Liberty High (1-0) at City High (0-1)

Where: Frank Bates Field, 7 p.m.

Last season: Liberty High 41, City High 14

Player to watch: Liberty High senior receiver Dallas Miller (5-11, 170) was one of the most productive pass catchers in the state last season and picked up where he left off last week making four receptions for 92 yards and a touchdown and throwing a 50-yard touchdown pass in a win over West High. Miller had 10 catches for 95 yards and three touchdowns in a win over City High last season.

Key stat: Liberty High outscored City High 21-0 in the second half of its 41-14 win last season and has outscored the Little Hawks 34-0 in the second half in the last two meetings combined.

About the Little Hawks: For the second consecutive season City High opened with a lopsided loss to Illinois power Joliet Catholic falling to the defending 5A runner-up Hilltoppers 50-22 last Friday in Joliet.

Once again, there is no reason to overreact to a 28-point opening-week loss. Joliet Catholic is an impressive program and may very well be better this season than they were a year ago when they lost in the 5A title game.

City High put up 338 yards of total offense in the week one loss as senior quarterback Bobby Bacon (6-2, 175) completed 16-of-22 passes for 222 yards and two touchdowns against Joliet Catholic with Dominic Salibi (6-1, 183) catching five passes for 84 yards and sophomore Chayse Newton (5-8, 140) catching five passes for 59 yards.

Three City High backs had at least six carries as Salibi rushed seven times for 66 yards, Gabe Egeland (5-6, 157) ran nine times for 25 yards and sophomore Dawson Kahl (6-2, 190) had six carries for 25 yards and a touchdown.

About the Lightning: Liberty High has won back-to-back games over City High and has won four of the past five meetings with the Little Hawks.

The Lightning have averaged 32 points per game in their four wins over City High and won the last game between the two teams at Bates field 28-24 back in 2020.

Liberty High got off to an impressive start under head coach Scott Chandler downing cross-town rival West High 56-45 last week.

The Lightning rolled up 565 yards of total offense, including 465 rushing yards while averaging 8.6 yards per play.

Senior tailback Owen Drapeaux (6-1, 210) rushed for 171 yards and three touchdowns and Sutton Koller (5-11, 180) ran for 91 yards and two scores.

Junior quarterback Reece Rettig (5-10, 165) was sharp in his first career start completing 8-of-10 passes for 150 yards and two touchdowns and adding 65 rushing yards.

Urbandale (0-1) at West High (0-1)

Where: Trojan Field, 7 p.m.

Last season: Urbandale 31, West High 17

Player to watch: Urbandale sophomore quarterback Landon Rinnan (6-0, 205) completed 10-of-21 passes for 190 yards and two touchdowns and also rushed for 65 yards in a week one loss to Indianola.

Key stat: Urbandale rushed for 236 yards and averaged 5.5 yards per carry in a 31-17 win over West High last season behind 210 yards from tailback Jaylon Brooks.

About the J-Hawks: Urbandale is coming off a 4-5 season last year in which it started 4-2 but was outscored 91-5 in three consecutive losses to playoff qualifiers to end the season.

The J-Hawks fell to Indianola 21-17 in the season opener despite outgaining in the Indians 328-275.

Sophomore Landon Rinnan (6-0, 205) is back to lead the J-Hawk offense after starting last season as a freshman.

Rinnan threw for 190 yards and two touchdowns in the opener and also rushed for a team-high 65 yards against Indianola.

Senior Jaylon Brooks (5-8, 165) returns in the backfield after rushing for more than 1,000 yards last season and had 53 yards on 19 carries in the loss to Indianola.

Turner Brown (6-5, 190) caught two passes for 111 yards and two touchdowns in the opener while Hayden Moser (6-4, 230) had four receptions for 50 yards.

About the Trojans: West High will look to get on track following a 56-45 loss to Liberty High in its season opener last week.

The Trojans racked up 428 yards of offense and averaged 6.1 yards per play in the loss to Liberty High.

