Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

Class 4A No. 1 West High (11-0) vs. 4A No. 4 Bettendorf (10-1) 

Where: UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls, 4:06 p.m. Friday

Last Meeting: West High 24, Bettendorf 17 (2016 Opening Round)

Player to Watch: Bettendorf senior running back Nijel McIntosh has rushed for 1,153 yards and 17 touchdowns while averaging 8.2 yards per carry.

Key Stat: Bettendorf junior receiver Darien Porter (6-4, 165) is averaging 29.9 yards per reception and half of his eight catches have gone for touchdowns.

About the Trojans: After reaching the state semifinals for the first time since 2002 last year West High didn’t wait long to return to the UNI-Dome.

West High rolled through a pair of Mississippi Valley Conference rivals in the first two rounds of the playoffs, outscoring Cedar Rapids Washington and fifth-ranked Cedar Falls by a combined score of 76-16 to return to the semifinals for the second straight season.

The lone remaining unbeaten team in 4A, the Trojans have been dominant all season.

West High hasn’t had a game decided by less than 14 points since a 32-31 win over Cedar Falls in week three.

The Trojans have been equally impressive on both sides of the ball this season.

West High enters the semifinals averaging 43.5 points and 444 total yards per game while holding opponents to 13.8 points and 251 yards.

The offense has been nearly perfectly balanced as West High averages 215 rushing yards and 229 passing yards per game.

Senior quarterback Evan Flitz ranks among the most prolific passers in the state with 2,347 yards and 26 touchdowns with senior Traevis Buchanan catching 59 passes for 949 yards and 13 scores.

About the Bulldogs: Bettendorf has rattled off 10 straight wins following a season-opening loss to West Des Moines Valley to return to the semifinals for the sixth time in the past eight seasons.

The Bulldogs have failed to reach the UNI-Dome just twice since 2010, in 2012 and last season after falling to West High 24-17 in an opening-round matchup in Bettendorf.

Bettendorf has been dominant during its current 10-game winning streak, averaging 43 points per game with an average margin of victory of more than 34 points.

As usual the Bulldogs have been stingy on defense. Known annually as one of the top defensive teams in the state, Bettendorf is holding opponents to 10.2 points and 206 total yards per game.

Bettendorf has allowed more than 20 points in a game twice and has given up more than 300 yards of offense just one time, in a 31-21 quarterfinal win over North Scott.

Junior quarterback Carter Bell (5-10, 170) has passed for 1,303 yards while completing better than 70 percent of his passes and throwing for 17 touchdowns without an interception but left last week’s win over North Scott with an injury.

Senior Justin Wehr threw for 65 yards and a score in relief of Bell and has passed for 182 yards on the season with three touchdowns and no interceptions.

Class 3A No. 1 Solon (11-0) vs. 3A No. 3 Cedar Rapids Xavier (11-0)

Where: UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls, 8:21 p.m. Thursday

Last Meeting: Cedar Rapids Xavier 22, Solon 19 (Sept. 11 2015)

Player to Watch: Cedar Rapids Xavier junior quarterback Quinn Schulte (6-1, 185) has passed for 978 yards and 13 touchdowns and rushed for 765 yards and 16 touchdowns.

Key Stat: Neither Solon or Xavier have allowed more than 290 total yards in a game this season and combined the two teams have held opponents under 200 total yards in 17 of 22 games.

About the Spartans: In its first trip to the UNI-Dome since 2013 Solon is seeking its first win at the Dome since claiming the Class 3A state title in 2010.

Led by a dominant defense, Solon has been among the most impressive teams in the state in any class this season.

Solon has outscored opponents 450-37, posted six shutouts and hasn’t allowed more than 14 points in a single game.

The Spartans are holding opponents to 3.4 points and 137 total yards per game and have allowed more than 150 yards of total offense in a game just four times.

Solon has been plenty good on offense as well averaging 40.9 points and 372 yards per game.

The Spartans have scored at least 33 points in 10 straight games since a 19-0 win over Mount Vernon in the season opener.

