Area football capsules, Week 8

 A dozen key area football games for Week 8: 

CEDAR RAPIDS WASHINGTON at CEDAR RAPIDS PRAIRIE

Time and site: 7:15 p.m. Friday, at John Wall Field

Records and rankings: Both teams are 4-3 overall, 3-1 MVC Valley Division.

Notable: These teams are in a three-way tie atop the Valley Division (along with Cedar Rapids Xavier), and the winner of this game is guaranteed to go into the final week of the regular season in no worse than a first-place tie. Washington has won four straight games to offset an 0-3 start; Prairie has strung together three in a row, including a 63-17 blasting of Linn-Mar last week. Prairie's Mitch Christensen has rushed for 881 yards and eight touchdowns, and the Prairie defense has allowed just 24 points in the last three weeks. Washington has come alive behind junior QB Reid Snitker, who has passed for eight touchdowns and run for seven.  

CEDAR FALLS at CEDAR RAPIDS XAVIER

Time and site: 7:15 p.m. Friday, at Saints Field

Records and rankings: Cedar Falls is 5-2 overall, 3-2 MVC Valley Division; Class 4A No. 4 Xavier is 6-1, 3-1.

Notable: This is the other consequential Valley Division game, with the Saints needing a win to keep pace with the Washington-Prairie victor. Xavier bounced back nicely from its Week 6 upset loss to Washington, handling Waterloo West, 40-14, last week. The Saints still have the top scoring defense in 4A (6.7 points per game) and will be challenged by the running of Eli Berregaard (924 yards, 12 touchdowns). Xavier's Brendan Miller has 750 rushing yards of his own, and QB Quinton Scholer is the highest-rated passer in the division. 

LINN-MAR at IOWA CITY HIGH

Time and site: 7:15 p.m. Friday, at Bates Field

Records and rankings: Linn-Mar is 2-5; Class 4A eighth-rated City High is 6-1.

Notable: City High is on a high, winning six consecutive games. That includes a 14-7 triumph over Iowa City West last week, which resulted in the return of The Boot and a spot in The Gazette's state rankings for the first time this season. Xavier Washpun ranks third in Class 4A rushing, with 1,161 yards and 14 touchdowns. That's not great news for the Lions, who have surrendered 41.7 points per game. Linn-Mar can score, though, behind Ryan Schmidt, whose 1,525 passing yards are fourth-best in 4A, and Griffin Brennecke (22 catches, 647 yards, eight TDs). 

CEDAR RAPIDS KENNEDY at DUBUQUE HEMPSTEAD

Time and site: 7:15 p.m. Friday, at Dubuque (Dalzell Field)

Records and rankings: Kennedy is 5-2 overall, 3-1 MVC Mississippi Division; Hempstead is 3-4, 2-3.

Notable: Kennedy has a playoff berth in its hip pocket, but the Cougars have a lot to play for. Namely, a piece of the Mississippi Division tite, and a first-round playoff game at home. Both are attainable if they win out. They face a hard-luck Hempstead outfit that has dropped three straight games, including last-second losses to both Iowa City schools, that have them in dire need of a victory to make the postseason. Hempstead's Matt Zenner needs three yards to reach the 1,000 mark, and has scored 11 touchdowns. The Cougars prefer the ground attack as well behind their Stacked-I formation; Miles Moa (674 yards, five TDs) has been the chief threat. 

IOWA CITY WEST at CEDAR RAPIDS JEFFERSON

Time and site: 7:15 p.m. Friday, at Kingston Stadium

Records and rankings: Class 4A No. 6 West is 6-1 overall, 3-1 MVC Mississippi Division; Jefferson is 1-6, 1-3.

Notable: After suffering its first regular-season loss in the past two seasons, the Trojans hope to get well at Kingston. They certainly have the superior firepower, averaging 36.6 points per game (compared to 12.4 for the J-Hawks). Quarterback Nate Boland has passed for 1,076 yards and rushed for 640, with 18 total touchdowns. Anthony Batie is among the state's top receivers, with 29 catches for 558 yards. Jefferson has a dual-threat quarterback of its own in Layne Sullivan (927 yards passing, 440 rushing), and judging by their effort last week in a 14-7 loss to Cedar Rapids Washington, the J-Hawks aren't ready to pack it in yet. 

MARION at CLEAR CREEK AMANA

Time and site: 7:30 p.m. Friday, at Tiffin

Records and rankings: Marion is 3-4 overall, 2-2 Class 3A District 6; CCA is 3-4, 1-3.

Notable: Marion's up-and-down season can hit an uptick with a win, because it would wrap up a playoff berth. The Indians managed just 25 yards of offense last week in a 42-0 loss at Solon, extending an odd trend. All seven of their games, win or lose, have been decided by 19 points or more. Marion's Trevor Hardman has passed for 822 yards, with top targets Quinn Cannoy and Logan Fuller. A pass-happy program in recent years, Clear Creek Amana is more ground-oriented this year; Jonathan Nzombo ranks second in the district with 677 rushing yards. 

