Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

West High (8-2) at West Des Moines Dowling (9-1)

Where: Mediacom Stadium, 7 p.m.

Last season: Did not play

Player to watch: West Des Moines Dowling senior running back Ian Middleton (5-9, 215) has rushed for 1,188 yards and 14 touchdowns while averaging 6.4 yards per carry and has four receptions for 29 yards and a touchdown.

Key stat: West High is the only team in Class 5A and one of only four teams in the state with a 2,000-yard passer (Reece Wheeler), 1,000-yard rusher (Campbell Janis) and 1,000-yard receiver (Ethan Headings).

About the Trojans: West High returns to the 5A quarterfinals for the second consecutive season seeking its first semifinal appearance since 2017.

Since a week eight loss at playoff qualifier Cedar Rapids Prairie the Trojans have posted back-to-back wins over Linn-Mar (42-14) and Cedar Falls (38-31) averaging 466 yards of total offense in those wins.

West High has been one of the top offenses in the state this season scoring at least 30 points in every game this season.

The Trojans are averaging 43.3 points and 419 total yards per game while averaging 7.9 yards per play.

West High junior quarterback Reece Wheeler has completed 103-of-165 passes for 2,069 yards and 22 touchdowns with three interceptions and has rushed for 203 yards and four touchdowns.

Senior running back Campbell Janis has rushed for a team-high 1,296 yards and 15 touchdowns while averaging 7.7 yards per carry and has caught four passes for 57 yards.

Ethan Headings has been the top target in the passing game with 47 receptions for 1,138 yards and 13 touchdowns while Julian Manson has caught 25 passes for 456 yards and six touchdowns.

Henry Elser has 14 receptions for 279 yards and three touchdowns.

The West High defense is allowing 19.9 points and 273 total yards per game while allowing 5.2 yards per play.

West High is giving up 168 rushing yards per game while holding opponents to 4.9 yards per carry.

Manson leads the Trojans with 62 tackles including six for loss while senior defensive end Jackson Law has 49.5 tackles with 14 tackles for loss and nine sacks.

Headings has 41 tackles with 6.5 for loss and Abdul Hodge junior has 28 tackles with two for loss.

West High has forced 16 turnovers returning a fumble and an interception for a touchdown and has two kickoff returns for touchdowns.

About the Maroons: Among the most successful program in the state over the past two decades West Des Moines Dowling is making its 18^th consecutive quarterfinal appearance, a stretch that includes eight state titles.

West Des Moines Dowling is seeking a fourth semifinal appearance in the past six seasons after falling to West Des Moines Valley in the 5A semifinals last season.

The Maroons have won nine games in a row since a 20-19 loss to West Des Moines Valley in the season opener.

During its current nine-game winning streak West Des Moines Dowling has outscored opponents by a total of 335-61.

West Des Moines Dowling is averaging 35.4 points and 401 total yards per game while averaging 7.2 yards per play.

Senior quarterback Joey Nahas (6-0, 190) has completed 122-of-196 passes while throwing for 1,920 yards and 20 touchdowns with four interceptions.

Middleton leads the Maroons in rushing while sophomores Henry Smid (5-10, 175) and Grayson Pennington (5-11, 175) have combined for 512 yards and seven touchdowns.

Senior Sam Drexler (6-0, 175) has caught 49 passes for 722 yards and seven touchdowns and Iowa State recruit Jeffrey Roberts (6-0, 190) has 40 receptions for 733 yards and nine touchdowns.

The West Des Moines Dowling defense has been among the best in Class 5A this season holding opponents to 7.1 points and 182 total yards per game while allowing just 3.8 yards per play.

West Des Moines Dowling is giving up just 93 rushing yards per game and is allowing 3.3 yards per carry.

Junior linebacker Carlos Blount Jr. (6-0, 210) leads West Des Moines Dowling with 48.5 tackles including 3.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks and senior Jackson Miller (33) has 45 tackles.

Senior Ryan Bobo (5-11, 220) has 11 tackles for loss and a team-high 7.5 sacks among his 30.5 tackles and senior Anthony Bonanno (6-1, 205) has five tackles for loss and four sacks.

West Des Moines Dowling has forced 13 turnovers with senior Jordan Watson (5-9, 170) recovering two fumbles and intercepting two passes.

