Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

West High (2-1) at Davenport North (0-3)

Where: Brady Street Stadium, 7 p.m. (Thursday)

Last season: Davenport North 23, West High 10

Player to watch: Davenport North senior quarterback Nolan Mosier (6-4, 220) is completing 44 percent of his passes while throwing for 459 yards and three touchdowns and has also rushed for 77 yards and a touchdown.

Key stat: Mosier was 14-of-22 for 202 yards and a touchdown last season against West High with no interceptions.

About the Trojans: Following a season-opening loss to 5A fourth-ranked Cedar Rapids Kennedy West High has won back-to-back games over Muscatine and Dubuque Hempstead by a combined total of 46 points.

The Trojans are allowing 338 total yards and 21.3 points per game this season including 206 rushing yards per game.

The defense is led by a strong group of linebackers headlined by senior Ryne Vander Leest who has 24.5 tackles and junior Ashton Honore who has 23 tackles including 12 for loss and three sacks.

West High has been led by sophomore quarterback Jack Wallace who has passed for 575 yards and six touchdowns with just one interception.

Senior Christian Janis has been the top target for Wallace with 14 receptions for 372 yards and five touchdowns.

Devontae Morris has rushed for 157 yards and three touchdowns Honore has added 75 rushing yards and a touchdown.

About the Wildcats: After posting one season with more than two wins from 2008 to 2016 Davenport North has won at least three games each of the past five seasons with a pair of winning seasons in that stretch.

The Wildcats were 4-5 a year ago but are off to an 0-3 start following a 27-13 loss at Dubuque Senior on Friday.

Since allowing 548 yards in a season-opening loss to North Scott the Wildcats have been solid defensively allowing an average of 300 yards per game in losses to Davenport West and Dubuque Senior.

Davenport North is averaging just 11 points and 232 total yards per game this season and hasn’t cracked 300 yards of offense in a game.

Freshman Drew Sheedy leads the Wildcats with 105 rushing yards and is averaging 5.3 yards per carry.

Junior Koen Fleming (5-9, 160) has caught a team-leading nine passes for 155 yards and a touchdown and Denison Franklin (6-5, 185) has six receptions for 129 yards and a touchdown.

Junior linebacker Tate Motley (5-10, 185) leads the team with 27.5 tackles and William Taylor has 19.5 tackles including 3.5 for loss.

Class 5A No. 10 City High (2-1) at Class 5A No. 3 West Des Moines Dowling (2-1)

Where: Valley Stadium in West Des Moines, 7:30 p.m.

Last season: City High 21, West Des Moines Valley 17

Player to watch: West Des Moines Dowling senior quarterback Jaxon Smolik (6-2, 200) is a Penn State commit that has completed 53-of-78 passes for 584 yards and four touchdowns and has rushed for 68 yards and a touchdown.

Key stat: City High is averaging 9.7 yards per play through the first three games of the season and 8 yards per play over its last 15 games dating back to last season.

About the City High: Following a season-opening loss to Liberty High the Little Hawks have won back-to-back games over Cedar Rapids Jefferson and Ames by a combined score of 132-19.

City High has been explosive on offense averaging 430 total yards and 50.3 points per game.

Junior quarterback Drew Larson is completing 79 percent of his passes while passing for 766 yards and seven touchdowns with two interceptions.

Senior tailback Ronnie Major leads a group of five players with at least six receptions with nine catches for 171 yards and two touchdowns while Sam Rew has caught seven passes for 109 yards and three touchdowns.

Defensively City High is allowing 239 total yards and 18.3 points per game.

Senior linebacker Ben Kueter leads the defense with 31.5 tackles including 9.5 for loss and 3.5 sacks while Evan Lampe has 20.5 tackles.

About the Maroons: After going 87-6 while winning seven consecutive state titles from 2013 to 2019 West Des Moines Dowling has gone 15-6 over the past two seasons after a 7-4 season last year that ended with a loss to eventual state champion Southeast Polk in the 5A quarterfinals.

West Des Moines Dowling started 1-3 last season with a loss at City High before winning six in a row to reach the quarterfinals.

The Maroons lost to top-ranked Southeast Polk 38-24 in the season opener but has won back-to-back games including a 17-10 win over fifth-ranked Ankeny last Friday.

After allowing 475 yards to Southeast Polk in the opener the Maroons have given up an average of 214 total yards in wins over Waukee Northwest and Ankeny.

The Dowling offense is led by Smolik who has a strong receiving trio in Cooper Nicholson, Beau Gamble and Jalyn Thompson.

Nicholson has caught 18 passes for 304 yards and four touchdowns, Gamble has 11 receptions for 118 yards and Thompson has seven receptions for 69 yards.

Sophomore tailback Ra’Shawd Davis has rushed for 203 yards and two touchdowns and CJ Phillip has added 112 yards and two touchdowns.

