Area football first-round capsules

A dozen key area football games for the first round of the playoffs Wednesday:

CEDAR RAPIDS PRAIRIE at DUBUQUE SENIOR (Class 4A)

Time and site: 7 p.m., at Dubuque

Records and rankings: Prairie is 6-3; Senior is 7-2.

Notable: The two most improved teams in the Mississippi Valley Conference collide in an intriguing first-rounder. Senior is making only its second postseason appearance (the other was in 1997). Prairie has qualified for the 15th time, the first since 2009. The Hawks are led by wideouts Jarred Edmonds (40 catches, 963 yards, 14 touchdowns) and Demetrius Harper (45 catches, 474 yards, five TDs). Prairie enters the playoffs on a three-game winning streak, and the defense -- leaky at times earlier this season -- has stiffened considerably. Senior enjoys a balanced attack, led by Alex Duster (975 rushing yards, eight touchdowns) and Keegan Gallery (57 receptions, 699 yards, seven TDs).

IOWA CITY HIGH at CEDAR RAPIDS XAVIER (Class 4A)

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

Records and rankings: City High is 4-5; No. 3 Xavier is 9-0.

Notable: All signs here tilt Xavier's way. The Saints are rolling while the Little Hawks are reeling. Xavier posted its second unbeaten regular season; the first was in its championship season of 2006. Nobody has played the Saints closer than 17 points. Quarterback Reggie Schulte has enjoyed a spectacular season -- 26 touchdowns against three interceptions, plus a 75-percent completion rate and 1,421 yards. Corbin Woods has been his primary target, catching 33 balls for 643 yards and 11 TDs. City High hasn't showed much lately, dropping four straight games, including a 40-14 setback to Cedar Rapids Kennedy last week in which it managed only 31 yards of offense. Still, City is in the playoffs for the 10th straight year. Xavier has qualified seven straight times. 

WATERLOO WEST at IOWA CITY WEST (Class 4A)

Time and site: 7 p.m., at Trojan Field

Records and rankings: Waterloo West is 3-6; No. 2 Iowa City West is 9-0.

Notable: Waterloo West is in the playoffs for the first time in 21 years, and are rewarded with unenviable task of trying to slow the Trojans' explosive attack. The Trojans lead 4A in scoring at 53.8 points per game; only one team (Cedar Rapids Kennedy) has held them under 40 points. Junior quarterback Nate Boland has thrown for 1,761 yards and 15 touchdowns and has dual playmakers on the perimeter in Dondre Alexander (41 catches, 756 yards, five touchdowns) and Jeremy Morgan (35 for 614 and eight TDs). Running back Ezra Reiners has rushed for 941 yards and 12 TDs, forcing defenses to play the Trojans honest. Many of Waterloo West's skill players are juniors, led by Lance Dunn (726 rushing yards).

CEDAR RAPIDS KENNEDY at MUSCATINE (Class 4A)

Time and site: 7 p.m., at Muscatine

Records and rankings: Kennedy is 4-5; Muscatine is 7-2.

Notable: Kennedy has reached the playoffs for the eighth consecutive year, the longest current streak among Metro teams. The Cougars have taken a familiar path, starting slow (0-5 this year) and coming on strong at the end. Kennedy has won four straight games, including an impressive 40-14 dispatching of Iowa City High last Friday in which the Cougars held the Little Hawks to 31 yards and came up with four takeaways. Alex Hillyer has surpassed the school rushing record; he has 1,418 yards and 16 touchdowns. Muscatine tied for second place in the Mississippi Athletic Conference and averages 38.6 points per game. QB Jon Crowe spearheads the Muskies' aerial attack. He has completed 177 of 237 passes for 2,592 yards and 30 touchdowns. Four Muskies have at least 27 catches, led by Tyler Lloyd (53 for 872 yards and 13 TDs).

WESTERN DUBUQUE at MARION (Class 3A)

Time and site: 7 p.m., at Thomas Park Field

Records and rankings: Western Dubuque is 4-5; Marion is 7-2.

