Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

City High (5-3) at Bettendorf (7-1)

Where: TouVelle Stadium, 7 p.m.

Last season: Did not play

Player to watch: Bettendorf senior quarterback Charlie Zimmerman (5-11, 175) has completed 52 percent of his passes while throwing for 878 yards and eight touchdowns and has rushed for 428 yards and six touchdowns.

Key stat: City High is allowing 78 rushing yards per game and 2.6 yards per carry in its five wins this season and has given up 295 rushing yards and 5.8 yards per carry in its three losses.

About the Little Hawks: City High has won three straight games following a 2-3 start to the season to put itself in the thick of the 5A postseason race entering the final week of the regular season.

The Little Hawks are 10^th in latest 5A Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) standings, well inside the cutoff to earn a playoff berth and could potentially be in line to host a playoff game with a win over Bettendorf in the regular season finale.

Following a 61-34 loss to Cedar Rapids Kennedy in week five City High has outscored opponents 138-13 in three consecutive wins.

City High has posted two shutouts and is allowing just 187 total yards per game during its current three-game winning streak.

Senior defensive back Jake Mitchell (5-5, 135) leads City High with 56 tackles including seven for loss and senior linebacker Sam Kueter (6-4, 200) has 47.5 tackles with three for loss.

Senior defensive end Dax Judge (6-2, 200) leads the Little Hawks with 10 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks.

City High is averaging 34 points and 429.5 total yards per game on offense behind junior quarterback Bobby Bacon (6-1, 165).

Bacon has passed for 1,551 yards and 13 touchdowns with six interceptions with senior Carsen Newton (5-7, 140) leading the Little Hawks with 40 receptions for 445 yards.

Senior Jeremiah Madlock (6-0, 175) has caught 23 passes for 603 yards and four touchdowns.

Miles Parlet (5-9, 185) has rushed for at least 100 yards in five of the previous six games and leads the Little Hawks with 1,177 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns.

About the Bulldogs: Bettendorf has bounced back strong from a rare 3-6 season last fall and is once again in the conversation as one of the top teams in Eastern Iowa.

The Bulldogs have outscored Davenport Central and Cedar Rapids Prairie by a combined 98-8 in consecutive wins following their lone loss of the season, a 34-14 setback at Cedar Rapids Kennedy in week six.

Bettendorf has been among the best defensive teams in 5A this season allowing more than 10 points twice in eight games.

The Bulldogs are giving up 10.4 points and 240 total yards per game while allowing just 110 rushing yards per contest.

Bettendorf has forced 18 turnovers in eight games with junior Jackson Laver (6-1, 180) leading the way with five interceptions.

Junior Sam Beecher (5-8, 205) has a team-high 43.5 tackles for the Bulldogs including 4.5 for loss and senior defensive lineman Aiden Lee (5-10, 220) has 27.5 tackles and leads Bettendorf with 11.5 tackles for loss and five sacks.

The Bettendorf offense led by Zimmerman is averaging 38.5 points and 343 total yards per game.

Bettendorf has three players with more than 400 rushing yards and averages 225 rushing yards per game.

Senior Gavin Barta (5-8, 180) has rushed for a team-high 466 yards and nine touchdowns while junior Jacob Whipple (5-11, 170) has rushed for 437 yards and seven touchdowns.

Senior Jake Schulz (6-2, 235) is the top pass catcher with 21 receptions for 462 yards and six touchdowns.

Cedar Rapids Prairie (4-4) at West High (4-4)

Where: Trojan Field, 7 p.m.

Last season: Cedar Rapids Prairie 49, West High 28

Player to watch: Cedar Rapids Prairie senior running back Casey Kelley (5-10, 160) has rushed for 959 yards and 10 touchdowns while averaging 6.3 yards per carry and has 14 receptions for 190 yards and a touchdown.

Key stat: West High averaged 105 rushing yards per game and 3.3 yards per carry and scored seven rushing touchdowns during a 2-3 start to the season. In its past three games West High is averaging 242 rushing yards per game, 7.3 yards per carry and has 12 rushing touchdowns.

About the Trojans: West High enters the regular season finale No. 17 in the 5A RPI standings and in a need of a win to secure a spot in the postseason.