Sophomore quarterback Cam Miller has passed for 1,706 yards and 24 touchdowns with just four interceptions with classmate AJ Coons his top target with 23 receptions for 552 yards and eight scores.

Hunter Kula (855 yards) and Kendrick Harris (831 yards) have rushed for a combined 1,686 yards and 20 touchdowns while splitting backfield duties.

About the Saints: One of the most decorated program in eastern Iowa over the past decade, Xavier is making its fifth semifinal appearance in the past six seasons and third in four years since dropping to Class 3A in 2014.

The Saints are 40-6 as a 3A squad the past four seasons after reaching the Class 4A state title game in both 2012 and 2013.

Xavier hasn’t appeared in a title game in 3A over the past three seasons falling to eventual state champion Pella in the semifinals in 2014 and 2016.

The Saints returned to the UNI-Dome with a 44-21 quarterfinal win over Davenport Assumption. During its string of success defense has been the calling card for the Saints which once again rank among the most difficult teams in the state to move the ball against.

Xavier is allowing just 8.4 points and 178 total yards per game and have held opponents under 200 yards of offense eight times this season.

The Saints are especially stingy against the run, allowing just 76 rushing yards per game and 2.7 yards per carry.

Schulte directs a run-heavy Xavier offense that averages 214 yards per game on the ground behind junior Braden Stovie (6-0, 165) who leads the way with 833 yards and 7.9 yards a carry.

Class 1A No. 4 Regina (9-2) vs. 1A No. 3 Pella Christian (11-0)  

Where: UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls, 10:06 a.m. Saturday

Last Meeting: Regina 45, Pella Christian 43 (2016 Quarterfinals)

Player to Watch: Pella Christian senior quarterback Hayden Vroom (5-10, 150) has passed for 1,168 yards and 14 touchdowns and rushed for 1,041 yards and 19 more scores.

Key Stat: Pella Christian leads Class 1A and ranks eighth in the state averaging 8.2 yards per rushing attempt.

About the Regals: Regina kept it season alive with a 27-21 double overtime win over South Winneshiek in its playoff opener and then extended its streak of consecutive semifinal appearances to eight with a 35-0 quarterfinal win over Wilton.

The Regals are 10-1 all-time in state semifinal games and have won nine straight semifinals since a 28-14 loss to Gladbrook-Reinbeck in 2004.

Regina has been dominant in its UNI-Dome opener during its current stretch of consecutive semifinal appearances winning its last seven semifinals by an average of 24.7 points.

This season Regina enters the semifinals riding a nine-game winning streak in which it is averaging better than 44 points per game.

Senior running back Isaac Vollstedt has rushed for 247 yards and three touchdowns in a pair of postseason games to push his season rushing total to 1,020.

Vollstedt rushed for 199 yards and three touchdowns on a career-high 41 carries in last year’s win over Pella Christian.

Regina is coming off its best defensive performance of the season, collecting 10 sacks and forcing five turnovers while recording its first shutout against Wilton.

About the Eagles: A year after having a trip to the UNI-Dome denied with a 45-43 quarterfinal loss at Regina Pella Christian will get a second shot at the Regals in its first ever semifinal appearance.

Pella Christian secured its first trip to the UNI-Dome with a 44-6 quarterfinal win over Pleasantville last week and has outscored a pair of playoff opponents 97-27.

Even with the graduation of one of the most prolific quarterback and receiver combos in the state from last year’s team the Eagles again rank among the most efficient offenses in Class 1A.

Since a 24-22 win over Class 2A qualifier PCM in its season opener Pella Christian has scored at least 31 points in every game while averaging a Class 1A best 46.6 points per game.

Pella Christian ranks fourth in total offense with 421 yards per game and second in 1A with 282 rushing yards per contest.

The Pella Christian offense is led by Vroom, a dual-threat quarterback that has accounted for better than 2,200 yards and 33 touchdowns.

Junior running back Noah Treimer (5-11, 180) leads the rushing attack with 1,340 yards and an impressive 9.4 yards per carry and has also caught 18 passes for a team-high 535 yards and seven touchdowns.