Iowa high school football scores: Week 8 Gazette area roundup

Week 8 of the 2021 Iowa high school football season was a little different from past years. It’s the last week of the regular season for the smaller four classes, 2A, 1A, A and 8-Player, while there still is another week to go in 5A, 4A and 3A.

Don’t stay up all night looking for playoff pairings, though. Those will be released Saturday by the Iowa High School Athletic Association.

We have Gazette area scores, stats and more from a variety of classes here.

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5A No. 1 Cedar Rapids Kennedy 24, Johnston 10

The Johnston Dragons were playing for their playoff lives.

Cedar Rapids Kennedy, it was — and is — playing for something more.

“Home, home, Dome, Dome,” Coach Brian White said.

It remains very much in play.

Carson Blietz passed for 321 yards, and the top-ranked Cougars fought through some self-proclaimed first-half lethargy and sidestepped Johnston’s upset bid, 24-10, Friday night at Kingston Stadium.

Full story from Jeff Linder: No. 1 Cedar Rapids Kennedy sidesteps Johnston’s upset bid

5A No. 6 Cedar Rapids Prairie 50, Iowa City West 14

It was an emotional moment for Mark Bliss.

The veteran Cedar Rapids Prairie football coach had just finished walking the field with his seniors, moments after the Hawks’ impressive 50-14 victory over Iowa City West on Friday night at John Wall Field.

As the seniors went off the field, Bliss turned and was wiping away some tears.

“We just did our senior walk and when I look back at that line, I realized just how special they are,” he said. “Just having the chance to watch them grow over the last four years and to see their leadership qualities and work ethic is something I’ll never forget.”

Full story from Mike Condon: Cedar Rapids Prairie blasts Iowa City West, 50-14

5A No. 7 Iowa City High 76, Davenport West 0

rriving at Bates Field in a bad mood, Class 5A seventh-ranked Iowa City High took out all of their frustrations from a Week 7 loss on Davenport West.

The Little Hawks jumped all over the Falcons and cruised to a 76-0 victory Friday night at City High.

Dreams of an undefeated season were dashed with a 31-14 loss at Pleasant Valley last week. It was apparent from the opening snap that City High (7-1) was ready to get back to its winning ways.

“We really stepped it up,” City High receiver and defensive back Joey Bouska said. “Everybody ... the energy, the effort, everything was up a notch and it showed.”

Full story from Culley Kline: Iowa City High takes out frustration on Davenport West

3A No. 3 West Delaware 25, 3A No. 6 Independence 14

West Delaware can add district title to its season resume.

Third-ranked West Delaware received two touchdown runs by Kyle Cole and Wyatt Voelker in the fourth quarter to pull away for a 25-14 victory over No. 6 Independence Friday night at Lyle Leinbaugh Field.

“It was a tough first half and third quarter,” Voelker said. “In the fourth quarter, we stepped on their throat and didn’t let off. We’re a second-half team and we kept it going. We have a pace like crazy.”

The Hawks captured the Class 3A District 3 title.

Full story from K.J. Pilcher: West Delaware pulls away late for 25-14 win over Independence to claim district football title

1A No. 3 Iowa City Regina 34, Durant 16

Considering the variables, to say 2021 has been a unique season for Iowa City Regina would be an understatement.

This year, the Regals entered the season in a new class (1A) with a first-year head coach, had two opponents forfeit and made a mid-season quarterback change.

Those are a lot of moving parts in a season following a Class A state championship.

But the result, to this point, has been exactly what the Regals were hoping for — an unblemished regular season.

“I’m very lucky to be able to step in with this group of kids and keep the consistency that we’ve had,” said Regina Coach Jason Dumont said. “So far.

Full story from Ryan Pleggenkuhle: Iowa City Regina football completes perfect regular season

Burlington 20, Iowa City Liberty 18

They’ve completed 13 passes all season, attempted just 37.

When you play football against the Burlington Grayhounds, you know what you’re going to get offensively. It’s a power formation at all times, with no wide receivers.

Yet somehow, even at the Class 4A level, it works and has Burlington on the cusp of the playoffs.

Bryant Williams rushed 22 times for 218 yards and a pair of touchdowns as Burlington edged Iowa City Liberty, 20-18, Friday night in a crucial District 3 encounter. Quarterback Kanyae Baker’s 25-yard TD run and ensuing two-point conversion run late in the third quarter provided the difference for the Grayhounds (6-2 overall, 3-1 in district play).

