Iowa high school football 2025: Gazette-area Week 7 games to watch

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

Waterloo West at Cedar Rapids Kennedy

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

Records and rankings: Both teams are 3-3.

Overview: West is 17th, Kennedy 18th in this week’s Class 5A RPI rankings, so this is a pivotal game for postseason qualification. West snapped a three-game losing streak with an impressive 20-14 win over Dallas Center-Grimes last week. The Wahawks are as balanced as can be, averaging 202 yards per game in the air, 201 on the ground. Kennedy has won the games it should, lost the ones you’d imagine, and closes with three games that all can be classified as coinflips. The Cougars have snagged 17 takeaways, including four by Jett Ousley (two fumble recoveries, two interceptions).

Iowa City West at Davenport Central

When and where: 7 p.m. Thursday, at Davenport (Brady Street Stadium)

Records and rankings: Class 5A No. 8 West is 5-1; Central is 1-5.

Overview: West is heavily favored to improve to 6-1 and virtually clinch a playoff berth. The Trojans’ 43.2 points per game is second-best in 5A behind Waukee Northwest, led by weapons like Ethan Headings (31 receptions, 913 yards, 10 touchdowns). Reece Wheeler leads the attack; he has thrown for 1,299 yards and 12 TDs, against only one interception. Central has lost three in a row, and has scored only 19 points in that span.

Cedar Rapids Prairie at Cedar Falls

When and where: 7 p.m. Friday, at Cedar Falls H.S.

Records and rankings: Prairie is 4-2; Class 5A No. 6 Cedar Falls is 5-1.

Overview: There are no gimmes left on Prairie’s schedule, and there are no sure losses. Two wins in the final three games should be enough to send the Hawks (currently 11th in the 5A RPI standings) to the postseason. David Fason is a menace defensively, collecting 19.5 tackles for loss, seven sacks and five forced fumbles. Cedar Falls (No. 9 in 5A RPI) has won five in a row after a 15-14 season-opening loss to Iowa City Liberty. Josh Grete has intercepted four passes, and Brady Kies returned a fumble 90 yards for a touchdown.

Iowa City Liberty at Pleasant Valley

When and where: 7 p.m. Friday, at Pleasant Valley

Records and rankings: Class 5A No. 5 Liberty is 5-1; Pleasant Valley is 3-3.

Overview: With winless Iowa City High and winless Muscatine remaining on the schedule, this is Liberty’s final legitimate regular-season test. The Lightning have piled up 98 points in the last two games since their Week 4 loss to Johnston. Reece Rettig has been responsible for 21 touchdowns (12 passing, nine rushing), and the Bolts’ receiving corps is balanced, with six targets in double digits for receptions. Pleasant Valley is coming off a major clunker, a 29-0 loss to Linn-Mar in which it managed just 155 yards of total offense.

Iowa City Regina at Eddyville EBF

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

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

Overview: It should be smooth sailing for Regina on its way to a district championship, and to a perfect regular season. The Regals blasted Sigourney-Keota on the road last week, 41-7, and that upped their three-game district margin to 146-19. This week figures to be more of the same. Regina is averaging 45.8 points per game, second most in 1A. Kyle Tracy connects on 76 percent of his passes, 13 of which have gone for TDs. Tate Wallace and Savion Miller both have four TD receptions. EBF has won three of its last four games, but all three of those wins have come against 0-6 foes.

Cedar Rapids Xavier at Waterloo East

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

Records and rankings: No. 1 Xavier is 6-0 overall, 2-0 Class 4A District 2; East is 0-6, 0-2.

Overview: This figures to be a mismatch in every sense. Xavier is a state-championship contender, and East is a handful of 4A winless teams and only was competitive in one game. The Saints have been effective on both sides of the ball, averaging 39.2 points per game while allowing 14.0. Cash Parks’ touchdown-to-interception ratio now stands at 18-to-0, and he has completed 81 percent of his passes. Ryan Kelly has 21 receptions for 444 yards and seven touchdowns, and Carter Hoffmann (568 yards, 8 TDs) leads the rushing attack.

Mount Vernon at Central DeWitt

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

Records and rankings: No. 4 Mount Vernon is 5-1 overall, 2-0 Class 3A District 3; Central DeWitt is 4-2, 0-2.

