Iowa high school football 2023: Gazette-area Week 5 games to watch

The following are area football capsules for Week 5 of the Iowa high school football season:

Cedar Rapids Kennedy at Iowa City High

Site and time: 7 p.m. Friday, at Bates Field

Records and rankings: Both teams are 2-2. Kennedy is ranked No. 7 in Class 5A.

Overview: These teams appear to have gotten themselves right after starting 0-2. Kennedy is riding a potent passing game and a resurgent defense that has allowed one touchdown in the last two weeks. Calvin White (26.5 tackles) and Owen Anderson (24) have been the stalwarts of that “D,” and the passing combo of Vincenzo Gianforte and Cyrus Courtney continues to click. City High retained The Boot for the third consecutive year with a 23-8 win last week over Iowa City West behind Miles Parlet’s 220 rushing yards, including a 63-yard clinching touchdown in the fourth quarter.

Ankeny at Iowa City West

Site and time: 7 p.m. Friday, at Trojan Field

Records and rankings: Both teams are 2-2. Ankeny is ranked No. 8 in Class 5A.

Overview: Pivotal game here for both teams. Ankeny is 17th, West 19th in the 5A RPI standings, and neither squad wants to dig themselves further back. According to BC Moore, Ankeny has faced the toughest schedule thus far in 5A, with wins over Ankeny Centennial and Johnston, and losses to No. 1 Southeast Polk and No. 2 West Des Moines Dowling. Many of the Hawks’ key offensive pieces are sophomores and juniors. West will try to bounce back from last week’s 23-8 loss to Iowa City High behind quarterback Jack Wallace, who has passed for 831 yards and seven TDs.

Linn-Mar at Cedar Falls

Site and time: 7 p.m. at Cedar Falls (UNI-Dome)

Records and rankings: Both teams are 2-2.

Overview: Two more of the 17 teams in 5A that are sitting at break-even, with Linn-Mar 18th and Cedar Falls 20th in the RPI derby. This is only the second game between these two programs in the last eight years. Linn-Mar needs a lift after consecutive losses, but the Lions saw some good things in last week’s 21-14 setback against Bettendorf. Junior QB Stone Morgan ran for a touchdown and passed for another, and the Lions didn’t give up a second-half point. Down 7-0 at halftime last week, Cedar Falls scored five second-half touchdowns in a 35-19 win over Iowa City Liberty.

Cedar Rapids Jefferson vs. Cedar Rapids Washington

Site and time: 7:15 p.m. Friday, at Kingston Stadium

Records and rankings: Jefferson is 4-0; Washington is 0-4.

Overview: Do you suppose Jefferson has any added incentive to get to 5-0? The last three matchups with Washington have resulted in losses of 55-0, 79-0 and 47-0. But this, we now know, is a completely different animal on the west side of town. The J-Hawks are averaging 42.5 points and 402 yards of offense per game behind the legs of Ishara Kalolero (638 rushing yards and 9 TDs). Without a doubt, Washington has faced the tougher schedule, and will try to get something going offensively after averaging just 10.3 points through its first four games.

Iowa City Liberty at Cedar Rapids Prairie

Site and time: 7:15 p.m. Friday, at John Wall Field

Records and rankings: Liberty is 1-3; Prairie is 2-2.

Overview: Prairie has dropped two consecutive games, but the news isn’t all bad. In the most recent 5A RPI rankings, the Hawks are the lead horse of the 17 teams that are 2-2 in terms of strength of schedule, so that could be a favorable indicator later this season. Now, the Hawks need to resume winning. They’ll take aim at a victory behind Casey Kelley, the 5A leader in all-purpose yards (830, which includes 535 on the ground). Liberty counters with 5A passing leader Graham Beckman (1,273 yards) and his dual targets Sutton Koller and Dallas Miller, who have 69 catches and 11 TDs between them.

Cedar Rapids Xavier at Clinton

Site and time: 7:30 p.m. Friday, at Clinton

Records and rankings: Class 4A No. 8 Xavier is 2-2 overall, 0-0 District 3; Clinton is 0-4, 0-0.

Overview: The Saints likely enter district play with an elevated level of grumpiness after suffering a 31-21 upset loss at Pella. They should sail this week, setting up a Week 6 showdown with North Scott. This is the first regular-season meeting between the Saints and the River Kings; Xavier knocked Clinton out of the playoffs in 2009 and 2013. Saints QB Ronan Thomas has passed for 697 yards, and is among the 4A leaders in rushing touchdowns, with seven. Clinton has lost 10 of 11 games dating back to Week 2 of 2022.

