Iowa high school football Week 6 roundup: Final scores, stats and more

We came down to two weeks remaining in the Iowa high school football regular season as the calendar flips to October.

And it was a busy Friday night with Iowa City public schools back on the field (West returned Thursday with a 35-23 win at Dubuque Senior).

Find complete area coverage, scores and more here.

Cedar Rapids Prairie 48, Iowa City Liberty 14

Cedar Rapids Prairie's football team keeps playing opponents coming off season pauses. And keeps making their resumptions a less than pleasant experience.

The Hawks smashed Iowa City Liberty, 48-14, Friday night in Liberty's return to the field.

Liberty (1-2) hadn't played a game since Sept. 3, a win over Cedar Rapids Jefferson, unable to do anything activities wise whatsoever because of the Iowa City Community School District's decision to begin the school year with online learning only.

Prairie beat Linn-Mar last week, 42-0, in Linn-Mar's first game in two weeks. The Lions had to sit out because of a COVID-19 situation on their team.

It's tough enough to face Prairie and its unique single-wing offense with regular preparation. When you've had to sit out for multiple weeks ... forget about it.

'We're not going to take it easy on anyone,' said Prairie offensive lineman Eli Ripley. 'We're ready, providing energy right away.'

Running back Nick Pearson had 176 yards rushing and four touchdowns for Prairie (3-2), which has won three in a row since dropping two close games to begin its season. That included a one-point overtime loss.

» Read the full story from The Gazette's Jeff Johnson

Prairie keeps rolling!October 3, 2020

Prairie keeps rolling!@PrairieFootball after an 0-2 start #iahsfb pic.twitter.com/TpuN4gaLPc

— Iowa Prep Sports (@iowaprepsports)

That's 3 straight wins for

Linn-Mar 50, Iowa City High 36

After a quiet first half, Linn-Mar and Iowa City High more than made up for it in the second.

The Lions led 14-7 at the break, then exploded for 36 second-half points to outlast the Little Hawks, 50-36, Friday night at Linn-Mar Stadium.

Junior McKade Jelinek threw for a modest 110 yards, but four of his 12 completions went for touchdowns as Linn-Mar got its first win of the season after three losses and a two-week layoff due to COVID-19.

» Read the full story from Gazette correspondent Mike Condon

Linn-Mar is in the win column October 3, 2020

Linn-Mar is in the win column #iahsfb pic.twitter.com/AuVecqbcfL

— Iowa Prep Sports (@iowaprepsports)

Cedar Rapids Kennedy 48, Waterloo West 21

Special teams loomed large as Cedar Rapids Kennedy pulled away to beat Waterloo West at Kingston Stadium.

Waterloo West (3-3) had explosive plays, but the Cougars benefited from their punt and punt return teams.

Kennedy (2-2) had trouble dealing with quarterback Carter Schulte and the pair of bowling balls at his disposal — Michael Robinson Jr. out of the backfield and Nate Ewell hauling in passes.

Kennedy began with its strongest drive of the night. Spanning 79 yards on nine plays, quarterback Max White and running back Demarcus Ray combined for 68 yards on the ground. Ray took it in from 11 yards out for a 7-0 lead with 7:05 left in the first quarter.

The Wahawks responded. Schulte hit Ewell for 30 yards and Jay Shaw took it to the end zone from 32 yards out.

Forced to punt, Reid Pakkebier's kick sailed to the Waterloo West 8. The Wahawks should have let it go, but the punt was touched by a Wahawk and Kennedy's Luke Bradley pounced on it in the end zone.

Following a Wahawk score, the Cougars sent the punt unit out again. This time Pakkebier's kick was fumbled and recovered by Kennedy at the Waterloo West 13. Max White scored on a keeper on the next snap as the Cougars grabbed a 21-14 advantage.

The Wahawk offense went back to work. Ewell hauled in a 29-yard score to tie the game, 21-21, at halftime.

The Cougars rolled in the second half.

