Iowa high school football: Gazette-area Week 6 games to watch

A dozen of the top area high school football games for Week 6 (Sept. 30-Oct. 1), minus Iowa City Regina’s forfeit win over Louisa-Muscatine, which was announced Thursday. Regina is 6-0.

Clear Creek Amana at Cedar Rapids Washington

Time and place: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, at Kingston Stadium

Records and rankings: Ninth-ranked CCA is 4-1 overall, 1-0 Class 4A District 4; Washington is 2-3, 0-1.

Overview: Clear Creek Amana has built a solid offensive attack, scoring 30-plus points in all four of its wins. Harrison Rosenberg is fifth in Class 4A in receiving touchdowns (five) and in yards per catch (18.4). Washington is looking to snap a three-game losing streak in which it has been outscored 115-14. Chase Mahoney is the 4A leader in tackles for loss, with 13.

Iowa City High at Davenport North

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

Records and rankings: Class 5A No. 5 City High is 5-0; North is 2-3.

Overview: From a two-win 2020 to a 9-0 regular season in 2021? It’s starting to look possible — actually, likely — for City High. The Little Hawks opened eyes in Week 4 with a win over West Des Moines Dowling, then avoided a letdown with a 56-7 blasting of Iowa City West last week. Darren Richardson is second in 5A in rushing touchdowns with nine, and leads the class in yards per carry at 9.3. Iowa commit Ben Kueter has amassed 40.5 tackles, 19 for loss.

Cedar Falls at Cedar Rapids Kennedy

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

Records and rankings: Class 5A No. 7 Cedar Falls is 4-1; No. 2 Kennedy is 5-0.

Overview: One of four top-10 matchups in 5A, and this is Kennedy’s toughest remaining regular-season test. The Cougars may have lost a little of their rhythm in their bye week (caused by a Cedar Rapids Jefferson forfeit) in Week 4, and had to fight to the wire last week against Dubuque Senior in a 28-21 win. The Cougars’ offensive line will have to identify Cedar Falls’ Drew Campbell, who has collected five sacks.

Cedar Rapids Prairie at Waterloo West

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

Records and rankings: Class 5A No. 8 Prairie is 4-1; West is 2-3.

Overview: Prairie had plenty of time to prepare for this one, claiming a forfeit victory last week against Ottumwa. Junior Makelle Taylor has developed into a dual threat out of the backfield, rushing for 519 yards and eight touchdowns, and catching nine passes for 168 yards. Brandon Vlcko is an efficient quarterback, completing 72 percent of his attempts. This is a biggie for West, which faces a soft schedule down the stretch.

Cedar Rapids Xavier at Pella

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

Records and rankings: Third-ranked Xavier is 4-1 overall, 1-0 Class 4A District 3; Pella is 2-3, 1-0.

Overview: Two traditional powers that combined for five straight 3A state titles from 2014 through 2018 (Pella won three in a row, then Xavier went back to back). The Saints suffered a Week 4 loss to North Scott, then rebounded with a 31-0 rout of Cedar Rapids Washington. Aidan McDermott’s 33 receptions rank fourth in 4A and Thomas Sundell’s 10.5 tackles for loss rank fifth. After starting 1-3, Pella opened district play with a 24-14 win over previously unbeaten Newton. All five of the Dutch’s games have been decided by two scores or less.

Linn-Mar at Southeast Polk

Time and place: 7 p.m. Friday, at Pleasant Hill

Records and rankings: Class 5A ninth-rated Linn-Mar is 5-0; No. 2 Southeast Polk is 4-1.

Overview: Along with City High, Linn-Mar is the biggest 5A surprise in the state. Equally surprising is the fact that the Lions’ key to success has been defense; they are allowing a slim 8.6 points per game behind Cam Guenther’s six interceptions. Carter Henderson has rushed for 560 yards and nine touchdowns. This is a huge test, though, against last year’s state runner-up. Jaxon Dailey has passed for nine TDs, six to Cole Filloon (who averages 18.3 yards per catch). Titus Christensen leads the Rams’ rushing attack at 676 yards.

Marion at Waverly-Shell Rock

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

Records and rankings: Marion is 1-4 overall, 0-1 Class 4A District 2; sixth-ranked WSR is 4-1, 1-0.

Overview: After a promising Week 4 win over then-unbeaten DeWitt Central, Marion took a step backward last week in a 41-0 home loss to Western Dubuque. It gets even tougher with a road trip Friday. Waverly-Shell Rock has scored 30-plus points on four occasions, and the Go-Hawks have been stout defensively throughout the season. Marion’s Alex Mota has compiled 876 total yards of offense with seven TDs.

Cardinal at Sigourney-Keota

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

Records and rankings: Both teams are 5-0 overall, 2-0 Class 1A District 6. S-K is ranked No. 5.

Overview: Cardinal is putting together, possibly, its best season in school history. The Comets are scoring at a 53.2-clip, second best in 1A. Maddux Jones is second in 1A in passing yards (986), and Griffin Greiner is one of the class’ top receivers, with 377 yards and 23.6 per catch. And yet, traditional power Sigourney-Keota is favored behind another lethal running attack led by Cade Molyneux, who leads 1A in rushing at 1,027 yards and 15 touchdowns.

Davenport Assumption at Mount Vernon

Time and place: 7:15 p.m. Friday, at Mount Vernon (First Street Field)

Records and rankings: Ninth-ranked Assumption is 3-2 overall, 1-0 Class 3A District 4; Mount Vernon is 3-2, 0-1.

Overview: It’s not quite a do-or-die game for Mount Vernon’s playoff hopes, but it’s a very important one. The Mustangs will be favored in their final three games, so a win would solidify their postseason resume. Trenton Pitlik has rushed for 11 touchdowns, accumulated 885 all-purpose yards and averages 8.4 yards per carry. He also has two defensive TDs. Assumption snapped a two-game skid with a 41-10 victory over DeWitt Central last week.

Mid-Prairie at Williamsburg

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

Records and rankings: Mid-Prairie is 3-2 overall, 2-0 Class 2A District 6; Williamsburg is 2-3, 2-0.

Overview: It’s a three-team race for two automatic bids in 2A-6 (Davis County also is 2-0), and the winner of this game certainly has the inside track to one of them. Williamsburg’s Jake Weber leads 2A in receiving touchdowns, with eight. Mid-Prairie had to forfeit its Week 3 contest against Iowa City Regina, but came back with a vengeance, dumping Eddyville EBF and Central Lee by scores of 42-0 and 66-8. Tyler Helmuth has scored nine rushing touchdowns.

Waterloo Columbus at Dyersville Beckman

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

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

Overview: On paper, this one looks just about dead-even. Beckman has run through its first five opponents, scoring 44.2 points per game and allowing 8.4. Both of those figures rank in the top five in 1A. The Blazers average nearly 300 rushing yards per game and are led by Owen Huehnergarth’s 731 yards and 11 TDs. Columbus has played the tougher schedule of the two, and has impressive wins over West Branch and MFL MarMac on its resume.

Other Metro/Iowa City games

Cedar Rapids Jefferson (0-5) at Ottumwa (0-5), 7:30 p.m. Friday

Davenport Central (3-2) at Iowa City West (1-4), 7:15 p.m. Friday

Mount Pleasant (1-4, 0-1 Class 4A District 3) at Iowa City Liberty (0-5, 0-1), 7:30 p.m. Friday

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com