Notable: After a one-year absence, Marion is back in the playoffs after a bounceback season that resulted in a District 6 championship. The Indians prevailed in a three-team tie despite dropping a 17-16 heartbreaker to DeWitt Central in Week 9. Trev Beiry stakes Marion's attack; he has rushed for 1,021 yards and 16 touchdowns. Western Dubuque earned the fourth and final berth out of District 5. Like Marion, the Bobcats come into the playoffs with a loss; they were beaten 37-14 by No. 1 Decorah on Friday. Western Dubuque's offense is geared around Dylan James, who has 49 of the team's 74 receptions (for 538 yards and five touchdowns). This could be a low-scoring affair; Marion allows 10.8 points per game; Western Dubuque 17.3.

WAUKON at CENTER POINT-URBANA (Class 2A)

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

Records and rankings: No. 10 Waukon is 7-2; No. 8 CPU is 8-1.

Notable: These were two teams expected to take a quantum leap this season, and both did exactly that. A 2-7 team last year as a 3A school, Waukon moved down a class and reversed its record. The Indians have done it with a three-pronged rushing attack: Marcus Weymiller has rushed for 838 yards and 16 touchdowns, Parker Hesse 795 yards and 14 TDs, Cole Ewing 686 and five TDs. The Indians' two losses came by a combined four points to Union and New Hampton. A 3A playoffs qualifier in 2011, CPU has built on last year's fast finish, upsetting Union in Week 1 and finishing second to Dyersville Beckman in its district. Josh Jirak has caught 39 passes for 712 yards and nine touchdowns, and also has snagged three interceptions.

MOUNT VERNON at UNION (Class 2A)

Time and site: 7 p.m., at LaPorte City

Records and rankings: Mount Vernon is 5-4; No. 6 Union is 8-1.

Notable: A former perennial powerhouse that had undergone some hard times recently, Mount Vernon is back in the playoffs for the first time since 2006. The Mustangs draw explosive Union, which is down a class after winning the 2011 Class 3A state championship. The Knights have won eight straight games after dropping their season opener to Center Point-Urbana and rank third in 2A in scoring at 44.4 points per game. Dual threat Jay Scheel has passed for 1,393 yards and 17 touchdowns and has rushed for 1,207 yards and 18 TDs. Marshall Tuerler has rushed for 630 yards and 11 touchdowns for Mount Vernon.

WEST BRANCH at CLAYTON RIDGE (Class 1A)

Time and site: 7 p.m., at Guttenberg

Records and rankings: Both teams are 7-2.

Notable: For the 20th time in the last 25 years, West Branch is a playoff team. Each of the last four West Branch teams advanced to the semifinals in the UNI-Dome. The Bears start this year's voyage on the road against the 1A-5 runners-up. Clayton Ridge hangs its hat on a defense that allows 9.9 points per game and has shut out three opponents. Dylan Preston has 117 tackles and three fumble recoveries while Cory Preston has eight inteceptions to his credit. Winners of six straight games, the Eagles will try to slow West Branch's Cade Jones, who has rushed for 1,580 yards (10.8 per carry) and 24 touchdowns.

TIPTON at IOWA CITY REGINA (Class 1A)

Time and site: 7 p.m., at Regina

Records and rankings: Tipton is 5-4; No. 1 Regina is 9-0.

Notable: After starting 4-0, Tipton has lost four of five and takes a three-game losing streak into the postseason, with the task of tackling the powerhouse Regals. Regina won 2A state titles in 2010 and 2011, and carry a 37-game winning string. The Regals haven't been pushed since sliding past West Branch, 15-13, in Week 3. Junior Riley Dixon has rushed for 1,103 yards to spearhead an offense that averages 43.4 points per game. The defense has been just as impressive, allowing 8.8 points per game with three shutouts. Mike Donovan leads the "D" with 58 tackles, three interceptions and four fumble recoveries.

BELLE PLAINE at STARMONT (Class A)

Time and site: 7 p.m., at Arlington

Records and rankings: Belle Plaine is 6-3; Starmont is 7-2.