Kennedy forced a three-and-out to begin the third quarter. The snap nearly sailed over the punter's head and the ensuing kick traveled 9 yards. Kennedy took over at the Wahawks 45. Kennedy made it count again. After drawing a pass interference on fourth down, White sneaked it in from a yard out.

White scored two more times in the fourth quarter to put the game away.

— Culley Kline

3A No. 2 Cedar Rapids Xavier 44, 3A No. 7 Grinnell 20

No. 2 Xavier passed its ranked challenge from No. 7 Grinnell  on the road.

Xavier scored five touchdowns on the gound in the first half, including three by senior signal-caller Jaxon Rexroth who punched in scores from the 7-, 1- and 12-yard lines.

'Our offensive line was able to surge the whole game and drive them back,' Rexroth said. 'That gave us room to run and, at that point, we just looked for what was open and then went there.'

Rexroth passed for 136 yards and totaled 10 carries for 61 yards and four scores.

Senior running back Jack Lux finished with 14 carries for 110 yards and a 16-yard score of his own.

'We're really good friends and it's fun seeing him score and giving him the reward,' Lux said of Rexroth's four rushing touchdowns. 'He's a great competitor and we have fun playing together.'

The other touchdown for Xavier also came on the ground when senior fullback Nick Lemke crossed the goal line in the first quarter.

'Our offensive line really protects me and my fullback, Nick Lemke, blocked for me all night,' Lux said. 'He really opened up the holes for me.'

Lux and Rexroth both also praised the defensive scout team for preparing the offense for the Tigers. The Saints defense was stingy as well, holding Grinnell to just three fourth-quarter scores.

Senior kicker Lincoln Oakley hit a 34-yard field goal for the final Xavier score.

'I hope they think of us as a gritty, hard-working, care-only-about-the-team-type of program,' Xavier Coach Duane Schulte said of the 2020 Saints.

— Justin Webster

2A No. 8 Solon 42, 2A No. 6 Mount Vernon 14

The first drive said it all.

Eleven plays (all on the ground), 72 yards. Touchdown.

'We knew we were the more physical team,' Solon lineman Zach Harp said. 'We wanted to mash them, show them they couldn't run with us.

'We wanted to demoralize them.'

Eighth-ranked Solon racked up 402 rushing yards and blistered No. 6 Mount Vernon, 42-14, in a Class 2A District 6 football game Friday night at Spartan Stadium.

In this series, it was the same old stuff. The same old Spartan stuff. Solon dropped Mount Vernon for the 18th straight time.

» Read the full story from The Gazette's Jeff Linder

West Delaware 49, Western Dubuque 14

The game was expected to be competitive on paper.

West Delaware and Western Dubuque played on grass, which led to a result few would have predicted.

After giving up the opening score, the Hawks took control and dominated their way to a 49-14 victory over the Bobcats in a Class 3A District 3 prep football game Friday night at Brown Field. Jared Voss and Wyatt Voelker each surpassed 100 rushing yards and scored three touchdowns to power West Delaware to a fifth straight triumph over Western Dubuque.

'I don't think anyone knew what the score was going to be,' Voelker said. 'We knew we were going to win. We were confident scoring points. We came to play.'

» Read the full story from The Gazette's K.J. Pilcher

Anyone see this coming?October 3, 2020

Anyone see this coming?@WestDelawareFB #iahsfb pic.twitter.com/jRz45BViDN

— Iowa Prep Sports (@iowaprepsports)

DOMINATION from

A No. 2 Iowa City Regina 47, Columbus Community 22

Ashton Cook passed for 239 yards and three touchdowns and Theo Kolie had his fourth straight four-touchdown game as second-ranked Iowa City Regina whipped Columbus Junction, 47-22, in a Class A game.

Kolie finished with 191 yards on nine rushes, scoring on runs of 72, 20 and 12 yards. He also caught a 16-yard TD pass from Cook.

Cook completed 11 of 17 passes, including four for 128 yards and two TDs to Alec Wick.

'Alec Wick was spectacular again tonight,' Regina Coach Marv Cook wrote in a text.

Aiden Udell led the Regal defense with eight tackles and a forced fumble.