Senior quarterback Jack Wallace (6-3, 220) completed 21-of-32 passes for 239 yards and two touchdowns and also ran for 15 yards and two touchdowns in week one.

Junior Julian Manson (6-3, 215) was the top target for Wallace catching seven passes for 96 yards and a touchdown while Chase Bopp (6-0, 185) had five receptions for 45 yards.

Senior running back Butali Butali (5-8, 170) rushed for 119 yards and two touchdowns in the week-one loss.

Solon (1-0) at Clear Creek Amana (1-0)

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

Last season: Solon 7, Clear Creek Amana 3

Player to watch: This feels like a grind it out defensive game and Solon senior Eddie Johnson (6-2, 210) could be big on both sides of the ball in that type of contest. Johnson rushed for 120 yards and a touchdown, caught a 27-yard pass and had three tackles and a sack in a season-opening win over Davenport Assumption.

Key stat: Clear Creek Amana and Solon combined for 374 total yards in this game last season as Clear Creek Amana had 198 total yards and Solon finished with 176.

About the Spartans: A year ago both Solon and Clear Creek Amana entered this game 0-1 and looking for answers offensively.

Last season Solon was coming off a 34-7 season-opening loss to Davenport Assumption and Clear Creek Amana was shutout in a week-one loss to Marion.

This year both teams enter seeking a 2-0 start after impressive week-one efforts.

Solon reversed its season-opening outcome against Assumption racking up 358 total yards of offense in a 33-7 win.

Senior quarterback Ty Bell (6-1, 195) completed 15-of-24 passes for 210 yards and two touchdowns in the win over Assumption with sophomore Maddox Kelley (5-10, 175) his top target with five receptions for 38 yards and a touchdown.

Solon limited Assumption to 186 total yards and just 3.1 yards per play in the win.

Kelley had a team-high six tackles while senior linebacker Oliver Owens (6-0, 200) had 5.5 tackles and junior Kyler Jensen (6-0, 215) had 5 stops.

About the Clippers: Clear Creek Amana started 0-4 last season with a week-two loss at Solon a part of that stretch that led to a 3-6 season.

The Clippers got off to a strong start under first-year head coach Lance Pedersen with a 28-3 win at Marion last week.

Juniors Conlan Poynton (5-11, 180) and Wyatt Key (6-0, 155) split time at quarterback in the win over the Wolves and combined to complete 8-of-14 passes for 67 yards and a touchdown.

Poynton rushed for a team-high 111 yards and a score and junior Ethan Vice (6-0, 170) added 95 yards and a touchdown on the ground on just 10 carries.

The Clear Creek Amana defense is led by seniors Nolan Howell (5-10, 165) and Trace Robertson (6-0, 170).

Robertson had a team-high eight tackles in the win over Marion and Howell had seven.

Clear Creek Amana had four interceptions in the week-one win including two by senior Owen Rosenberg (6-2, 180).  

Regina (1-0) at Mid-Prairie (0-1)  

Where: Wellman, 7 p.m.

Last season: Regina 51, Mid-Prairie 19

Player to watch: Mid-Prairie senior Brady Weber (5-9, 160) completed 15-of-24 passes for 195 yards and a touchdown in a week one loss to Wilton.

Key stat: Regina had 529 yards of total offense and averaged 9.3 yards per play in a 51-19 win over the Golden Hawks last season.

About the Regals: Regina opened the season and the Dustin Elsbury era with a 42-28 win at West Liberty last week.

Junior quarterback Kyle Tracy (5-10, 175) was impressive in his first career starter completing 12-of-17 passes for 263 yards and three touchdowns while also rushing for 54 yards and a touchdown.

Sophomore Savion Miller (5-11, 180) rushed for 99 yards and junior Edwin Gangba (5-9, 154) added 32 yards on the ground and a touchdown as the Regals ran for 198 yards as a team.

