Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

Back-to-back losses to open the season left City High with very little margin for error over the final seven weeks if it was to reach the Class 5A playoffs for the fourth consecutive season.

A week-five loss to Cedar Rapids Kennedy dropped City High to 2-3 on the season and dropped the margin for error to a razor think level.

Three consecutive wins later City High enters the final week of the regular season in the thick of the Class 5A playoff race.

“We know it’s survive and advance, we’ve know that for a while,” City High senior Drew Larson said. “Any game we play now could our last.”

With consecutive wins over Davenport Central, Davenport North and Linn-Mar the Little Hawks have given themselves a slight cushion in the 5A Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) standings used to determine the 16 playoff qualifiers.

City High is No. 10 in the most recent RPI rankings entering its regular season finale on Friday at third-ranked Bettendorf (7-1).

A win solidifies a playoff Spot and could push City High into a home playoff game. With a loss City High should still reach the playoffs but will have a few anxious hours.

“We’ve known since the Kennedy game that we were going to have to keep winning to keep our season going,” City High senior linebacker Sam Kueter said. “That’s the mentality we’ve had every week.”

West High (4-4) enters the final week of the regular season just outside the top 16 in the RPI standings at No. 17.

The Trojans have a true win or go home game on Friday when they host No. 13 Cedar Rapids Prairie (4-4).

A win sends West High back to the playoffs for the first time since 2020.

The Trojans had a two-game winning streak snapped with a 38-25 loss to Pleasant Valley on Friday, a game in which the Trojans led 11-10 at halftime and outgained the Spartans 290 to 282.

News and Notes

Solon Gets Run Game Going: The breakthrough for the Solon running game in a week-four win over Mount Vernon. The season-high in rushing yardage for Spartans came on Friday in a 42-6 win at Fairfield.

Solon had five players with at least 25 rushing yards on Friday and racked up a season-high 289 yards on the ground while averaging better than 8.2 yards per carry.

Sophomore Conlan Poynton rushed for 102 yards and two touchdowns, junior Eddie Johnson ran for 62 yards and senior Milo Ashbacker added 59 yards and a touchdown.

Big Night for Beckman: Liberty High senior quarterback Graham Beckman continued his stellar season with a four-touchdown performance in a 44-0 win over Waterloo West.

Beckman threw for 201 yards and four touchdowns and enters the final week of the regular season leading the state in passing yards with 2,209.

Through eight games Beckman has completed 172-of-288 passes and thrown 23 touchdown passes.

The 2,209 yards for Beckman is 16 more than Sioux City East sophomore Cal Jepsen who ranks second in the state in passing yards.

Players of the Week

Offensive player of the week: With a district title on the line Regina senior quarterback Gentry Dumont had perhaps the most efficient game of his career completing 11-of-16 passes for 122 yards and a touchdown and rushing for 72 yards and two touchdowns in a 35-0 win over previously unbeaten Wilton.

Defensive player of the week: One of the best defensive players in Class 1A West Branch senior Logan Wright had his best game of the season on Friday. Wright had a team-high nine tackles with six tackles for loss and a sack in a 42-0 win over Durant.

Special teams player of the week: City High senior place kicker Will Perrill converted on all four PAT attempts on a rain-soaked field on Friday in a 30-0 win over Linn-Mar

Helmet Stickers

Offense: West Branch sophomore quarterback Brennen Dale completed 13-of-22 passes for 208 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 64 yards and three touchdowns in a 42-0 win over Durant.

Offense: Liberty High junior running back Owen Drapeaux rushed for 33 yards and two touchdowns and caught two passes for 42 yards and a touchdown in a 44-0 win over Waterloo West.

Defense: Liberty High senior defensive lineman Dantrell Skinner had a team-high 5.5 tackles including four tackles for loss in a 44-0 win over Waterloo West.

Defense: West High senior linebacker Santana Miller had a career-high 15 tackles including 10 solo stops in a 38-25 loss to Pleasant Valley.

Defense: Regina junior defensive lineman Noah Clark had 4.5 tackles with four tackles for loss in a 35-0 win over Wilton.

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