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

West High enters Friday averaging 31.3 points and 328 total yards per game including 156 rushing yards per game.

Junior quarterback Jack Wallace (6-3, 210) has passed for 1,349 yards and 10 touchdowns with eight interceptions and has rushed for 152 yards and five touchdowns.

Butali Butali (5-8, 155) leads West High with 426 rushing yards and two touchdowns and Ashton Honore (6-0, 230) has rushed for 232 yards and five touchdowns.

Mason Woods (6-2, 200) leads the team with 26 receptions for 424 yards and three touchdowns and Izaiah Loveless (5-11, 165) has caught 22 passes for 498 yards and five touchdowns.

Defensively West High has been solid, holding teams to 24.5 points and 320 total yards per game.

After giving up more than 6.2 yards per play during a 2-3 start to the season the Trojans have cut that number to 3.8 yards per snap while winning two of their last three games.

West High has forced 18 turnovers this season with sophomore Adrian DeWaard (5-10, 150) leading the way with three interceptions.

Senior linebacker Santana Miller (5-11, 205) leads the team with 65 tackles while Declan Bunn (5-10, 180) has 50 tackles with 5.5 for loss.

Honore has 34.5 tackles with eight tackles for loss and three sacks.

About the Hawks: Few teams in Class 5A have faced a more difficult schedule that Cedar Rapids Prairie which has lost four games to teams currently in the top-eight in the 5A RPI standings with a combined record of 27-5.

The Hawks are coming off a 35-8 home loss to Bettendorf last week and currently sit 13^th in the 5A RPI standings as they attempt to earn a playoff berth under first-year head coach Kyle Knock.

Cedar Rapids Prairie is led offensively by senior Will Phillips (6-4, 185) who has completed 62 percent of his passes (97-of-157) while throwing for 1,444 yards and 11 touchdowns with nine interceptions.

Senior Apollo Payne (6-3, 195) has been among the most productive pass catchers in 5A this season with 42 receptions for 803 yards and eight touchdowns while junior Denzil Green (6-2, 190) has 20 receptions for 256 yards and two touchdowns.

The Hawks are averaging 25.9 points and 341 total yards per game while averaging better than 6.8 yards per play.

Defensively Cedar Rapids Prairie is allowing 23.6 points and 299 total yards per game while giving up 5.4 yards per play.

Senior Collin Velky (5-11, 210) leads Prairie with 73 tackles including a team-high 18.5 for loss while Wyatt Vlasek (5-11, 180) has 61.5 tackles with 11 for loss.

Junior Quinton Alexander (5-11, 195) has 45.5 tackles with 14.5 for loss and leads the team with three sacks.

Cedar Rapids Jefferson (4-4) at Liberty High (3-5)

Where: Liberty Stadium, 7:15 p.m.

Last season: Did not play

Player to watch: Cedar Rapids Jefferson junior running back Ishara Kalolero (5-9, 185) has rushed for 717 yards and nine touchdowns and is averaging 7.8 yards per carry. Kalolero has also caught seven passes for 46 yards.

Key stat: Liberty High senior quarterback Graham Beckman (6-1, 194) leads the state with 2,209 passing yards this season and has passed for 4,973 yards and 54 touchdowns in his career.

About the Lightning: Liberty High got back on track last week following a loss at Ankeny in week seven with a 44-0 win over Waterloo West.

Last week’s win was the first shutout of the season for Liberty High and the first for the Lightning since blanking Fort Madison in week seven of last season.

Liberty High will look to finish 4-1 at home this season with a win over Cedar Rapids Jefferson and has won nine of its last 11 games at Liberty Stadium dating back to last year.

The Lightning have been effectively offensively behind Beckman averaging 35.3 points and 429 total yards per game and 6.2 yards per play.

Juniors Dallas Miller (5-10, 160) and Sutton Koller (5-11, 165) have been the top targets for Beckman in the passing game.

Miller has 55 receptions for 683 yards and 10 touchdowns and Koller has caught 55 passes for 717 yards and seven touchdowns and has rushed for 330 yards and seven touchdowns.

