Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

Linn-Mar (4-4) at West High (6-2)

Where: Trojan Field, 7 p.m.

Last season: Did not play

Player to watch: Linn-Mar junior running back Hud Turner (5-7, 175) has rushed for 639 yards and four touchdowns while averaging 5.1 yards per carry.

Key stat: Linn-Mar allowed an average of 208 rushing yards per game during an 0-4 start to the season. The Lions have cut that total in half during their current four-game winning streak allowing just 104 rushing yards per game.

About the Trojans: West High had a two-game winning streak halted with a 45-31 loss at Cedar Rapids Prairie last week.

The Trojans are 10^th in the Class 5A RPI rankings follow the loss last week with the top 16 teams in the RPI advancing to the 5A postseason.

West High has been among the most potent offensive teams in Class 5A this season averaging 44.1 points and 408 total yards per game on 8.2 yards per play.

The Trojans have been balanced averaging 219 passing yards and 189 rushing yards per game.

Junior quarterback Reece Wheeler has completed 77-of-128 passes for 1,700 yards and 17 touchdowns with three interceptions and has rushed for 142 yards and four touchdowns.

Campbell Janis has rushed for a team-leading 860 yards and 10 touchdowns and junior Mikey Moody has rushed for 187 yards and five touchdowns.

Ethan Headings has 35 receptions for 970 yards and 11 touchdowns and Julian Manson has caught 18 passes for 355 yards and five touchdowns.

The West High defense is allowing 19.3 points and 267 total yards per game while giving up 4.9 yards per play.

Manson leads the Trojans with 47.5 tackles including five for loss and senior Jackson Law has 40.5 tackles with 10 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks.

West High has forced 12 turnovers with seven different players intercepting a pass for the Trojans.

About the Lions: It has been a tale of two seasons for Linn-Mar.

Linn-Mar was outscored 129-33 in consecutive losses to Cedar Rapids Prairie, Ankeny Centennial, Liberty High and Cedar Rapids Kennedy to open the season.

The Lions rebounded with a four-game winning streak, outscoring Davenport Central, Pleasant Valley, Muscatine and Cedar Falls by a combined score of 139-30.

With its current four-game winning streak Linn-Mar has put itself in the thick of the Class 5A playoff race and currently sits 19^th in the 5A RPI rankings.

Sophomore quarterback Derek Roling (6-1, 160) leads a Linn-Mar offense that is averaging 21.4 points and 281 total yards per game while producing 5.3 yards per play.

Roling has completed 67-of-111 passes for 803 yards and seven touchdowns with one interception and has rushed for 160 yards and five touchdowns.

Cael Fairley (5-10, 185) has rushed for 363 yards and three touchdowns and has caught seven passes for 61 yards.

Chase Bradley (5-11, 185) has been the top option in the passing game with 26 receptions for 266 yards and two touchdowns while Tate McEowen (6-0, 185) has 15 receptions for 225 yards and four touchdowns.

The Linn-Mar defense is allowing 19.9 points and 287 total yards per game while giving up 5.8 yards per play.

Senior Daniel Lorenz (6-2, 185) leads the Lions with 53 tackles including 5.5 for loss while McEowen has 39 tackles.

Dexter Bracy (6-0, 225) has 33.5 tackles with six for loss and three sacks and Holden Heideman (6-1, 235) has 26 tackles with six for loss and four sacks.

Ottumwa (4-4) at City High (1-7)

Where: Bates Field, 7 p.m.

Last season: Did not play.

Player to watch: Ottumwa junior CJ Vance (5-8, 150) has rushed for 441 yards and five touchdowns while averaging 5.9 yards per carry and has caught four passes for 51 yards and a touchdown.

Key stat: City High quarterback Chris Kabaiza has completed 77 percent of his passes (50-of-65) while throwing for 649 yards and nine touchdowns over the past two games.

About the Bulldogs: Ottumwa enters the regular season finale seeking a second consecutive winning season after finishing 7-2 a year ago.

The Bulldogs snapped a three-game losing streak with a 20-18 win at Des Moines Roosevelt last Friday.

Ottumwa is averaging 12.8 points, 175 rushing yards and 194 total yards per game while averaging 4.3 yards per play.

