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

A dozen of the top Metro/Iowa City and area Iowa high school football games for Week 7:

Davenport West at Cedar Rapids Kennedy

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

Records and rankings: West is 6-0; Class 5A No. 9 Kennedy is 5-1.

Overview: How good, exactly, are the Falcons — one of only two remaining unbeatens in Class 5A? We’ll find out a lot more this week, as Kennedy provides, by far, the stiffest challenge that West has faced. The Falcons’ first six opponents have crafted a record of 17-37, but they did post an impressive 28-10 win over Dubuque Senior last week. Kennedy suffered its first loss of the season a week ago at the UNI-Dome, turning the ball over five times in a 23-16 setback to Cedar Falls. With that, the Cougars would be wise to know where West’s Devon Sanders Howard is defensively; he has intercepted six passes in six games.

Fort Madison at Iowa City Liberty

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

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

Overview: What we said above about Davenport West? Same goes for unbeaten Fort Madison, which faces a prove-it test with the district lead on the line. This shapes up as a battle between Liberty’s explosive offense (39 points per game) against the Bloodhounds’ stalwart defense (8.7 points allowed). Lightning junior QB Graham Beckman shares the 4A lead in touchdown passes (18) and is No. 2 in passing yards (1,481). Garrett Gregoire and Christian Barney have 22 receptions apiece, with Gregoire netting 23.4 yards per catch and seven touchdowns. Fort Madison’s Aidan Boyer has passed for 1,000-plus yards with 12 TDs and just two INTs.

Iowa City Regina at West Branch

Time and place: 7 p.m. Friday, at West Branch

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

Overview: If you’re a believer in the BC Moore computer rankings, West Branch has the best resume of anybody in Class 1A through six weeks. The Bears have been unstoppable offensively, scoring at a 1A-best 54 points per game. Andy Henson has netted 784 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns, and QB Tye Hughes has been efficient, completing 73 percent of his passes for 704 yards and eight touchdowns (against just one interception). Regina has had the upper hand in this rivalry in recent years, but is the underdog Friday. The Regals have a breakaway threat at wideout in Jackson Naeve (22 catches, 343 yards, seven TDs).

Cedar Rapids Prairie at Southeast Polk

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

Records and rankings: Both teams are 5-1. Southeast Polk is ranked No. 4 in Class 5A; Prairie is No. 5.

Overview: Prairie looks to add on to the five-game winning streak it has assembled after dropping its opener to Pleasant Valley, but it will take a big effort against an elite team on the road. The Hawks almost pulled it off last year at home before a blocked field goal allowed the Rams to escape, 21-20. These are two of the best offensive teams in Class 5A; Prairie is second in offensive yards per game (431.3) while SEP is third (422.0). Prairie’s Makelle Taylor is fourth in 5A in rushing yards (736), while Rams speedster Abu Sama has 10 rushing TDs, running behind five-star lineman Kadyn Proctor, an Iowa commit.

Pleasant Valley at Iowa City High

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

Records and rankings: Class 5A No. 3 Pleasant Valley is 6-0; No. 7 City High is 4-2.

Overview: After suffering a 34-0 loss to West Des Moines Dowling in Week 3, City High has responded with two straight shutout wins against Iowa City West and Davenport North, but the schedule stiffens again, with the Little Hawks facing — to this point — the best 5A team on the east half of the state. Pleasant Valley is allowing only 8.0 points per game, best in 5A. That defense will be tested in the air by City High QB Drew Larson, who ranks third in the class in yards (1,470) and second in TDs (20). Akili Mattox has 19 receptions, averaging 22.9 yards per catch, with five touchdowns. PV boasts a balanced rushing attack that nets 297 yards per game.

Cedar Rapids Xavier at Clear Creek Amana

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

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

Overview: Let’s discuss the Xavier defense, shall we? The Saints haven’t allowed a point since Week 3, posting back-to-back-to-back blankings. Jevin Rexroth has a pair of interceptions, and Thomas Sundell has 40 tackles to his credit, including 27 solos. Michael Cunningham has carried much of the load offensively, with 754 rushing yards (8.0 per carry) and 13 touchdowns. Clear Creek Amana quarterback Austin Schmidt has 865 yards of total offense to his credit, including 547 on the ground. Brock Sherman has collected 52 tackles.

