Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

No. 5 Regina (8-1) at No. 4 MFL Mar Mac (8-1)

When: Friday, 7 p.m.

Where: MFL Mar Mac High School in Monona

A Class 1A playoff field that started with 32 teams is down to eight.

Friday night is the big one with quarterfinal winners advancing to the state semifinals next week at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls.

Regina has been a UNI-Dome regular over the past decade plus but is seeking its first semifinal appearance since 2020.

MFL Mar Mac is seeking its first ever semifinal appearance after falling in the quarterfinals each of the past four seasons.

Friday should be one of the better games across the state on Friday between a pair of top-five ranked teams.

Players to Watch

Regina

Senior quarterback Gentry Dumont has been dynamite all season ranking second in Class 1A in both passing yards (2,228) and touchdowns (25) while completing 63 percent of his passes.

Dumont may need his best game on Friday for the Regals to return to the UNI-Dome.

MFL Mar Mac has been stingy against the run this season holding teams to just 63 rushing yards per game while allowing 2.3 yards per carry.

With rushing yards likely difficult to come by look for Regina to turn to Dumont and standout senior receiver Jackson Naeve in the passing game.

MFL Mar Mac is allowing 105 passing yards per game and gave up 242 pass yards to Hudson in the opening round of the playoffs.

MFL Mar Mac

Senior quarterback Carver Blietz-Bentien has been solid for the Bulldogs this season accounting for 960 yards of total offense and 20 touchdowns.

It has been in a pair of postseason games that the Bulldogs have leaned on their 6-foot-1, 210-pound quarterback.

Blietz-Bentien has accounted for 250 yards of total offense and six touchdowns in two playoff wins passing for 85 yards and three touchdowns and rushing for 165 yards and three touchdowns in wins over Hudson and West Branch.

In a 21-0 win over West Branch last week Blietz-Bentien rushed for 67 yards and a touchdown and passed for 25 yards and a touchdown.

With a spot in the Dome on the line look for the Bulldogs to continue to lean on one of its senior two-way leaders who also ranks second on the team with 67.5 tackles.

Keys to the Game

Regina

Weather the storm.

The forecast actually looks great for November, no rain, heavy wind or snow.

However, for Regina to move on the Regals will need to weather what will likely be an early barrage from MFL Mar Mac.

The Bulldogs have never been to the semifinals, they are playing at home in front of what should be a large and charged up crowd and will be looking to land a big blow early in the game.

In eight games against playoff qualifiers this season MFL Mar Mac has outscored opponents 89-17 in the first quarter. On the season the Bulldogs own a 114-17 edge in the opening 12 minutes.

Last week against West Branch the Bulldogs led 14-0 after the opening quarter.

Regina needs to avoid an early burst from the Bulldogs and turn this into a four-quarter game.

MFL Mar Mac

Cash in on the shots.

MFL Mar Mac doesn’t throw the ball but when the Bulldogs do take a shot through the air they are usually looking for a big play.

Blietz-Bentien averages 13.4 yards per completion and 30 percent of his completed passes this season have gone for touchdowns.

In a pair of postseason games the Bulldogs have cashed in on most of the shots they have taken in the passing game.

Blietz-Bentien is 5-for-8 passing with three touchdown passes in postseason wins over Hudson and West Branch.

MFL Mar Mac is so good in the running game it commands the attention of an extra defender or sometimes two.

When the Bulldogs dial up a shot in the passing game they need to turn it into points or big yardage.

Both Teams

Special Teams.

Both of these teams have been good all-around in special teams this season.

Regina senior Emiliano Herrera-Sinnwell has converted 46-of-52 PAT attempts and is 5-of-5 on field goals, the Regals are averaging nearly 32 yards per punt and have a major weapon in the return game in Naeve who has returned two kickoffs and a punt for touchdowns.

MFL Mar Mac junior place kicker Ben Krambeer is 38-of-42 on PATs and 4-of-7 on field goals with a 42-yarder, the Bulldogs average almost 35 yards per punt and senior Bryce Radloff averages 27 yards per punt return and 16 yards per kick off return.

In what should be a tight game place kicking could come into play as well as field position which can be flipped with punts or returns.

With these two teams appearing evenly matched on offense and defense it could be special teams that provides an edge for one side on Friday.

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