Full story from Jeff Johnson: Iowa City Liberty doomed by punishing Burlington ground game, turnovers

5A No. 8 Linn-Mar 62, Davenport Central 13

Led by junior running back Carter Henderson, the Lions rolled up 478 yards on the ground and 659 yards of total offense.

Henderson finished with 262 yards on 12 attempts for a better than 21-yards-per-carry average. He also scored on two long touchdown runs.

Linn-Mar quarterback McKade Jelinek threw three touchdown passes and ran for another. Lions receiver Cam Guenther caught TD passes of 53 and 66 yards from Jelinek.

— Chris James, Quad City Times

4A No. 10 Decorah 37, Waterloo East 0

Jayden Baker started the rout with a 44-yard interception return with 4:22 left in the first quarter.

On the ensuing kickoff, the Vikings recovered a Trojan fumble at the East 25 and, six plays later, quarterback Keenan Tyler scampered 3 yards for a TD and a 13-0 lead.

In the second quarter, Brody Young scored on a 4-yard run and kicked a 19-yard field goal. The Vikings led at halftime, 23-0.

Young scored twice in the second half on a screen pass of 25 yards and a 23-yard run.

Decorah had 293 yards of offense for the game.

— Randy Inverson, correspondent

West Branch 28, Wilton 12

Andy Henson rushed for a a career-high 236 yards and scored four touchdowns as the Bears closed the regular season by clinching the runner-up spot in Class 1A District 5.

Mason Ormsby scored both touchdowns for the Beavers.

Kinnick Boelk led the Bear (6-2, 4-1) defense with 11 tackles.

— Jason Miller, correspondent

North Fayette Valley 39, Oelwein 0

Tayler Luzum rushed for 185 yards, caught two passes for 68 yards, had a fumble recovery and an interception as the TigerHawks (7-1, 4-1) shut out Oelwein.

Luzum, who carried the ball only 10 times, also had rushing touchdowns. Kaleb White added 96 rushing yards and two TDs and one passing TD.

NFV turned three takeaways into 20 points.

— Darin Svenson, correspondent

A No. 3 North Linn 50, Maquoketa Valley 0

Tate Haughenbury completed 17 of 23 passes for 244 yards and four touchdowns and also rushed for a TD as the Lynx (7-0, 6-0) completed a perfect regular season.

Cade Haughenbury rushed nine times for 100 yard and caught a TD pass, Austin Hilmer had five catches for 94 yards and a TD, and Lance Miller and Mason Walthart also had TD receptions.

Mount Vernon 34, DeWitt Central 14

Trent Pitlik , who sat out the previous six quarters with an injury, had more than 200 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns as the Mustangs rolled at Birney Field.

Pitlik had a rushing, receiving and interception return touchdown as the Mustangs (5-3, 2-2) shut out the Sabers (5-3, 2-2) in the second half to keep any playoff hopes alive.

Pitlik's 40-yard pick-6 with 10:58 left in the game helped seal the deal.

Many of Pitlik's runs went right up the middle as he rushed for 168 yards on 18 carries. He added 40 yards receiving and caught a 23-yard touchdown pass, breaking multiple tackles before powering into the end zone.

— Quad City Times

West Liberty 42, Anamosa 21

Jahsiah Galvan rushed for 198 yards and three touchdowns as the Comets rolled.

Drake Collins passed for 198 yards and two TDs for West Liberty.

Grahm Humpal rushed for 125 yards and a TD for the Raiders and also completed 17 of 31 passes for 218 yards and two more TDs.

— Daryl Schepanski, correspondent

Monticello 34, Northeast 14

The Panthers scored 28 unanswered points in the first half and went on to win the district title at Goose Lake.

Preston Ries threw for 190 yards and three touchdowns for the Panthers (6-2, 4-1) and rushed for 182. Caleb Sauser scored three touchdowns, two by air, and had 103 receiving yards.

For the Rebels (5-3, 3-2), freshman quarterback Gavin Kramer passed for 192 yards, and Caleb Gruhn rushed for 103.

— Pete Temple, correspondent

4A No. 6 Waverly-Shell Rock 55, Western Dubuque 39

Quarterback Jack Clemens tossed six touchdown passes, but the Bobcats fell to 4-4 overall and 2-2 in district play and their playoff chances took a serious hit.

— Tom Gregory, Dubuque Telegraph-Herald

Live Gazette area scoreboard