Johnston may have entered the state tournament as the eighth seed in class 4A but the Dragons are also the defending champions and they looked the part in the opening round. Johnston scored six runs in a decisive third inning enroute to an 8-3 victory over second ranked Waukee. Coach Michael Barta’s team will take a 23-16 record into the semifinals.

Johnston trailed 2-0 after two innings but the Dragons came alive and chased Waukee starter Matt Mullenbach in the third inning. He gave up six runs in two and a third innings. Waukee finished with eight hits and scored only once after the Dragons’ big inning.

Waukee coach Dave Dirkx who says Johnston is playing with the confidence of a defending champion. Waukee ends the season with a record of 35-5.

Eighth ranked Southeast Polk scored a run in the top of the first and made it hold up in a 1-0 victory over Cedar Rapids Kennedy in the Class 4A baseball tournament.

Behind a three-run 6th inning, the second-seeded Dubuque Hempstead Mustangs rallied past the West Des Moines Valley Tigers, 4-2. Fourth-seeded Iowa City West broke a 2-2 tie with two runs in the bottom of the 6th inning to defeat 5th-seeded Dowling Catholic 4-2.