Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

The journey to the UNI-Dome started for teams across the state in August.

On Friday night 24 teams in six classes will secure state semifinal berths and trips to the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls.

Three area teams are among the teams seeking spots in the semifinals.

Here are five things to watch for on Friday night as West High, Solon and Regina all host state quarterfinal contests.

Ground Gains

Regina senior Isaac Vollstedt started last week’s 1A opening round matchup with South Winneshiek on the sideline with an ankle injury but finished with 102 yards on 18 carries and the game-winning 10-yard touchdown run in double overtime.

Expect to see a healthy dose of Vollstedt on Friday as fourth-ranked Regina (8-2) hosts Wilton (9-1) in a rematch of a 49-7 regular season Regal win.

Vollstedt rushed for 130 yards and four touchdowns in the week six matchup in Wilton and has averaged 12.5 yards per carry and scored six touchdowns in his last two games against the Beavers.

The 200-pound Vollstedt is averaging 9.1 yards per carry this season and needs 125 yards on Friday to reach 1,000 for the season.

Regina has averaged 331 rushing yards per game in its last two meetings with Wilton while outscoring the Beavers 90-24. 

Playing Takeaway

Top-ranked Solon (10-0) has done a lot of things very well on defense this season.

The Spartans are allowing just 73 passing yards per game, holding teams to 2.4 yards per rushing attempt and have given up just 23 points and posted six shutouts in 10 games.

What Solon has done better than anyone in the state is force turnovers.

Solon has forced 30 turnovers in 10 games, returning seven for touchdowns including a 48-yard interception return for a score by sophomore AJ Coons last week.

As good as Solon has been at forcing turnovers they have been almost as solid in avoiding them on offense and enters Friday’s 3A quarterfinal against West Delaware (8-2) +23 in turnover margin.

Meanwhile, the Hawks have committed 17 turnovers on the season, have at least one turnover in every game and are +4 in turnover margin.

Expect the team that makes few mistakes with the ball to have the edge on Friday.

Making Some Noise

Quarterback Evan Flitz, receiver Traevis Buchanan and the West High passing game was unusually silent in a 49-7 quarterfinal win over Cedar Rapids Washington.

Flitz completed 5-of-13 passes for 40 yards and a touchdown and Buchanan went without a catch for the first time this season.

The numbers actually make some sense.

West High rushed for a season-high 381 yards and jumped to a big early lead on a cold, wet and windy night.

Flitz and Buchanan will likely need to be back at their best on Friday as top-ranked West High hosts a Cedar Falls defense allowing 77 yards per game on the ground.

Buchanan needs 86 yards to reach 1,000 for the season while Flitz is 303 yards away from 2,500.

Double Trouble

Cedar Falls has been known as a power running team for years and this season the Tigers have the numbers to back up that reputation averaging 235 yards per game on the ground and 6.3 yards per carry.

The Tigers showed in their regular season meeting with West High they can do more than just run it.

Senior quarterback Luke Gillett threw for a career-high 295 yards and three touchdowns in that 32-31 week three loss to West High inside the UNI-Dome.

Gillett has a tall and talented receiving duo in senior Blake Christensen (6-0, 178) and Logan Wolf (6-4, 180).

Wolfe and Christensen have combined for 52 receptions for 1,111 yards and have all 21 Cedar Falls touchdown receptions this season.

The duo had 11 receptions for 203 yards and two scores in the regular season meeting with West High with Christensen catching seven passes for 151 yards and both scores.

Going For It

If Solon finds itself needing to convert a fourth down attempt with the game on the line Friday recent history says its advantage Spartans.

Solon is 6-for-7 converting fourth down attempts over the past two weeks with half of the six conversions going for touchdowns.