Week 7 Eastern Iowa high school football preview capsules

Gazette area football capsules for Week 7:

Waverly-Shell Rock at Cedar Rapids Xavier

Time and site — 7 p.m. Friday, at Saints Field

Records and rankings — Both teams are 6-0 overall, 4-0 Class 3A District 3. Xavier is ranked No. 1; WSR is No. 6.

Overview — This promises to be a grind-it-out encounter in which the winner is almost sure to win the district title and take a 9-0 mark into the postseason. The loser remains in prime position to gain a playoff berth, because both teams are two games clear of the rest of the 3A-3 pack. WSR is third in 3A in scoring defense (5.7 points per game) while Xavier is fourth (6.7). McClain Burger leads the Xavier defenders with 26 tackles while Quinn Schulte (three interceptions) and Jacob Hines (three fumble recoveries) are takeaway artists. WSR is 6-0, but last week's win over Decorah was its only game against a team with a winning record. Luke Velky and Gabriel Santoiemma have combined for 1,094 yards and 16 touchdowns on the ground.

Cedar Rapids Kennedy at Iowa City West

Time and site — 7:15 p.m. Friday, at Trojan Field

Records and rankings — Kennedy is 5-1 overall, 2-0 Class 4A District 8; second-rated West is 6-0, 2-0.

Overview — West can effectively put the district race to rest if it holds serve at home. The Trojans would be a game clear of the pack, and is a big favorite in its final two contests. Kennedy, meanwhile, needs to win two of its last three to have a legitimate playoff hope (the Cougars close at Cedar Rapids Prairie in two weeks). West's Evan Flitz is fifth in 4A both in passing yards (1,483) and efficiency (199.3), throwing for 15 touchdowns against three interceptions. That headlines an offense that averages 44.8 points per game. Kennedy is among the best in 4A defense at 13.7 points allowed per game. Sophomore Cade Parker has moved back into the lead among 4A tacklers, with 62.5.

Cedar Rapids Prairie at Linn-Mar

Time and site — 7:15 p.m. Friday, at Linn-Mar Stadium

Records and rankings — Ninth-ranked Prairie is 5-1 overall, 1-1 Class 4A District 8; Linn-Mar is 1-5, 1-1.

Overview — After suffering its first loss of the season in Week 5 against Iowa City West, Prairie bounced back nicely last week with a 56-7 drumming of Ottumwa. A win this week would likely set up a winner-in, loser-out showdown with Cedar Rapids Kennedy in Week 9. Keegan Simmons has moved to No. 2 among 4A rushers, with 1,113 yards. He averages 8.2 yards per carry and has scored 15 times on the ground. Alex Hess has rushed for 462 yards for Linn-Mar, averaging a healthy 5.9 yards per carry.

Marion at Clear Creek Amana

Time and site — 7:15 p.m. Friday, at Tiffin

Records and rankings — Marion is 4-2 overall, 3-1 Class 3A District 4; CCA is 2-4, 2-2.

Overview — If the Indians take care of business this week, they will head into the final two games with destiny in their own hands, not only to gain a playoff berth, but to win the district championship (they close with games against West Delaware and Davenport Assumption). Marion has a healthy run-pass combination that equates to 387.5 yards and 36.7 points per game, both of which rank in the top 10 in 3A. Ju'Corey Higgins and Chris Mohwinkle combined for nearly 300 ground yards between them in a 34-8 win over Center Point-Urbana last week. Ethan Postler (104-165-6, 1,172 yards) and Darius Moore (36 catches, 517 yards) make a quality aerial combo for CCA.

Mason City at Cedar Rapids Washington

Time and site — 7:15 p.m. Friday, at Kingston Stadium

Records and rankings — Mason City is 1-5 overall, 1-1 Class 4A District 5; Washington is 3-3, 1-1.

Overview — Washington remains a hard-to-figure outfit. When the Warriors have been on top of their game, they've been very good (ask Cedar Rapids Kennedy and Linn-Mar). When they've been sluggish, they've gotten thumped (i.e., Bettendorf and Cedar Falls). Still, they are overwhelming favorites the next two weeks and should take high playoff hopes into their finale against Waterloo West. Haven Henningsen has rushed for 765 yards. After averaging 9.6 points per game in an 0-5 start, Mason City got off the mat with a 40-18 win over Waterloo East last week.

Iowa City High at Muscatine

Time and site — 7:15 p.m. Friday, at Muscatine

Records and rankings — City High is 2-4 overall, 1-1 Class 4A District 7; Muscatine is 1-5, 1-1.

Overview — City High has suffered defensively the last four weeks, allowing 200 points in that span. That has dimmed the Little Hawks' playoff chances to the point they either need to win out (and that would include a win over Bettendorf) or for Davenport Central to fade badly down the stretch. Zach Jones is in the conversation when naming the best receivers in the state. He leads 4A in catches (59) and receiving yards (846). Muscatine has been beaten down by a very difficult schedule; the Muskies' first six opponents are a combined 28-8. They are allowing 49.8 points per game.

