Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

City High (6-3) at Bettendorf (7-2)

Where: Touvelle Stadium, 7 p.m.

Last season: Did not play

Previous matchup: City High 42, Bettendorf 21 (Last week)

Player to watch: Bettendorf senior quarterback Charlie Zimmerman (5-11, 175) has completed 65-of-125 passes while throwing for 1,011 yards and nine touchdowns with five interceptions and has rushed for 459 yards and seven touchdowns.

Key stat: City High had 507 yards of total offense and averaged 8.7 yards per play in its 42-21 win over the Bulldogs last Friday.

About the Little Hawks: City High closed the regular season on a four-game winning streak capped by its 42-21 win at Bettendorf last week to secure a third consecutive playoff appearance under Mitch Moore.

The Little Hawks have been impressive on both sides of the ball down the stretch outscoring opponents 180-34 in four consecutive wins to close the regular season.

City High is averaging 45 points and 490 total yards per game along with 8.7 yards per play during its four-game winning streak.

On the season City High has averaged 438 total yards and 34.9 points per game at a clip of 7.7 yards per play.

Junior quarterback Bobby Bacon (6-1, 165) is coming off perhaps the best game of his career last week when he completed 18-of-21 passes for 336 yards and three touchdowns in the win over Bettendorf.

Bacon has completed 67 percent of his passes on the season while throwing for 1,887 yards and 16 touchdowns with seven interceptions.

Senior receivers Carsen Newton (5-7, 140) and Jeremiah Madlock (6-0, 175) are the top two pass catchers for the Little Hawks.

Newton has caught 46 passes for 532 yards and two touchdowns while Madlock has 28 receptions for 662 yards and five touchdowns.

Senior Miles Parlet (5-9, 185) leads the City High run game with 1,309 yards and 13 touchdowns and has rushed for at least 100 yards in six of the past seven games.

A City High defense allowing 24.4 points and 298 total yards per game while surrendering 5.1 yards per play is led by senior Jake Mitchell (5-5, 135) with 59 tackles including seven for loss.

Senior linebacker Sam Kueter (6-4, 200) has 55.5 tackles with 4.5 for loss and senior defensive end Dax Judge (6-2, 200) has 38.5 tackles with a team-high 6.5 tackles and 12 tackles for loss.

About the Bulldogs: Despite the loss to City High in the regular season finale last week Bettendorf is back in the postseason after failing to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 1997 last season.

It has been a stark contrast defensively for Bettendorf between the games the Bulldogs have won the games they have lost.

In seven wins Bettendorf is allowing 7 points and 215 total yards, a list that includes victories over playoff teams Pleasant Valley and Cedar Rapids Prairie.

In losses to City High and Cedar Rapids Kennedy the Bulldogs have given up an average of 38 points and 464 total yards.

The Bettendorf offense led by Zimmerman enters the postseason averaging 36.6 points and 333 total yards per game.

Three Bettendorf players have rushed for at least 450 yards led by junior Jacob Whipple (5-11, 170) with 498 yards and eight touchdowns while senior Gavin Barta (5-8, 180) has run for 495 yards and nine touchdowns.

Bettendorf is averaging 213 rushing yards per game and 6.1 yards per carry this season but managed just 121 yards and 3.8 yards per carry in the week-nine loss to City High.

Senior tight end Jake Schulz (6-2, 235) is the top option in the pass game for Bettendorf with 24 receptions for 543 yards and seven touchdowns.

The Bettendorf defense allowed 5 yards per play through the first eight games of the season before City High averaged 8.7 yards per play against the Bulldogs last week.

The 507 yards of total offense for City High last week was 87 more yards than the next highest total the Bulldogs had surrendered this season.

On the season Bettendorf is allowing 13.9 points and 270 total yards per game while giving up 5.4 yards per play.