Overview: Mount Vernon’s schedule ratchets up markedly in the stretch run. Each of the Mustangs’ final three opponents (Central DeWitt, Dubuque Wahlert and Davenport Assumption) are 4-2. Expect some aerial fireworks from both teams: Central DeWitt’s 278 passing yards per game rank No. 1 in Class 3A; Mount Vernon (251 per game) is No. 3. Kellen Haverback (62.1% completion rate, 15 TDs, 1 INT) leads the Mustangs’ passing attack, with Michael Ryan and Holden Hlavacek the top targets. For the Sabers, Hudson Krukow (73.5%, 18 TD, 1 INT) is the triggerman, and Brady Meadows and Jameson Gregoire both top 500 receiving yards.

Washington (Iowa) at Solon

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

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

Overview: Class 3A District 4 has been Solon’s playground thus far; the Spartans outscored their first two district opponents by a combined 135-6. Washington should present more of a challenge than Fairfield or Fort Madison could muster, but the Spartans are heavily favored to win this one and eventually make it to the postseason at 9-0. Eli Kampman has passed for 1,121 yards and 18 touchdowns (against one interception) with a balanced trio of receivers in Maddox Kelley, Kaden Hoeper and Cody Milliman. Washington has won three of its last four games after an 0-2 start.

Midland at North Linn

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

Records and rankings: Midland is 3-3 overall, 2-3 Class A District 4; No. 7 North Linn is 6-0, 4-0.

Overview: All signs point toward a winner-take-all Week 8 showdown between North Linn and Wapsie Valley for the A-4 championship. First, the Lynx must (and should) navigate a Midland outfit that is back to playing 11-player football after a lengthy stint in 8-Player. The Lynx, as usual, are driven by defense. This year’s outfit is allowing 6.8 points per game and has held four opponents to one touchdown or less. Meanwhile, QB Will Sommerfelt has rushed for nine touchdowns and has passed for nine more. Midland’s Tyler Gaunt has intercepted five passes.

Mason City at Decorah

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

Records and rankings: Mason City is 3-3 overall, 1-1 Class 4A District 2; No. 9 Decorah is 5-1, 2-0.

Overview: Decorah visits No. 1 Cedar Rapids Xavier next week in the 4A-2 game of the year, but the Vikings can’t get caught napping Friday. Mason City has designs on its first winning season — and its first playoff appearance — since 2009, and a win Friday could help the River Hawks get there. Two of their losses (against Fort Dodge and Waverly-Shell Rock) came by a touchdown or less. Decorah’s 38-point scoring average is fifth-best in Class 4A, and the Vikings are highlighted by a balanced running attack. Trevor Kuennen leads with 407 yards, and two others are at 200-plus yards.

Benton Community at Independence

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

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

Overview: The RPI numbers prove it: District 2 is the deepest league in Class 3A. Chances are good that at least one at-large team will emerge from this district, but you can’t assume that two will. So that makes this game extremely important. Independence has dropped two straight games, including a 42-27 decision at West Delaware last week. Indee’s Christopher Meyer leads 3A in offensive yards, with 1,810 (1,012 passing, 798 rushing) and has been responsible for 19 touchdowns. Benton counters with a run-pass QB of its own in Carson Nolan (1,558 offensive yards, 15 total TDs).

Williamsburg at Winterset

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

Records and rankings: No. 8 Williamsburg is 3-3 overall, 2-0 Class 3A District 5; Winterset is 3-3, 1-1.

Overview: Two weeks have changed Williamsburg’s outlook immeasurably. The Raiders came into district play at 1-3, but back-to-back wins over ranked District 5 foes Des Moines Christian and Nevada have them in control of the district race, and into the top-10 for the first time all season. Cash Brown passed for 198 yards last week, boosting his season total to 778. Kale Bailey has 20 receptions for 329 yards and a pair of TDs. Winterset has neither won nor lost consecutive games all season. Ben Porter has rushed for 603 yards and five TDs for the Huskies.

Other games involving Metro/Iowa City teams

* Cedar Rapids Washington (2-4 overall, 0-2 Class 4A District 2) at Waverly-Shell Rock (2-4, 1-1), 7:15 p.m. Friday

* Marion (1-5 overall, 0-2 Class 4A District 4) at Grinnell (3-3, 2-0), 7:30 p.m. Friday

* Bettendorf (2-4) at Cedar Rapids Jefferson (1-5), 7 p.m. Friday

* Linn-Mar (2-4) at Muscatine (0-6), 7 p.m. Friday

* Iowa City High (0-6) at Des Moines East (1-5), 7 p.m. Friday

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com