Iowa high school football rewind: Washington wins a wild, wild one to advance to 3A playoffs

Wild game. Wild finish.

And for the Washington Demons, wild card.

In a make-or-break game for both teams' postseason hopes, Washington had the ball last, and laughed last.

Luke Turner scored on a 1-yard quarterback draw with 12 seconds left to give the Demons a 64-61 victory over Mount Pleasant in a 3 1/2-hour Class 3A District 6 football game Friday night at Washington.

'I was probably just saying an 'Our Father' or a 'Hail Mary,'' Washington Coach James Harris told the Southeast Iowa Union after the game. 'I guess I had faith, for lack of a better term. I truly believe in Luke, and I believe in our offense.'

The victory put the Demons (7-2) into the 3A playoffs and put Mount Pleasant (6-3) on the wrong side of the postseason bubble.

'It was a sigh of relief,' Turner said of the late touchdown. 'It's awesome.'

Turner's TD was the last momentum swing of a head-spinning final stretch. The teams combined for four touchdowns in the final 4:40.

After Mount Pleasant went ahead on a 1-yard touchdown run by Logan Bass, Washington's Spencer Sotelo returned the kickoff 80 yards for a touchdown.

Brevin Wilson's TD reception made it 61-57 Panthers with 1:34 left, which turned out to be more than enough time for the Demons to answer one last time.

One play after sitting out a play with leg cramps, Turner set the Demons up with a 35-yard run to the 5-yard line.

Washington plays at No. 1 Western Dubuque (9-0) in the first round next Friday.

Hey, you look familiar

Solon (9-0) has qualified for the 15th consecutive year, the longest current streak among area schools. The Spartans face Iowa City Liberty (7-2) in the first round.

Liberty is making its first playoff appearance. The school is in its third year of existence; the football program is in its second year at the varsity level.

Other playoff streaks: Cedar Rapids Xavier — the two-time defending 3A champion — has qualified for the 14th straight year. West Branch and Williamsburg are in for the 12th year in a row.

Union Community's playoff streak ended at 11.

The state's longest active streak is 28 years, by West Des Moines Valley.

Life on the bubble

North Linn (7-2) earned its first postseason bid since 2015, claiming the final Class 1A at-large berth after defeating South Hardin, 14-6.

Meanwhile, Springville (7-3) was the first team out in 8-Player, and Sigourney-Keota — despite an 8-1 record — was the second team out in Class 1A after losing, 28-6, to Mediapolis.

The Cobras became the first 8-1 team to miss the playoffs since the new RPI system was implemented. They were hurt by their schedule; seven opponents were 3-6 or worse, and their nine foes sported a combined mark of 25-57.

Chaos averted

Entering Week 9, the 8-Player District 4 race had many scenarios that involved five teams.

But HLV (7-2, 6-1) simplified everything by thumping Iowa Valley, 52-6, and winning the title solo.

Defending state champion New London (7-2, 5-2) also qualified for the playoffs.

Historic explosion

It was a game that had no playoff implications, but Baxter outscored Meskwaki, 90-88, Friday night, becoming the highest-scoring 8-Player game in state history.

Playoff pairings

CLASS 4A

Bracket A

Indianola (6-3) at West Des Moines Valley (9-0)

Cedar Rapids Prairie (6-3) at Waukee (6-3)

Bracket B

Dubuque Senior (5-4) at Cedar Falls (9-0)

Bettendorf (7-2) at Linn-Mar (6-3)

Bracket C

Urbandale (6-3) at Ankeny Centennial (8-1)

Fort Dodge (6-3) at C.R. Kennedy (8-1)

Bracket D

Des Moines Roosevelt (6-3) at West Des Moines Dowling (8-1)

Ankeny (6-3) at Southeast Polk (7-2)

CLASS 3A

Bracket A

Iowa City Liberty (7-2) at Solon (9-0)

Independence (9-0) at Pella (7-2)

Bracket B

Washington (7-2) at Western Dubuque (9-0)

Cedar Rapids Xavier (8-1) at North Scott (8-1)

Bracket C

Carlisle (7-2) at Sergeant Bluff-Luton (8-1)

Glenwood (7-2) at Norwalk (8-1)

Bracket D

Oskaloosa (6-3) at Lewis Central (8-1)

Harlan (7-2) at Dallas Center-Grimes (8-1)