Junior Sam Beecher (5-8, 205) leads Bettendorf with 54.5 tackles including five for loss and senior defensive lineman Aiden Lee (5-10, 220) has 31 tackles with 11.5 for loss and five sacks.

Fort Madison (6-3) at Solon (8-1)

Where: Spartan Stadium, 7 p.m.

Last season: Did not play

Player to watch: Fort Madison junior quarterback Marcus Guzman (6-2, 210) has completed 67 percent of his passes (137-of-206) while throwing for 1,352 yards and eight touchdowns and has rushed for a team-high 531 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Key stat: During its current eight-game winning streak Solon is holding opponents to 3.9 yards per play and has allowed an opponent to average more than 4 yards per offensive snap just two times.

About the Spartans: Solon enters its 19^th consecutive playoff appearance riding an eight-game winning streak.

The Spartans have been dominant since a season-opening loss to Davenport Assumption outscoring opponents by an average of 24.4 points per game in eight consecutive wins.

Solon has relied on a dominant defense that is holding opponents to 11.4 points and 234 total yards per game and 4.2 yards per play.
The Spartans have held six opponents under 4 yards per play this season and have allowed more than 4.2 yards per play just twice in nine games.

Solon has forced 21 turnovers in nine games and returned five of them for touchdowns.

Senior linebacker Brett White (X) leads the Spartans with 83 tackles and 19.5 tackles for loss and has recovered three fumbles.

Senior Jack McCarty (5-10, 175) has 34.5 tackles with three for loss and senior linebacker Brayden Moore (5-9, 185) has 33.5 tackles with six tackles for loss.

Solon enters the postseason averaging 29.2 points and 283 yards of total offense per game while averaging 5.6 yards per play.

Junior quarterback Ty Bell (6-1, 180) has passed for 842 yards with eight touchdowns and five interceptions and has rushed for a touchdown.

Sophomore tailback Conlan Poynton (5-10, 175) has rushed for 707 yards and eight touchdowns while averaging 7.1 yards per carry.

Senior Nash Kotar (6-1, 185) is the top receiver with 17 receptions for 228 yards and three touchdowns and Grant Knipper (6-0, 175) has caught 15 passes for 231 yards.

About the Bloodhounds: One of the top turnarounds in the state continued this season in Fort Madison with the Bloodhounds returning to the playoffs for the fourth time in program history and second straight season.

Fort Madison had nine consecutive sub .500 seasons from 2011 to 2019 winning more than three games in a season only twice during that span.

The Bloodhounds have locked up a fourth consecutive winning season this fall and are 26-11 over the past four seasons.

Fort Madison fell to Waverly-Shell Rock in the opening round of the Class 4A playoffs last season and closed with consecutive wins over Mount Pleasant and Washington this fall to secure a second straight playoff trip.

The Bloodhounds have faced some opponents familiar to Solon with their three losses coming to Mount Vernon, Davenport Assumption and Williamsburg by a combined total of 131-28.

The Fort Madison offense is led by Guzman and is averaging 22.1 points and 280 total yards per game while averaging 5.4 yards per play.

Senior Hayden Segoviano (5-11, 200) has rushed for 507 yards and four touchdowns while averaging 5.8 yards per carry.

Four Fort Madison receivers have at least 20 receptions led by Henry Wiseman (5-11, 170) with 36 receptions for 318 yards and five touchdowns.

Leif Boeding (5-11, 160) has caught 36 passes for 378 yards and two touchdowns and Segoviano has 34 receptions for 313 yards.

The Bloodhound defense is allowing 22 points and 293 total yards per game while surrendering 6.2 yards per play.

Senior Teague Smith (5-11, 205) leads Fort Madison with 49.5 tackles including 7.5 for loss while Ike Thacher (6-0, 220) has 43 tackles and leads the Bloodhounds with 12.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks.

Wilton (8-1) at No. 5 Regina (8-1)

Where: Regal Field, 7 p.m.

