Your Prep Sports

The stunner of the opening night of the postseason belongs to West Branch.

Nolan Staker threw for 228 yards and four touchdowns as West Branch stunned seventh-ranked Sigourney/Keota in the opening round of the Class 1A playoffs on Friday in Sigourney.

Brandon Pedersen caught two touchdown passes and returned a kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown as West Branch snapped a four-game losing streak with the win.

West Branch (3-6) will learn its second-round opponent on Saturday at 10 a.m. when the Iowa High School Athletic Union releases the pairings for the rest of the postseason.

Sigourney/Keota had a seven-game winning streak snapped with the loss and closed the season 7-2.

West Branch fell into a 14-0 first-quarter hole in a little more than seven minutes.

Trailing 14-0 with 4:50 remaining in the first quarter Pedersen provided a spark returning a kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown.

That proved to be exactly what West Branch needed to get rolling.

After producing seven total yards and no points on its first two drives of the game West Branch scored touchdowns on five of its next six possessions.

West Branch had touchdown drives of 42, 70, 10, 32 and 80 yards.

There were plenty of stars for the Bears on Friday.

Staker finished 9-of-14 for 228 yards and four touchdowns and also rushed for a touchdown.

Pedersen caught two passes for 85 yards and two touchdowns, Connor Rios caught four passes for 103 yards and a touchdown and Nathan Hills caught a 36-yard touchdown pass.

Conner Capper had a team-high 13 tackles including 11 solo stops and also intercepted a pass.

Keaton Gates had 8.5 tackles and an interception, Tate Frantz had 7.5 tackles and a sack and Olivier Trepanier had 2.5 tackles and recovered a fumble.

West Branch                           7   14   14  6 –  41

Sigourney/Keota                   14  12    7   0  – 33

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