Area Class 1A and 2A squads have learned their paths to the Iowa High School Athletic Association state baseball tournament. The IHSAA revealed the postseason brackets for both classes Tuesday, July 23.
The 1A and 2A playoffs begin July 3. State qualifiers will be decided July 14. Each substate bracket is split into two districts, with the winner of each facing off for a spot at state.
Mid-Prairie will host first round games of the 2A Substate 4 bracket. The Golden Hawks will face Monticello at 7 p.m. July 3. Their game will follow a matchup between Southeast Super Conference North foes Columbus/Winfield-Mt. Union and Louisa-Muscatine at 5:30. The winner of that game will face Regina Catholic in the District 8 semifinals, while Mid-Prairie will play Mediapolis if it gets by Monticello.
Cardinal was given a bye into the semifinals of District 7 in the 2A-5 bracket and will play at 7 p.m. July 7. The Comets await the winner between Albia and West Burlington and will play for a spot in the District 9 championship. Pleasantville has the top seed in the bracket and would face Cardinal in the state qualifier game should both teams win their districts.
Hillcrest Academy and Keota will face each other in the first round of the 1A-7 bracket at 5 p.m. July 3 at Pekin High School. The winner will face either Pekin or Lone Tree, which follows at 7 p.m., in the semifinals. Martensdale-St. Mary’s, which Hillcrest lost to at the 2025 state tournament, has the top seed in the bracket.
Van Buren was given a home game in District 11 of the 1A-6 backet and will host fellow SEISC South side New London on July 3. The winner will travel to face No. 1 seed Sigourney.
Highland also landed in District 11 and will face Wapello at 5 p.m., July 3 at Burlington Notre Dame High School. Should the Huskies win, they would take on either Burlington Notre Dame or Danville in the district semifinals.