Clear Lake meets 5th-ranked Independence in a class 2A semifinal tonight at the state high school softball tournament in Fort Dodge. Clear Lake beat Red Oak 3-to-1 to get into the semifinals, and now faces a ranked team for the fourth time since the start of district play. Clear Lake knocked off #3 Forest City in the district semifinals, and beat 10th-ranked Estherville-Lincoln Central and #19 Spirit Lake in the regionals. Lions coach Josh Byrnes says his team is ready to go after the 5th-ranked Mustangs. Independence coach Lyle Hosch says the 2A field is fairly even and anything is possible in either of tonight’s semifinals.In the other semifinal, 15th-ranked Belmond-Klemme plays 10th-ranked Clear Creek-Amana.
