For the first time since 2022, a team from Iowa is back in the Little League World Series.
The Davenport Northwest Little League team took down a team from Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin, 7-6, in an extra-innings thriller on Friday, Aug. 14. The victory made the Iowa team the Midwest Region champion, punching its ticket to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, next week.
Cooper Thissen got the start on the bump for Iowa and was stellar. After giving up a leadoff single in the first, he struck out seven straight batters. In total, he finished the day with 14 strikeouts and allowed just one hit before being forced off the mound due to his high pitch count. His dominant performance helped power Iowa to Williamsport.
Iowa got its offense going in the second. A walk by Logan Chantos and a picture-perfect bunt single down the first-base line by Crue Neff set the table for Xavier Ludtke. He made it 1-0 by drilling a double to left-center to bring home Chantos, but that was all Iowa could muster in the frame.
Thissen added to his strikeout streak in the third, with it topping out at seven straight before a Wisconsin runner reached base on a walk. That runner advanced to third on two wild pitches and scored on a fielding error to make it 1-1 before Thissen got another strikeout to get out of the frame.
Thissen helped his own cause in the bottom of the third, giving Iowa a 2-1 lead with a ground ball to second to bring in Paxton Smith. Caleb Erwin drew a bases-loaded walk to bring in Thissen, making the game 3-1 at the end of the third.
In the fourth, Thissen walked the leadoff batter but then struck out the side to collect his 10th, 11th and 12th Ks of the day. Iowa added more in the bottom half of the frame when Smith drew a bases-loaded walk to bring in Ludtke, giving Iowa a 4-1 lead.
Iowa's star pitcher was forced to leave the mound after 4.2 innings because of his pitch count. Anthony Johnson Jr. replaced Thissen on the mound and Wisconsin got a run across in the fifth to make it 4-2.
In the top of the sixth, Wisconsin made it a one-run game, 4-3, with an RBI double to left field and later tied it up on a wild pitch to send the game to extra innings.
In the seventh, Wisconsin added two runs to make it 6-4. In the bottom half of the inning, Thissen was hit by a pitch and Johnson Jr. walked to load the bases. Kannon Kane drilled a two-RBI single to tie the game. Then, Erwin advanced Johnson Jr. to third base on a fielder's choice. That was critical as Johnson Jr. scored on a passed ball of the next at-bat to send Iowa to Williamsport.
Now that Iowa is heading to the big stage, find out everything you need to know about when to watch the LLWS.
When is the Little League World Series?
The 2026 Little League World Series will begin on Aug. 19 in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. The event will end with the championship game, between the winners of the U.S. bracket and the international bracket, on Sunday, Aug. 30.
Has Iowa ever won the Little League World Series?
No, a team from Iowa has never won the Little League World Series. Before Davenport Northwest's trip this year, 15 other teams had traveled from the Hawkeye State to compete in the LLWS. However, none of them claimed the title. Will this finally be the year for Iowa?
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa team wins Midwest region, advances to Little League World Series