Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

Dubuque Senior (2-1) at West High (0-3)

Where: Trojan Field, 7:15 p.m.

Last season: West High 48, Dubuque Senior 14

Player to watch: In his second season leading the Dubuque Senior offense senior quarterback Tommy Casey (6-1, 170) has taken a big step forward throwing for 645 yards and four touchdowns with one interception.

Key stat: Dubuque Senior junior receiver Kendrick Watkins-Hogue (6-1, 160) leads Class 4A with 371 receiving yards on 17 receptions and has three touchdown grabs.

About the Trojans: One of only seven remaining winless teams in Class 4A West High doesn’t look or feel like an 0-3 team. The three losses for the Trojans have come to a trio of ranked teams with a combined record of 8-1 with two of those losses coming by a combined seven points.

After averaging 11 points and 205 total yards per games in losses to North Scott and Bettendorf the Trojans put up 21 points and 368 yards of total offense in a 23-21 loss to Southeast Polk last Friday.

Junior quarterback Marcus Morgan has thrown for 719 yards and three touchdowns with junior Grahm Goering his top target with 16 receptions for 291 yards and two scores.

About the Rams: After a 27-20 loss at Linn-Mar in the season opener Dubuque Senior has rattled off back-to-back home wins over Davenport North and Cedar Rapids Washington.

Coming off a 3-6 season a year ago the key for the Rams during their 2-1 start has been an upstart offense.

Dubuque Senior averaged 12.9 points and scored more than 21 points just one time last season but is averaging 25.3 points and 375 yards per game this year.

Casey is off to a strong start at quarterback and has a big play threat at receiver in Watkins-Hogue while junior running back Cain McWilliams (5-9, 160) has rushed for 337 yards and three touchdowns.

City High (1-2) at Dubuque Hempstead (1-2)

Where: Dalzell Field in Dubuque, 7:30 p.m.  

Last season: City High 23, Dubuque Hempstead 22

Player to watch: Dubuque Hempstead junior quarterback Aidan Dunne (6-0, 195) has passed for 228 yards and a touchdown and has run for 137 yards and two scores.

Key stat: City High senior tailback ranks eighth in Class 4A in rushing with 376 yards and is averaging 4.9 yards per carry.

About the Mustangs: Dubuque Hempstead closed 2018 with three consecutive wins to finish 4-5 but has gotten off to a rough start with losses to Davenport North and fifth-ranked Bettendorf.

The Mustangs are averaging 24.7 points and 298 yards of offense per game but are allowing 379 total yards and 29 points per game.

Stopping the run will be a key for the Mustangs on Friday after allowing 440 rushing yards in a 49-7 loss to Bettendorf last week.

Three different Dubuque Hempstead players have rushed for more than 100 yards this season led by junior Jalen Smith (6-0, 220) with 157. Senior Kamari Stanford (6-2, 225) has 114 yards and is averaging 8.8 yards per carry.

About the Little Hawks: City High snapped a seven-game losing skid dating back to last season with a 28-25 win at Ames last week.

The Little Hawks rolled up 343 rushing yards in the win and finished with 417 yards of total offense, its highest total since posting 432 yards in the 2017 regular season finale against Davenport North.

City High has had success running the football so far this season rushing for 259 yards per game while averaging 5.4 yards per carry.

Hickman leads the Little Hawk rushing attack while Darren Richardson has added 187 yards on the ground while averaging 10.4 yards per carry and junior quarterback Raph Hamilton has run for 139 yards and a touchdown.

Liberty High (2-1) at Mid-Prairie (2-1)

Where: Wellman, 7:30 p.m.

Last season: Liberty High 27, Mid-Prairie 22

Player to watch: Mid-Prairie junior running back Kayden Reinier (5-8, 140) has rushed for 336 yards and six touchdowns and is coming off back-to-back 100-yard games.

Key stat: Liberty High senior receivers Brian Lively and Ben Houselog have combined for seven receptions this season averaging better than 28 yards per catch on those opportunities.

About the Lightning: Liberty High had a three-game winning streak that dated back to last season snapped with a 38-31 loss to sixth-ranked Washington last week.

