Iowa high school football 2023: Gazette-area semifinals to watch

CEDAR FALLS — The warmth and comfort of the UNI-Dome will be the scene for the remainder of the 2023 Iowa high school football season.

Twenty-eight teams remain — four each in all seven classes. Semifinals are this week, with winners moving on to next week’s championship games.

Semifinals with Gazette-area teams:

Class A

EAST BUCHANAN (9-2) vs. No. 2 WOODBURY CENTRAL (11-0)

Time: 1 p.m. Thursday

Gazette follow: @jtlinder

Overview: East Buchanan already has made one major, unexpected amendment to the Class A bracket, shocking No. 1 Saint Ansgar in the quarterfinals. The Bucs jumped to a 16-0 halftime lead and knocked off the Saints, 30-16. Now, can they make it a 1-2 punch in successive weeks? Since a head-scratching 46-0 loss to Starmont in Week 4, the Buccaneers have been dynamite, averaging 45.9 points per game in the last seven games while allowing 6.6. Tanner Thurn (1,477 rushing yards, 25 TDs) and Hunter Bowers (930 and 13) have rushed behind a bruising offensive line all season. Woodbury Central outscores its opponents by an average of 41-13, but the Wildcats have been pushed on occasion, most notably a 35-28 escape against Marcus MMCRU in the second round of the playoffs. Woodbury Central has the more diverse attack, with Drew Kluender passing for 2,415 yards and 29 touchdowns and Zack Butler rushing for 1,151 yards and 19 scores. Eric McGill (53 catches, 1,102 yards, 11 TDs) is Kluender’s favorite target.

Class 4A

No. 1 WESTERN DUBUQUE (10-1) vs. No. 6 BONDURANT-FARRAR (9-2)

Time: 7 p.m. Thursday

Gazette follow: @jtlinder

Overview: Western Dubuque has advanced to the Dome for the first time since back-to-back trips in 2018 (3A runner-up) and 2019 (3A champion). The Bobcats have cranked up the defense since the postseason began, shutting down Newton in the first round, 41-2, then slowing North Scott last week, 21-7. Western Dubuque has won eight consecutive games since a 22-20 setback against Cedar Rapids Xavier in Week 3. The Bobcats knocked off then-No. 1 North Scott the following week and have been No. 1 ever since. The Bobcats don’t mind throwing, but much of their attack goes through Grant Glausser (2,453 yards, 9.3 per carry, 28 touchdowns) on the ground. QB Tanner Anderson pilots the passing game (1,435 yards, 19 TD, 4 INT), with Brock Carpenter catching 35 passes for 653 yards and seven scores. At 37.2 points per game, Bondurant-Farrar is potent as well. The Bluejays have two productive running backs in Titus Cram (1,238 yards, 17 TDs) and Caleb Moore (1,233 and 13), but the passing of Jordan Rial (1,602 yards 16 TD, 5 INT) is more than enough to keep defenses honest.

Class 1A

No. 4 MFL MARMAC (10-1) vs. No. 2 UNDERWOOD (10-1)

Time: 1 p.m. Friday

Gazette follow: @jeje66

Overview: After four straight years of elimination in the quarterfinals, MFL MarMac has broken through to the UNI-Dome for the first time in school history. The Bulldogs did it in impressive fashion, building a 22-0 lead after three quarters and finishing off No. 5 Iowa City Regina, 22-7, last week at Monona. Wyatt Powell rushed for 160 yards and two touchdowns, extending his season totals to 869 yards and 11 TDs. He comprises a balanced backfield with Quinn McGeough (826 yards, 7 TDs). The Bulldogs are facing an Underwood squad that has been a juggernaut on both sides of the ball. Since a season-opening loss to 2A No. 2 Van Meter, the Eagles have rattled off 10 straight wins by a combined margin of 443-40, with six shutouts. They average 388 yards per game (212 passing, 176 rushing), with QB Garrett Luett passing for 29 TDs and RBs Maddox Nelson and Graham Jensen combining for 26.

