repeat seemingly since hoisting the trophy at the 2A state tournament a year ago.

The Regals were number one in the preseason rankings and enter the postseason top-ranked and as the number one seed.

The Underdog

Northeast is the eight seed but the Rebels don’t feel much like a true underdog. Interstate 35 is only other team with double digit losses and the Roadrunners aren’t underdog material either.

West Monona, which is making its first state tournament appearance since the 70s is the closest thing to an underdog in a field that seems relatively even outside of the top two seeds.

The Darkhorse

Regina fans will have their focus on the Regals’ opening round game on Kruger Field on Tuesday but keep a close eye on Interstate 35 in the other semifinal.

The Roadrunners have faced a rugged schedule and likely won’t be intimidated by anyone they see at the state tournament after playing five games against ranked 5A and 4A competition including contests with 5A top-ranked Ankeny Centennial and No. 2 Ankeny.

The Focus

The bracket seems to set up for a title game showdown between top-ranked Regina and second-ranked Van Meter which have emerged as the class of 2A.

If the matchup that many are predicting comes to fruition it will be a rematch of the 2016 title game won by Van Meter and would likely be one of the best finals of the weekend.

Five Fast Facts

* – Regina is seeking to become the first back-to-back champion in Class 2A since BCLUW in 2009 and 2010.

* – Regina is the only team in Class 2A this season to rank in the top five in the class in team bating average (2^nd), team ERA (4^th) and team fielding percentage (5^th).

* – Missouri Valley has scored double figure runs in 17 of 32 gamest this season and is 16-1 when scoring 10 or more runs.

* – Central Springs is making a 2A tournament field best ninth consecutive state tournament appearance and has reached the semifinals each of the past two seasons.

* – Van Meter senior Macy Blomgren ranks fourth in the state with a .65 ERA allowing four earned runs in 43 innings pitched.

The Schedule

Quarterfinals, July 18

Regina (27-8) vs. Northeast (22-11), 1 p.m.

Lisbon (34-7) vs. Interstate 35 (25-12), 1:30 p.m.

Van Meter (34-5) vs. Missouri Valley (29-3), 3 p.m.

Central Springs (25-5) vs. West Monona (29-6), 3:30 p.m.

Semifinals, July 19

Regina/Northeast winner vs. Lisbon/Interstate 35 winner, 3:30 p.m.

Van Meter/Missouri Valley winner vs. Central Springs/West Monona winner, 5:30 p.m.

Championship, July 21

Semifinal winners, 5 p.m.

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