After allowing a combined 20 points in back-to-back wins over City High and Waterloo East the Lightning allowed 38 points and 424 yards in its loss to the Demons.

Liberty High rushed for a season-low 180 yards against Washington but senior quarterback Drake Woody had his best game of the season throwing for 160 yards and two touchdowns.

Woody (6-1, 190) has thrown for 355 yards and four touchdowns on the season without an interception throwing touchdown passes to three different players.

Junior Max Tafolla (6-0, 205) leads the Liberty High rushing attack with 381 yards and four touchdowns while Kaleb Williams has added 205 yards and a touchdown.  

About the Golden Hawks: After a 47-20 loss to Class 3A Grinnell in the season opener Mid-Prairie has bounced back nicely outscoring opponents 83-6 in back-to-back wins over Pekin and Wilton.

The Golden Hawks allowed 516 total yards in the season-opening loss to Grinnell but have given up a combined 320 yards of offense in their back-to-back wins.

Senior quarterback Brad Tornow (5-8, 170) has passed for 401 yards and three touchdowns with junior Keegan Gingerich his top target with four receptions for 123 yards and a score.

Marion (0-3) at Clear Creek Amana (2-1)

Where: Clipper Field, 7:30 p.m.

Last season: Clear Creek Amana 17, Marion 15

Player to watch: Marion senior receiver Connor Whalen (6-2, 185) has caught five passes for 95 yards and a touchdown and has also picked off two passes.

Key stat: Clear Creek Amana has posted back-to-back games with 400 yards of total offense for the first time in three seasons under head coach Gabe Bakker.

About the Clippers: After a season-opening loss to Mount Pleasant Clear Creek Amana has outscored opponents 68-20 in back-to-back road wins.

After managing 228 total yards in the loss to Mount Pleasant the Clippers have averaged 437 yards in back-to-back wins while posting their highest yardage outputs since week four of 2017.

It has been a team effort at nearly every spot on the offensive side of the ball for the Clippers this season.

Ryan Navara and Ben Swails have combined to throw for 572 yards and six touchdowns while splitting time at quarterback.

Alex Figueroa, Gage Freeman and Cole Pfister have all rushed for at least 92 yards while combing for 423 rushing yards and five scores.

Four Clippers have at least 100 yards receiving led by TJ Bollers who has caught five passes for 138 yards two touchdowns and Harrison Rosenberg who has six grabs for 120 yards and two scores.

About the Indians: A 4-5 team a year ago Marion has had a tough stretch to open the season being outscored 103-26 in loss to three teams with a combined record of 8-1.

Marion has lost to top-10 teams Washington and Solon and dropped a 32-20 decision to 2-1 West Delaware.

The Indians are led by junior quarterback Wyatt Cannon (6-2, 170) who has thrown for 154 yards and a touchdown and rushed for another score.

Isaac Cechota (6-0, 185) has rushed for a team-high 60 yards and Whalen has been the top receiving threat.

Davenport Assumption (2-1) at Class 3A No. 4 Solon (3-0)

Where: Spartan Stadium, 7:30 p.m.

Last season: Solon 47, Davenport Assumption 7

Player to watch: Davenport Assumption senior quarterback Tyler Kulhanek (5-9, 160) has passed for 290 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for a team-high 338 yards and four scores.

Key stat: Solon is holding opponents to 147 total yards and 4.7 points per game and hasn’t allowed more than 190 yards of offense or seven points in a game this season.

About the Spartans: Solon has stretched its regular season winning streak to 28 with its 3-0 start to the season and has done so in dominating fashion.

The Spartans have outscored opponents 127-14 during its three stretch and is coming off a 44-0 shutout of Marion last week.

Solon has been especially impressive defensively holding opponents to 3.6 yards per play.

Senior quarterback Cam Miller has been efficient in leading the Solon offense, completing 61 percent of his passes while throwing for 625 yards and six touchdowns and rushing for a team-high 184 yards and three touchdowns.

Senior receiver AJ Coons (6-4, 210) has caught 15 passes for 321 yards and three touchdowns while Jace Andregg (6-2, 205) has eight receptions for 158 yards and two scores.

