Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

Class 1A

No. 1 West Branch (11-0) vs. No. 2 Van Meter (10-1)  

Where: UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls

When: Friday, 10 a.m.

Last season: Did not play

Player to watch: Van Meter junior running back Ben Gordon (5-11, 180) has rushed for 1,471 yards and 26 touchdowns while averaging 8.7 yards per carry. Gordon has also caught eight passes for 84 yards and two touchdowns.

Key stat: Van Meter hasn’t allowed a point in three postseason wins outscoring postseason competition 136-0 and has outscored opponents 331-48 during a current eight-game postseason winning streak that dates back to last season.

About the Bulldogs: Defending 1A state champion Van Meter is making its eighth consecutive state semifinal appearance and owns an 82-6 record over the past eight seasons.

The Bulldogs have won nine consecutive games since an 18-13 loss to Class 2A top-ranked Williamsburg in week two and have outscored opponents 454-27 during their current nine-game winning streak.

Van Meter has posted four consecutive shutouts and hasn’t allowed a point to an opponent since week seven.

The Bulldogs have posted shutouts in six of their previous seven games, have allowed a total of 10 points over their last eight games and are giving up less than five points per game (4.6) this season.

Van Meter is led on defense by senior Michael Banks (6-0, 200) who has a team-high 48.5 tackles and leads the Bulldogs with 16.5 tackles for loss and six sacks.

Junior Porter Doggett (6-0, 180) has 43.5 tackles with eight for loss and junior Teddy Sieck (6-0, 185) has 40 tackles including seven for loss.

A Van Meter offense that is averaging 45.6 points and 357 total yards per game while averaging 8.4 yards per play is led by senior quarterback Ben Gilliland (6-0, 195).

Gilliland has completed 67 percent of his passes while throwing for 1,058 yards and 20 touchdowns with just four interceptions and has rushed for 746 yards and nine touchdowns.

Gordon has rushed for a team-high 1,471 yards and 26 touchdowns while sophomore Garrett Cole (5-9, 145) has added 246 rushing yards.

Senior Will Gordon (6-2, 190) is the top receiving threat with 18 receptions for 350 yards and four touchdowns while Aydn Netten (6-3, 180) has caught 14 passes for 191 yards and two touchdowns.

Senior Carter Durflinger (6-0, 180) is a threat across the field, catching 13 passes for 152 yards and seven touchdowns, rushing for 49 yards and two touchdowns and returning three punts for touchdowns while averaging 22.4 yards per punt return.

About the Bears: West Branch returned to the UNI-Dome for the first time since 2011 with a 27-24 come-from-behind win over eighth-ranked MFL Mar Mac in the quarterfinals.

The Bears have been among the most impressive teams in Class 1A this season outscoring opponents 497-104 while posting four shutouts.

West Branch has been impressive defensively this season holding opponents to 9.5 points and 165.2 total yards per game while allowing just 3.9 yards per play.

The Bears have been especially stingy against the run holding opponents to 82.9 yards per game on the ground and just 3.1 yards per carry.

Senior linebacker Andy Henson (6-2, 215) has a team-high 60.5 tackles with nine for loss while junior defensive lineman Logan Wright (6-2, 230) has 32.5 tackles with a team-high 17 tackles for loss including six sacks.

Junior Reese Trepanier (6-1, 210) has 38 tackles with nine for loss.

Senior defensive backs Kinnick Boelk (5-10, 175) and Carver Boelk (5-10, 170) have combined for 75.5 tackles and six interceptions.

West Branch has been balanced offensively while averaging 45.2 points and 345 total yards per game.

The Bears are averaging 219.6 rushing yards per game and 125.5 yards through the air.

Senior quarterback Tye Hughes (6-3, 185) has completed 66 percent of his passes while throwing for 1,318 yards and 12 touchdowns with just two interceptions.

Hughes has also rushed for 483 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Henson has been the lead back for the Bears, rushing for 1,432 yards and 30 touchdowns while averaging 7.1 yards per carry.

The Boelks have been the top receiving options for Hughes.

Kinnick Boelk has a team-high 28 receptions for 202 yards and two touchdowns while Carver Boelk has caught 23 passes for a team-leading 476 yards and six touchdowns.

Junior Trenton Schutte (6-0, 175) has caught 18 passes for 239 yards and a touchdown.

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