Iowa high school football 2024: Gazette-area Week 7 games to watch

The following are area football capsules for Week 7 of the Iowa high school football season:

Iowa City Regina at Dyersville Beckman

When and where: 7 p.m. Friday, at Dyersville

Records and rankings: No. 5 Regina is 6-0 overall, 3-0 Class 1A District 5; Beckman is 4-2, 2-1.

Overview: Regina can’t get caught looking ahead to next week’s showdown with No. 2 Wilton, because Beckman is in the midst of a big bounceback after going 1-7 last year. Regals QB Kyle Tracy is tied for fourth in 1A in both passing touchdowns (13) and total TDs (19). His favorite target is Tate Wallace, with 27 catches and 434 yards. Beckman beat its last two opponents (West Branch and Durant) by a composite 92-13 and has a strong running back in Isaac Burlage, who has netted 851 yards on the ground, with 11 TDs.

Ankeny at Iowa City Liberty

When and where: 7 p.m. Friday, at North Liberty

Records and rankings: Ankeny is 3-3; Class 5A No. 8 Liberty is 5-1.

Overview: Liberty has climbed all the way to No. 2 in this week’s 5A RPI standings, and if you’re looking ahead, a record of 7-2 or better should mean a first-round home playoff game. The Lightning have won each of their last three games by a touchdown or less, including a 27-22 Kingston escape last week against Cedar Rapids Washington. Reece Rettig ranks in the 5A top five in passing yards (1,370) and touchdowns (16). Ankeny has played one of the most difficult schedules among 5A teams, and is the only team to claim a victory over West Des Moines Dowling. DB LaMarious Clark has three interceptions, so Rettig must account for him.

Davenport North at Iowa City High

When and where: 7 p.m. Friday, at Bates Field

Records and rankings: Both teams are 4-2.

Overview: City High has won four consecutive games, averaging 46.3 points per game in that win streak. The Little Hawks are the top 4-2 team in the RPI derby (and ninth overall), so one more win should be enough to get them into the postseason. With toughies against Linn-Mar and Bettendorf upcoming, that makes this game pivotal for City. Like their city-rival counterparts from West and Liberty, the Little Hawks have a gem of a quarterback in Bobby Bacon (fifth in 5A in passing yards, with 1,264). North’s Kazimir Rebarcak is second in that category, with 1,484 yards through the air. One more victory would clinch the Wildcats’ first winning season since 2019.

Decorah at Marion

When and where: 7:15 p.m. Friday, at Marion Stadium

Records and rankings: No. 5 Decorah is 6-0 overall, 2-0 Class 4A District 2; Marion is 2-4, 1-1.

Overview: Decorah stands alone atop the 4A-2 standings after a pivotal 28-7 victory over Waverly-Shell Rock last week. The Vikings face their other top challengers — Marion and Western Dubuque — in the next two weeks. Decorah’s 12.3 points per game allowed is best in 4A. Gatlin Dahlberg leads the team in tackles (37.5), with two fumble recoveries and an interception. Marion won each of the last two games in the series, including 28-21 last season. The Wolves started 0-3, won their next two, then lost to Western Dubuque last week, 27-0.

Cedar Rapids Jefferson at Cedar Rapids Prairie

When and where: 7 p.m. Friday, at John Wall Field

Records and rankings: Jefferson is 4-2; Prairie is 2-4.

Overview: Prairie has ruled this west-side showdown lately, winning five straight in the series. Jefferson is 21st, Prairie 23rd in 5A RPI, so the winner will enhance its chances for the postseason. Prairie has dropped three straight games since its Week 3 win over Southeast Polk; Jefferson has lost two in a row after starting 4-0. Both teams possess potent passing attacks: Jefferson’s Vernon Benda has thrown 15 touchdown passes, seven to L.J. Nyenow Jr.; Nyenow’s 677 receiving yards are tops in 5A. Prairie counters with the crew of Wyatt Eash and receivers David Fason, Denzil Green and Drew Bennis, each of which have 20-plus receptions.

Iowa City West at Cedar Rapids Washington

When and where: 7:15 p.m. Friday, at Kingston Stadium

Records and rankings: West is 3-3; Washington is 2-4.

Overview: After trying, with mixed results, to outscore opponents through the first five weeks, West played a complete game last week in a 48-6 rout of Cedar Rapids Jefferson. It was by far the Trojans’ best defensive performance of the season. West QB Jack Wallace leads 5A in passing yards (1,579) and passing touchdowns (21). Mason Woods and Julian Manson give Wallace a pair of explosive wideouts. Though just 2-4, Washington is vastly improved from a year ago. The Warriors beat Cedar Rapids Jefferson two weeks ago, then played Iowa City Liberty close last week. Wyatt Young has been a defensive force, collecting 41.5 tackles, including 14.5 for loss and 10.5 sacks.