About the Knights: Davenport Assumption outscored Rock Island Alleman and Dubuque Wahlert 84-7 during a 2-0 start to the season before falling to two-time defending state champion Cedar Rapids Xavier 17-0 in week three.

It all starts for Assumption with Kulhanek who is averaging better than 209 yards of total offense per game and has accounted for seven of the Knights 12 touchdowns.

The top targets for Kulhanek have been Grant Simpson (6-2, 215) and Nathan Schlichting (5-10, 195).

Simpson has three catches for 109 yards and a touchdown while Schlichting has caught a team-high six passes for 83 yards.

Williamsburg (1-2) at Regina (2-1)

Where: Regal Field, 7 p.m.

Last season: Williamsburg 37, Regina 17

Player to watch: Williamsburg senior receiver Kaden Wetjen (5-9, 160) is a big play waiting to happen, averaging 25.9 yards per reception on nine grabs this season scoring four touchdowns. Wetjen also averages nearly 26 yards per punt return.

Key stat: After being shutout and managing 255 yards of total offense in a loss to Cedar Rapids Xavier in week one Regina has averaged 391 yards and 50.5 points in back-to-back wins.

About the Regals: Regina has bounced back nicely following a season-opening loss to two-time defending 3A champion Cedar Rapids Xavier with a pair of dominating wins.

The Regals followed up a 56-25 win over Anamosa in week two with a 45-13 win at Pella Christian last week.

It has been the Regina offense that has gotten noticed the past two weeks, putting up big numbers in the back-to-back wins but Regina has taken strides defensively during that stretch as well.

Regina has lowered its total yards, points allowed and yards per play each week. After allowing 307 yards, 35 points and 7.9 yards per play in week one the Regals trimmed those numbers to 246, 13 and 4.2 against Pella Christian.

About the Raiders: Since a season-opening win at West Marshall the Raiders have dropped back-to-back contests to highly ranked opponents.

Williamsburg fell at 3A top-ranked Western Dubuque 48-20 in week two and dropped a 39-33 contest to 1A fourth-ranked West Branch last week.

The Raiders managed just 118 yards of total offense in the loss to West Branch but Austin Burns returned two kickoffs for touchdowns and Wetjen had a 73-yard punt return that set up another score.

Junior quarterback Brody Wardenburg has thrown for 424 yards and five touchdowns with Wetjen catching nine passes for 233 yards and four scores. Bruns leads the rushing attack with 133 yards and a touchdown.

Class 1A No. 4 West Branch (3-0) at Tipton (2-1)

Where: Tipton, 7 p.m.

Last season: West Branch 56, Tipton 13

Player to watch: Tipton senior running back Austin Lenz (5-7, 145) has rushed for 261 yards and six touchdowns while averaging better than six yards per carry.

Key stat: Tipton junior Payten Elijah (5-11, 160) ranks second in the state and leads Class 2A with five interceptions.

About the Bears: West Branch survived some sloppy special teams play to improve to 3-0 with a 39-33 win over Williamsburg last week. The Bears have been impressive on defense all season, holding opponents to 137 total yards while allowing four offensive touchdowns in three games.

Junior Jeff Bowie (6-5, 250) and senior Cameron Howsare (5-11, 205) have helped the Bears hold opponents to 75 rushing yards per game while combining for 11 tackles for loss and three sacks.

West Branch took a big step forward offensively last week putting up season-highs of 390 yards and 39 points. Junior quarterback Gavin Hierseman has completed 66 percent of his passes while throwing for 443 yards and six touchdowns with senior Trey Eagle hauling in 10 passes for 227 yards and four touchdowns.

About the Tigers: Coming off a 6-3 season a year ago Tipton has opened the season with wins over North Cedar and Durant wrapped around a 36-22 week two loss at Vinton-Shellsburg.

As always, the key for the Tigers is running the ball.

Tipton has averaged 285 rushing yards in its two wins and was held to 192 yards on the ground in its loss to the Vikings.

The Tigers are averaging 305 total yards per game with 254 of those coming on the ground. Three different Tipton players have rushed for more than 176 yards led by Lenz.

Senior quarterback Blake Wilkins (6-3, 180) has rushed for 218 yards and Frank Biermann (6-4, 205) has run for 176 yards and two scores.

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