Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

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

Where: Trojan Field, 7 p.m. W

Last season: City High 56, West High 7

Player to watch: West High sophomore quarterback Jack Wallace has passed for 786 yards and 10 touchdowns with just one interception and has also rushed for 42 yards.

Key stat: The winning team has scored 50 or more points in four of the past five Battle for the Boot games. Prior to 2017 a team had broken the 50-point mark in the series just once, when City High won 54-14 in 1984.

About the Trojans: West High has rattled off three consecutive wins following a season-opening loss to Class 5A fourth-ranked Cedar Rapids Kennedy outscoring opponents 124-43 during its three-game winning streak.

West High is holding opponents to 298 total yards, 17.8 points and 5.4 yards per play on the season.

The West High defense is led by linebackers Ashton Honore and Ryne Vander Leest who have combined for 56.5 tackles, 20 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks.

West High has forced eight turnovers in four games returning three for touchdowns.

Wallace directs a West High offense that is averaging 315 total yards and 35.8 points per game and has scored at least 40 points in three consecutive games.

Senior Davontae Morris has rushed for a team-leading 189 yards and four touchdowns while Honore has added 97 yards and a touchdown on the ground.

Christian Janis is the top receiver for West High with 19 receptions for 482 yards and seven touchdowns while sophomore Mason Woods has caught six passes for 103 yards.

About the Little Hawks: City High had a two-game winning streak snapped with a 34-0 loss to Class 5A second-ranked West Des Moines Dowling last Friday in West Des Moines.

The Little Hawks had posted back-to-back wins over Cedar Rapids Jefferson and Ames following a season-opening loss to Liberty High.

City High is holding opponents to 267 total yards, 102 rushing yards and 22.3 points per game while allowing 4.9 yards per play.

Senior linebacker Ben Kueter leads the City High defense with 42.5 tackles including 12.5 for loss and 3.5 sacks while senior Evan Lampe has 25 tackles.

The City High offense led by junior quarterback Drew Larson is averaging 395 total yards and 37.8 points per game while producing 8 yards per play.

Larson has passed for 945 yards and seven touchdowns with two interceptions and has also rushed for 112 yards and three scores.

Ronnie Major has rushed for a team-high 217 yards and five touchdowns while averaging 9 yards per carry and has also caught 10 passes for 171 yards and two scores.

Akili Mattox has caught 12 passes for 317 yards and two touchdowns and Sam Rew has 10 receptions for 133 yards and three touchdowns.

Class 4A No. 5 North Scott (3-1) at Class 4A No. 7 Liberty High (3-1)

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

Last season: North Scott 21, Liberty High 0

Player to watch: North Scott senior quarterback Kyler Gerardy (6-0, 170) has completed 77 percent of his passes this season while throwing for 630 yards and five touchdowns and has also rushed for 498 yards and five touchdowns.

Key stat: Liberty High has three players with at least 14 receptions, 170 receiving yards and two touchdowns in seniors Garrett Gregoire (14-273 4 TD), Lucas Meyer (14-222 2 TD) and Christian Barney (17-174 2 TD).

About the Lancers: Among the most successful 4A programs in the state over the last half decade the Lancers have won nine games in each of the last five seasons and won the 3A state title in 2020.

North Scott opened the season with three consecutive wins over Davenport North, Western Dubuque and Davenport Assumption before a 17-0 loss to second-ranked Cedar Rapids Xavier last week.

Even with its shutout at the hands of the Saints a week ago North Scott is still averaging 30.8 points and 427 yards of total offense per game.

Gerardy is the leader of the potent Lancer offense but has plenty of playmakers around him.

Senior Dylan Marti (6-0, 170) has rushed for 235 yards and two touchdowns and senior Drew Kilburg (5-10, 170) has rushed for 126 yards and two scores.

Marti is the top pass catcher for the Lancers with 12 receptions for 124 yards and two touchdowns as four different Lancers have caught touchdown passes.

North Scott is holding opponents to 208 yards of total offense per game this season while allowing just 98 rushing yards per game.

Seth Madden (6-0, 180) leads the Lancers with 24.5 tackles including three for loss.

About the Lightning: Liberty High bounced back from a last-second loss at Western Dubuque in week three with its best offensive performance of the season in a 55-7 win over Clear Creek Amana.

The Lightning put up season-highs in rushing yards (230), total yards (503), points (55) and yards per play (8.1) in the win at Clear Creek Amana.

Liberty High has been impressive offensively all season putting gup 400 total yards and 36.5 points per game while averaging 6.4 yards per play.

Junior quarterback Graham Beckman has passed for 970 yards and nine touchdowns without an interception and has also rushed for 150 yards and three scores.

Senior Trey Gregoire has rushed for a team-high 260 yards and three scores while sophomore Owen Drapeaux has added 147 yards and a touchdown on the ground.