Sophomore quarterback Spencer Dalbey (5-10, 155) has completed 15-of-51 passes for 148 yards with two touchdowns and six interceptions and has rushed for 181 yards and two touchdowns.

Senior Tyler Schaus (5-10, 200) has rushed for a team-high 465 yards and two touchdowns while Vance has added 441 yards on the ground.

Defensively Ottumwa is allowing 33.1 points and 285 total yards per game while allowing 6.3 yards per play.

Junior Chris Moore (5-10, 160) leads the team with 47 tackles including three tackles for loss and Tate Frueh (5-9, 170) has 33 tackles with five for loss.

Dawson Weller (6-2, 215) has 30.5 tackles and leads the Bulldogs with seven tackles for loss and four sacks and Jesus Sanchez (5-6, 200) has 32 tackles with three for loss and two sacks.

About the Little Hawks: City High picked up its first win with a 59-14 victory at Des Moines East in week seven before falling at Liberty High 48-29 last week.

Of the seven losses for City High six have come to teams that are currently ranked into the 15 in the Class 5A RPI rankings.

Sophomore quarterback Chris Kabaiza has come on strong down the stretch with nine touchdown passes in the past two games and leads a City High offense that is averaging 19.4 points and 326 total yards per game while averaging 5.6 yards per play.

Kabaiza has completed 101-of-160 passes for 1,177 yards and 12 touchdowns with 12 interceptions and has rushed for 145 yards and a touchdown.

Dominic Roe has rushed for a team-high 307 yards and a touchdown and Jack Lampe has rushed for 274 yards and two touchdowns and caught 16 passes for 169 yards and two touchdowns.

Chayse Newton has a team-high 54 receptions for 618 yards and five touchdowns and Chris Santarrelli has caught 15 passes for 173 yards and two touchdowns.

On defense City High is allowing 37.3 points and 355 total yards per game while giving up 6.3 yards per play.

Blaine Heick leads the Little Hawks with 68.5 tackles with nine for loss and three sacks and sophomore Marshall Sheldon has 66 tackles with 14 tackles for loss and two sacks.

Raphael Etuma has 32.5 tackles with 13.5 for loss and two sacks and Kane Willey has 24 tackles with five tackles for loss and a sack.

Muscatine (0-8) at Liberty High (7-1)

Where: Liberty Stadium, 7 p.m.

Last season: Did not play

Player to watch: Muscatine junior running back Seth Reiland (5-10, 157) has rushed for a team-high 989 yards and two touchdowns while averaging 6.6 yards per carry and has caught 20 passes for 181 yards.

Key stat: Liberty High has won 17 of its last 19 regular season games dating back to 2023.

About the Muskies: Muscatine snapped a seven-game losing skid with a 31-28 win over Davenport Central last week.

The Muskies are averaging 13.4 points, 134 rushing yards and 228 total yards per game while averaging 4.4 yards per carry.

Senior quarterback Gaige Curtis has completed 52-of-107 passes for 758 yards and six touchdowns with no interceptions and has rushed for 145 yards and four touchdowns.

Reiland leads Muscatine in rushing while junior Colin Glynn has rushed for 117 yards and senior Gaven Wade has rushed for 106 yards and a touchdown.

James Roberts has caught 11 passes for 345 yards and four touchdowns and Ryland Gbor has seven receptions for 93 yards and a touchdown.

Defensively, Muscatine is allowing 44.6 points and 404 total yards per game while giving up 9.3 yards per play.

Caleb Gault leads Muscatine with 32.5 tackles including two for loss and Glynn has 28.5 tackles with 6.5 for loss and 1.5 sacks.

Curtis has 20.5 tackles and Noel Verdinez has 17.5 tackles with 2.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.

About the Lightning: Liberty High has won four straight games following a week-four loss at Johnston and has three wins this season over teams ranked in the top 15 in the Class 5A RPI.

The Lightning are currently fourth in the 5 RPI rankings following a 48-29 win over City High last week.

Senior quarterback Reece Rettig leads a Liberty High offense that averages 35.1 points and 390 total yards per game while averaging 6.3 yards per play.