A No. 7 MFL MarMac 36, A No. 4 South Winneshiek 22

Gabe McGeough rushed for 192 yards and three touchdowns as the No. 7 Bulldogs handed the No. 4 Warriors their first loss.

MFL MarMac (5-1) totaled 353 rushing yards. Cullen McShane added 93 and one TD.

Nick Holien caught five passes for 144 yards and one TD for South Winn (5-1).

— Darin Svenson

West Branch 28, Durant 21

Gavin Hierseman completed a 5-yard touchdown pass to Simon Palmer with 39 seconds remaining to lead the Bears to the come-from-behind victory at Durant.

Durant led 21-13 at halftime.

After the Bears took the lead, linebacker Cael Fiderlein intercepted a Keegan Head pass to seal the victory.

The Bear defense held Class 1A leading rusher Nolan DeLong to less than 20 yards. Andy Henson rushed for 170 yards and a score, leading the battle of sophomore running backs.

West Branch will face Dyersville Beckman next Friday for the District 5 title.

— Jason Miller

3A No. 5 Washington 69, Burlington 0

Trashaun Willis passed for two touchdowns and ran for another as the Demons won at home.

Wyatt Stout scored twice and Spencer Sotelo and Reece Mayer caught TD passes as Washington led 36-0 at the end of the first quarter.

— Doug Brenneman

Anamosa 27, Iowa Falls-Alden 21

Grahm Humpal's 20-yard touchdown pass to Trey Klatt late in the third quarter was the difference.

Klatt then sealed the win with an interception at the buzzer.

Klatt finished with four catches for 69 yards and also returned a kickoff 80 yards for a score. Humpal completed 19 of 26 passes for 189 yards.

Alex Casey led the Raiders' ground game with 145 yards and a TD on 22 rushes.

— Daryl Schepanski

Independence 46, North Fayette Valley 34

Marcus Beatty rushed for 297 yards and three touchdowns on 38 carries as the Mustangs won a shootout in West Union.

Beatty scored on runs of 6, 1 and 8 yards.

Lucas Lau rushed for 119 yards and two TDs for Tigerhawks.

— Matt Shannon

2A No. 10 Camanche 41, 2A No. 7 Monticello 20

Michael Delzell threw four touchdown passes as Camanche took a 34-7 halftime lead in a battle of Class 2A District 5 unbeatens.

Delzell finished 14-for-20 for 190 yards, and teammate Cade Everson rushed for 142 yards.

Luke Lambert passed for 139 yards and two scores for Monticello (4-1, 2-1).

— Pete Temple

Waverly-Shell Rock 21, 3A No. 10 Decorah 17

Brady Ramker scored twice in the second half as the Go-Hawks held the Vikings scoreless over the last two quarters for the upset.

Decorah (5-1) scored on its first offensive play — a 67-yard run by quarterback Briggs Duwe — and led 17-7 at halftime after a Cael Luzum one-yard run.

— Randy Iverson

4A No. 8 Dubuque Hempstead 54, Cedar Rapids Jefferson 16

Aidan Dunne accounted for four touchdowns and Bryar Blean returned a fumble for a tide-turning score as the Mustangs rolled to win at Dalzell Field.

Dunne ran for two touchdowns and passed for two others. The senior threw for 135 yards on 7-of-10 passing and had 52 yards rushing to lead Hempstead (5-1) to its fourth straight win.

— Dubuque Telegraph Herald

8P No. 1 Don Bosco 54, 8P No. 6 Easton Valley 34

Quarterback Cael Frost rushed for a career-high 391 yards and added another 101 through the air with six total touchdowns to lead the top-ranked team Dons over No. 8 Easton Valley.

— Waterloo Courier

How the ranked teams fared

The matchup of the night went to OABCIG. In a battle of the top two-ranked teams in Class 1A, reigning Class 2A state champion Ida Grove OABCIG got out to a 21-10 halftime lead and pulled away for a 49-22 win over No. 2 Underwood.

But the game of the night might have been further down the rankings in Class 1A, where No. 6 Emmetsburg beat No. 10 West Sioux 36-35 in overtime.

