Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

Class 4A

City High (2-3) at No. 7 West High (4-0)

Where: Trojan Field, 7 p.m.

Regular Season: West High 56, City High 20

Player to Watch: West High senior quarterback Marcus Morgan (6-3, 185) has taken his game to another level this season completing 70 percent of his passes while throwing for 1,053 yards and 14 touchdowns and rushing for 152 yards and three scores.

Key Stat: In two home games this season West High is averaging 476 total yards and 52 points per game while averaging 11.6 yards per play.

About the Little Hawks: City High snapped a three-game losing skid with a 41-16 win over Ottumwa in the opening round of the 4A playoffs last week, outscoring the Bulldogs 21-2 in the second half.

The Little Hawks rushed for a season-high 328 yards in the opening-round win led by a career-high 136 yards from junior tailback Joey Bouska.

City High has had some success running the football this season, averaging 224 yards per game on the ground but has run for just 164 per game during its three losses this season.

The Little Hawks will certainly need to churn out yards on the ground against West High and will look to the trio of Bouska, senior quarterback Raph Hamilton and sophomore fullback Ben Kueter to do most of the heavy lifting.

Hamilton has rushed for team-high 364 yards and five touchdowns this season while Kueter has run for 88 yards.

In order to spring an upset in the first postseason meting between the two cross-town rivals since 2009, City High will likely need a big play or two from its junior game breaker Gable Mitchell.

Mitchell has caught 15 passes for 285 yards and three touchdowns and has also rushed for a touchdown and thrown a touchdown pass.

About the Trojans: West High earned a first-round bye after finishing the regular season with a 48-21 win over Cedar Rapids Kennedy on October 9.

One of only three remaining unbeaten teams in Class 4A, West High hasn’t had a game decided by less than 12 points while winning by an average of 25.5 per game.

West High has been impressive on both sides of the ball in its limited action this season average 41.5 points, 412 total yards and 8.5 yards per play on offense while holding opponents to 277 total yards and 16 points per game.

The Trojans have won four straight over City High, including a 56-20 win over the Little Hawks in week two of the regular season a game in which the Trojans average a season-high 11.7 yards per play.

West High senior quarterback Marcus Morgan has been among the best in the state this season completing 70 percent of his passes while averaging 263 passing yards per game and throwing 14 touchdowns with just one interception.

Five West High receivers have 100 or more yards this season led by senior Grahm Goering who has caught a team-high 16 passes for 359 yards and seven touchdowns.

Liberty High (2-2) at No. 6 Dubuque Hempstead (6-1) 

Where: Dalzell Field, 5 p.m.

Last Season: Did not play

Player to Watch: Dubuque Hempstead senior quarterback Aidan Dunne (6-0, 195) has been among the most production signal callers in 4A this season throwing for 1,247 yards and nine touchdowns and rushing for a team-leading 524 yards and 11 scores.

Key Stat: Dubuque Hempstead has scored three defensive touchdowns in seven games this season scoring on fumble returns of 48 and 87 yards and returning an interception 27 yards for a score.

About the Lightning: Liberty High enters the postseason on a high note after rallying from a 17-7 halftime deficit to defeat rival City High 28-24 in the regular season finale.

After scoring three touchdowns in its first three games Liberty High made some offensive changes before its final regular season contest going with sophomore Tye Hughes at quarterback and moving junior James McKinney to wide receiver and free safety.

The changes came with positive results in the form of a season-highs in passing yards (101), points (28) and yards per play (5.8) against the Little Hawks.

Hughes completed 7-of-11 passes for 101 yards in his first career start and ran for the go-ahead touchdown in the final seconds.

Liberty High will attempt to keep that momentum going against a Hempstead defense that is allowing just 16 points per game during its current five-game winning streak.

About the Mustangs: Dubuque Hempstead has already matched its highest win total in a decade and is seeking to advance past the opening round of the playoffs for the first time since 2010.

The Mustangs have won five straight since a 40-37 loss at Western Dubuque in week two, a stretch that includes wins over rival Dubuque Senior, Cedar Falls and Cedar Rapids Kennedy.

