K.J. Pilcher

A couple big results in Week 2 of the Iowa high school football season caused a bit of a rankings shake-up in this week’s Gazette poll. The Prep Football Huddle podcast breaks it all down.

An injury suffered late in the state semifinal victory relegated Mount Vernon quarterback Joey Rhomberg to a support role for the school’s 10th state finals appearance. Rhomberg has made a major impact to open his senior campaign for the 3A second-ranked Mustangs.

The Gazette Iowa high school sports staff answers questions about the winless teams and top defenses through Week 2, football in a small town vs. at big schools and the Netflix series “Quarterback” if focused at the high school level.

Coe demonstrated big-play ability, tallying eight total touchdowns and six of 48 yards or longer in a 56-6 rout of Cornell. The Kohawks have won 23 straight in the Bremner Cup series since 2000.

Benton Community rushed for 265 yards on a whopping 52 carries, rolling to a 38-7 victory over Marion. The Bobcats avenged a disappointing loss to the Wolves last year and posted a 2-0 start this season.

Cedar Rapids Jefferson has a win streak and likely its best start since 2000. The J-Hawks won their second straight game to start the season, thumping Marshalltown, 40-0, Thursday night at Kingston Stadium.

Plenty of teams impressed in Week 1 of the 2023 Iowa high school football season. Who stood out? We discuss our top takeaways and look ahead to Week 2 on the Prep Football Huddle podcast.

Iowa City Liberty placed third or better in each of the first three large meets of the season, including a third-place finish at the Mississippi Valley Conference Super Meet to open the season. The Lightning added a runnner-up finish and third-place finish before an MVC quad Wednesday in Dubuque.

Jeff Linder, Jeff Johnson, K.J. Pilcher and Nathan Ford kick off a season of high school football questions. Read our takes on Week 1 heroes, Week 2 contests and reasonable expectations of a first-year program.

Cedar Rapids Jefferson scored twice in the second half and held Muscatine scoreless the last two quarters for a 33-24 victory, earning their first win since Oct. 25, 2019.

Quarterback Will Phillips connected with Apollo Payne for two touchdowns, including a 26-yard strike with a little more than five minutes left, and Cedar Rapids Prairie knocked off Class 5A No. 3 Cedar Falls, 20-17, in a prep football contest Friday night at John Wall Field.

There are plenty of standout Iowa high school football games Friday night (and Saturday) that we preview in the first Prep Football Huddle podcast of the season. Plus, a look at our preseason rankings and storylines to watch.

Consistency and discipline. Those traits form the foundation of Cedar Rapids Xavier’s football program. The players have grown to expect, accept and promote the tenets by Duane Schulte, the Saints’ only head coach who has 208 career victories, seven state finals appearances and four championships, including the Class 4A crown last season, in the 26-year history of the school.

After decades of playing at historic Thomas Park, Marion will play home football games at the new stadium on campus this fall. The Wolves return nine starters and 13 letterwinners from last year that ended 5-4 and one spot out of the Class 4A playoffs.

Brothers Jack, Nick and Sam Shaw and cousin Clay Krousie are part of a Coe football program that went 7-3 overall last season and was third with one first-place vote in the American Rivers Conference preseason poll.