Iowa high school football playoff finals: A look at Thursday’s games

Here’s a look at Thursday’s Iowa High School Athletic Association playoff finals schedule at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls, including an in-depth look at a Class 4A championship between Cedar Rapids Xavier and Pella, and the 1A championship game between Iowa City Regina and West Lyon.

Iowa City Regina vs. West Lyon

What, when and where: Class 1A semifinals, 4 p.m, UNI-Dome.

Records and rankings: No. 2 West Lyon is 12-0. So is No. 3 Regina.

Overview: These are the two top-scoring teams in Class 1A. West Lyon comes in averaging 47.9 points per game to Regina’s 47.3. West Lyon leads 1A defensively, allowing just 6.3 points per game ... Senior quarterback Kyle Tracy has run the offensive show expertly this season for Regina. He has 2,114 yards passing and 32 touchdowns, as well as 557 yards rushing and 12 TDs. Junior running back Savion Miller, a Division I college recruit has just shy of 1,000 yards rushing on only 114 attempts, averaging 8.6 yards per carry. He has 16 touchdowns rushing and eight more receiving on just nine catches. Tate Wallace, another D-I recruit, leads Regina in receptions and is second in tackles to junior Drew Hamilton, another junior ... West Lyon has rushed for 3,200-plus yards this season, with a per-carry average of 8.2. Senior Evan Hildring leads the way with 1,412 yards and 23 TDs. He is one of seven Wildcats with at least 133 yards rushing this season ... West Lyon was last season’s Class 2A state champion, dropping a class this season. The school has won six titles overall, all since 1998. Regina has eight championships, its last coming in 2020. The school won a record six in a row from 2010 to 2015.

Cedar Rapids Xavier vs. Pella

What, when and where: Class 4A semifinals, 7 p.m, UNI-Dome.

Records and rankings: No. 5 Pella is 11-1; No. 1 Xavier is 12-0.

Overview: This marks the sixth playoff meeting between the two programs. The postseason rivalry between dates back to 1978 when Cedar Rapids Regis beat Pella in the 3A quarterfinals. The Royals also won an overtime quarterfinal meeting in 1991 and Xavier won the 2017 championship game over the Dutch. Pella beat the Saints in the 2014 and 2016 semifinals, completing a touchdown pass as time expired to win the latter. They have split the last four overall meetings but Pella has won the last two. Xavier is second in 4A with 65 total touchdowns, including a 4A leading 28 passing. The Saints lead 4A with 2,135 passing yards. Cash Parks park leads the potent Xavier offense, throwing for a class-best 2,077 yards and 27 TDs. He has also rushed for 375 yards and 10 TDs. Carter Hoffmann adds 1,132 yards and 16 scores on the ground. They will face a stiff defense. The Dutch are tied with Xavier and Glenwood with 15 interceptions for tops in 4A. Pella also is fourth in 4A with 72 tackles for loss. The Saints defense will have to try and stop Emmanuel Diers. The Dutch running back leads 4A with 2,115 all-purpose yards and 1,700 rushing yards. Kyler VanMaanen has 90.5 tackles and Rex Rhamy has six interceptions to lead Pella. The Saints are looking for their fifth title, making their eighth finals appearance and winning in 2006, 2017, 2018 and 2022. Pella is in its sixth title game, winning three in a row from 2014-16.

Other Games Thursday

Class Eight-Player Finals– No. 1 Algona Garrigan (12-0) vs. No. 2 Woodbine (12-0), 9:30 a.m.

Class A Finals– No. 1 MMCRU (12-0) vs. No. 2 Saint Ansgar (12-0), 1 p.m.

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Comments: jeff.johnson@thegazette.com