Every softball team across the state wants to start playing its best as it gears up for postseason play, with the playoffs for Class 1A/2A set to begin May 16 and Class 3A/4A on May 23.

The Illinois High School Association released the seeding and pairings last week for the upcoming small-school postseason — the big school matchups set to be announced this week. However, before that, every one of the five conferences that include Times-area schools is still without a champion, but that will all shake out over the next couple weeks.

Interstate Eight

Undefeated Kaneland (9-0) currently holds a two-game lead in the standings over La Salle-Peru (7-2), with Ottawa (7-3) still in striking distance. The Knights’, coming off an exciting 4-3 road win over the Pirates, remaining loop schedule includes games with Morris (5-6) and at Sandwich (3-6), as well as a two-game home/away series against the Cavaliers. L-P also still has games against Sycamore (6-5), at Sandwich and Plano (0-8). Ottawa’s remaining league slate includes contests against Sandwich, at Plano and two games verses Rochelle (1-7).

Little Ten

Newark (11-0) earned the upper hand toward the league championship last week with a thrilling 6-5 road victory over Serena (8-1) in a battle of LTC unbeaten-on-the-loop squads. The Norsemen and Huskers had the second game of the series wiped out by weather and rescheduled for this coming Wednesday. Serena will be looking to return the favor, but even with a win will still have to sweep IMSA (0-7) in a Saturday doubleheader to share the title.

Tri-County

Seneca currently holds a 10-1 mark in the league, with Woodland/Flanagan-Cornell at 7-2 and Marquette Academy at 6-2. The Fighting Irish still have a rescheduled game against the Warriors and two games against Dwight (5-3). WFC, along with the game with Seneca — who won the first game back at the end of March — have two games each left with Putnam County (5-3) and Henry-Senachwine (5-4). The Crusaders still have two games against Dwight and Putnam County, as well as games against Henry-Senachwine and Midland.

Illinois Central Eight

In the ICE race, Streator (5-6) dropped a pair of games, 8-4 and 9-1, to undefeated Herscher (11-0) last week to fall out of the chase. The Tigers’ sweep of the Bulldogs now sets up an important two-game series Manteno (10-1) this week. Herscher stills has a game with Reed-Custer, and Manteno one with Wilmington.

Heart of Illinois

In the HOIC, Tremont currently leads the field with an unbeaten 9-0 mark, ahead of Heyworth (6-1) and Tri-Valley (7-3). Fieldcrest has struggled this season with only one league win in 10 tries,

Pirates powering up

The way the Ottawa softball team is playing of late, it’s hard to imagine the Pirates being 1-2 after three games and still at .500 eight contests into the season.

The Pirates — 14-6 heading into the weekend — have won 10 of their last 12, the only two losses during that span coming to Interstate Eight Conference-leading Kaneland by a combined three runs.

It has nothing to do with a soft stretch of schedule either. Over that stretch, Ottawa has recorded wins over strong programs including Seneca, Morris, Herscher (a doubleheader sweep), Joliet Catholic and county rivals La Salle-Peru and Streator.

“I know people from the high school who aren’t at every game that watched games early [in the season] and have watched games lately. They’re pretty shocked with the way the kids are playing right now,” Pirates coach Adam Lewis said.

“I’m happy with the way they are competing in every single at-bat.”

Exciting postseason ahead

Many teams still have their respective conference championship aspirations to focus on, but it would be hard to not look ahead just a little bit with regional action set to start shortly after the dust settles on loop titles.

In Class 1A, the Dwight Sectional features five Times-area teams. Newark received a sub-sectional top-seed, followed by No. 2 Serena, No. 3 Woodland/Flanagan-Cornell, No. 4 Marquette Academy and No. 7 Earlville.

In the Newark Regional, the Norsemen will open against the winner of the opening-round game between (8) Indian Creek and Earlville, while the other semifinal pits the Crusaders against (6) Gardner-South Wilmington.

In the Dwight Regional, Serena will play the opening-round winner of (10) St. Anne/(9) Grant Park in one semifinal, while WFC will play the advancer from (11) Kankakee Grace Christian and (5) Dwight.

In the Richmond-Burton Class 2A Sectional, No. 7 Sandwich plays regional host (6) Genoa-Kingston, with the winner playing (2) Richmond-Burton. At the Rock Falls Regional, No. 7 Somonauk/Hinckley-Big Rock/Leland hosts (8) West Carroll, with the advancer playing the top-seeded host Rockets.

In the Illinois Valley Central 2A Regional, No. 8 Fieldcrest will open playing at (7) El Paso-Gridley, with the winner playing sectional host Tremont.

In the Manteno 2A Regional inside the Herscher Sectional, No. 3 Seneca will play either (8) Peotone or (5) Reed-Custer in the semifinals.