Area prep football capsules, 2nd-round playoffs

Capsules for area football playoff quarterfinals Friday night:

CLASS 4A: No. 9 IOWA CITY HIGH (8-2) at No. 4 CEDAR RAPIDS WASHINGTON (9-1)

Time and site — 7 p.m., at Kingston Stadium

How they got here — City High won its first-round game at North Scott, 40-14; Washington fought past Western Dubuque, 35-21.

Overview — The highest ranked 4A team on the east side of the state, Washington had a more difficult time than expected in dispatching Western Dubuque. That game was tied at 21-21 before the Warriors pulled it out. Washington won the District 5 championship and has won four straight games. Bryan Kunde has passed for 1,591 yards and 19 touchdowns (including 654 yards on 35 catches by Drew Dostal). City High has won two straight after a 44-7 loss to Bettendorf. QB Nate Wieland has thrown for 1,424 yards and run for 667 with a combined 19 touchdowns.

CLASS 4A: No. 10 IOWA CITY WEST (8-2) at No. 6 CEDAR RAPIDS PRAIRIE (9-1)

Time and site — 7 p.m., at John Wall Field

How they got here — West upset No. 5 Bettendorf, 24-17, in the first round; Prairie scored 44 straight points in the second half and beat No. 8 Waterloo West, 66-35.

Overview — These teams met at John Wall Field on Sept. 23 in the District 8 opener, and Prairie won that one, 39-20. The Hawks have won nine straight games, and have scored 38 points or more in all nine. Joseph Meyer has rushed for 1,220 yards and 23 touchdowns, with five TDs coming in the first-round win. Prairie scored 44 second-half points last week. West pulled the upset of the 4A playoffs so far against Bettendorf and has won five straight games since the Prairie loss. Oliver Martin leads Class 4A in receptions (65) and receiving yards (972).

CLASS 3A: WAVERLY-SHELL ROCK (7-3) at No. 2 CEDAR RAPIDS XAVIER (10-0)

Time and site — 7 p.m., at Saints Field

How they got here — Waverly-Shell Rock upset No. 8 West Delaware, 28-14, in the first round; Xavier downed Davenport Assumption, 52-20.

Overview — Xavier blanked Waverly-Shell Rock, 42-0, in a District 3 game four weeks ago and ran away with the district title. The Go-Hawks received a wild-card bid, and made the most of it with the upset of West Delaware. Xavier's Maliki Wilson is the top rusher in 3A, with 1,667 yards and 19 touchdowns. The Saints are tied with Pella atop 3A in scoring average, at 41.9 points per game, and rank fourth in defensive average at 11.0 points per contest. Xavier is the only team all season that has scored more than 14 points against WSR.

Read More: Schulte family cherishing time together

 

CLASS 3A: No. 1 PELLA (10-0) at No. 5 SOLON (9-1)

Time and site — 7 p.m., at Solon

How they got here — Pella handled Oskaloosa, 34-14, in the first round; Solon eliminated Benton Community, 49-14.

Overview — Pella's winning streak stands at 38, and the Dutch have been as dominant as ever, scoring 41.9 points per game, allowing 5.6 points per game and keeping six opponents out of the end zone. Pella has a dynamite pass-catch combo in Nick Finney (1,843 yards, 24 touchdowns) and Donovan Holterhaus (49 catches, 824 yards, 13 TDs). Somewhat quietly, Solon has assembled another outstanding season. The Spartans have won eight games in a row, and their 10.8 points per game allowed ranks third in 3A.

CLASS 2A: No. 4 UNION (9-1) at No. 1 NORTH FAYETTE VALLEY (10-0)

Time and site — 7 p.m., at West Union

How they got here — Union defeated No. 10 Crestwood, 31-13, in the opening round; North Fayette Valley ousted No. 7 New Hampton, 21-7.

Overview — When these teams collided in Week 8, it was a 1-vs.-2 battle and it was a blowout — North Fayette Valley jumped all over Union early, rushed for 404 yards and won, 56-21. The TigerHawks' win last week was their second closest game of the season (the tightest was 14-3 over Waverly-Shell Rock in Week 2). Tanner Kuhens has rushed for 1,051 yards and 10 touchdowns this season. Union sports the second highest scoring average in 2A (43.5 points per game) behind Isaiah Vaughn (1,319 rushing yards, 24 touchdowns) and Troy Hanus (1,566 passing yards). Expect a much closer game this time.

CLASS 2A: WILLIAMSBURG (8-2) at No. 3 MOUNT VERNON (8-2)

Time and site — 7 p.m., at Mount Vernon

How they got here — Williamsburg outscored Central Lee, 49-25, in the first round; Mount Vernon routed Centerville, 48-7.