Southeast Polk (6-4) at Liberty High (9-1) 

Where: Liberty Stadium, 7 p.m.

Last season: Southeast Polk 38, Liberty High 35 (5A semifinal)

This season: Liberty High 38, Southeast Polk 20

Player to watch: Southeast Polk junior Stanley Cooper ranks sixth in Class 5A with 1,206 rushing yards and third in Class 5A with 16 rushing touchdowns while averaging 8.3 yards per carry.

Key stat: Liberty High has at least 400 yards of total offense in 14 of 22 games over the past two seasons.

About the Rams: Four-time defending 5A champion Southeast Polk kept its hopes of extending its title streak alive with a 21-14 win at Ankeny in the opening round last week.

The opening-round win over Ankeny extended the Rams’ postseason winning streak to 17 with the last playoff loss for Southeast Polk coming to Ankeny in the 2020 4A title game.

This is the second consecutive season that Southeast Polk enters the postseason 5-4. A year ago the Rams followed a 5-4 regular season with a postseason run to a fourth consecutive title that included three wins by exactly three points including a 38-35 win over Liberty High in the 5A semifinals.

All four losses for Southeast Polk this season came to 4A quarterfinalist as the Rams lost to Liberty High (38-20), West Des Moines Dowling (45-14), Waukee Northwest (38-7) and Johnston (38-37) in the regular season.

Southeast Polk is averaging 34.6 points and 328 total yards per game including 242 rushing yards per game and are averaging 6.4 yards per play on offense.

Sophomore quarterback Boston Bailey has completed 56-of-87 passes for 664 yards and six touchdowns with two interceptions and has rushed for 52 yards and a touchdown.

Stanley leads the Rams in rushing while senior Drew Thompson has rushed for 832 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Teague Cantrall has been the top target in the passing game with 22 receptions for 293 yards and five touchdowns and junior Brennan Swanson has caught 10 passes for 141 yards and two touchdowns.

On defense the Rams have held opponents to 22 points, 249 total yards and 106 rushing yards per game while allowing 5 yards per play.

Senior Joel Thompson has a team-high 56.5 tackles with nine tackles for loss and three sacks.

Senior Dokken Biladeau has 36 tackles with 4.5 for loss while Owen Oberbroeckling has 29.5 tackles with three for loss.

The Rams have forced 21 turnovers, including 15 interceptions, with Jaidyn Perry and Brayden Lewis each with four interceptions.

About the Lightning: Liberty High broke through last season making the first semifinal appearance in program history.

The playoff run ended with a 38-35 loss to Southeast Polk in the UNI-Dome debut for the Lightning.

Liberty High got a measure of revenge with a 38-20 win at Southeast Polk on September 5 and can add to that by stopping the Rams’ quest for a fifth consecutive state title.

Liberty High has been impressive offensively this season averaging 38.3 points, 402 total yards and 195 rushing yards per game while averaging 6.6 yard per play.

Senior quarterback Reece Rettig has completed 174-of-246 passes while throwing for 1,901 yards and 16 touchdowns with eight interceptions and has rushed for a team-high 807 yards.

Junior Brody Beaver has rushed for 472 yards and five touchdowns and senior Logan Laubenthal has added 285 yards and four touchdowns.

A balanced Liberty High receiving corps has been led by junior Pryor Reiners with 37 receptions for 444 yards and four touchdowns.

Adrian Clerry has 29 receptions for 266 yards and three touchdowns, Leo Rozz has 28 receptions for 299 yards and three touchdowns and Jordan Schroeder has 26 receptions for 377 yards and four touchdowns.

Five other Liberty High players have at least seven receptions and 100 yards led by senior Cale Baldwin with 12 catches for 126 yards and two touchdowns.

On defense Liberty High has been excellent holding opponents to 18.3 points, 262 total yards and 144 rushing yards per game while allowing 6.3 yards per play.

Landon Bell leads the Lightning with 52 tackles including a team-high 17 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks.

Alex Strunk has 35 tackles with seven for loss and 1.5 sacks and Eric Strunk has 15 tackles with 5.5 for loss and 3.5 sacks.

