4 Downs: Gazette staff provides Iowa high school football answers you didn’t know you needed

The Iowa high school football season is streaking to the postseason. Jeff Linder, Jeff Johnson, K.J. Pilcher and Nathan Ford provide the information to make your prep sports life complete:

1st & 10: What teams do you think are in a ‘must win’ situation in Week 8?

Linder: Since Linn-Mar hosts Pleasant Valley and Iowa City High is at Bettendorf in Week 9, I would consider both teams to be in must-win mode when they collide Friday at Bates Field. Linn-Mar is 12th and City 13th in the RPI, and neither can afford to lose twice. With a loss last week at Maquoketa Valley, North Linn must win Friday at home vs. Bellevue to make the Class A playoffs.

Johnson: Off the top, I’m thinking the Iowa City High/Linn-Mar winner is still in the playoff hunt in Class 5A, the loser likely out. The North Linn-Bellevue game in Class A is for a playoff berth.

Pilcher: Look no further than Friday night’s game between Linn-Mar and Iowa City High. Both teams are 4-3. The winner remains in position for the playoffs. The loser is outside the proverbial bubble. As strange as it seems, Clear Creek Amana still has a shot at the Class 4A District 3 title, which would be the only way the Clippers qualify. CCA is just 2-5 overall but 2-1 in the district. The Clippers win the next two games (Cedar Rapids Xavier, Clinton) and they create a three-way tie with North Scott and Xavier. A Lancers loss and CCA would win a head-to-head tiebreaker with Xavier. The Clippers still have a chance but there is no margin for error.

Ford: North Linn is ranked eighth in BCMoore’s Class A rankings but has to beat a solid Bellevue team on Friday just to get into the 32-team playoffs. Tough district.

2nd & long: What offense or defense is poised to carry their respective teams on a deep playoff run?

Linder: I am going to go with Western Dubuque’s offense. The Bobcats can outscore anybody, and that’s good because their defense isn’t elite. They allow a shrug-inducing 21 points per game. However, that explosive offense might be enough to get them to the UNI-Dome, and more.

Johnson: Cedar Rapids Kennedy is third in Class 5A in scoring (39.1), just 0.3 behind leader Waukee Northwest. The Cougars can run it and throw it. If the Cougars make a playoff run, it’ll be with that potent offense. In Class A, both Lisbon and Starmont are giving up an average of just 8 points per game, which indicates to me defense will carry them in the postseason.

Pilcher: Eliminate some teams from the conversation due to their balance, like Cedar Rapids Kennedy, Mount Vernon and Williamsburg (when healthy). Two units really stand out to me here. Western Dubuque’s offense has been impressive, ranking among the Class 4A team leaders in multiple categories. The Bobcats average 38.4 points per game. They have a strong offensive line than can get Grant Glausser lanes to run. Tanner Anderson is distributing the ball to playmakers in the pass game. Western Dubuque can outscore anyone anytime. Defensively, Solon made me a big believer. They can dictate the outcome of a game — even scoring points.

Ford: Wapsie Valley has shut out five teams and was a touchdown away from a sixth last Friday. Postseason opponents will get tougher by the week but having a defensive identity doesn’t hurt when the weather gets colder.

3rd & short: Which player has been the most consistent producer and performer as we approach the postseason?

Linder: Maquoketa Valley’s Lance McShane was held (kind of) under wraps for most of Friday’s showdown with North Linn. But he stepped up on the Wildcats’ final drive, running for 61 yards, including a 5-yard TD run on fourth-and-4. That puts him up to 1,710 yards through seven games.

Johnson: How can you top what Maquoketa Valley running back Lance McShane has done? At least 128 yards rushing in every game, three games with 200-plus yards, two games with 300-plus yards. Yowza!

Pilcher: Cedar Rapids Prairie’s Casey Kelley leads Class 5A with 1,270 all-purpose yards. Kelley is fourth in 5A with 909 rushing yards, including five 100-yard games. He is tied for fifth in the class with 10 rushing touchdowns. Kelley leads the Hawks with 27.2 yards per kick return, 14.6 per punt return and a 34.6 punt average.

Ford: Iowa City Regina QB Gentry Dumont slings it every week. Even in the Regals’ loss to West Branch he completed 57.6 percent of his passes (he’s at 62.8 percent for the season) for 286 yards. No pitch count required.

4th & goal: Singing fight song with classmates in the stands, dancing the “Hokey Pokey” or on-field mingling with family and friends, what is your favorite postgame ritual?

Linder: Honestly, I’m usually so busy chasing down coaches and/or players and tabulating stats that there isn’t much time for paying attention to celebrations (which is kind of a shame). However, the sprint that Cedar Rapids Kennedy (and its FAMILY block, of course) makes to its student section is kind of cool. They have done the same postgame victory chant since their run to the finals in 2015 (though I have no idea what they’re saying).

Johnson: I love it when players shake hands or exchange fist bumps with their coaches and tell them thank you. I also love Cedar Rapids Xavier’s cheerleaders remaining on the field and cheering until every single player and coach is off the field. I’m usually the reason for Coach Duane Schulte being the last guy off the field (postgame interviews and everything), so sorry about that ladies …

Pilcher: This is easy, even though it isn’t weekly occurrence. A few programs have seniors walk the field or have a receiving line of coaches after their final home game. The ritual chokes me up sometimes. One last recognition and tip of the cap for two, three or four years of devotion to the program. The players and their on-looking parents will remember that for a long time.

Ford: Nothing comes to mind postgame, but I love a good march to the stadium with hype music or a marching band blaring. Really let the anticipation set in. Bonus points for teams that have to run down a hill to get onto the field. As you might guess, I like the pregame pomp at West Branch.