Area semifinal football capsules

Capsules for area football playoff semifinals:

8-PLAYER: MIDLAND (9-2) vs. No. 4 DON BOSCO (10-1)

Time and site — 9:06 a.m. Thursday, at Cedar Falls (UNI-Dome)

How they got here — Midland roared past HLV, 80-24, in the first round, then used a big fourth quarter to defeat No. 8 Twin Cedars, 42-22, in the quarterfinals. Don Bosco stomped No. 2 Turkey Valley, 75-24, in Round 1, then avenged a regular-season loss with a 56-20 victory over Elkader Central.

Overview — Midland entered the this year's playoffs with an 0-5 all-time postseason record, but the Eagles are blanked no longer. They overcame Twin Cedars despite an injury to Alex Martens, the leading passer in 8-Player with 2,422 yards and 28 touchdowns. Connor Harms is the top receiver with 64 catches for 895 yards and 14 scores. Don Bosco already has a win over Midland under its belt this season, 52-14 in Week 1. The Dons have taken no prisoners since a Sept. 23 loss to Elkader Central, winning their last six games by an average of 57 points. Quarterback Brandon Bagby has posted a double-quadruple — 1,181 passing yards (25 touchdowns and just one interception) and 1,263 rushuing yards and 22 more touchdowns. Austin Svoboda has added 1,134 rushing yards (12.7 per carry) and 23 TDs.

CLASS 3A: No. 2 CEDAR RAPIDS XAVIER (11-0) vs. No. 1 PELLA (11-0)

Time and site — 8:21 p.m. Thursday, at Cedar Falls (UNI-Dome)

How they got here — Xavier advanced with a pair of stress-free victories — 52-20 over Davenport Assumption, then 38-14 over Waverly-Shell Rock. Pella's road was similar, with triumphs over Oskaloosa (34-14) and No. 5 Solon (28-14) in the first two rounds.

Overview — Pella puts a 39-game win streak on the line, a streak that includes a 27-0 win over Xavier in the 2014 semifinals. Both teams have been dominant all season long. Xavier has the top scoring offense in 3A at 41.6 points per game while Pella's defense (6.4 points per game allowed) is tops in the class. Xavier's attack features Maliki Wilson, who has posted 1,805 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns. Bryce Schulte leads the air attack, completing 70 percent of his throws for 1,552 yards with 22 touchdowns and just two interceptions. Nolan Butkowski is an explosive receiver; his 30 catches net 23.6 yards per reception, and he has nine touchdowns. Butkowski also has four interceptions. Pella has a gem at quarterback in Nick Finney, who has thrown for 2,143 yards and 27 touchdowns and also has rushed for 1,108 yards and 13 TDs.

CLASS 4A: No. 4 CEDAR RAPIDS WASHINGTON (10-1) vs. No. 10 IOWA CITY WEST (9-2)

Time and site — 7:06 p.m. Friday, at Cedar Falls (UNI-Dome)

How they got here — Washington pulled away late to defeat Western Dubuque, 35-21, in the opening round, then controlled its quarterfinal from the start, defeating No. 9 Iowa City High, 30-14. West has consecutive upset wins, knocking off No. 5 Bettendorf, 24-17, then dropping No. 6 Cedar Rapids Prairie, 38-21.

Overview — The last postseason meeting between these teams came in 2014, when Washington prevailed, 44-19, in the 4A quarterfinals on the way to a runner-up finish. The Warriors will try to avoid a fate suffered by postseason favorites Bettendorf and Cedar Rapids Prairie, both of which surging West knocked off. West's Oliver Martin is the premier receiver in the state, leading all 11-player classes with 1,128 receiving yards. His 75 catches are tops in 4A. Devontae Lane has flourished since a move to the backfield; he has rushed for 676 yards and nine TDs. Washington will try to slow them down with the fifth best scoring defense in 4A, a unit that has allowed 14.5 points per game. Rane Weiland has 90 tackles to his credit, O'Rien Vance 82. Quarterback Bryan Kunde has passed for 1,746 yards and 19 touchdowns, but has thrown 12 interceptions. Drew Dostal has 43 catches for 744 yards and eight TDs.

CLASS 1A: No. 1 IOWA CITY REGINA (10-1) vs. No. 4 DENVER (11-0)

Time and site — 10:06 a.m. Saturday, at Cedar Falls (UNI-Dome)

How they got here — Regina opened with a 49-15 stroll over archrival West Branch in the first round, then outlasted No. 2 Pella Christian, 45-43, in a quarterfinal classic. Denver has impressed throughout the playoffs, handling Clayton Ridge by a 50-6 count and No. 8 Bellevue, 34-6.

Overview — Regina's bid for a seventh consecutive state championship still lives after the Regals built a big lead and held on for dear life against Pella Christian. Some considered that the 1A championship game, but a letdown against Denver wouldn't be a good idea. The Cyclones bring back the majority of a squad playing in the UNI-Dome for the second straight year (they were Class A semifinalists in 2015) and haven't been tested since Week 2. The Cyclones spread the wealth with a strong ground attack; three backs — Sam Joerger, Bo McMahon and Eli Barrett — have run for 986, 902 and 888 yards, respectively. Regina has won 10 in a row since an opening-week loss to Cedar Rapids Xavier, and none of them were close until Pella Christian tested the Regals last week. Junior QB Michael Conlon has passed for 1,268 yards and rushed for 635, with a combined 24 touchdowns.

CLASS 2A: No. 3 MOUNT VERNON (9-2) vs. No. 4 UNION (10-1)

Time and site — 7:06 p.m. Saturday, at Cedar Falls (UNI-Dome)

How they got here — Mount Vernon marched past Centerville, 48-7, in the opening round, then held off Williamsburg, 42-32, in the quarterfinals. Union has defeated two ranked foes, beating No. 10 Crestwood, 31-13, in the first round and avenging a regular-season defeat, 28-12, against No. 1 North Fayette Valley.

Overview — Mount Vernon takes its high-scoring attack to the UNI-Dome for the second straight year; the Mustangs were 2A runners-up in 2015. Mount Vernon averages 48.6 points per game and can beat you by land or by air. In terms of passing yards, quarterback Drew Adams is tops in 2A with 2,407. He has passed for 27 touchdowns and surrendered just four interceptions. Cale Snedden and Jack Cochrane are big-play receivers, and Cochrane joins Sam Moore in a talented backfield. After a 4-6 season last year, Union has put all the pieces together. The Knights average 42.1 points per game and allow just 11.2. Isaiah Vaughn ran for 198 yards and three touchdowns against North Fayette Valley; he has 1,517 yards and 27 TDs this season. The Knights can pass, too — Troy Hanus has thrown for 1,634 yards and 16 TDs, completing 68 percent of his passes.

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