Cash Hennings has 23 tackles with six for loss and 2.5 sacks and Jordan Schroeder has 28 tackles.

The Lightning have forced 13 turnovers led by Laubenthal who has three interceptions.

Winterset (7-3) at Solon (10-0)

Where: Spartan Stadium, 7 p.m.

Last season: Did not play.

Player to watch: Winterset senior Jace Bellamy (5-11, 175) leads Class 3A with 102.5 tackles including 54 solo stops and five tackles for loss, has forced two fumbles and has a team-high six interceptions. On offense, Bellamy has rushed for 382 yards and six touchdowns, caught eight passes for 157 yards and three touchdowns and completed 2-of-3 passes for 120 yards and a touchdown.

Key stat: Winterset allowed an average of 32.8 points per game during a 2-3 start to the season but is giving up just 11 points per game during its current five-game winning streak.

About the Spartans: Solon is appearing in the quarterfinals for the seventh consecutive season and is chasing a third semifinal appearance in the past five seasons.

The Spartans join Clear Lake as the lone remaining unbeaten teams in Class 3A after a 31-6 win over Benton Community in the opening round of the 3A playoffs.

Solon is 5-0 at home this season and has won 20 consecutive home games dating back to 2022.

The Spartans have efficient on offense averaging 42.6 points and 337 total yards per game while averaging 7.1 yards per play.

Senior quarterback Eli Kampman has completed 121-of-193 passes for 2,017 yards and 27 touchdowns with seven interceptions and has rushed for a team-high 407 yards and five touchdowns.

Junior Maddox Kelley has rushed for 324 yards and 12 touchdowns and has caught 39 passes for 624 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Kaden Hoeper has 36 receptions for 638 yards and nine touchdowns and Cody Milliman has 30 receptions for 445 yards and three touchdowns.

Defensively Solon has been impressive, holding opponents to 8.2 points and 197 total yards per game while allowing 4.2 yards per play.

Senior linebacker Kyler Jensen has a team-high 58.5 tackles with nine tackles for loss and senior Tripp Johnson has 37.5 tackles with five for loss.

Lucas Feuerbach has 39 tackles with 11.5 for loss and four sacks and James Thomsen has 32.5 tackles with 11 tackles for loss and five sacks.

Solon has forced 29 turnovers, including 14 interceptions with senior Ethan Ulch leading the team with three interceptions.

About the Huskies: Making its first playoff appearance since reaching the Class 4A semifinals in 2021 Winterset is seeking just its second ever trip to the semifinals.

Winterset opened the season 2-3 with losses to quarterfinalists ADM, Van Meter and Nevada but responded with five consecutive wins to reach the quarterfinalists.

The Huskies forced three turnovers in a 28-6 win over Independence in the opening round of the 3A playoffs last Friday.

Winterset is averaging 29.7 points, 353 total yards and 229 rushing yards per game while averaging 6.8 yards per play.

Junior quarterback Carson Cook (5-10, 155) has completed 96-of-174 yards while throwing for 1,123 yards and eight touchdowns with four interceptions and has rushed for 101 yards.

Bellamy is one of four Huskies with more than 350 rushing yards.

Ben Porter (5-10, 185) has a team-high 877 rushing yards, Nathan Rivera (5-9, 157) has rushed for 397 yards and Wyatt Swanson (6-0, 182) has rushed for 379 yards and six touchdowns.

Swanson has caught 27 passes for 421 yards and three touchdowns and Daxon Weeks (5-10, 65) has 20 receptions for 200 yards and a touchdown.

Drake McDonald (6-2, 180) has 14 receptions for 223 yards and a touchdown.

The Winterset defense is holding opponents to 21.9 points and 295 total yards per game while giving up 5.3 yards per play.

Bellamy leads the way on defense while Cru Hockett (5-9, 182) has 42.5 tackles with 6.5 tackles for loss.

Cael Hirsch (5-10, 155) has 40.5 tackles and Swanson has 34.5 tackles with 6.5 for loss and 2.5 sacks.

The Huskies have been opportunistic defensively, forcing 23 turnovers including 14 interceptions.

No. 6 Pleasantville (9-1) at No. 3 Regina (10-0)

Where: Regal Field, 7 p.m.

