Liberty High (10-1) at Southeast Polk (7-4)   

Where: UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls

Last season: Did not play

Player to watch: Southeast Polk senior quarterback Holden Hansen (6-2, 200) has completed 68 percent of his passes while throwing for 1,937 yards and 15 touchdowns with 12 interceptions and has rushed for 308 yards and eight touchdowns.

Key stat: Southeast Polk has won 14 consecutive playoff games by an average of 24.9 points per game and has won four consecutive semifinal games by an average of 22.5.

About the Lightning: In its third playoff appearance in program history Liberty High is making its first ever trip to the UNI-Dome in just its second season in Class 5A.

The Lightning bring an eight-game winning streak into the semifinals, a stretch that includes playoff victories over Waukee and Ankeny.

Liberty High is 7-1 against 5A playoff qualifiers with its lone loss coming at Pleasant Valley in week three.

The Lightning have been impressive offensively this season averaging 40.7 points and 430 total yards per game while averaging 7.6 yards per play.

Liberty High has been balanced averaging 202 rushing yards and 228 passing yards per game.

Junior quarterback Reece Rettig has completed 165-of-227 passes for 2,385 yards with 29 touchdowns and three interceptions and has rushed for 452 yards and six touchdowns.

Senior Owen Drapeaux has rushed for a team-high 889 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Sutton Koller has rushed for 522 yards and eight touchdowns and caught 34 passes for 804 yards and 10 touchdowns and Dallas Miller has a team-high 57 receptions for 833 yards and eight touchdowns.

Collin Decker has 45 receptions for 490 yards and six touchdowns.

Liberty High is holding opponents to 25.6 points and 328 total yards per game while allowing 4.9 yards per play.

Koller leads the Lightning with 67 tackles including eight for loss while junior Landon Bell has 50.5 tackles.

Junior KeShawn Wyldon has 39.5 tackles and senior Mason Waterbury has 35 tackles with five for loss.

Liberty High  has forced 20 turnovers with junior Logan Laubenthal leading the team with four interceptions while sophomore Pryor Reiners and Miller each have two interceptions.

About the Rams: Three-time defending Class 5A champion Southeast Polk is making its fifth consecutive semifinal appearance.

Since the addition of Class 5A in the 2021 season Southeast Polk is the only program to win a 5A title, downing Ankeny 49-21 in the title game last season.

Southeast Polk has reached the title game each of the past four seasons and is seeking to join West Des Moines Dowling, Solon and Regina as programs to win four consecutive state titles.

Since a 3-3 start to the season Southeast Polk has won four of its last five games including back-to-back playoff wins over Pleasant Valley and West High.

Southeast Polk is 6-3 against 5A playoff qualifiers this season with losses to semifinalists West Des Moines Dowling and West Des Moines Valley.

The Rams committed 11 turnovers during its 3-3 start to the season but has committed just two turnovers in its last five games and has three games during that stretch without a turnover.

Southeast Polk is averaging 27.9 points and 336 total yards per game while averaging 6.3 yards per play.

The Rams are balanced offensively averaging 192 passing yards and 144 rushing yards per game and are coming off a quarterfinal win over West High in which they rushed for 307 yards.

Senior Landon Vander Werff (5-11, 180) has rushed for 523 yards and five touchdowns and junior Drew Thompson (5-10, 175) has rushed for 536 yards and nine touchdowns.

Seven players have at least 100 receiving yards led by senior Sam Zelenovich (6-2, 188) with 61 receptions for 779 yards and six touchdowns.

Kaden Hills (6-1, 180) has 35 catches for 478 yards and four touchdowns and senior Joey Lauters (6-2, 205) has 22 receptions for 172 yards.

On defense Southeast Polk is holding opponents to 19.3 points and 302 total yards per game while allowing 5.9 yards per play.

The Rams are allowing 135 rushing yards per game and 4.7 yards per carry while giving up 167 passing yards per contest.

Senior defensive lineman Cooper Martinson (6-4, 285) leads the Rams with 70.5 tackles including eight for loss while senior Kane Brockman (5-11, 195) has 46 tackles with a team-high 14.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks.

Senior Cael Winget (6-0, 180) has 66 tackles with 9.5 for loss and junior Brayden Lewis (5-10, 170) has 53.5 tackles.

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