(Radio Iowa) — The start of the boys state soccer tournament has been moved back one day to Friday. Officials with the Iowa High School Athletic Association made the decision after several days of heavy rain in Central Iowa. Cownie Soccer Park in Des Moines hosts the tournament. Storm Lake was set to open the 2A tournament on this ( Thursday) afternoon, but coach Ben Schekirke’s team will now play Lewis Central on Friday.

The semifinals will now be Saturday and the championship matches will be next Tuesday. Todd Tharp of the IHSAA says the decision was made after heavy rain Monday night. Tharp says the complex has received nearly nine and-a-half inches of rain since May 17th.

Tharp believes giving the fields an extra day to dry will help maintain them throughout the tournament. The semifinals will now be Saturday and the championship matches will be next Tuesday.

Tharp says they have contingency plans in the event there is more rain.