Class 2A

No. 4 MONTICELLO (10-1) vs. No. 2 VAN METER (11-0)

Time: 10 a.m. Saturday

Gazette follow: @kjpilcher

Overview: Monticello is another area team that will make its Dome debut. The Panthers advanced with a 34-28 quarterfinal win at Mediapolis behind a monster game by quarterback Preston Ries. Check out these numbers: 297 yards passing (on 14 completions in 21 attempts, with a touchdown and an interception) and 279 yards rushing (on 37 carries, with four TDs). That adds up to 576 yards of total offense, sending his season total to 4,129 yards and 54 scores. After dropping their season-opener to Mount Vernon, the Panthers have won 10 in a row, scoring 45.9 points per game in that span. Van Meter is in the midst of a lengthy stretch of excellence. Since 2015, the Bulldogs have assembled a record of 110-7 with three 1A championships (including 2021 and 2022) and two runner-up finishes. Ben Gordon is the star in the backfield, rushing for 1,868 yards (9.9 per carry) and 25 touchdowns.

Class 3A

No. 2 SOLON (10-1) vs. No. 3 WILLIAMSBURG (10-1)

Time: 7 p.m. Saturday

Gazette follow: @kjpilcher

Overview: This is a rematch from a Week 7 showdown at Solon, won by the host Spartans, 21-14. That decided a district championship, and the stakes are multiplied this time around. Both teams won dramatic, high-scoring quarterfinals last Friday. Solon came from behind to edge West Delaware, 36-35. The Spartans trailed 35-27 heading into the fourth quarter, but got a field goal, a fumble recovery on the ensuing kickoff and the go-ahead touchdown to notch their 10th straight win (four by a touchdown or less). Williamsburg, meanwhile, outscored No. 4 Mount Vernon, 38-35, behind 255 total yards by University of Iowa commit Derek Weisskopf (147 passing, 108 rushing). Rayce Heitman is a threat in every phase of the game. He leads the team with 94.5 tackles, has accumulated five takeaways and has posted five defensive/special-teams touchdowns. Solon counters with Brett White, who has accumulated 97.5 tackles, 23 for loss. Spartans soph Conlan Poynton has rushed for 904 yards and 13 TDs.

Watch on YouTube

Complete semifinal schedule

WEDNESDAY

8-Player

10 a.m. — No. 1 Winfield-Mount Union (11-0) vs. Algona Garrigan (10-1)

1 p.m. — No. 3 Bedford (11-0) vs. No. 7 Gladbrook-Reinbeck (10-1)

THURSDAY

Class A

10 a.m. — No. 3 West Hancock (10-1) vs. No. 4 Madrid (11-0)

1 p.m. — No. 2 Woodbury Central (11-0) vs. East Buchanan (9-2)

Class 4A

4 p.m. — No. 3 Lewis Central (9-2) vs. No. 4 North Polk (9-2)

7 p.m. — No. 1 Western Dubuque (10-1) vs. No. 6 Bondurant-Farrar (9-2)

FRIDAY

Class 1A

10 a.m. — No. 1 Grundy Center (11-0) vs. Waterloo Columbus (9-2)

1 p.m. — No. 2 Underwood (10-1) vs. No. 4 MFL MarMac (10-1)

Class 5A

4 p.m. — No. 1 Southeast Polk (11-0) vs. West Des Moines Valley (6-5)

7 p.m. — No. 6 Ankeny (8-3) vs. No. 7 Ankeny Centennial (7-4)

SATURDAY

Class 2A

10 a.m. — No. 2 Van Meter (11-0) vs. No. 4 Monticello (10-1)

1 p.m. — No. 1 Central Lyon/George-Little Rock (11-0) vs. No. 5 Spirit Lake (10-1)

Class 3A

4 p.m. — No. 1 Creston (11-0) vs. No. 8 Sioux City Heelan (10-1)

7 p.m. — No. 2 Solon (10-1) vs. No. 3 Williamsburg (10-1)

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com