Hempstead has been among the top offensive teams in Class 4A this season average 35.7 points and 384 yards per game.

Dunne is the leader of the Hempstead offensive attack but is surrounded by plenty of playmakers starting with senior running backs Jalen Smith (6-0, 220) and Zach Sabers (6-3, 210).

The duo has combined to rush for 656 yards and 10 touchdowns while averaging 5.8 yards per carry.

Five different Mustangs have more than 148 receiving yards this season led by senior receiver Jackson Ostrander (5-11, 175) who has caught a team-high 30 passes for 445 yards and two scores.

Jayden Siegert has 18 receptions for 148 yards, Ty Hancock (5-11, 170) has caught 13 passes for 155 yards while Max Moldt (6-2, 190) and Sabers each had two touchdown receptions.

Class 2A

Oelwein (3-5) at No. 7 Solon (5-2)

Where: Spartan Stadium, 7 p.m.

Last season: Did not play.

Player to Watch: Oelwein senior running back Gage Voshell (6-0, 200) is averaging more than 172 yards per game on the ground, rushing for 1,378 yards and 12 touchdowns while averaging 6.4 yards per carry.

Key Stat: Voshell is averaging 271 rushing yards and has scored nine touchdowns in three Oelwein wins this season and has been held to 113 yards on the ground and three scores in five losses.

About the Spartans: Solon returns to action for the first time since defeating Center Point-Urbana 41-14 on October after receiving an opening-round bye.

The Spartans have won five straight games following an 0-2 start and is averaging 39 points and 412 total yards per game during its current winning streak.

Solon has found its stride in the running game during its five-game winning streak averaging 321 rushing yards per game over the last five games.

Senior running back Jackson Ryan leads Solon with 845 rushing yards and nine touchdowns while junior Hayden Taylor has rushed for 470 yards.

Sophomore quarterback has rushed for 491 yards and six touchdowns and has also passed for 701 yards and 11 touchdowns with just one interception.

As good as Solon has been on offense the Spartans have been perhaps even better defensively.

Solon is holding opponents to 212 total yards and 13 points per game and are allowing just 87 rushing yards per game.

Solon hasn’t allowed more than 14 points a game during its five-game winning streak and has held four of its last five opponents to under 4 yards per play.

About the Huskies: Oelwein snapped a two-game losing skid with a 42-28 win over South Tama in the Class 3A opening round last week.

The first three losses for Oelwein this season came to one-loss opponents Mount Vernon, Independence and Waukon before dropping back-to-back games to 2-6 New Hampton and 4-3 Crestwood to closes the regular season.

Oelwein got back on track with its playoff win over South Tama in which Voshell ran wild racking up 385 yards and four touchdowns on 39 carries.

Led by its workhorse senior running back the Huskies are averaging better than 242 rushing yards per game this season while averaging 4.7 yards per carry.

Junior Duncan Tripp (5-11, 160) has added 245 rushing yards and a score while senior quarterback Jacob King (5-11, 150) has passed for 275 yards and a touchdown.

Voshell is active on the defensive side of the ball as well posting 46 tackles and leading the Huskies with seven tackles and 4.5 sacks.

Class 1A

Mediapolis (6-2) at West Branch (5-2)

Where: The Little Rose Bowl, 7 p.m.

Last season: Did not play

Player to Watch: Mediapolis sophomore running back Anthony Isley (6-1, 165) has rushed for a team-high 669 yards and nine touchdowns while averaging 8.3 yards per carry.

Key Stat: Mediapolis is averaging 264 rushing yards per game in its six wins this season and is managing just 130 yards per game on the ground in its two losses.

About the Bulldogs: A historically strong program, Mediapolis has won eight or more games seven times in the previous 10 seasons but is seeking its first extended stay in the playoffs for the first time since 2013.

Mediapolis won eight regular season games each of the past two years before falling in its postseason opener. This season the Bulldogs went 5-2 and blasted Van Buren 54-6 in the opening round of the playoffs last week.