Davenport West at Linn-Mar

When and where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, at Linn-Mar Stadium

Records and rankings: West is 0-6; Class 5A No. 6 Linn-Mar is 5-1.

Overview: This one could get out of hand in a hurry. Linn-Mar is in the midst of its best season since the early 2010s, while West is one of two remaining winless 5A teams. Dylan Muszynski has crossed the 1,000-yard rushing plateau, and his 17 rushing TDs are tops in 5A. Austin Waller has piloted a complementary passing attack, throwing for six touchdowns (four to Landon Sorg) and only one interception. The teams have two common opponents (Dubuque Senior and Muscatine), and in both cases, the transitive results lean heavily in the Lions’ favor.

Cedar Rapids Xavier at Oskaloosa

When and where: 7:15 p.m. Friday, at Oskaloosa

Records and rankings: No. 7 Xavier is 4-2 overall, 2-0 Class 4A District 3; Oskaloosa is 1-5, 0-2.

Overview: Five of Xavier’s first six games have been decided by seven points or less; the Saints won three of them, including a 28-21 road win over North Scott, which puts the Saints firmly in the driver’s seat in 4A-3. This one doesn’t figure to go down to the wire. Osky has dropped four consecutive games; it was beaten by Clinton, 26-24, last week. QB Cash Parks returned to the Xavier lineup last week, passing for one touchdown and running for another. Ryan Kelly is one of the most prolific receivers in 4A, with 38 catches for 506 yards and three TDs.

Maquoketa Valley at North Linn

When and where: 7 p.m. Friday, at Troy Mills

Records and rankings: Maquoketa Valley is 5-1 overall, 5-0 Class A District 4; No. 9 North Linn is 6-0, 5-0.

Overview: Dee-fense!! Maquoketa Valley is No. 1 in Class A in points allowed this season (10, including zero in the past five games). Dee-fense!! North Linn is right behind with 12 points allowed, with four consecutive shutouts. The Lynx’s Cade Garman is tops in Class A in tackles for loss (19), Nathan Beitz of Maquoketa Valley is second with 16. And North Linn’s Cael Benesh and Cole Griffith both have returned two interceptions for touchdowns. Maquoketa Valley’s Rogan Heidt has rushed for 1,072 yards and 15 touchdowns. The winner claims sole possession of the district lead.

Solon at Williamsburg

When and where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, at Williamsburg

Records and rankings: No. 5 Solon is 5-1 overall, 1-1 Class 3A District 5; No. 2 Williamsburg is 5-1, 2-0.

Overview: Solon’s 21-20 loss to Benton Community last week tossed this district into a four-team free-for-all. Led by the pass-catch combo of Grant Hocker and Rayce Heitman, Williamsburg has been an offensive juggernaut at 50.7 points per game, far and away the most in 3A. Hocker leads the class in passing yards (1,575) and passing touchdowns (29), while Heitman’s 16 receiving touchdowns are more than twice as many as anybody else in the state. Solon’s Eddie Johnson has rushed for 704 yards and 10 TDs. The Spartans won last year’s regular-season encounter, 21-14, then the Raiders turned the tables, 45-14, in the state semifinals.

Dubuque Wahlert at West Delaware

When and where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, at Manchester

Records and rankings: No. 3 Wahlert is 6-0 overall, 2-0 Class 3A District 3; West Delaware is 4-2, 2-0.

Overview: Wahlert is enjoying its best season in quite some time. The Golden Eagles rank in the top three in 3A both offensively (37.3 points per game) and defensively (7.8 allowed). They held off Independence, 17-10, last week. Michael Bormann has rushed for 513 yards and eight touchdowns, with Tom Scherr catching six TD passes and running for five more TDs. West Delaware has rattled off four straight victories after an 0-2 start (the last three by a 161-16 margin), and faces its most critical two-week stretch of the season; the Hawks play at Independence next week. QB Brent Yonkovic has been responsible for 1,326 yards and 14 touchdowns.

Bellevue at Starmont

When and where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, at Arlington

Records and rankings: Bellevue is 4-2 overall, 4-1 Class A District 4; Starmont is 5-1, 4-1.

Overview: The playoffs await both teams, regardless of what happens in the final two weeks. Starmont has allowed six points during its active three-game winning streak. The Stars have recorded 14 takeaways, including 11 interceptions (three each by Camden Hamlett and Jase Tommasin). They’ll be battling in the airwaves with Bellevue’s Keenan Kilburg, who has caught 44 passes for 536 yards.

Other Metro/Iowa City games

* Cedar Rapids Kennedy (1-5) at Dubuque Hempstead (4-2), 7:30 p.m. Friday

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com