CLASS 2A

Bracket A

Tipton (6-3) at Waukon (9-0)

Monticello (6-3) at West Liberty (6-3)

Bracket B

Spirit Lake (6-3) at Clear Lake (9-0)

Waterloo Columbus (8-1) at Williamsburg (6-3)

Bracket C

Central Lyon/George-Little Rock (5-4) at Algona (9-0)

Greene County (8-1) at Des Moines Christian (8-1)

Bracket D

West Marshall (6-3) at Ida Grove OABCIG (9-0)

Monroe PCM (7-2) at Benton Community (8-1)

CLASS 1A

Bracket A

Pella Christian (5-4) at Van Meter (9-0)

Mount Ayr (7-2) at South Central Calhoun (9-0)

Bracket B

North Linn (7-2) at West Branch (9-0)

Iowa City Regina (7-2) at Mediapolis (8-1)

Bracket C

Panorama (8-1) at Dike-New Hartford (9-0)

West Lyon (8-1) at Osage (5-4)

Bracket D

Underwood (8-1) at West Sioux (8-1)

Western Christian (8-1) at Treynor (9-0)

CLASS A

Bracket A

IKM-Manning (6-3) at West Hancock (9-0)

Tri-Center (6-3) at South O'Brien (8-1)

Bracket B

South Winneshiek (7-2) at MFL MarMac (9-0)

Grundy Center (8-1) at Belle Plaine (7-2)

Bracket C

Central Decatur (5-4) at North Tama (9-0)

Westwood (7-2) at Woodbury Central (8-1)

Bracket D

Edgewood-Colesburg (7-2) at Saint Ansgar (9-0)

BGM (8-1) at Earlham (8-1)

8-PLAYER

Bracket A

Harris-Lake Park (8-1) at Audubon (9-1)

Anita CAM (7-2) at Lamoni (8-1)

Bracket B

Rockford (7-2) at Turkey Valley (9-0)

Midland (7-2) at HLV (7-2)

Bracket C

East Mills (7-2) at Remsen St. Mary's (9-0)

Coon Rapids-Bayard (8-1) at Fremont-Mills (6-1)

Bracket D

New London (7-2) at Don Bosco (9-0)

Easton Valley (8-1) at Gladbrook-Reinbeck (7-2)

