The 2019 Iowa high school football season kicks off Friday with a few Week 0 games around the state. Here's a look at a few key area games, with the complete schedule below.
Collins-Maxwell at Iowa Valley
Site and time: 7 p.m. Friday, at Marengo
Records and rankings: Collins-Maxwell was 4-6 last season; 8-Player eighth-ranked Iowa Valley was 10-1 and reached the state quarterfinals.
Overview: Iowa Valley won last year’s meeting, 62-16, and that helped vault the Tigers to a big season that included a district title. Another banner fall could be in the cards behind quarterback Ben Smith, who rushed for 1,163 yards and 19 touchdowns, and passed for 1,061 yards and 13 scores. Smith also is the top returning tackler; he made 58.5 stops last year. The Tigers figure to compete for the 8-Player District 4 title with New London, HLV and Lone Tree. Collins-Maxwell brings back the pass-catch combo of Kadin Bennett and Brett Livesay.
Lynnville-Sully at Belle Plaine
Site and time: 7 p.m. Friday, at Belle Plaine
Records and rankings: Lynnville-Sully was 7-3 last year and made the Class A playoffs. Belle Plaine was 4-5.
Overview: These teams did not play last season, but both had Grand View Christian on their schedule, and Grand View will not field a team this season, making this game a possibility. Belle Plaine returns a strong ground game led by Trevin Straight (1,130 yards, 15 touchdowns) and Luke DeMeulenaere (485 yards, 8 TDs) and is one of five legitimate title hopefuls in Class A District 6. Lynnville-Sully was the District 8 champion last year, but since lost the bulk of its skill-position corps.
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Springville at Winfield-Mount Union
Site and time: 7 p.m. Friday, at Winfield
Records and rankings: Springville was 5-5 last season; Winfield-Mount Union was 1-8.
Overview: A strong cast of returners makes Springville a good bet to climb this season, and the Orioles join Easton Valley, Central City and Midland as the top challengers to Turkey Valley in 8-Player District 3. Quarterback Kyle Koppes, passed for 1,760 yards and 30 touchdowns, and Caleb Weber and Spencer DeMean both caught 21 passes and combined for 15 touchdowns. The Orioles earned a 52-28 victory over WMU last season at home. The Wolves took some lumps last year, but most of their roster returns and better days should be ahead.
Week 0 games
FRIDAY, AUG. 23
Lynnville-Sully at Belle Plaine
Wayne at BGM
Nodaway Valley at Central Decatur
Cardinal at Columbus Community
GMG at Martensdale-St. Marys
8-PLAYER
Griswold at Ar-We-Va
East Mills at No. 3 Audubon
Mormon Trail at Baxter
Lenox at Bedford
HLV at Colo-Nesco
Collins-Maxwell at No. 8 Iowa Valley
Stanton at Murray
West Bend-Mallard at North Iowa
Sidney at Seymour
Montezuma at No. 9 Southeast Warren
English Valleys at Twin Cedars
Springville at Winfield-Mount Union
SATURDAY, AUG. 24
8-PLAYER
No. 6 New London at Williams Bay (Wis.)