Overview — Mount Vernon won the first meeting between these District 5 foes, 56-21, behind a remarkable 720-yard explosion in Week 9 at Williamsburg. The Mustangs have won eight conseucitve games, scoring 56.4 points per contest in that span. Drew Adams ranks fifth in all classes and No. 1 in Class 2A in passing, with 2,309 yards. He has 25 touchdowns, and just three interceptions. Williamsburg bounced back with a decisive first-round playoff win. Jason Wardenburg has rushed for 1,124 yards and 15 touchdowns, with Gage Hazen-Fabor is an excellent complement with 989 yards and 13 TDs.

 

CLASS 1A: No. 2 PELLA CHRISTIAN (10-0) at No. 1 IOWA CITY REGINA (9-1)

Time and site — 7 p.m., at Regina

How they got here — Pella Christian blanked Sigourney-Keota, 49-0, in the first round; Regina took down West Branch, 49-15.

Overview — Quite possibly, the true 1A championship game will be played Friday. District foes last year, Regina defeated Pella Christian, 31-14, and eventually won its sixth consecutive state title. The road to No. 7 might have its toughest bend when the Eagles come calling. Pella Christian has been merciless all season, racking up 56.2 points per game and surrendering just 8.0. Sigourney-Keota is the only common opponent between the teams; Regina bested the Cobras, 50-28; Pella Christian blanked them, 49-0. Regina has won 31 straight playoff games.

CLASS A: No. 6 LISBON (9-1) at No. 1 SAINT ANSGAR (10-0)

Time and site — 7 p.m., at Saint Ansgar

How they got here — Lisbon avenged a regular-season loss to No. 8 East Buchanan, 31-20; Saint Ansgar eliminated Wapsie Valley, 28-10.

Overview — Lisbon faces a long drive (157 miles) and a tall task against the Saints, whose scoring average of 45.9 points per game is tops in Class A. Saint Ansgar has a pair of 1,000-yard rushers in Parker Hendrickson and Dayton Smith, and Ben Bourjan throws just enough and well enough to keep defenses guessing. Lisbon QB Jake Jennett has passed for 1,551 yards and rushed for 436, with a combined 26 touchdowns. The teams have one common opponent, and common results: Lisbon beat Wapsie Valley, 21-9, in the regular season, then the Saints beat the Warriors, 28-10, last week.

Read More: 13 straight playoff appearances for Lisbon

CLASS A: MONTEZUMA (8-2) at No. 1 GLADBROOK-REINBECK (10-0)

Time and site — 7 p.m., at Gladbrook

How they got here — Montezuma advanced with a 34-20 first-round win over BGM; Gladbrook-Reinbeck fended off No. 10 Lynnville-Sully, 13-6.

Overview — Defending Class A champion Gladbrook-Reinbeck has extended its winning streak to 20 games. The Rebels have reloaded around a defense that allows just 5.8 points per game. Linebacker Thomas Mussig leads that troop with 65.5 tackles. Montezuma has won six in a row after a 2-2 start, claiming the District 6 title. Logan Price has 16 rushing touchdowns for the Braves.

8-PLAYER: No. 4 DON BOSCO (9-1) at ELKADER CENTRAL (8-2)

Time and site — 7 p.m., at Elkader

How they got here — Don Bosco whipped No. 2 Turkey Valley, 75-24, in the first round; Central defeated Ackley AGWSR, 58-26.

Overview — Elkader Central's 44-34 win over the Dons in Week 5 still has to be considered one of the biggest upsets statewide this season. Both of these teams can score in bunches; Don Bosco's 64.1-point average is best in the 8-player game. Brandon Bagby has rushed for 1,104 yards and 19 touchdowns, and also has 22 touchdown passes — and no interceptions. Then there's Central QB Derek Ehrhardt: 1,795 passing yards, 1,103 rushing yards and a combined 50 TDs. The Warriors score at a 49.8-point clip.

8-PLAYER: MIDLAND (8-2) at No. 8 TWIN CEDARS (10-0)

Time and site — 7 p.m., at Bussey

How they got here — Midland continued its high-scoring ways with an 80-24 pasting of HLV in the first round; Twin Cedars edged Iowa Valley, 24-22.

Overview — Midland QB Alex Martens and his band of receivers take their aerial show to Marion County, a drive of about 160 miles, with hopes of reaching the UNI-Dome the following week. Martens is the 8-player leader with 2,298 yards and 27 touchdowns. Connor Harms has 61 catches for 849 yards and 13 TDs. Twin Cedars edged Iowa Valley in Round 1 with a late touchdown on a hook-and-lateral with 13 seconds left. Midland averages 58.4 points per game (with 70-plus on four occasions); Twin Cedars allows a very solid 19 points per contest.

l Comments: (319) 368-8857; jeff.linder@thegazette.com