Class 4A No. 9 Liberty High (2-1) at Clear Creek Amana (2-1)

Where: Clipper Field, 7 p.m.

Last season: Clear Creek Amana 31, Liberty High 30

Player to watch: Liberty High junior quarterback Graham Beckman (6-1, 193) has completed 59 percent of his passes for 716 yards and six touchdowns without an interception and has rushed for 125 yards and three scores.

Key stat: Liberty High rushed for 344 yards and averaged 6.5 yards per carry against Clear Creek Amana last season.

About the Lightning: Liberty High had a three-game winning streak that dated back to last season snapped with a 36-30 loss at Western Dubuque last Friday.
The Lightning the road for a shorter trip on Friday heading to Tiffin for a rematch with Clear Creek Amana after a 31-30 loss to the Clippers last season.

Liberty High is averaging 366 total yards and 30.3 points per game this season behind junior quarterback Graham Beckman.

Senior Trey Gregoire has rushed for 169 yards and a touchdown while sophomore Owen Drapeaux has added 89 rushing yards.

Four different Clippers have caught at least eight passes this season led by senior tight end Christian Barney who has 13 receptions for 152 yards and two touchdowns.

Garrett Gregoire has caught 12 passes for 208 yards and two touchdowns while Lucas Meyer has caught 11 passes for 159 yards and a score.

Defensively Liberty High is allowing 366 total yards and 23 points per game.

Devin Anderson leads Liberty High with 21.5 tackles while Trey Gregoire has two sacks and Amari Thigpen has picked off two passes for the Lightning.

About the Clippers: Clear Creek Amana bounced back from a heartbreaking 13-7 loss at Independence in week two with an impressive 31-6 win at Washington last week.

The defense has been the key for the Clippers holding opponents to 98 rushing yards, 169 total yards and 6.3 points per game while allowing just 3.9 yards per play.

Senior linebackers Brock Sherman (30.5 tackles0 and Nick Johnson (23.5) tackles lead the way along with sophomore Brody Clubb who has 21.5 tackles including 4.5 for loss and a sack.

Senior quarterback Jackson Schmidt leads the Clipper offense completing 68 percent of his passes for 232 yards with three touchdowns and an interception while also rushing for a team-leading 413 yards and two scores.

Junior Sam Pettinger has rushed for 179 and four touchdowns.

Andrew Schlemme (4-49), Jackson Stevens (4-52) and Reece Hoffman (4-51) have all caught four passes for Clear Creek Amana and Clubb has three receptions for 63 yards and a touchdown.

Davenport Assumption (1-2) at Solon (1-2)

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

Last season: Solon 38, Davenport Assumption 10; Solon 24, Davenport Assumption 17 (3A First Round)

Player to watch: Davenport Assumption senior running back Derrick Bass (5-9, 145) has rushed for a team-high 204 yards, has caught six passes for 54 yards and is averaging 31 yards per kickoff returning with an 85-yard touchdown return.

Key stat: Solon rushed for 235 yards and 232 yards in a pair of wins over Davenport Assumption last season.

About the Knights: Coming off a 6-4 season last year that ended with an opening-round playoff loss to Solon the Knights have gone 1-2 to open the season with three consecutive games against ranked opponents.

Since a 26-7 win over 3A No. 10 Independence in the season-opener Davenport Assumption has lost back-to-back games to 2A No. 9 Dubuque Wahlert 34-21 and 4A third-ranked North Scott 31-41.

Junior quarterback Jake Timmons (6-5, 185) leads the Davenport Assumption offense and has passed for 464 yards and three touchdowns with three interceptions while also rushing for 106 yards and a touchdown.

Bass leads the Knights in rushing and junior Angelo Jackson (6-0, 175) has added 124 yards and three touchdowns while averaging 5.2 yards per carry.

Bauer Caspers (6-2, 190) has caught a team-high eight passes for 40 yards while Cale Preston (6-1, 210) has five receptions for 155 yards and a touchdown.

Preston leads the Knights with 22 tackles including two for loss and junior Maverick Kindred (5-10, 190) has a pair of sacks.

About the Spartans: Solon has followed a similar path to a 1-2 mark as Assumption dropping back-to-back games to top-five ranked teams following a 42-0 win over West Liberty in the season opener.

After a 17-14 loss to 3A fourth-ranked Mount Vernon in week two Solon fell to 2A top-ranked Williamsburg 38-25 last week.

The Spartans have been solid defensively holding opponents to 70.7 rushing yards, 232 total yards and 18.3 points per game.

Junior linebacker Brett White leads the Spartans with 35 tackles and 4.5 tackles for loss while senior Quinton Heineman has 14 tackles and senior Austin Bell has 12.5 tackles.

Senior quarterback Blake Timmons leads a Solon offense that is averaging 320 yards and 27 points per game.