Rettig has completed 143-of-206 passes while throwing for 1,478 yards and 13 touchdowns with eight interceptions and has rushed for 692 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Brody Beaver has rushed for 367 yards and five touchdowns and Logan Laubenthal has rushed for 255 yards and two touchdowns.

Pryor Reiners has 31 receptions for 356 yards and three touchdowns while Adrian Clerry has 22 receptions for 217 yards and three touchdowns and Leo Rozz has 27 receptions for 275 yards and three touchdowns.

The Liberty High defense is holding opponents to 18.6 points and 269 total yards per game while allowing 6.3 yards per play.

Senior linebacker Landon Bell leads Liberty High with 40.5 tackles including 14.5 for loss and 4.5 sacks.

Alex Strunk has 22.5 tackles with four tackles for loss and Hank Thompson has 7.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks.

Solon (8-0) at Fort Madison (0-8)  

Where: Fort Madison High School, 7:30 p.m.

Last season: Did not play.

Player to watch: Fort Madison sophomore running back Moses Thacher (5-9, 170) has rushed for a team-high 461 yards and seven touchdowns and has caught 13 passes for 59 yards.

Key stat: Solon has posted three shutouts and allowed just six points in four district games.

About the Bloodhounds: Fort Madison has lost 18 consecutive games, a streak that started with a 50-7 loss at Solon in the opening round of the 2023 playoffs.

The Bloodhounds are averaging 11.6 points and 184 total yards per game while posting 3.6 yards per play.

Sophomore quarterback Stefan Berlett (6-0, 150) has completed 75-of-160 passes for 546 yards and four touchdowns with four interceptions.

Thacher leads the Bloodhounds in rushing and Eric Cornelis (5-7, 155) has rushed for 254 yards and three touchdowns.

Freshman Aurelio Jaciunde (5-10, 150) has a team-high 20 receptions for 197 yards and a touchdown and Connor Horn (5-10, 150) has 18 receptions for 61 yards and a touchdown.

Owen Huffman (5-9, 155) has 13 receptions for 151 yards and a touchdown.

The Fort Madison defense is allowing 46.5 points and 422 total yards per game while giving up 10.6 yards per play.

Jaciunde leads the Bloodhounds with 31 tackles while Ren Watson (20) has 29 tackles with three tackles for loss.

Cornelis has 27 tackles and Marshall Heitmann (5-10, 205) has 27 tackles with two for loss.

About the Spartans: Solon is seeking to complete an unbeaten regular season after locking up the Class 3A, District 4 title with a 35-0 win at Mount Pleasant last week.

The Spartans are averaging 43 points and 331 total yards per game while averaging 7.3 yards per play.

Senior quarterback Eli Kampman has completed 100-of-150 passes for 1,567 yards and 20 touchdowns with four interceptions and has rushed for 305 yards and four touchdowns.

Maddox Kelley has rushed for 279 yards and 10 touchdowns and caught 32 passes for 398 yards and nine touchdowns.

Kaden Hoeper has 27 receptions for 482 yards and six touchdowns and Cody Milliman has 27 receptions for 386 yards and three touchdowns.

The Spartan defense is giving up 9.3 points and 208 total yards per game while holding opponents to 4.3 yards per play.

Senior linebacker Kyler Jensen leads Solon with 56 tackles including nine for loss while Lucas Feuerbach has 32 tackles with eight tackles for loss and three sacks.

Senior Tripp Johnson has 30 tackles and James Thomsen has 29.5 tackles with 10 tackles for loss and five sacks.

Oskaloosa (0-8) at Clear Creek Amana (3-5)

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

Last season: Clear Creek Amana 32, Oskaloosa 13

Player to watch: Oskaloosa junior quarterback Tyer Edgar (6-3, 160) has completed 55-of-110 passes for 649 yards and six touchdowns and has rushed for a team-high 229 yards and three touchdowns.

Key stat: Clear Creek Amana has held opponents under 300 yards of total offense in five of eight games this season including each of the past three.

About the Indians: Oskaloosa will be seeking to snap a seven-game losing streak in the regular season finale after falling to Marion 21-13 last week.

The Indians are averaging 9.8 points and 170 total yards per game this season while posting 3.4 yards per play.