Notable: Class A District 3 runner-up Starmont is in the playoffs for the fourth straight year and the seventh time in the last nine seasons. Gabe Hamlett has rushed for 661 yards, Jake Butler has added 637. Belle Plaine is a qualifier for the fifth consecutive season. The Plainsmen closed the regular season with back-to-back losses against Gladbrook-Reinbeck and North Tama. Lance Hinschberger and Nick Pippert have rushed for 751 and 664 yards respectively, and have combined for 21 rushing TDs.

PEKIN at LISBON (Class A)

Time and site: 7 p.m., at Lisbon

Records and rankings: Pekin is 7-2; No. 7 Lisbon is 8-1.

Notable: The defending Class A state champion, Lisbon is in the playoffs for the ninth year in a row. The Lions earned the A-5 crown by outlasting Lone Tree, 18-14, Friday and have won eight consecutive games since dropping their opener to West Branch. Lisbon is strong on both sides of the ball, averaging 44.3 points per game and allowing 8.6. Both of those figures rank in the top five in the state in Class A. Junior QB Logan Rickard has passed for 566 yards and has passed for rushed for 688. Pekin running back Quentin Garrels is second in Class A with 1,736 yards, and leads the class in rushing TDs (31). The Panthers opened 6-0 before dropping two of its last three games.

JANESVILLE at SPRINGVILLE (Eight Man)

Time and site: 7 p.m., at Springville

Records and rankings: Both teams are 7-2.

Notable: For the first time in school history, Springville joins the postseason parade. The Orioles qualified by finishing second in District 4. They host a Janesville outfit that has qualified for the fifth straight year and carries a six-game winning streak. Janesville has one of the stingiest defenses in the eight-man game, allowing 17.6 points per game. Junior quarterback Hunter Meyer has rushed for 565 yards and has passed for 1,203 with a combined 27 touchdowns. For Springville, Elias Nissen and Drake Coonrod have rushed for 12 touchdowns apiece while Sam Scriver has passed for 1,029 yards and 16 TDs.

OTHER GAMES INVOLVING AREA TEAMS:Class 3A: Waverly-Shell Rock (5-4) at No. 9 South Tama (7-2), 7 p.m.Class 3A: Maquoketa (5-4) at No. 1 Decorah (9-0), 7 p.m.Class 3A: Crestwood (4-5) at Solon (7-2), 7 p.m.Class 3A: DeWitt Central (6-3) at No. 6 West Delaware (7-2), 7 p.m.Class 3A: Carlisle (5-4) at No. 3 Williamsburg (8-1), 7 p.m.Class 3A: No. 9 Norwalk (7-2) at Washington (6-3), 7 p.m.Class 2A: Osage (5-4) vs. No. 7 Dyersville Beckman (8-1), 8:45 p.m., UNI-DomeClass 2A: Cascade (5-4) at No. 8 New Hampton (8-1), 7 p.m.Class 2A: West Liberty (5-4) at Albia (8-1), 7 p.m.Class 2A: Monroe PCM (4-6) at Mid-Prairie (7-2), 7 p.m.Class 1A: Hudson (5-4) at No. 9 South Winneshiek (8-1), 7 p.m.Class 1A: Sigourney-Keota (4-5) at No. 10 Maquoketa Valley (8-1), 7 p.m.Class 1A: Alburnett (5-4) at Wilton (7-2), 7 p.m.Class A: Iowa Valley (6-3) at No. 2 Wapsie Valley (9-0), 7 p.m.Class A: Turkey Valley (4-5) at No. 5 North Tama (8-1), 7 p.m.Class A: Highland (6-3) at No. 9 BGM (7-2), 7 p.m.Class A: Montezuma (6-3) at Lone Tree (6-3), 7 p.m.Eight Man: West Central (6-4) at No. 3 Don Bosco (8-0), 7 p.m.Eight Man: Lansing Kee (7-2) at No. 10 Clarksville (8-1), 7 p.m.Eight Man: Lamoni (7-3) at No. 6 HLV (8-0), 7 p.m.