Iowa high school football 2023: Gazette-area state championship games to watch

The following are area football capsules for the Iowa high school football state championship games at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls:

Class 1A: No. 4 MFL MarMac (11-1) vs. No. 1 Grundy Center (12-0)

Time: 4 p.m. Thursday

Road to the Finals: The Bulldogs opened the postseason with wins over Hudson (55-3), West Branch (21-0) and Iowa City Regina (22-7). MFL reached its first state final with a 41-28 victory over No. 2 Underwood. Grundy Center beat Cascade (50-14), Pella Christian (35-12) and Dike-New Hartford (40-0). The Spartans topped Waterloo Columbus, 42-7, in the semifinals.

Overview: MFL MarMac reached its first title game in six postseason appearances. The Bulldogs were unfazed in their first semifinal, winning their seventh straight game. They ran roughshod over Underwood, amassing 432 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 63 carries. Quinn McGeough led the way with 161 yards and all five TDs on the ground. Quarterback Carver Blietz-Bentien added 158 rushing yards. MFL’s ground game has yielded 3,184 yards. McGeough (165 carries, 987 yards, 12 TDs) and Wyatt Powell (111-911, 11) lead the way for a team that scores 33.2 points a game. Grundy Center is playing in its fifth straight state final, winning the Class A title last season after three runner-up finishes. The Spartans defense has held playoff opponents to 8.25 points per game, while the offense averages 34.8. Quarterback Colin Gordon has 1,771 passing yards and 24 TDs, hitting Tiernan Vokes 29 times for 581 yards and 12 scores.

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Class 4A: No. 3 Council Bluffs Lewis Central (10-2) vs. No. 1 Western Dubuque (11-1)

Time: 7 p.m. Thursday

Road to the Finals: The Titans beat Le Mars (42-10) and Adel ADM (32-21) in the first two rounds. Lewis Central trounced No. 4 North Polk, 31-5, in the semifinals. The Bobcats beat Newton, 41-2, and No. 5 North Scott, 21-7, to start the postseason. A strong second half propelled Western Dubuque to a 28-21 semifinal win over No. 6 Bondurant-Farrar.

Overview: Western Dubuque is back in a championship game for the third time in six seasons, winning the 2019 3A title and getting second in 2018. The Bobcats overcame a 14-0 deficit and pounded the ball in the second half to beat Bondurant-Farrar. Grant Glausser took over, rushing for 194 yards and two TDs. Glausser has been the state’s most productive ball carrier, leading the state with 2,926 all-purpose yards (2,646 rushing). Tanner Andersen keeps defenses honest, passing for two TDs against the Bluejays. Both teams have similar averages. Western Dubuque scores 35.2 and allows 17 points per game. Lewis Central averages 36.2 points and gives up 17.1. Titans QB Brady Hetzel has passed for 2,262 yards and 22 TDs. Curtis Witte (35-668, 7 TDs) and Lual Maker (30-560, 3) are his top targets. The Titans are in their third straight final, winning in 2021 and finishing runner-up a year ago.

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Class 3A: No. 8 Sioux City Heelan (11-1) vs. No. 3 Williamsburg (11-1)

Time: 1 p.m. Friday

Road to the Finals: The Crusaders posted a 22-19 win over Clear Lake in the first round and outlasted No. 5 Sioux Center, 27-26, in triple overtime. Heelan upset No. 1 Creston, 16-13, in the semifinals. Williamsburg blanked Humboldt, 23-0, in the first round. The Raiders outlasted No. 4 Mount Vernon, 38-35. They avenged their only loss of the season with a 45-14 semifinal win over No. 2 Solon.

Overview: The jump to a bigger class hasn’t affected Williamsburg. The Raiders reached the 2A final last season and now are in the 3A title game. Williamsburg qualified for its fourth final, also placing second in 2017 and 2002. The Raiders were dominant in the semifinals, forcing eight turnovers against Solon and increasing their season total to 31 (21 interceptions, 10 fumble recoveries). Derek Weisskopf has transitioned to quarterback and passed for 366 yards, hitting Rayce Heitman and Braylon Wetjen for two TDs apiece in the semifinal. Heitman did a little of everything, catching six passes for 165 yards and leading the Raiders defense with 15 tackles, 14 solo stops, two sacks and two tackles for loss. He added a rushing TD. Williamsburg’s offense ranks second in 3A with 40.7 points per game. Heelan averages 33.5 points per game. Quinn Olson powers the Heelan offense, compiling 2,142 yards from scrimmage and 35 total TDs. The Crusaders are in their first final since 2014, looking for their first title since 2013.

Complete Iowa high school state football championship schedule

THURSDAY

8-Player

9:30 a.m. — Algona Garrigan (11-1) vs. No. 3 Bedford (12-0)

Class A

1 p.m. — No. 3 West Hancock (11-1) vs. No. 2 Woodbury Central (12-0)

Class 1A

4 p.m. — No. 4 MFL MarMac (11-1) vs. No. 1 Grundy Center (12-0)

Class 4A

7 p.m. — No. 3 Council Bluffs Lewis Central (10-2) vs. No. 1 Western Dubuque (11-1)

FRIDAY

Class 2A

10 a.m. — No. 2 Van Meter (12-0) vs. No. 1 Central Lyon/GLR (12-0)

Class 3A

1 p.m. — No. 8 Sioux City Heelan (11-1) vs. No. 3 Williamsburg (11-1)

Class 5A

7 p.m. — No. 6 Ankeny (9-3) vs. No. 1 Southeast Polk (12-0)

Comments: kj.pilcher@thegazette.com