Edgar leads the Oskaloosa offense while senior Parker Jordan (6-2, 200) has rushed for 135 yards and senior Brock Beerbower (6-0, 190) has rushed for 113 yards and two touchdowns.

Heavon Knox (5-10, 180) has a team-high 17 receptions for 208 yards and four touchdowns and Kayne Boender (5-10, 160) has 16 receptions for 234 yards and two touchdowns.

Samba Cisse (5-10, 130) has 10 receptions for 118 yards.

The Oskaloosa defense is allowing 32.1 points and 320 total yards per game while giving up 7.8 yards per play.

Beerbower leads the team with 44.5 tackles including 12.5 for loss and 1.5 sacks and Jordan has 28 tackles with seven for loss.

Barrett Rinehart-Lynch (5-11, 184) has 21.5 tackles with 3.5 for loss and Chad McDonald-Playle (5-10, 170) has 18 tackles with five for loss.

Oskaloosa has forced 13 turnovers, recovering eight fumbles and intercepting five passes.

About the Clippers: Clear Creek Amana will look to snap a two-game losing skid in its season finale after back-to-back losses to Newton and Pella the past two weeks.

Clear Creek Amana is averaging 31.4 points and 305 total yards per game while producing 6 yards per play.

Senior quarterback Conlan Poynton has passed for 758 yards and seven touchdowns and rushed for 582 yards and 11 touchdowns and sophomore Texton Bollers has passed for 417 yards and two touchdowns.

Senior Aren Schlemme has caught 13 passes for 369 yards and five touchdowns and junior Tay Seals has a team-high 27 receptions for 335 yards and three touchdowns.

The Clear Creek Amana defense is allowing 26.3 points and 303 total yards per game while giving up 5.5 yards per play.

Senior Aidan Schrock leads the team with 53.5 tackles including 3.5 for loss and a sack and sophomore Nolan Dao has 29.5 tackles with 1.5 for loss.

Junior Ian Kelley has four tackles for loss and two sacks and junior Avery Sorensen has four tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks.

Northeast (3-5) at No. 3 Regina (8-0)

Where: Regal Field, 7 p.m.

Last season: Did not play.

Player to watch: Northeast sophomore quarterback Maxzen Eskildsen has completed 75-of-142 passes for 1,026 yards and seven touchdowns, has rushed for a team-high 714 yards and 10 touchdowns and has caught three passes for 98 yards and a touchdown.

Key stat: Regina averaged 10.2 yards per play during its five district wins.

About the Rebels: Northeast opened the season 1-4 but came on strong down the stretch winning two of its final three games to reach the playoffs for the fifth consecutive season.

After averaging 17 points per game during its 1-4 start to the season the Rebels scored a combined 70 points in wins over Lisbon and MFL Mar-Mac to secure a spot in the 1A postseason.

Sophomore quarterback Maxzen Eskildsen leads a Northeast offense that is averaging 27.3 points per game over its final three games.

The Rebels are averaging 20.9 points and 325 total yards per game on the season while producing 5.8 yards per play.

Senior Carson DeBo has rushed for 273 yards and a touchdown and junior Jade Mielk has added 189 rushing yards and four touchdowns.

Senior Cael Kluever has been the top target in the passing game with 36 receptions for 431 yards and a touchdown and Mielk has 34 receptions for 540 yards and six touchdowns.

Kluever leads a Northeast defense that is allowing 37.3 points and 362 total yards per game while giving up 7.6 yards per play.

Kluever has a team-high 41 tackles with 8.5 for loss and three sacks and junior Eyan Seamer has 32.5 tackles with three for loss.

About the Regals: Regina enters the Class 1A postseason after rolling to a district title by outscoring five district opponents by a combined score of 237-27.

The Regals have been impressive on both sides of the ball this season.

On offense Regina is averaging 45.8 points and 348 total yards per game while producing 8.7 yards per play.

Senior quarterback Kyle Tracy has completed 73-of-95 passes for 1,399 yards and 21 touchdowns with three interceptions and has rushed for 225 yards and five touchdowns.

Tate Wallace has caught a team-best 26 passes for 357 yards and five touchdowns and Drew Greve has 16 receptions for 288 yards and two touchdowns.