Defensively the Lightning are allowing 328 total yards and 19 points per game and are led by junior Devin Anderson who has a team-high 24 points while Trey Gregoire has 20 tackles and leads the Lightning with three sacks and 5.5 tackles for loss.

Clear Creek Amana (2-2) at Oskaloosa (1-3)

Where: Oskaloosa, 7:30 p.m.

Last season: Clear Creek Amana 48, Oskaloosa 9

Player to watch: Oskaloosa junior quarterback Trevor Willett (6-3, 220) has passed for 891 yards and six touchdowns while completing 54 percent of his passes this season.

Key stat: Clear Creek Amana allowed a total of 508 yards and 19 points in its first three games combined and gave up 503 total yards and 55 points in a loss to Liberty High last week.

About the Clippers: Clear Creek Amana sits 2-2 entering district play following a 55-7 home loss to Liberty High last week.

Despite allowing 55 points and 503 total yards last week the Clippers have been solid defensively this season holding teams to 253 total yards and 18.5 points per game.

The defense has been lead by a strong group of linebackers headlined by seniors Brock Sherman and Nick Johnson.

Sherman has a team-high 35 tackles and leads the Clippers with 7.5 tackles for loss while Johnson has 28.5 stops.

Sophomore Brody Clubb has 26.5 tackles with 4.5 for loss and a sack.

Senior quarterback Jackson Schmidt has passed for 248 yards and four touchdowns and rushed for a team-high 520 yards and two scores.

Junior Sam Pettinger has rushed for 212 yards and four touchdowns and senior Reece Hoffman is the top pass catcher with five receptions for 67 yards and two touchdowns.

About the Indians: After posting four consecutive winning seasons from 2016 to 2019 the Indians are 7-14 over the past three seasons dating back to 2020.

Clear Creek Amana is responsible for two of those losses outscoring Oskaloosa 85-17 in wins in 2020 and 2021.

Oskaloosa started 4-0 last season before a loss at Clear Creek Amana started a string of five consecutive district losses to end the season.

The Indians are 1-3 with one-score losses to Ottumwa (21-20) and Keokuk (14-7) to go with a 20-3 loss to Burlington and a 28-6 win over Knoxville.

Oskaloosa has been solid defensively holding opponents to 15.3 points and 245 total yards per game.

Senior Tatum Westercamp (6-3, 175) leads the Oskaloosa defense with 34 tackles and seven tackles for loss.

Willett leads an Oskaloosa offense that is averaging 277 total yards per game.

Waylon Bolibaugh (6-1, 175) has caught a team-high 25 passes for 398 yards and three touchdowns while AJ Lawrence (6-0, 175) has 16 receptions for 218 yards and a touchdown.

Solon (2-2) at West Burlington (1-3)

Where: West Burlington, 7:30 p.m.

Last season: Solon 56, West Burlington 0

Player to watch: West Burlington junior quarterback Caden Schwenker (6-0, 160) has passed for 510 yards and five touchdowns with four interceptions and has also rushed for 201 yards and two scores.

Key stat: Solon junior running back/linebacker Brett White is 105 rushing yards per game on 9.1 yards per carry and nearly 11 tackles per game.

About the Falcons: West Burlington snapped a 13-game losing streak that dated back to 2020 with a 30-20 win at Mount Pleasant last week.

After a 4-5 season that featured a trip to the second round of the playoffs in 2020 the Falcons went 0-9 a year ago and lost consecutive games to Mid-Prairie (28-18), Fort Madison (17-6) and Mediapolis (40-12) to open the season.

West Burlington is allowing 333 total yards per game this season including 198 yards per game on the ground.

The Falcon defense is led by senior Hayden Vandenberg (6-0, 190) who has a team-high 29 tackles including nine for loss.

Schwenker leads a Falcon offense that is putting up 338 total yards and 16.5 points per game.

Senior Travain Donaldson (5-10, 175) has rushed for a team-high 523 yards and three touchdowns while averaging 9 yards per carry and has caught 15 passes for 128 yards and a touchdown.

About the Spartans: Solon snapped a two-game losing skid with an emphatic 35-10 win over Davenport Assumption last week.

The Spartans rushed for a season-high 256 yards in the win over the Knights and are averaging 245 yards per game in two wins this season against just 144.5 rushing yards in their two losses.

Senior quarterback Blake Timmons leads a Solon offense that is putting up 334 total yards and 29 points per game this season while averaging 5.6 yards per play.

Timmons has passed for 533 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 125 yards and five scores.

The top target for Timmons has been senior Oaken Foster who has caught 12 passes for 166 yards and two touchdowns while Ryan Rasmussen has seven receptions for 141 yards and Cole Buffington has caught five passes for 98 yards.

On defense Solon is holding opponents to 232 total yards and 16.3 points per game while allowing just 3.8 yards per play.

White leads the Spartans in tackles while senior Quinton Heineman is second on the team with 21 tackles and junior Ben Kampman has four sacks among five tackles for loss.

