Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

No. 10 City High (6-3) at No. 7 Johnston (6-3)

When: Friday, 7 p.m.

Where: Johnston High School   

The intensity ticks up a notch this week with playoffs getting underway for the three largest classes across the state.

Last week the smaller classes started postseason play but this week all seven classes in Iowa are down to 16 teams.

Spots in the quarterfinals are on the line on Friday and teams are just two wins away from a coveted spot in the state semifinals in the UNI-Dome.

City High is seeking a second consecutive trip to Cedar Falls and opens the postseason against a central Iowa team for the second year in a row.

Last season City High defeated CIML member Urbandale in a 5A opening-round contest at Bates Field on its way to its first semifinal appearance since 2010.

On Friday the Little Hawks head west on I-80 to take on Johnston in one of the top opening-round matchups in 5A.

Here is a quick look at the Your Prep Sports Round of 16 game of the week between No. 10 City High and seventh-ranked Johnston.

Players to Watch

City High – Ben Kueter  

It’s simple. In the biggest games the best players need to come up big.

This is the biggest game of the season for City High and there may not be a better player in the state than Kueter.

A 6-foot-2, 225-pound Iowa recruit, Kueter has been dominant on both sides of the ball this season.

Kueter ranks third in 5A with 87 tackles, is fourth with 23 tackles for loss and ranks fifth with seven sacks from his linebacker spot.

On offense Kueter has done a little bit of everything scoring touchdowns on receptions, runs and passes.

Kueter has rushed for 415 yards and five touchdowns while averaging 8.6 yards per carry and has 15 receptions for 250 yards and three touchdowns and has also thrown a 12-yard touchdown pass.

Expect a heavy dose of Kueter in all areas on Friday as City High seeks a return trip to the 5A quarterfinals.

Johnston – Aidan George

A stingy defense is a big reason why Johnston is hosting a home playoff game this season and perhaps no player has had a better season for the Johnston defense than George.

The 6-foot-3, 230-pound senior defensive end has been a stalwart up front for the Dragons this season ranking fourth on the team with 40 tackles and leads the Dragons with  14.5 tackles for loss and is tied for the most sacks in 5A with 9.5

George has been among the most productive defensive lineman in Class 5A the past two seasons amassing 71 tackles 17 sacks and 25 tackles for loss.

Look for George and his teammate JT Freeman at the other defensive end spot to be keys for the Dragons in slowing a potent City High passing attack that is ranks third in 5A with 268 yards per game through the air and has a 5A-best 33 touchdown passes.

Keys to the Game

City High – Handle Business Up Front  

A reworked City High offensive line has come a long way from the start of the season.

The Little Hawks will face another major test on Friday in a Johnston front led by defensive ends George and Freeman.

City High can have success in the passing game on Friday.

The Little Hawks have a dynamic quarterback in Drew Larson, Quinton Tran has been excellent the last three weeks filling in when Larson was injured and City High has a slew of talented receivers led by dynamic senior Akili Mattox who is averaging 21.5 yards per reception.

Johnson is allowing 161 passing yards per game on the season and has allowed more than 200 yards through the air four times.

The key for City High offensively on Friday will be giving its quarterbacks time to operate in passing situations against an aggressive Johnston defense that leads Class 5A with 29 sacks.

Johnston – Find a Balance       

The Dragons are a pass-first offense and it works.

Sophomore quarterback Will Nuss has been efficient throwing for 1,573 yards and 16 touchdowns in eight games.

Nuss has taken care of the ball throwing just three interceptions keeping the Dragons in good situations.

That plan isn’t likely to change on Friday.

What would be a big boost to Johnston would be some juice in the running game.

Johnston is averaging just 58 yards per game on the ground this season while getting just 2.5 yards per carry.

The Dragons have seen an uptick in production on the ground of late producing its top two rushing efforts of the season in wins over Cedar Rapids Kennedy and Ames to close the regular season.

In its current three-game win streak Johnston is averaging 95 yards per game on the ground.

The Dragons don’t need to run a ton of yards on Friday to get a win but against a City High defense that loves to get after the quarterback establishing some sort of a run game could be a huge lift for Johnston offense averaging 21.1 points per game.

Both teams – Start Fast, Finish Strong  

Neither City High or Johnston has scored an offensive point in the first quarter of a game it lost this season.

City high was outscored 37-0 in the opening quarter in losses to Liberty High, West Des Moines Dowling and Pleasant Valley.

Johnston has been outscored 14-2 in the opening 12 minutes of losses to Cedar Falls, West Des Moines Dowling and Waukee Northwest.

Games aren’t won in the first quarter but if either side can get an early lead and some quick momentum on Friday it would certainly be advantageous in what expects to be a close game.

While both teams have struggled to put up points early in losses this season the same struggles have been evident late.

City High has scored seven fourth-quarter points in three losses this season and the Dragons have been outscored 21-7 in the fourth quarter of losses.

This game expects to come down to the fourth quarter so a late score or an early lead could prove to be the difference.

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