Junior Owen Drapeaux (6-1, 196) has rushed for a team-high 506 yards and five touchdowns.

Senior linebacker Gavin Benton (5-11, 90) leads Liberty High with 51.5 tackles including 14 for loss and Devin Anderson (5-11, 200) has 41.5 tackles with 6.5 for loss.

Senior defensive lineman Dantrell Skinner (6-0, 210) has 35 tackles and leads the Lightning with 16 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks.

About the J-Hawks: Cedar Rapids Jefferson opened the season 4-0 but has lost four in a row after falling to Davenport Central 6-3 last Friday at Brady Street Stadium.

The season has been a success for the J-Hawks who snapped a 26-game losing skid that dated back to 2020 and can end on a high note with a road win on Friday.

Cedar Rapids Jefferson averaged 42.5 points per game during its 4-0 start to the season but has been held to 5.8 points per game during its current four-game losing streak.

Senior quarterback Jeremiah Peiffer (6-0, 180) has completed 50-of-101 passes for 676 yards and four touchdowns with five interceptions and has rushed for three touchdowns.

Kalolero is the top option on offense for the J-Hawks while sophomore LJ Nyenow Jr. (6-2, 190) has 23 receptions for 428 yards and three touchdowns.

Junior LJ Elophe (5-10, 200) leads Jefferson with 38.5 tackles including seven for loss and senior Sherman Hopkins III (6-0, 265) has 37 tackles including a team-high 11 tackles for loss.

Anthony Snodey III (6-1, 215) has 10 tackles for loss and a team-high 5.5 sacks for the J-Hawks.

South Tama (0-8) at Solon (7-1)

Where: Spartan Stadium, 7 p.m.

Last season: Did not play

Player to watch: South Tama senior Gavin Bridgewater (6-2, 225) has rushed for a team-high 182 yards and two touchdowns, caught nine passes for 36 yards and leads the Trojans with 48.5 tackles and two sacks.

Key stat: Solon is currently second in the Class 3A RPI standings trailing on Creston (8-0).

About the Spartans: Solon extended its winning streak to seven with a 42-6 win at Fairfield last week and has outscored opponents by an average of 19.2 points per game during the winning streak.

The Spartans have been excellent on defense all season holding opponents to 12.9 points and 258 total yards per game.

Solon is allowing just 9.9 points per game during its current seven-game winning streak and hasn’t allowed more than 20 points in a game since a 34-7 season-opening loss to Davenport Assumption.

Senior linebacker Brett White (6-0, 210) leads the Spartans with 81 tackles including 18.5 for loss with three sacks and senior Jack McCarty (5-10, 175) has 34.5 tackles with three tackles for loss.

Solon is averaging 26.4 points and 273 total yards per game on offense including 170 rushing yards per game.

Junior quarterback Ty Bell (6-1, 180) has passed for 778 yards and seven touchdowns with five interceptions and has rushed for a touchdown.

Sophomore Conlan Poynton (5-10, 175) has rushed for a team-high 603 yards and seven touchdowns and Eddie Johnson (6-1, 205) has rushed for 248 yards and three touchdowns.

Senior Nash Kotar (6-1, 185) is the top pass catcher for the Spartans with 15 receptions for 198 yards and two touchdowns.

About the Trojans: South Tama has lost 15 straight games dating back to last season after falling to Benton Community 74-0 last Friday in Van Horne.

The Trojans have been shutout three times this season and are averaging 4.2 points and 109 yards of total offense per game.

Senior quarterback Daniel Wiese (6-0, 195) has completed 42-of-91 passes for 334 yards and two touchdowns with six interceptions and has rushed for 87 yards.

Junior Cody Blocker (5-10, 175) has rushed for 171 yards and freshman Emerson Bridgewater (6-3, 190) has rushed for a touchdown.

Senior Jeramy Dolash (6-2, 200) is the top pass catcher for the Trojans with 19 receptions for 203 yards and junior Kinzer Jaennette (6-0, 180) has eight receptions for 58 yards and a touchdown.

Kyan McBride (6-1, 235) has 43.5 tackles with three for loss and Jaennette (X) has 35 stops with four for loss.