Junior Savion Miller has rushed for 493 yards and 10 touchdowns while averaging 7.6 yards per carry and has caught six passes for 191 yards and six touchdowns.

The Regina defense is holding opponents to 11.3 points and 187 total yards per game while allowing 4.1 yards per play.

Wallace leads Regina with 30.5 tackles including 9.5 for loss and three sacks and Luke Hamilton has 30 tackles with 5.5 for loss.

James Whisler has 25.5 tackles with four for loss and Greve has five interceptions as Regina has forced 17 turnovers including 11 interceptions.

Denver (4-4) at No. 7 West Branch (6-2)  

Where: The Little Rose Bowl, 7 p.m.

Last season: Did not play

Player to watch: Denver junior quarterback Jackson Joerger (6-2, 175) has completed 60-of-110 passes for 853 yards and 10 touchdowns with two interceptions and has rushed for a team-high 431 yards and seven touchdowns.

Key stat: Denver has allowed an average of 25.5 points per game in its four losses this season and has given up just seven points per game in its fourth wins this season.

About the Cyclones: Denver lost three consecutive district games to drop to 2-4 on the season before closing the regular season with back-to-back wins over Oelwein and Vinton-Shellsburg to return to the postseason for the fifth time in the past six seasons after missing a playoff berth last fall.

The Cyclones outscored Oelwein and Vinton-Shellsburg 85-28 in its final two games to secure a spot in the playoffs.

Denver has been solid on both sides of the ball this season but has relied on its defense to record wins, posting shutouts in three of its four victories.

On defense the Cyclones are allowing 239 total yards and 16.3 points per game while giving up 4.7 yards per play and forcing 15 turnovers.

Senior Carter Lanus (6-3, 190) leads the team with 52 tackles including 7.5 for loss while senior Cody Koepke (5-11, 215) has 41.5 tackles with a team-high 19.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks.

Sophomore Jeb Ebaugh (5-7, 150) has 39.5 tackles with 9.5 for loss.

Led by Joerger the Denver offense is averaging 28 points and 299 total yards per game while producing 6 yards per play.

Lanus has rushed for 429 yards and four touchdowns and junior Brayton Hovey (6-0, 170) has rushed for 245 yards and four touchdowns and caught 15 passes for a team-high 226 yards and two touchdowns.

Jackson Schoville (6-2, 190) has 15 receptions for 200 yards, Lincoln Roethler (6-2, 185) has 10 receptions for 174 yards and three touchdowns and Tarek Knoblock (5-9, 150) has caught 13 passes for 155 yards and three touchdowns.

About the Bears: West Branch is making its 18^th consecutive playoff appearance and enters the postseason riding a three-game winning streak that includes a 43-20 district-clinching win at previously unbeaten Bellevue last week.

The key for the West Branch offense has been fairly simple this season, running the football.

In its six wins this season West Branch has averaged 279 rushing yards per game and scored 29 rushing touchdowns.

In its two losses the Bears have managed just 139 rushing yards per game and scored one rushing touchdown.

On the season West Branch is averaging 35.1 points and 317 total yards per game with 244 rushing yards per game and 6.9 yards per play.

Senior quarterback Brennen Dale has completed 43-of-86 passes for 551 yards and eight touchdowns with four interceptions and has rushed for 274 yards and five touchdowns.

Junior Keaton Gates has rushed for a team-leading 1,178 yards and 12 touchdowns and Cooper Gates has rushed for 445 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Brandon Pedersen has a team-high 18 receptions for 222 yards and a touchdown and Nolan Staker has seven receptions for 151 yards and three touchdowns.

The West Branch defense is holding opponents to 15.3 points and 264 total yards per game while allowing 5.1 yards per play and has forced 17 turnovers.

Senior linebacker Conner Capper has a team-high 49 tackles including 5.5 tackles for loss and Cooper Gates has 39.5 tackles with a team-high 11 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks.

Senior defensive lineman Lincoln Naber has 33.5 tackles with 4.5 sacks and senior Griffin Seydel has 19.5 tackles and a team-high six interceptions as the Bears have 16 interceptions as a team.

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