The strength for the Mediapolis is a balanced rushing attack that is averaging 230 yards per game on the ground while racking up 7.1 yards per carry.

Four different Bulldogs have rushed for more than 250 yards led by Isley and junior Kadin Salek (6-2, 180) who has 446 yards and three touchdowns while averaging 11.7 yards per carry.

Senior quarterback Regan Thornburg (6-1, 180) has rushed for 283 yards and four touchdowns and is completing 49 percent of his passes while throwing for 936 yards and 16 scores.

The top target for Thornburg has been Logan Thie (6-0, 180) who has 24 receptions for 504 yards and nine touchdowns.

Defensively the Bulldogs are among the most disruptive in the state. Mediapolis ranks second in Class 1A in both sacks (24) and tackles for loss (85.5).

Isley leads three players with double digit tackles for loss with 14.5 while sophomore Cole Lipper (6-2, 215) and senior Bryce Martin (5-10, 245) each have 10.5.

About the West Branch: The Bears closed the regular season with four consecutive wins to earn an opening-round bye in the Class 1A playoffs and return to action seeking a win in its playoff opener for the third straight season.

The key for West Branch during its late-season surge was the resurgence of the Bears’ running game led by the emergence of sophomore tailback Andy Henson.

Henson rushed for 170 yards in each of the final two regular season games and has run for 100 yards in each of the last four games.

West Branch averaged 61 yards per game on the ground during a 1-2 start to the season but has rushed for at least 200 yards in every game during its current winning streak and is averaging 220 yards per game during that stretch.

Henson has rushed for 817 yards and eight touchdowns on the season while senior quarterback Gavin Hierseman has added 157 yards and four scores after running for a season-high 79 yards in the regular season finale.

Hierseman has completed 63 percent of his passes this season while throwing for 1,232 yards and 10 touchdowns with just three interceptions.

Class A

Wapello (4-3) at No. 3 Regina (6-1)

Where: Regal Field, 7 p.m.

Regular season: Regina 43, Wapello 16

Player to Watch: Wapello junior quarterback Tade Parsons (6-2, 165) has passed for 1,267 yards and 17 touchdowns with just two interceptions and has also rushed for 64 yards and two scores.

Key Stat: Regina is averaging 479 yards of total offense and 10 yards per play in five games against Class A competition.

About the Indians: Since dropping to 1-2 on the season with a 43-16 loss to Regina in week three the Indians have won three of their last four games including a 56-6 win over Columbus in the opening round of the Class A playoffs last week.

The lone loss for Wapello in its last four games is a 52-28 loss to No. 10 Lisbon in the regular season finale.

Wapello is averaging 50.8 points per game over its last four games and has scored 49 points or more three times during that stretch.

Parsons is the leader of the Wapello offense but has found other weapons around him namely sophomore running back Jake Gustison (5-10, 165).

Gustison has rushed for 631 yards and eight touchdowns while averaging 8.1 yards per carry while Caleb Ealey (6-0, 150), Keaton McConahay (5-10, 160) and Evan Ross (5-11, 150) have combined to rush for 831 yards and nine touchdowns while averaging 10.7 yards per carry.

Caden Thomas (6-5, 195) has been the top target for Parsons in the passing game with 23 receptions for 550 yards and

About the Regals: Regina rolls into the postseason riding a six-game winning streak in which it is averaging 47.5 points and 450 total yards per game and 8.8 yards per play.

The Regals were dominant against Class A competition during the regular season winning five games against in-class opponents by an average of better than 36 points.

Regina has been at its best offensive as the postseason approached, scoring at least 47 points and racking up more than 500 yards in each of its final three games.

Senior quarterback Ashton Cook and his top target senior Alec Wick have both been among the most productive in the state this season at their position.

Cook has passed for 1,529 yards and 16 touchdowns while completing 65 percent of his passes while Wick has hauled in 39 passes for 725 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Senior running back Theo Kolie has rushed for 987 yards and 20 touchdowns while averaging 9.6 yards per carry.

Junior defensive lineman Aidan Udell and Josh Gaffey lead Regina with 40.5 and 26.5 tackles respectively.

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