Iowa City High, Liberty baseball teams looking to make history at state tournament

With this season's Class 3A and 4A state baseball tournaments taking place at Duane Banks Field in Iowa City, it seemed only right that at least one local team would advance.

To the delight of many here in town, there will be two Iowa City schools vying for the title of "state champion:" the No. 2 City High Little Hawks and the No. 8 Liberty Lightning.

While their paths to this point could not have been more different, the goal remains the same for both squads, which which is to win by any means necessary.

Both teams begin play Tuesday, on opposite sides of the bracket, meaning they wouldn't face each other unless they both get to the 4A title game.

Liberty Lightning (21-19)

Unlike the Little Hawks, the Lightning's road to state has been one marred with turbulence.

Finishing at the bottom of the Mississippi Division, Liberty appeared that it could be a quick out once the postseason began.

Instead, the Lightning turned a corner. After playing some of their best baseball of the year, they reached their first state tournament in the program's short history.

Senior Ja Funke said cementing their place in program lore is a testament to how much this team can accomplish.

"This moment is huge for us," Funke said. "A lot of people probably would not believe that a young program like ours would be in consideration for state. So the fact that we made it is remarkable."

Liberty's offense has been impressive the past three games, when they scored at least five runs per contest, including an impressive 14 against Cedar Falls.

Senior Boyd Skelley said he noticed a change in his team throughout the year, and credited an attitude adjustment that has paid dividends.

"Everyone has been on the same page and has the same goals," Skelley said. "That was one of the issues during the regular season; we would have times that we would play a bit selfishly and focus more on our stat lines. In the postseason, that is not what it is about. Now, it is about everyone bringing up their energy levels and contributing to the game's momentum."

That change in attitude will need to be apparent if Liberty is to upset the top seed Johnston Dragons at 11:30 a.m.

If they can find a to get that win, it could go a long way in the Lightning becoming the powerhouse team that their coach, Tom Cronk, believes they can be.

"Our goal is to be a perennial top-10 team that gets to the state tournament every year," Cronk said. "I think this is a good next step for us. If we can win a state title, it puts us on the map."

City High Little Hawks (31-8)

Whereas the Lightning have been riding recent momentum to make it this far into the postseason, the Little Hawks have had every expectation to reach this point.

This year's trip to Duane Banks is the second time in three years that the team has made it to the state tournament, which makes City High coach Brian Mitchell confident that his team can handle the magnitude of the moment.

More: Iowa City High baseball advances to state tournament for second time in three years

"This year we know what to expect," Mitchell said. "We had not been there before, so for coaches and players alike, having that experience under our belts is very significant for us. We weren't sure exactly where we fit two years ago, but this year we know that we belong and are one of the top teams in the state without question."

Last season, the Little Hawks fell just short of the state tournament after losing in a heartbreaker to Ottumwa. That loss, senior Carter Seaton said, has stuck with the team for more than  a year.

"Losing that game last year was motivation for a lot of us," Seaton said. "There have been about seven or eight of us who have been hitting nonstop since December. We wanted to do whatever we could to make it back to the state tournament."

Now after avenging last year's loss, City High has the chance to make up for the 2020 state quarterfinal exit.

The Little Hawks will begin their state tournament run against No. 7 Indianola, which be the final game of four Tuesday, scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m.

If they are able to advance and take home the first state title in school history, senior Joey Bouska said that it would be the culmination of a lot of players' childhood dreams.

"This is something my teammates and I have been talking about since we were 9," Bouska said. "A lot of us played ball together as kids and even won a championship at a tournament together. So, to get one in high school would fulfill a goal of ours."

This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: Iowa City High, Liberty ready for challenge of state baseball tourney