In Class 4A, fourth-ranked Ankeny crushed No. 9 Johnston 49-0. Second-ranked Xavier cruised past No. 7 Grinnell 44-20 in Class 3A.

» Here's how the rest of the teams ranked in this week's Gazette/KGYM poll fared.

Gazette area scoreboard

CLASS 4A

Cedar Rapids Kennedy 48, Waterloo West 21

Cedar Rapids Prairie 48, Iowa City Liberty 14

No. 8 Dubuque Hempstead 54, Cedar Rapids Jefferson 16

Linn-Mar 50, Iowa City High 36

CLASS 3A

District 3

Waterloo East 64, Charles City 42

Waverly-Shell Rock 21, No. 10 Decorah 17

West Delaware 49, Western Dubuque 14

District 4

Dubuque Wahlert 31, DeWitt Central 7

District 5

Fort Madison 44, Mount Pleasant 7

Keokuk 52, Fairfield 22

No. 5 Washington 69, Burlington 0

District 6

Benton Community 34, Newton 14

No. 2 Cedar Rapids Xavier 44, No. 7 Grinnell 20

Clear Creek-Amana 37, Oskaloosa 7

CLASS 2A

District 4

Independence 46, North Fayette Valley 34

New Hampton 14, Oelwein 8

No. 5 Waukon 54, Crestwood 0

District 5

Anamosa 27, Iowa Falls-Alden 21

No. 10 Camanche 41, No. 7 Monticello 20

Tipton 49, Maquoketa 42

District 6

Center Point-Urbana 32, Vinton-Shellsburg 17

No. 8 Solon 42, No. 6 Mount Vernon 14

South Tama 28, Union Community 21

District 7

Belle Plaine 28, Mid-Prairie 21

Oakland Riverside 35, Davis County 14

West Burlington 42, Central Lee 14

No. 2 Williamsburg 56, Eddyville EBF 0

CLASS 1A

District 3

Dike-New Hartford 48, Hudson 6

No. 5 South Hamilton 52, East Marshall 7

South Hardin 41, Aplington-Parkersburg 13

District 4

Denver 26, Osage 21

Sumner-Fredericksburg 26, Central Springs 8

Waterloo Columbus 56, Jesup 14

District 5

Cascade 42, Northeast 8

Dyersville Beckman 42, Wilton 30

West Branch 28, Durant 21

District 6

Cardinal 74, Van Buren Community 0

Pekin 38, Louisa-Muscatine 12

No. 4 Sigourney-Keota 31, Mediapolis 14

CLASS A

District 4

Clayton Ridge 9, Starmont 6

No. 7 MFL MarMac 36, No. 4 South Winneshiek 22

No. 6 Wapsie Valley 66, Postville 0

District 5

Alburnett 20, Maquoketa Valley 14

East Buchanan 34, North Linn 14

District 6

Lisbon 52, Highland 6

No. 2 Iowa City Regina 47, Columbus Community 22

Wapello 70, North Cedar 12

District 7

Belle Plaine 28, Mid-Prairie 21

No. 1 Grundy Center 47, North Tama 0

North Mahaska 30, BCLUW 20

8-PLAYER

District 2

No. 10 Janesville 73, Turkey Valley 34

Northwood-Kensett 64, Rockford 20

Riceville 42, West Central 20

Tripoli 66, Ackley AGWSR 16

District 3

No. 1 Don Bosco 54, No. 6 Easton Valley 34

Dunkerton 52, Elkader Central 6

Midland 58, Central City 12

Riceville 42, West Central 20

Springville 50, Lansing Kee 30

District 4

English Valleys 32, Winfield-Mount Union 12

Meskwaki 74, Twin Cedars 12

Montezuma 55, WACO 20

District 5

Baxter 60, GMG 20

BGM 49, Colo-Nesco 12

Collins-Maxwell 21, Iowa Valley 20

Gladbrook-Reinbeck 40, HLV 24

Meskwaki 74, Twin Cedars 12

[IHSAA statewide scorelist]

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