Van Buren at Iowa City Regina

Time and site — 7 p.m. Friday, at Regina

Records and rankings — Van Buren is 1-5 overall, 0-4 Class 1A District 4; third-ranked Regina is 4-2, 4-0.

Overview — There's no way to put it other than to say that Regina should skate to another district title. The Regals' final three opponents have a combined 4-14 record, and Regina has drubbed its last four foes by a 192-41 ledger. Isaac Vollstedt has 645 rushing yards to his credit while Michael Conlon has thrown for 907. Van Buren has lost five straight, including a 13-12 decision last week against Highland.

Waukon vs. Union Community

Time and site — 7:30 p.m. Friday, at Fayette (Upper Iowa University)

Records and rankings — Sixth-ranked Waukon is 5-1 overall, 3-1 Class 2A District 4; No. 8 Union is 5-1, 4-0.

Overview — Whatever happened to Union in its season-opening dusting by Marion has been clearly erased. The Knights have steamrolled through their last five foes by a 231-27 margin. Union's offense couldn't be more balanced, racking up 1,233 rushing yards and 1,231 in the air. Troy Hanus ranks sixth in 2A passing (1,188 yards, with 13 TDs against a lone interception), and Koby Alpers has 540 receiving yards, with nine of his 21 catches going for touchdowns. Waukon averages 43.2 points per game, including 51-point outputs in each of the last two weeks. Abe Schwartz has thrown for 1,204 yards to a balanced receiving corps, and Mitchell Snitker shines on both sides of the ball.

Alburnett at East Buchanan

Time and site — 7 p.m. Friday, at Winthrop

Records and rankings — Both teams are 5-1 overall, 3-1 Class A District 4. East Buchanan is ranked No. 10.

Overview — The winner has the inside track to the second playoff spot out of A-4, while the loser probably will have to hope for an at-large berth. Alburnett has enjoyed a mammoth turnaround after a 1-8 season. Coach Nick Breuer has implemented the single-wing offense, and the Pirates have averaged 316.3 yards per game on the ground. Tanner Sloan is second in the Class A rushing derby with 1,010 yards (he has 17 touchdowns). It will be a challenge to score against an East Buchanan outfit that allows just 8.8 points per game. Spencer Cook has intercepted four passes. Offensively, Braydon Nunemaker and Brock Naber lead a sound, balanced rushing attack with 469 and 421 yards, respectively.

West Liberty at Williamsburg

Time and site — 7 p.m. Friday, at Williamsburg

Records and rankings — West Liberty is 4-2 overall, 3-1 Class 2A District 5; No. 1 Williamsburg is 6-0, 4-0.

Overview — It looks like Williamsburg and Mount Vernon will grapple for the district title in two weeks, but West Liberty still can have a say in the race; the Comets are at Williamsburg this week, then host Mount Vernon in Week 8. Williamsburg leads 2A in yards (493.7) and points (54.3) per game, and hasn't been held under 49 in a game yet. Gage Hazen-Fabor is the leading rusher in all classes of 11-player football with 1,409 yards (12.5 per carry) with 17 touchdowns. West Liberty is no offensive slouch itself, posting 453.5 yards per game. Joe Kelly and Seth Feldman both have run for eight touchdowns.

Dubuque Wahlert at West Delaware

Time and site — 7:15 p.m. Friday, at Manchester

Records and rankings — Wahlert is 3-3 overall, 3-1 Class 3A District 4; No. 8 West Delaware is 5-1, 4-0.

Overview — If West Delaware wins its next two games (it travels to Marion next week), the Hawks are district champions regardless of what happens in Week 9. The Hawks' 411 yards per game rank fourth-best in 3A, and they have scored 41 points per game in the last three contests. Nick Casey has passed for 1,182 yards and has three prime receivers in Tyler Kelley, Mitchel Mangold and Kabryn Cook. Caleb Kehrli, meanwhile, has 680 rushing yards and 10 TDs to his credit. Wahlert has rebounded after losing its two non-district games by a combined five points (one in overtime). Kolton Bartow has rushed for 850 yards and nine touchdowns.

Waterloo East at Cedar Rapids Jefferson

Time and site — 7:15 p.m. p.m. Thursday, at Kingston Stadium

Records and rankings — East is 2-4 overall, 0-2 Class 4A District 5; Jefferson is 2-4, 1-1.

Overview — Despite a 2-4 record and an offense that averages just 14.8 points per game, Jefferson is very much in the playoff race with three weeks to go. The J-Hawks will be heavily favored in two of their last three games, including this one. Kyler Bell is 11th in Class 4A in receiving yards (530), and averages 21.2 yards per catch. East has some nice young pieces and has made forward progress this year. Sophomore QB Dylan Reyes has passed for 821 yards and has rushed for 197, with 12 total touchdowns.

l Comments: (319) 368-8857; jeff.linder@thegazette.com