Last season: Regina 37, Wilton 13

Previous matchup: Regina 35, Wilton 0 (Week Eight)

Player to watch: Wilton junior quarterback Drew Keith (6-0, 185) has completed 59 percent of his passes while throwing for 1,007 yards and 12 touchdowns and has rushed for 674 yards and four touchdowns.

Key stat: Regina outgained Wilton 219 to 80 in rushing yards in the first meeting between the two teams two weeks ago.

About the Regals: Regina opened the postseason with a 48-20 win over Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont last Friday, a game in which the Regals built a 41-0 halftime lead.

The Regals have been one of the most efficient offensive teams in Class 1A this season averaging 42.9 points and 364 total yards per game while averaging 7.9 yards per play.

Senior quarterback Gentry Dumont (6-2, 205) leads the Regina offense completing 64 percent of his passes while throwing for 1,999 yards and 24 touchdowns with three interceptions.

Dumont has also rushed for 113 yards and four touchdowns.

Senior Jackson Naeve (6-1, 180) has been the top target for Dumont with 33 receptions for 809 yards and 11 touchdowns and has also rushed for 287 yards and seven touchdowns.

Junior William Aitchison (5-9, 175) has rushed for a team-high 451 yards and six touchdowns for Regina while sophomore Edwin Gangba has run for 180 yards and two touchdowns.

Regina has been impressive defensively holding opponents to 13.3 points and 206 total yards per game while allowing just 4.3 yards per play.

Senior linebacker Leren Fernandez (5-10, 180) leads Regina with 37 tackles while senior Jack Clark (6-2, 215) has 36 tackles and lead the team with five sacks and has seven tackles for loss.

Ian Udell (6-0, 210) has 32 tackles with seven tackles for loss while Noah Clark (6-1, 230) leads the Regals with 13 tackles for loss.

Regina has 16 interceptions in nine games this season with sophomore Andrew Greve (5-10, 140) and each Naeve with four interceptions.

About the Beavers: Wilton bounced back from a 35-0 loss to Regina in the regular season finale to earn its first playoff victory since 2017 with a 49-21 win at Woodward-Granger last Friday.

After being shutout for the first time since 2021 by Regina in the regular season finale the Beavers put up 377 total yards and scored a season-high 49 points in the opening-round win over Woodward-Granger.

Wilton goes back on the road this week for another shot at Regina and will look to keep the offense rolling after managing just 160 yards in the week eight loss to the Regals.

The Beaver offense led by Keith has been effective this season averaging 29.3 points and 305 total yards per game.

Junior running back Owen Hassell (5-9, 165) has rushed for 953 yards and 18 touchdowns while averaging 5 yards per carry and has caught seven passes for 146 yards and a touchdown.

Junior Cade Souhrada (5-10, 160) has been the top receiving option with 26 catches for 390 yards and six touchdowns and junior Kale McQuillen (5-9, 135) has 24 receptions for 168 yards and a touchdown.

Wilton has been stingy on defense holding teams to 11.6 points and 242 total yards per game.
The Beavers are allowing 101 rushing yards per game and just 3.7 yards per carry.

Senior Chaz Allison (5-11, 180) leads Wilton with 59.5 tackles including seven for loss and junior Owen Milder (5-10, 185) has 56.5 tackles with 11.5 for loss.

Junior Carter Drake-Metzger (6-3, 255) has 37 tackles and leads the Beavers with 14 tackles for loss and five sacks.

West Branch (6-3) at No. 4 MFL Mar Mac (8-1)

Where: Monona, 7 p.m.

Last season: West Branch 27, MFL Mar Mac 24 (1A Quarterfinal)

Player to watch: MFL Mar Mac senior Wyatt Powell (6-1, 215) has rushed for 656 yards and nine touchdowns and caught seven passes for 120 yards and two touchdowns. Powell also has 32.5 tackles with 7.5 tackles for loss.