Timmons has passed for 412 yards and a touchdown and has rushed for 34 yards and four touchdowns.

White has rushed for a team-leading 272 yards and three touchdowns and senior Sean Stahle has run for 132 yards and a score.

Senior Oaken Foster has caught a team-high eight passes for 112 yards and a touchdown and Ryan Rasmussen has seven receptions for 141 yards.

Regina (2-1) at Mediapolis (3-0)

Where: Mediapolis, 7 p.m.

Last season: Regina 34, Mediapolis 0

Player to watch: Mediapolis senior tailback Anthony Isley (6-1, 190) has rushed for 597 yards and eight touchdowns while averaging 8.8 yards per carry, has a 66-yard touchdown reception and has returned a kickoff 88 yards for a touchdown.

Key stat: Mediapolis is averaging 333 rushing yards per game this season while Regina is allowing just 100 rushing yards per game.

About the Bulldogs: Mediapolis posted its fifth consecutive winning season a year ago going 5-4 and falling in the opening round of the Class 1A playoffs.

The Bulldogs started 3-0 last season before going 2-3 in 1A, District 5 play.

Mediapolis is off to a 3-0 start again this season allowing just 18 total points in wins over Wapello, Tipton and West Burlington.

A Bulldog defense that is holding opponents to 87 rushing yards and 175 total yards per game is led by junior linebacker Chett Mohr (6-2, 200) who has 24 tackles including three for loss.

Senior Levi Arnold (6-1, 170) has two sacks among five tackles for loss and junior Jackson Hutcheson (5-10, 160) has three interceptions.

Isley is the focal point of a Mediapolis offense that is averaging 411 total yards and 39 points per game.

Senior quarterback Ben Egan (5-10, 175) has passed for 234 yards and four touchdowns with Trent Hicks (6-3, 200) making four receptions for 75 yards and Cole Lipper (6-3, 225) has three receptions for 55 yards and two touchdowns.

About the Regals: Regina has followed up a 31-0 loss to 2A top-ranked Williamsburg in the opener by outscoring West Liberty and Mid-Prairie by a combined total of 84-21 in back-to-back wins.

The Regals are 4-0 against Mediapolis since 2010 with a pair of shutouts in that stretch and have scored at least 23 points in all four games.

Junior quarterback Gentry Dumont has passed for 285 yards and five touchdowns with three interceptions with junior Jackson Naeve his top target with 13 receptions for 177 yards and four scores.

A Regina defense that is allowing 183 total yards and 17.3 points per game is led by senior linebacker Ronan Poynton who has a team-leading 35.5 tackles including two for loss and a sack.

Junior Jack Clark has 15.5 tackles with three for loss and the Regals have forced 10 turnovers in three games including eight interceptions by seven different players.

Class 1A No. 4 West Branch (3-0) at Louisa-Muscatine (0-3)

Where: Letts, 7 p.m.

Last season: West Branch 51, Louisa-Muscatine 6

Player to watch: Louisa-Muscatine senior running back Chris Day (6-0, 170) has rushed for 438 yards and three touchdowns while averaging 12.9 yards per carry and has caught six passes for 53 yards and a touchdown. Day also has a team-high 24 tackles with two for loss.

Key stat: West Branch has forced six turnovers on the season (five fumbles and an interception) and returned all six for touchdowns racking up 163 return yardage.  

About the Falcons: Louisa-Muscatine is off to an 0-3 start and has lost 14 straight games dating back to 2020.

The Falcons have been outscored 125-23 in the first half this season including 72-15 in the first quarter.

Day has been the main offensive threat for Louisa-Muscatine while junior Jesse Reinier (5-9, 165) has passed for 54 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 168 yards and two scores.

On defense Louisa-Muscatine is allowing 516 total yards per game including 396 rushing yards per game and is giving up 61.7 points per game.

Day and senior Spencer Kessel (6-1, 250) lead the Falcon defense. Kessel has 13.5 tackles while Seth Barajas (5-8, 175) has two sacks.

About the Bears: West Branch has been dominant during a 3-0 start to the season outscoring opponents by a combined total of 154-33.

The Bears have taken care of business early in wins over Lisbon, Waterloo Columbus and Maquoketa Valley outscoring foes 68-7 in the first quarter and 138-24 in the first half.

Senior quarterback Tye Hughes is completing 77 percent of his passes for 396 yards and five touchdowns with one interception and has rushed for 86 yards and four touchdowns.

Andy Henson has rushed for 238 yards and five touchdowns while averaging 5.8 yards per carry and has eight receptions for 87 yards and a score.

Senior Carver Boelk leads the Bears with nine receptions for 202 yards and four touchdowns.

West Branch is holding opponents to 186.7 total yards and 11 points per game with Henson leading the defense with 19.5 tackles including 2.5 for loss.

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