Marion at Waterloo East

Site and time: 7:30 p.m. Friday, at Waterloo

Records and rankings: Marion is 3-1 overall, 0-0 Class 4A District 2; East is 2-2, 0-0.

Overview: Marion has found its offense. The Wolves have accumulated about 900 yards in the last two games, beating Center Point-Urbana and Maquoketa, running their recent string of success to six wins in the last seven games. It should continue Friday. Logan Tilkes has accumulated 29.5 tackles (22 solo, six for loss). A win would heighten the importance of the Wolves’ home game next week against 4A co-No. 1 Western Dubuque.

Iowa City Regina at Cascade

Site and time: 7 p.m. Friday, at Cascade

Records and rankings: Class 1A No. 4 Regina is 4-0 overall, 1-0 District 5; Cascade is 0-4, 0-1.

Overview: All signs seem to point toward another easy Regina win. The Regals have won their first four games by margins of 38, 32, 38 and 37 points. They rank No. 1 in 1A in scoring average, at 47.3 points per game behind the pass-catch combo of Gentry Dumont (1,033 yards, 10 TDs, 1 INT) and Jackson Naeve (19 receptions, 447 yards, 7 TDs). Cascade will look to jump-start an offense that was shut out each of the last two weeks.

Sumner-Fredericksburg at MFL MarMac

Site and time: 7 p.m. Friday, at Monona

Records and rankings: Sumner-Fredericksburg is 3-1 overall, 0-1 Class 1A District 3; No. 2 MFL MarMac is 4-0, 1-0.

Overview: MFL MarMac passed its first district test convincingly, 42-0 over a quality Aplington-Parkersburg outfit. Now, it gets increasingly difficult for the next three weeks (contests with Dike-New Hartford and Denver follow this one). The Bulldogs have a deep backfield, with four guys in triple digits in rushing yards this season, led by Quinn McGeough (325) and Wyatt Powell (297). Sumner-Fredericksburg is coming off a 24-14 loss to DNH. Cougars QB Davis Van Sickle has passed for nine TDs, five to Jaxon Willems.

North Linn at East Buchanan

Site and time: 7:30 p.m. Friday, at Winthrop

Records and rankings: No. 5 North Linn is 4-0 overall, 3-0 Class A District 4; East Buchanan is 2-2, 2-1.

Overview: North Linn has allowed next to nothing this season. The Lynx gave up a touchdown in Week 1, and have followed with three consecutive shutouts. Carter Holtz has recovered four fumbles, adding to the Lynx’s ledger of 14 takeaways. Jake Van Etten has accounted for 11 touchdowns (seven passing, four rushing). East Buchanan is coming off a puzzling 46-0 loss to Starmont last Thursday, and must be markedly better Friday to avoid a similar fate.

Solon at Grinnell

Site and time: 7:30 p.m. Friday, at Grinnell

Records and rankings: Both teams are 3-1 overall, 0-0 Class 3A District 5. Solon is ranked No. 9.

Overview: Solon used a series of big plays, mostly from wildcat back Conlan Poynton (touchdown runs of 58, 62 and 66 yards) to upset Mount Vernon, 37-20, last week, spoiling the Mustangs’ finale at First Street Field. And now the Spartans’ attack, which managed just 14 points in the first two weeks, is in full bloom. There’s no time for letdown, though, with three straight district challenges ahead. Grinnell has won two straight games, including a 35-18 triumph over Washington (Iowa) last week.

Maquoketa at West Delaware

Site and time: 7:30 p.m. Friday, at Manchester

Records and rankings: Maquoketa is 3-1 overall, 0-0 Class 3A District 3; West Delaware is 2-2, 0-0.

Overview: Now, THAT was the West Delaware we’ve been accustomed to. The Hawks opened some eyes and dropped some jaws with an overwhelming performance last week, 42-13, over Webster City. And now, they look like a bona fide district title contender, along with Independence and Dubuque Wahlert. Quarterback Brent Yonkovic ran for 213 yards and three scores last week, and has 510 passing yards, 546 on the ground this season. Maquoketa suffered its first defeat last week, 34-7, at Marion.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com