Last season: Regina 32, Pleasantville 21 (1A first round)

Player to watch: Pleasantville junior quarterback Braylon Bingham (6-2, 200) has completed 79-of-133 passes for 1,374 yards and 16 touchdowns with five interceptions, has rushed for a team-high 795 yards and six touchdowns and leads the Trojans with 56 tackles including 2.5 for loss.

Key stat: Regina has a yards per play differential of +5.8, averaging 9.5 yards per play on offense and holding opponents to 3.7 yards per play on defense. In two postseason wins that number grows to +9.4 as Regina has averaged 12.6 yards per play on offense and allowed 3.2 yards per play on defense in wins over Northeast and Cascade.

About the Regals: Regina returns to the 1A quarterfinals for the third consecutive season seeking its first trip to the UNI-Dome since claiming the Class A state title in 2020.

Third-ranked Regina joins defending state champions West Lyon and Grundy Center as the only remaining unbeaten teams in Class 1A.

The Regals advanced to the quarterfinals by outscoring Northeast in Cascade by a combined total of 121-13 in a pair of 1A playoff games.

Regina has been impressive all season on both sides of the ball.

On offense the Regals are averaging 48.7 points and 375 total yards per game while posting 9.5 yards per play.
Regina has been balanced, averaging 180 rushing yards and 195 passing yards per game.

Senior quarterback Kyle Tracy has been among the most efficient quarterbacks in the state this season completing 74 percent of his passes while throwing for 1,725 yards and 28 touchdowns with three interceptions and also rushing for 351 yards and eight touchdowns.

Junior Savion Miller has rushed for 755 yards and 14 touchdowns while averaging 9.1 yards per carry and has caught seven passes for 205 yards and seven touchdowns.

Gabriel Hegelheimer has rushed for 269 yards and five touchdowns while averaging 12.8 yards per carry and Aaron Honore has rushed for 188 yards and four touchdowns and averages 13.4 yards per carry.

Tate Wallace has caught 31 passes for 432 yards and seven touchdowns and senior Drew Greve has 20 receptions for 353 yards and four touchdowns.

Carter Slager has 11 receptions for 274 yards and four touchdowns.

Regina has been equally impressive on defense holding opponents to 10.3 points and 165 total yards per game while allowing just 3.7 yards per play.

Luke Hamilton leads the Regals with 38 tackles including 6.5 for loss and Wallace has 35 tackles with 11 for loss and 4.5 sacks.

Edwin Gangba has 33 tackles and Will Litton has 22.5 tackles with 7.5 for loss and 3.5 sacks.

Regina has forced 25 turnovers including 18 interceptions with Greve leading the Regals with six interceptions.

About the Trojans: Pleasantville is seeking its first semifinal appearance since 1995 after opening the postseason with back-to-back wins over Durant (42-14) and Hudson (33-20).

The Trojans have won six in a row following a 19-7 loss at Interstate 35 in week four and have allowed an average of 11.5 points per game during the winning streak.

Pleasantville is led by Bingham, a three-year, two-way starter that was a first-team all-state pick last season as a defensive back.

Behind Bingham, the Trojans are averaging 36.1 points and 383 total yards per game while averaging 7.5 yards per play.

Senior Owen Rule (5-9, 175) has rushed for 592 yards and six touchdowns and junior JJ Phillips (5-11, 176) has rushed for 379 yards and eight touchdowns and caught 12 passes for 200 yards and two touchdowns.

Logan Roff (6-0, 180) has been the top receiving target with 29 receptions for 413 yards and six touchdowns and Brayden Kennedy (6-0, 195) has 18 receptions for 466 yards and four touchdowns.

Ethan King (6-1, 170) has 11 catches for 261 yards and five touchdowns and Caylor Jones (5-10, 160) has 15 receptions for 170 yards and two touchdowns.

On defense Pleasantville is allowing 16.6 points and 259 total yards per game while holding opponents to 5.3 yards per play.

The Trojans are giving up 161 rushing yards per game.

Cooper Kennedy (5-9, 172) has 46.5 tackles with 3.5 or loss while Rule has a team-high 10 tackles for loss and four sacks among his 37 tackles.

Pleasantville has forced 11 turnovers with Phillips leading the team with two interceptions.

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