Key stat: West Branch rushed for 398 yards in an opening-round win over Pleasantville and is averaging 183 rushing yards per game this season on 4.6 yards per carry. MFL Mar Mac is allowing 63 rushing yards per game and holding opponents to 2.3 yards per carry.

About the Bears: West Branch has won six of seven games following an 0-2 start to the season and has been dominant during that stretch outscoring opponents by an average of 19 points per game.

The Bears have picked up steam offensive as the season has gone on putting up season-highs of 398 rushing yards and 467 total yards in a 35-20 win over Pleasantville in the opening round of the 1A playoffs last week.

West Branch is averaging 25.8 points and 300 total yards per game this season but has pushed those numbers to 30.1 points, 330 total yards and 199 rushing yards per game over the last seven games.

Sophomore quarterback Brennen Dale (6-0, 175) has completed 79-of-131 passes for 889 yards and seven touchdowns with four interceptions and has rushed for 369 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Four Bears have rushed for at least 290 yards this season led by senior Auron Marsh (5-9, 175) with 399 yards and three touchdowns.

Senior Cale Seydel (5-10, 165) has run for 342 yards and two touchdowns while averaging 6.3 yards per carry and has caught a team-high 23 passes for 226 yards and two touchdowns.

Senior Joe Hamann (6-0, 170) has caught 12 passes for 245 yards and four touchdowns and Trenton Schutte (6-0, 185) has 14 receptions for 153 yards and a touchdown.

The West Branch defense has been stout all season holding opponents to 15 points and 265 total yards per game.

Shae Farmer (6-1, 175) leads West Branch with 45 tackles while senior linebacker Reese Trepanier (6-1, 210) has 40.5 tackles with 3.5 for loss.

Senior defensive lineman Logan Wright (6-3, 235) has 35 tackles with 19 tackles for loss and sophomore Cooper Gates has 36 tackles with a team-high four sacks.

About the Bulldogs: A playoff regular over the last half decade MFL Mar Mac will look to snap a string of four consecutive quarterfinal exits in its fifth straight playoff appearance.

MFL Mar Mac has won at least eight games in five straight seasons going 44-9 in that span but has lost in the quarterfinals each of the past four seasons including a 27-24 loss at West Branch last fall.

The Bulldogs have been impressive this season claiming the District 3 title with three consecutive wins to end the regular season following a 13-9 loss to third-ranked Sumner-Fredericksburg in its district opener.

MFL Mar Mac downed Hudson 55-3 in its postseason opener last week and has outscored teams by a combined total of 151-24 during its current four-game winning streak.

An MFL Mar Mac offense directed by senior quarterback Carver Blietz-Bentien (6-1, 210) is averaging 34.9 points and 316 total yards per game while averaging 7 yards per play.

Blietz-Bentien has completed 34-of-78 passes for 470 yards and 10 touchdowns with five interceptions and has rushed for 398 yards and eight touchdowns.

Quinn McGeough (6-0, 180) has rushed for a team-high 698 yards and six touchdowns to lead a list of four Bulldogs with at least 350 rushing yards.

Powell, Blietz-Bentien and senior Bryce Radloff (5-8, 155) who has rushed for 364 yards and five touchdowns have combined for 2,116 rushing yards and 28 touchdowns.

Senior Brandon Christofferson (6-2, 195) has been the top target in the passing game with 15 receptions for 191 yards and three touchdowns while Radloff has caught 11 passes for 176 yards and five touchdowns.

The Bulldogs have been impressive on defense holding opponents to 8.9 points and 172 total yards per game while allowing just 3.7 yards per play.

Kade McElwaine (6-0, 195) leads the Bulldogs with 65 tackles with 14 for loss while senior Tristen Koehn (5-9, 180) has 55.5 tackles and leads the Bulldogs with 6.5 sacks and 20 tackles for loss.

The Bulldogs have forced 17 turnovers with Christofferson leading the way with four interceptions.

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