WAPELLO at IOWA CITY REGINA

Time and site: 7 p.m. Friday, at Regina

Records and rankings: Wapello is 3-4 overall, 1-3 Class 1A District 6; No. 1 Regina is 7-0, 4-0.

Notable: Regina has met every challenged passed its way this season, extending its winning streak to 49 games. The Regals got in front of Wilton early last week and sailed to a 45-27 victory. A win this week would mean another district championship, and the Regals are highly favored to achieve it. Riley Dixon has rushed for 769 yards (11 per carry) and 10 touchdowns, despite being slowed somewhat by an ankle injury. Wapello ended a four-game losing streak last week (34-6 over Cardinal) and has the district's top receiver in Jorge Osornio (35 catches, 540 yards, six touchdowns). 

SOLON at MAQUOKETA

Time and site: 7:30 p.m. Friday, at Maquoketa

Records and rankings: Solon is 6-1 overall, 4-0 Class 3A District 6; Maquoketa is 5-2, 4-0.

Notable: The 3A-6 district championship is on the line, and Solon has been a buzzsaw lately. The Spartans have devoured their first four league opponents by the margin of 183-24, including an impressive 42-0 win over Marion last week in which Solon allowed 25 yards of total offense. The Spartans have been bolstered offensively by quarterback Jacob Black, who has rushed for 827 yards and passed for 525. He has accounted for 20 touchdowns. Maquoketa's Trent Bollman leads the district in passing, with 1,126 yards; Cory Wirth and Ben Strathman have 50 catches between them. 

MONTEZUMA at BGM

Time and site: 7 p.m. Friday, at Brooklyn

Records and rankings: Ninth-ranked Montezuma is 6-1 overall, 4-1 Class A District 6; No. 1 BGM is 7-0, 5-0.

Notable: The three-team round-robin for A-6 supremacy continues. It began last week when Pekin (6-1, 5-0) fought past Montezuma, 22-15, and concludes next week when BGM faces Pekin. BGM has been overwhelming against undermatched competition; this is the Bears' first game against a team with a winning record. That said, their statistics have been eye-popping, averaging 11 yards per play and scoring 65.6 points per game while allowing 5.9 (both tops in Class A). Jack Kline and Kyle Gritsch have combined for 1,646 rushing yards on 126 carries, for 35 touchdowns.

CASCADE at CENTER POINT-URBANA

Time and site: 7 p.m. Friday, at Center Point

TV: KCRG 9.2

Records and rankings: Ninth-rated Cascade is 6-1 overall, 4-0 Class 2A District 4; CPU is 4-3, 2-2.

Notable: Much remains to be decided in 2A-4, but this much is certain: Cascade is in the playoffs. And it's pretty much a given that next week's matchup between the Cougars and Dyersville Beckman will determine the district championship. CPU's fate is much less secure. The Stormin' Pointers' recipe for making the playoffs probably needs a win next week over Mount Vernon. CPU's Brandon Kinsey leads the district in rushing at 922 yards. Cascade, on the other hand, loves to pass; Derek Lieurance has thrown for 1,530 yards, and Nate Bergfeld leads 2A in catches (43) and receiving yards (808). 

TIPTON at MAQUOKETA VALLEY

Time and site: 7:30 p.m. Friday, at Delhi

Records and rankings: Tipton is 4-3 overall, 3-1 Class 1A District 5; fifth-ranked Maquoketa Valley is 7-0, 4-0.

Notable: The district race comes down to the final two weeks with four teams (these two, plus Clayton Ridge and North Cedar) vying for the title. Tipton still needs a win, either this week or next, to wrap up a playoff berth. The top two rushers in the district will be on display: Maquoketa Valley's Ryan Parmely has rushed for 1,569 yards and 15 touchdowns while Tipton's Chandler Harden has netted 1,138 yards with 13 TDs. Parmely also leads Maquoketa Valley in tackles, with 81. 

NORTH CEDAR at CLAYTON RIDGE

Time and site: 7:30 p.m. Friday, at Guttenberg

Records and rankings: North Cedar is 5-2 overall, 3-1 Class 1A District 5; Clayton Ridge is 6-1, 4-1.

Notable: The other 1A-5 showdown of the week. North Cedar has dropped two straight (to Tipton, the a non-district contest to West Branch), but the Knights still control their destiny for winning the district. They need to shore up their defense, which has allowed 81 points in the last two weeks. The two most prolific passers in the district take center stage -- Kohle Helle (1,532 yards, 16 TDs) for Clayton Ridge; Jayden Johnson (1,468 yards, 20 TDs, just 1 INT) for the Knights. 

OTHER METRO/IOWA CITY GAMES

*Cedar Valley Christian (0-6 overall, 0-5 8-Man District 4) at Elkader Central (4-4, 3-3), 7 p.m. Friday