Sophomore tight end Tate Wallace (6-2, 225) was the top target for Tracy making six receptions for 139 yards and a touchdown while Will Aitchison (5-10, 180) caught three passes for 50 yards.

Gangba had a team-high seven tackles for Regina while senior defensive lineman Noah Clark (6-0, 220) had 2.5 tackles for loss including 1.5 sacks and senior linebacker Leren Fernandez (5-11, 190) had 2.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.

About the Golden Hawks: Mid-Prairie bounced back from an 0-3 start a year ago to go 5-5 and advance to the second round of the Class 2A playoffs.

The Golden Hawks were outscored 12-0 in the second half of a 19-14 season-opening loss at Wilton last week but have plenty of reason for optimism this fall.

Mid-Prairie returns its starting quarterback, top rusher, pass catcher and tackler from last year’s 5-5 squad.

Senior quarterback Brady Weber (5-9, 160) is back to lead the offense and went 15-of-24 through the air for 195 yards and a touchdown in week one against Wilton.

Junior running back Hudson Ehrenfelt (6-0, 180) rushed for 1,336 yards last season and had 35 and a touchdown against the Beavers last week.

Senior Cobi Hershberger (6-1, 200) returns as the top pass catcher for the Golden Hawks after catching 29 passes for 331 yards last season and junior Kaden Kos (5-11, 200) returns as the top tackler after making 74 tackles a year ago.

Kos had a team-high 9.5 tackles against Wilton in the opener.

West Branch (0-1) at Dike-New Hartford (0-1)

Where: Dike-New Hartford, 7:30 p.m.

Last season: Dike-New Hartford 9, West Branch 7

Player to watch: Dike-New Hartford senior quarterback Colin Meester (6-2, 180) completed 11-of-18 passes for 124 yards and a touchdown in a 21-7 loss to Grundy Center in week one.

Key stat: The total yardage in last seasons’ 9-7 Dike-New Hartford win over West Branch was nearly as even as the score with the Wolverines outgaining West Branch 218-217.

About the Bears: For the second consecutive season two of the best 1A programs in the state meet in a week two game both seeking to avoid an 0-2 start.

A year ago Dike-New Hartford took a 9-0 lead and held on for a 9-7 win over the Bears in the Little Rose Bowl.

West Branch will be seeking to bounce back from a 55-10 loss to defending 3A champion Williamsburg in its opener while gaining a measure of revenge against the Wolverines.

Senior quarterback Brennen Dale completed 12-of-22 passes for 99 yards in the opener against Williamsburg and also rushed for 28 yards and a touchdown.

Junior Conner Capper was the top target for Dale with six receptions for 58 yards while Oliver Trepanier caught two passes for 20 yards.

Junior tailback Cooper Gates ran for 83 yards while averaging 6.9 yards per carry.

Senior Tate Frantz had four tackles including 1.5 for loss in the opener while sophomore Brandon Pedersen had four tackles with a tackle for loss.

About the Wolverines: Dike-New Hartford went 7-4 last season and advanced to the Class 1A quarterfinals where it fell to eventual 1A state champion Grundy Center.

The Wolverines opened this season with a 21-7 loss at Grundy Center, its third loss to the Spartans in its last 12 games.

Dike-New Hartford is seeking another strong season with its starting quarter, top rusher, top two pass catchers and top tackler all returning.

Meester (6-2, 180) returns to lead the Dike-New Hartford offense after passing for more than 1,000 yards last season.

The top two targets for Meester return in senior receivers Devon Lotts (6-0, 170) and Carson Costello (6-3, 190).

Lotts and Costello combined for 706 yards and seven touchdowns last season and had a combined seven receptions for 94 yards and a touchdown in week one.

Senior Noah Borcherding (5-11, 200) is back at running back after rushing for 991 yards and 10 touchdowns last season and senior Jack Severson (5-11, 190) returns as the top tackler after leading the Wolverines with 59.5 stops a year ago.

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