Wilton (3-1) at Regina (2-2)

Where: Regal Field, 7 p.m.

Last season: Regina 35, Wilton 7

Player to watch: Wilton sophomore quarterback Drew Keith (6-0, 170) has completed 61 percent of his passes while throwing for 394 yards and four touchdowns and has also rushed for 314 yards and three touchdowns.

Key stat: Wilton allowed an average of 55 rushing yards per game during three consecutive wins to open the season before giving up 290 rushing yards in a 28-8 loss to Durant last week.

About the Beavers: Wilton outscored opponents 113-33 during a 3-0 start to the season before falling to Durant 28-8 in its district opener last week.

The Beavers started 4-0 a year ago before finishing 5-3 to post its highest win total since an eight-win season in 2018.

Keith leads a Wilton offense that is averaging 334 total yards and 30.3 points per game this season.

Sophomore running back Owen Hassell (5-8, 155) has rushed for a team-high 443 yards and six touchdowns while averaging 6.1 yards per carry and has also caught seven passes for 99 yards.

Junior Landyn Putman (6-3, 175) has been the top target for Keith this season with 12 receptions for 96 yards while Cade Souhrada (5-10, 160) has caught eight passes for 141 yards and three touchdowns.

Senior lineman Alex Kaufmann (6-0, 255) leads Wilton with 21.5 tackles and has a team-high seven tackles for loss while sophomore Damian Pestle (5-8, 165) has 3.5 sacks.

About the Regals: Regina had a two-game winning streak snapped with a 17-7 loss at Mediapolis last Friday in its Class 1A, District 5 opener.

The Regals have been solid defensively this season holding opponents to 202 total yards and 17.3 points per game and have limited teams to 132.3 rushing yards per contest.

Regina will look to gets it offense rolling after being limited to 226 total yards in the loss to Mediapolis last week.

Junior quarterback Gentry Dumont has passed for 395 yards and five touchdowns with junior Jackson Naeve his top target with 15 receptions for 206 yards and four touchdowns.

Regina has been excellent at taking the ball away this season forcing 10 turnovers in four games including eight interceptions with seven different Regals picking off a pass.

Class 1A No. 7 Mediapolis (4-0) at Class 1A No. 2 West Branch (4-0)

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

Last season: West Branch 24, Mediapolis 21

Player to watch: Mediapolis senior running back Anthony Isley (6-1, 190) has rushed for 756 yards and nine touchdowns while averaging 8.4 yards per carry, has caught a 66-yard touchdown pass and returned a kickoff 88 yards for a score.

Key stat: A Mediapolis rushing attack that is averaging 307 yards per game on 7.8 yards per carry faces a West Branch defense that is holding opponents to 56.5 rushing yards per game and 1.9 yards per carry.

About the Bulldogs: Mediapolis continued its strong start to the season with a 17-7 win over Regina last Friday in its District 5 opener.

The Bulldogs have relied on a stingy defense and strong running game during a 4-0 start in which they have outscored opponents by a total of 134-25.

Mediapolis is allowing 187.5 total yards, 94.5 rushing yards and 6.3 points per game this season and hasn’t give up more than 12 points in a game.

Junior Chett Mohr (6-2, 200) leads Mediapolis with 34 tackles including 5.5 for loss and junior Jackson Hutcheson (5-10, 160) has made 14 tackles and picked off three passes.

Offensively the Bulldogs are averaging 373 total yards per game with 307 of those yards coming on the ground.

Isley is the main threat in the Bulldog running game while sophomore Noah Schmidgall (5-10, 155) has rushed for 169 yards and senior quarterback Ben Egan (5-10, 165) has rushed for 151 yards and three touchdowns.

Egan has passed for 265 yards and five scores with Aedin Nelson (5-10, 175) catching four passes for 61 yards and two scores and Cole Lipper (6-3, 225) making three receptions for 55 yards and two touchdowns.

About the Bears: West Branch meets Mediapolis for the third consecutive season after splitting a pair of games with the Bulldogs over the past two years.

Mediapolis won 20-13 in a Class 1A playoff game at the Little Rose Bowl in 2020 and the Bears won a 24-21 contest in Mediapolis last season.

West Branch has been among the most impressive teams in 1A this season outscoring opponents 240-33 during its unbeaten start.

Senior quarterback Tye Hughes directs a balanced West Branch offense that is averaging 186 rushing yards ands 116 passing yards per game while putting up 60 points per contest.

Hughes has passed for 424 yards and six touchdowns with just one interception with senior Carver Boelk catching a team-leading nine passes for 202 yards and four scores.

Senior Andy Henson has rushed for 405 yards and 11 touchdowns and has eight receptions for 87 yards and a touchdown.

Defensively West Branch is holding opponents to 147.5 total yards and 8.3 points per game while forcing nine turnovers and returning seven for touchdowns.

Henson has a team-high 20.5 tackles while Quintyn Rocha has two sacks and Logan Wright has 1.5 sacks.

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