Final area regular-season standings

CLASS 4A DISTRICT 3 Dist. All

x-Cedar Falls 5-0 9-0

y-Cedar Rapids Prairie 4-1 6-3

y-Dubuque Senior 2-3 5-4

Cedar Rapids Jefferson 2-3 4-5

Dubuque Hempstead 2-3 4-5

Waterloo West 0-5 3-6

CLASS 4A DISTRICT 4 Dist. All

x-Linn-Mar 4-1 6-3

Iowa City West 4-1 4-5

Davenport North 3-2 6-3

Pleasant Valley 3-2 4-5

Iowa City High 1-4 2-7

Muscatine 0-5 1-8

CLASS 4A DISTRICT 5 Dist. All

x-Cedar Rapids Kennedy 5-0 8-1

y-Bettendorf 4-1 7-2

Cedar Rapids Washington 3-2 3-6

Davenport Central 2-3 3-6

Davenport West 1-4 3-6

Burlington 0-5 1-8

CLASS 3A DISTRICT 3 Dist. All

x-Independence 5-0 9-0

West Delaware 3-2 5-4

Decorah 3-2 4-5

Waterloo East 2-3 3-6

Waverly-Shell Rock 2-3 3-6

Charles City 0-5 2-7

CLASS 3A DISTRICT 4 Dist. All

x-Western Dubuque 5-0 9-0

y-Cedar Rapids Xavier 4-1 8-1

Center Point-Urbana 3-2 4-5

Maquoketa 2-3 4-5

Dubuque Wahlert 1-4 3-6

Marion 0-5 0-7

CLASS 3A DISTRICT 5 Dist. All

x-North Scott 5-0 8-1

y-Iowa City Liberty 4-1 7-2

Davenport Assumption 3-2 5-4

Clear Creek Amana 2-3 5-4

DeWitt Central 1-4 3-6

Clinton 0-5 0-9

CLASS 3A DISTRICT 6 Dist. All

x-Solon 5-0 9-0

y-Washington 4-1 7-2

Mount Pleasant 3-2 6-3

Keokuk 2-3 6-3

Fort Madison 1-4 4-5

Fairfield 0-5 0-9

CLASS 3A DISTRICT 7 Dist. All

x-Pella 5-0 7-2

y-Oskaloosa 4-1 6-3

Grinnell 3-2 6-3

Knoxville 2-3 6-3

Newton 1-4 3-6

South Tama 0-5 0-9

CLASS 2A DISTRICT 4 Dist. All

x-Waukon 5-0 9-0

y-Waterloo Columbus 4-1 8-1

y-Monticello 2-3 6-3

North Fayette Valley 2-3 4-5

Anamosa 2-3 2-7

Oelwein 0-5 2-7

CLASS 2A DISTRICT 5 Dist. All

x-West Liberty 4-1 6-3

y-Tipton 4-1 6-3

Camanche 3-2 6-3

Mount Vernon 3-2 4-5

Louisa-Muscatine 1-4 4-5

West Burlington-Notre Dame 0-5 1-8

CLASS 2A DISTRICT 6 Dist. All

x-Williamsburg 5-0 6-3

Mid-Prairie 4-1 6-3

Eddyville EBF 2-3 3-6

Central Lee 2-3 2-7

Davis County 1-4 2-7

Albia 1-4 1-8

CLASS 2A DISTRICT 7 Dist. All

x-Benton Community 4-1 8-1

Nevada 4-1 7-2

y-West Marshall 4-1 6-3

Union Community 2-3 2-7

Vinton-Shellsburg 1-4 3-6

Roland-Story 0-5 1-8

CLASS 1A DISTRICT 4 Dist. All

x-West Branch 5-0 9-0

Bellevue 4-1 5-4

Dyersville Beckman 2-3 5-4

Cascade 2-3 3-6

North Cedar 1-4 4-5

Northeast 1-4 2-7

CLASS 1A DISTRICT 5 Dist. All

x-Mediapolis 5-0 8-1

Sigourney-Keota 4-1 8-1

Wapello 3-2 5-4

Wilton 2-3 3-6

Van Buren 1-4 1-8

Columbus Community 0-5 1-9

CLASS 1A DISTRICT 6 Dist. All

x-Dike-New Hartford 5-0 9-0

y-Iowa City Regina 4-1 7-2

y-North Linn 3-2 7-2

South Hardin 2-3 5-4

Jesup 1-4 3-6

East Marshall 0-5 1-8

CLASS A DISTRICT 4 Dist. All

x-Saint Ansgar 6-0 9-0

y-South Winneshiek 5-1 7-2

Postville 4-2 4-5

Central Springs 2-4 3-6

Mason City Newman 2-4 2-7

Nashua-Plainfield 1-5 1-8

Starmont 1-5 1-8

CLASS A DISTRICT 5 Dist. All

x-MFL MarMac 5-0 9-0

y-Edgewood-Colesburg 4-1 7-2

Maquoketa Valley 3-2 3-6

Lisbon 2-3 4-5

Alburnett 1-4 1-8

Clayton Ridge 0-5 0-9

CLASS A DISTRICT 6 Dist. All

x-Belle Plaine 5-0 7-2

y-BGM 4-1 8-1

Durant 3-2 5-4

Highland 2-3 5-4

Pekin 1-4 2-7

Cardinal 0-5 4-5

CLASS A DISTRICT 7 Dist. All

x-North Tama 6-0 9-0

y-Grundy Center 5-1 8-1

Hudson 4-2 4-5

Wapsie Valley 3-3 5-4

East Buchanan 2-4 4-5

Conrad BCLUW 1-5 1-8

Garwin GMG 0-6 1-8

8-PLAYER DISTRICT 3 Dist. All

x-Turkey Valley 7-0 9-0

y-Easton Valley 6-1 8-1

y-Midland 5-2 7-2

Springville 4-3 7-3

Central City 3-4 4-5

Lansing Kee 2-5 2-7

West Central 1-6 1-8

Elkader Central 0-7 0-9

8-PLAYER DISTRICT 4 Dist. All

x-HLV 6-1 7-2

y-New London 5-2 7-2

Lone Tree 5-2 5-4

Montezuma 4-3 6-3

Iowa Valley 3-4 5-4

WACO 3-4 4-5

English Valleys 2-5 4-5

Winfield-Mount Union 0-7 1-8

x — clinched district title

y — at-large playoff qualifier

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