Clear Creek Amana (2-6) at Clinton (0-8)

Where: Coan Field, 7:30 p.m.

Last season: Did not play

Player to watch: Clinton senior Collin Fullick (5-4, 168) has rushed for a team-high 494 yards and two touchdowns and has caught eight passes for 104 yards.

Key stat: Clear Creek Amana senior tailback Jackson Stevens has rushed for 872 yards leaving him 128 yards short of reaching 1,000 for the season.

About the Clippers: Clear Creek Amana has dropped back-to-back games to North Scott and Cedar Rapids Xavier and will attempt to end the season on a high note with a win in the regular season finale.

The Clippers enter Friday’s finale averaging 16.6 points and 250 total yards per game.

Senior quarterback Quinton Tran (5-9, 165) has completed 66-of-132 passes for 808 yards with four touchdowns and five interceptions.

Owen Rosenberg (6-2, 180) has been the top target for Tran with 25 receptions for 303 yards and a touchdown and senior Haiden Hardy (6-2, 165) has caught 14 passes for 166 yards.

Stevens has been the offensive spark for the Clippers rushing for 872 yards and 10 touchdowns and catching 12 passes for 113 yards and two touchdowns.

Clear Creek Amana has been solid defensively all season holding opponents to 25.8 points and 292 total yards per game.

Junior Ben Haughey (5-10, 175) leads the Clippers with 49 tackles with four for loss and Stevens has 47.5 tackles with six for loss.

Trace Robertson (6-0, 170) has made 35 tackles with four for loss and Zach Vance (6-1, 225) has 34.5 tackles with 6.5 for loss.

About the River Kings: Clinton dropped to 0-8 on the season with a 55-0 loss to North Scott last week and has now lost nine straight games dating back to last season.

The River Kings have been shutout three times this season and are averaging 9.2 points and 161.5 total yards per game.

Junior Ayden Wiebers (5-11, 187) has completed 54-of-126 passes while throwing for 490 yards and four touchdowns with 14 interceptions.

Senior JhiKeith McGraw (6-1, 175) has been the top pass catcher for Clinton with 21 receptions for 234 yards and two touchdowns and senior Kinnick Belitz (6-1, 223) has caught 14 passes for 104 yards and three touchdowns.

A Clinton defense that is allowing 38.8 points per game is led by Ethan Bentley (5-10, 189) who leads the River Kings with 29 tackles with 5.5 for loss.

Ben Brown (6-2, 236) has 28 tackles including a team-high 9.5 tackles for loss.

Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont (3-5) at No. 5 Regina (7-1)

Where: Regal Field, 7 p.m.

Last season: Did not play

Player to watch: Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont senior running back Landon Glosser (6-0, 165) has rushed for 717 yards and seven touchdowns and has caught seven passes for 183 yards and a touchdown.

Key stat: Regina hasn’t allowed more than 279 yards of total offense in a game this season and is holding opponents to 198 total yards per game.

About the Regals: Regina secured the top spot in Class 1A, District 5 with a 35-0 win over previously unbeaten Wilton in the regular season finale.

The Regals closed the season by outscoring Dyersville Beckman and Wilton 83-21 in consecutive wins following a week-six loss to West Branch.

Regina enters the postseason averaging 42.3 points and 375 total yards per game and is averaging 8.9 yards per play on the season.

Senior quarterback Gentry Dumont (6-2, 205) has passed for 1,813 yards with 21 touchdowns and three interceptions and has rushed for 123 yards and three touchdowns.

Junior Williams Aitchison (5-9, 175) has rushed for a team-high 438 yards and six touchdowns and Jackson Naeve (6-1, 180) has rushed for 273 yards and six touchdowns.

Naeve has caught 32 passes for 748 yards and 10 touchdowns while senior Ty Joss (6-0, 175) has 20 receptions for 435 yards and eight touchdowns.

Regina has been stellar defensively holding opponents to 12.5 points per game.

Junior Leren Fernandez (5-10, 180) leads the team with 34 tackles and senior Jack Clark (6-2, 215) has 33.5 tackles with seven tackles for loss and five sacks.

Ian Udell (6-0, 210) has 29 tackles with seven tackles for loss and Drew Streb (6-2, 235) has nine tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks.

