Iowa high school football: Gazette-area Week 3 games to watch

A dozen of the top area high school football games for Week 3 (Sept. 10):

Cedar Rapids Jefferson at Davenport Central

Time and place: 7:15 p.m. Thursday, at Davenport (Brady Street Stadium)

Records and rankings: Jefferson is 0-2; Central is 1-1.

Overview: After two lopsided defeats, Jefferson figures to be more competitive this week. Central is coming off a 48-23 victory over Clinton. Junior DeShaun Robinson leads the J-Hawks with 8.5 tackles.

Cedar Falls at Cedar Rapids Prairie

Time and place: 7:15 p.m. Friday, at John Wall Field

Records and rankings: Class 5A No. 9 Cedar Falls is 1-1; No. 3 Prairie is 2-0.

Overview: Prairie Coach Mark Bliss earned his 200th career victory last week, 28-14 against Dubuque Senior. Hawks QB Brandon Vlcko has completed 74 percent of his passes, and Makelle Taylor has rushed for 267 yards and five TDs. Cedar Falls squared its record with a 52-14 win over Waterloo West last week behind Hunter Jacobson, who passed for 213 yards and four TDs.

Cedar Rapids Kennedy vs. Cedar Rapids Washington

Time and place: 7:15 p.m. Friday, at Kingston Stadium

Records and rankings: Both teams are 2-0. Kennedy is ranked fourth in Class 5A; Washington is No. 3 in 4A.

Overview: This Metro showdown appears to be a virtual coinflip. The Warriors have been sharp on both sides of the ball, outscoring their first two opponents by a 105-9 margin. Reid Ortiz has thrown for an effective 279 yards with four TDs (and no interceptions), and Chase Mahoney has collected 16 tackles (six for loss). Kennedy’s Jazan Williams has rushed for 273 yards and three TDs, and Jeron Senters has been a force on both sides of the ball.

Cedar Rapids Xavier at Dubuque Wahlert

Time and place: 7:30 p.m. Friday, at Dubuque (Rock Bowl/Loras College)

Records and rankings: Class 4A fourth-ranked Xavier is 2-0; Wahlert is 0-2.

Overview: This season is another reminder that, no matter who or how many graduate, the cupboard is never bare at Xavier. After the Saints held off West Delaware 23-21 last week, this could be a bit of a breather before Xavier faces North Scott, Cedar Rapids Washington and Pella in successive weeks. Aidan McDermott has 13 receptions for 173 yards, plus 6.5 tackles. Wahlert has suffered 34-point losses to West Delaware and Davenport Assumption.

Iowa City High at Ames

Time and place: 7 p.m. Friday, at Ames

Records and rankings: City High is 2-0; Ames is 1-1.

Overview: This could be one of the more interesting Little Cy-Hawk matchups. City High has roared out of the gate and leads 5A in scoring offense (54.5 ppg) and defense (0.0). The Little Hawks have done it with depth, rather than with a star or two. They have collected five takeaways, two for touchdowns. Ames is coming off a 42-21 loss to Fort Dodge, but has some offensive weapons, led by QB Dallas Sauser (429 passing yards).

Iowa City West at Dubuque Hempstead

Time and place: 7:15 p.m. Friday, at Dubuque (Dalzell Field)

Records and rankings: West is 1-1; Hempstead is 0-2.

Overview: After absorbing a tough loss to Cedar Rapids Kennedy in its opener, West bounced back last week with a 42-7 romp over Muscatine and is a significant favorite the next two weeks before the Battle for the Boot in Week 5. Mason Applegate is averaging 13.3 yards per carry. Hempstead has scored six points in its first two games.

Linn-Mar at Pleasant Valley

Time and place: 7:15 p.m. Friday, at Bettendorf (Pleasant Valley H.S.)

Records and rankings: Linn-Mar is 2-0; Class 5A No. 7 Pleasant Valley is 1-1.

Overview: A good litmus test here to determine how good Linn-Mar really is. The Lions have been cruising offensively in Tim Lovell’s first two games, averaging 44 points per game. Credit a ground game led by Carter Henderson, who has netted 284 yards on 43 carries. Pleasant Valley rebounded from a Week 1 loss by blanking Dubuque Hempstead 35-0 behind Rusty Van Wetzinga’s 119 rushing yards.

Marion at Benton Community

Time and place: 7:30 p.m. Friday, at Van Horne

Records and rankings: Marion is 0-2; Benton is 1-1.

Overview: Despite the 0-2 start, there’s valid reason for hope for Marion. Both defeats came against good teams, and the Wolves hung around for a good amount of the game before falling to Cedar Rapids Washington last week. Alex Mota has passed for 218 yards and rushed for 134. Benton has a stellar ground attack: Colin Buch has rushed for 276 yards, Jacob Brecht 267. Brecht also has 20 tackles to his credit.

Western Dubuque at Iowa City Liberty

Time and place: 7:30 p.m. Friday, at North Liberty

Records and rankings: Both teams are 0-2.

Overview: Here are two teams trying to ignite their offensive attack. Liberty is scoring just 7.5 points per game, Western Dubuque 13.5. Both of Liberty’s first two games came against 5A teams (Iowa City High and Linn-Mar) while the Bobcats opened with 4A powers Cedar Rapids Xavier and North Scott. Western Dubuque’s Andrew Oltmanns has 11 catches for 209 yards and three touchdowns. Luke Meyers has intercepted two passes for Liberty.

Dyersville Beckman at Monticello

Time and place: 7:30 p.m. Friday, at Monticello

Records and rankings: Both teams are 2-0. Beckman is ranked No. 9 in Class 1A; Monticello is No. 8 in 2A.

Overview: Both teams knocked off a ranked opponent in Week 1 (Beckman beat Camanche; Monticello topped Cascade), and have used that as a springboard into this week’s Gazette poll. Beckman has just 14 points in two games and has a workhorse in the backfield in Owen Huehnergarth (51 carries, 282 yards, 4 TDs). Monti sophomore QB Preston Ries has passed for 263 yards and has rushed for 228.

English Valleys at WACO

Time and place: 7 p.m. Friday, at Wayland

Records and rankings: English Valleys is 2-0 overall, 1-0 8-Player District 6; WACO is 3-0, 1-0.

Overview: Eight-player football games can become big scoring festivals, but not when English Valleys is involved. The Bears are allowing just 10 points per game, including a shutout of Lone Tree. Treyton Shaw has a nose for the football, with four fumble recoveries already. WACO is scoring at a 49.7-point clip and averages more than 280 rushing yards per game.

Williamsburg at Solon

Time and place: 7:30 p.m. Friday, at Solon

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

Overview: Solon was able to come from behind to defeat archrival Mount Vernon last week, 41-27, and the Spartans have the second-most prolific offense in 3A at 52 points per game. They’re averaging 506 yards per contest, with Blake Timmons and Sean Stahle combining for seven rushing TDs. Williamsburg continues to battle a tough early schedule; the Raiders’ first two losses came against Iowa City Regina and Van Meter.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com