(KMAland) -- It's the final day of the 2022-23 sports calendar year, and it's the final day of the baseball and softball season. That's some tough news for those of you that have really enjoyed this year. Good news, though. Three KMAland conference teams are playing on the final day. Let's take a look:
IOWA STATE SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT
Class 3A Consolation — Wahlert Catholic (32-9) vs. Estherville Lincoln Central (32-4)
The two teams have not met during the Bound era.
Class 3A Championship — Assumption (34-6) vs. Williamsburg (35-9)
Assumption holds a 4-2 edge over Williamsburg during the Bound era, but they played earlier this year on June 10th with the Raiders (that’s Williamsburg) picking up a 4-3 win. Assumption, though, beat them 1-0 in a state semifinal last year while Williamsburg won a 5-0 decision in a 2020 state semifinal.
Class 2A Consolation — Central Springs (26-6) vs. Interstate 35 (26-13)
Interstate 35 and Central Springs meet for the third time during the Bound era, and the winner of this one will gain a 2-1 edge. I-35 won 4-3 in July 2017 while Central Springs won in even later July 2015, 6-2.
Class 2A Championship — Van Meter (36-5) vs. Regina Catholic (29-8)
The defending state champion from Regina goes for a back-to-back title when they meet the team that gave them their best game in Fort Dodge last year. Regina won the quarterfinal by a 6-5 score on their way to winning the state title. That was the only time the two played during the Bound era.
Class 1A Consolation — Clarksville (29-2) vs. Wayne (22-9)
This marks the first time the two teams have played during the Bound era.
Class 1A Championship — Martensdale-St. Marys (27-6) vs. North Linn (38-6)
It’s a rematch from last year’s 1A consolation when both teams would have much rather been playing for the state championship. The Blue Devils won that previous matchup, though, taking a 6-2 victory.
IOWA STATE BASEBALL TOURNAMENT
Class 1A Championship — Remsen St. Mary’s (31-2) vs. Lisbon (27-4)
This is the first time the two programs have met during the Bound era, and it starts a run of four straight state championship matchups. This one is in Carroll at noon.
Class 2A Championship — Underwood (25-3) vs. Beckman Catholic (24-9)
Ohhhh yes. This is the first time the Underwood baseball and Beckman baseball programs have played during the Bound era, and it’s the final (high school) game of the season at Merchants Park in Carroll. Trevor Maeder has the call on KMA-FM 99.1 at approximately 2:30 PM. As a wise man once said: Gooooooooooooo Uuuuuunderwooooooooooood!
Class 3A Championship — Western Dubuque (35-9) vs. North Polk (29-5)
These two teams are really, really dang good. That’s why they’re playing for a state championship in the first official meeting in Bound history.
Class 4A Championship — Johnston (35-8) vs. Ames (31-13)
Only Norway — along with Johnston — can say they’ve been to five straight state championship games. And they made a movie about Norway. Of course, that was only for “The Final Season” of it all, and I think Johnston has some decent lasting power. This is the 22nd matchup between the two programs during the Bound era, and they split their two matchups earlier this season. Ames has been an awesome story with a series of upset wins to get here. A Little Cyclones championship would be the ultimate shocker.
Enjoy the games.
Send any questions, comments and/or concerns to dmartin@kmamail.com.