About the Rockets: Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont earned a playoff spot with a fourth-place finish in District 6.

The Rockets won three of four following back-to-back losses to open the season but were outscored 97-12 in consecutive losses to Sigourney-Keota and Pleasantville to close the regular season.

Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont averages 22.3 points and 275 total yards per game on offense behind senior quarterback Russell McCrea (6-0, 165) who has passed for 606 yards and five touchdowns with 12 interceptions and rushed for 337 yards and five touchdowns.

Brooks Moore (6-5, 200) has been the top target for McCrea with 15 receptions for 346 yards and five touchdowns.

The Rockets are led on defense by senior Blake Jager (5-9, 205) with 50 tackles including 11 for loss.

Freshman Dalton Brinegar (5-10, 155) has 26 tackles and senior Brady Belcher (6-0, 185) has 26 tackles for the Rockets.

Pleasantville (5-3) at West Branch (5-3)

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

Last season: Did not play

Player to watch: Pleasantville senior running back Caleb Cook (5-10, 155) has rushed for 1,088 yards and 18 touchdowns while averaging 8 yards per carry and has caught 11 passes for 176 yards and two touchdowns. Cook also has a team-high 37 tackles.

Key stat: The last playoff victory for Pleasantville was a 32-13 win over West Branch in the opening round of the 2017 playoffs.

About the Bears: West Branch bounced back from a 21-17 road loss at Wilton in week seven with a 42-0 win over Durant in its regular season finale to secure the runner-up spot in Class District 5.

The shutout last week was the second of the season for the West Branch defense which is holding opponents to 14.4 points and 255 total yards per game.

West Branch is allowing just 4.9 yards per play and have held four of eight opponents to under 4 yards per play this season.

Senior Shae Farmer (6-1, 175) leads West Branch with 42 tackles while senior Reese Trepanier (6-1, 210) has 34.5 tackles with 2.5 for loss.

Senior defensive lineman Logan Wright (6-3, 235) has 32 tackles with a team-high 17 tackles for loss and sophomore Cooper Gates (5-11, 185) has a team-high three sacks.

Junior quarterback Brennen Dale (6-0, 175) has passed for 820 yards and seven touchdowns and has rushed for 235 yards and nine touchdowns.

Senior Cale Seydel (5-10, 165) has been the top target in the passing game with 21 receptions for 206 yards and two touchdowns and Trenton Schutte (6-0, 185) has caught 14 passes for 153 yards and a touchdown.

About the Trojans: Pleasantville snapped a string of back-to-back 4-5 seasons and returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2020 this fall with a third-place finish in District 6.

The Trojans lost three straight games to playoff qualifiers Lynnville-Sully, Pella Christian and Sigourney-Keota but rebounded by posting three consecutive shutouts in its final three games.

Pleasantville outscored Colfax-Mingo, Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont and Cardinal by a combined total of 133-0 in its final three games to secure a playoff spot.

Pleasantville is averaging 32.2 points and 346 total yards per game this season led by Cook who has accounted for 20 of the Trojans 39 touchdowns this season.

Senior Ryder Thill (6-1, 175) and freshman Braylon Bingham (6-2, 165) have both spent time at quarterback this season. Thill has passed for 556 yards and five touchdowns and rushed for a touchdown and Bingham has thrown for 776 yards and seven touchdowns and rushed for 86 yards and four touchdowns.

Four players have at least 11 receptions and 175 receiving yards for Pleasantville led by senior Dayson Leerhoff (6-4, 212) who has caught 17 passes for 293 yards and three touchdowns.

Yusef Gulley (6-0, 155) has 14 receptions for 274 yards and five touchdowns.

A Pleasantville defense allowing 16.3 points and 223 total yards per game and 4.4 yards per play is led by senior Carter Metcalf (5-11, 165) with 31.5 tackles including 2.5 for loss.

Sophomore Owen Rule (5-9, 170) has 31.5 tackles including 5.5 for loss and Leerhoff has a team-high eight tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks.

Pleasantville has forced 20 turnovers this season, including 15 interceptions, with sophomore Logan Ruff (160) leading the team with five interceptions.

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