Cedar Rapids Washington at Newton

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

Records and rankings: Washington is 3-3 overall, 1-1 Class 4A District 4; No. 8 Newton is 6-0, 2-0.

Overview: If Washington can get a big road win Friday — and if it doesn’t stumble against Oskaloosa or Pella in the final two weeks — the Warriors are in the playoffs as the second automatic qualifier from District 4. Washington put itself in good position by topping Clear Creek Amana, 27-24, last week behind 140 rushing yards and three touchdowns by Watts McBride. The Warriors built a 20-point lead after three quarters before hanging on. Newton’s attack is led by junior RB Cody Klein, who has 924 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns to his name. The Cardinals have a challenging final three weeks. They close with Cedar Rapids Xavier and Clear Creek Amana, both on the road.

Linn-Mar at Ottumwa

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

Records and rankings: Both teams are 3-3.

Overview: If Linn-Mar is going to make the 5A playoffs, a win this week is pretty much a must. The Lions had some good moments against mighty Southeast Polk last week before falling, 49-27, ending a two-game winning streak. They surrendered nearly 500 yards, an aberration for a unit that had allowed just 11.4 points per game through the first five weeks. Half of Keaton Roskop’s 10 receptions have gone for touchdowns, and Roskop also leads the Lions’ “D” with 27 tackles. Ottumwa stung Cedar Rapids Jefferson last week, 54-6, behind a series of long touchdown runs. The Bulldogs average 284 yards rushing per game.

Iowa City West at Bettendorf

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

Records and rankings: West is 4-2; Bettendorf is 1-5.

Overview: Win big, lose big. That’s been the story for West through the past five weeks. It’s been mostly win big; the Trojans have won four of their last five games — the winning margin was 34 points per game, with the one loss a 49-0 setback against Iowa City High. West hammered Davenport Central, 62-7, last week. Christian Janis is second among 5A receivers in touchdowns (nine) and third in receiving yards (565). Bettendorf can’t be taken lightly based solely on its record; the Bulldogs were competitive in three of their five losses.

Solon at Fairfield

Time and place: 7:30 p.m. at Fairfield

Records and rankings: Both teams are 4-2 overall, 2-0 Class 3A District 5. Solon is ranked No. 6.

Overview: Once 1-2, Solon has rattled off three consecutive, emphatic victories, and will be heavily favored in its final three of the regular season. The Spartans have won their first two district games by a combined 80-0. Junior Brett White is a two-way force, racking up 587 rushing yards and eight touchdowns while compiling a team-high 53.5 tackles. Fairfield has won three straight games to join Solon atop the 3A-5 standings, including two by a single point. QB Tate Allen has passed for more than 1,000 yards and 15 TDs, with Max Weaton (29 receptions, 415 yards, eight TDs) his primary target.

West Delaware at Hampton-Dumont/CAL

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

Records and rankings: West Delaware is 3-3 overall, 2-0 Class 3A District 3; No. 10 H-D/CAL is 4-2, 1-1.

Overview: West Delaware has followed a 1-3 start with lopsided district wins over Center Point-Urbana and South Tama, and if the Hawks can keep it rolling this week, it will set up a likely winner-take-all battle at home against Independence next week. The Hawks have thrived on a three-pronged running attack, led by Will Ward (653 yards, 12 TDs), Logan Peyton (465 and five) and sophomore QB Brent Yonkovic (371 and three). Peyton also is a key defensive piece, with 34.5 tackles, six for loss. Hampton-Dumont/CAL has dropped two of three after a 3-0 start, including a 21-7 setback last week against Independence.

MFL MarMac at Cascade

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

Records and rankings: No. 9 MFL Mar Mac is 5-1 overall, 3-0 Class 1A District 4; Cascade is 4-2, 2-1.

Overview: Class 1A District 4 resembles a game of Musical Chairs, with five quality teams chasing four postseason spots. MFL MarMac has clinched one of them on the strength of a five-game winning streak (though one of them was a forfeit from Osage after suffering a 28-22 loss on the field). The Bulldogs have put out a strong running attack in recent years, and this is more of the same. Wyatt Powell leads the way with 618 yards (11.7 per carry) and 11 TDs. Cascade is coming off a key 33-14 win over Sumner-Fredericksburg last week behind 216 rushing yards from Jack Menster, upping his season total to 975, which ranks second in 1A.

Other games involving Metro/Iowa City teams

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com