Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

Regina returned to state semifinals for the first time since 2020 on Friday.

The Regals return to the UNI-Dome came in dominant fashion in the form of a 49-7 win over sixth-ranked Pleasantville that continued an impressive postseason march for Regina.

In three playoff games Regina has outscored opponents by a total of 170-20 to make its 11^th semifinal appearance in the past 15 seasons.

“That’s the best thing about it is we’ve been preaching since day one that we want to be our best now and when we get to the Dome,” Regina senior Drew Greve said. “That’s been our goal is to be at our best at this time.”

Regina has certainly been at its best during its playoff run.

In three playoff games Regina has averaged 56.7 points, 475 total yards and 12.4 yards per play on offense.

Senior quarterback Kyle Tracy has completed 32-of-44 passes for 593 yards and 10 touchdowns without an interception in the postseason.

Regina is averaging 271 rushing yards and 12.7 yards per carry in its three postseason wins.

“We have so many weapons,” Greve said. “We have three running backs that I’m confident could start anywhere in the state, our wide receiver group is super deep, we have great guys after the catch and our quarterback Kyle is very good and the offensive line does their job every day.”

The Regina defense just been equally impressive.

Regina has held postseason opponents to 6.7 points and 191 total yards per game while allowing just 3.6 yards per play.

The Regals held Pleasantville and all-state quarterback Braylon Bingham in check on Friday.

Regina allowed just 247 total yards and 4.3 yards per play to a Trojan offense that entered the quarterfinals averaging 36.1 points and 383 total yards per game on 7.5 yards per play.

“Bingham is a great player, hats off to him, he made a lot of plays, made us miss a lot of tackles and kept drives alive for them but our defense kept coming back,” Regina coach Dustin Elsbury said. “It was kind of a bend don’t break mentality. That never give up mentality.”

News and Notes

New Champ in 5A: Someone other than Southeast Polk will win the Class 5A for the first time this season.

Liberty High made sure of that on Friday.

The Lightning snapped a 17-game postseason winning streak for four-time defending 5A champ Southeast Polk with a come-from-behind 31-28 win over the Rams on Friday.

Southeast Polk had won every 5A title since the state added Class 5A in 2021.

The win was the second straight for Liberty High over Southeast Polk after the Rams defeated Liberty High in the 5A semifinals last season.

Liberty High won 38-20 at Southeast Polk on September 5.

Liberty High returns to the 5A semifinals for the second consecutive season and second time in program history.

Updated Unbeatens: As the playoff football moves indoors in the semifinals 14 teams remain unbeaten entering semifinal play.

Two of those undefeated teams come from the area as Solon (11-0) and Regina (11-0) both head to the UNI-Dome undefeated.

Of the 14 remaining unbeaten teams half, come from Class A and 8-player,

All four semifinalists in 8-player are undefeated and three of the Class A semifinals teams are unbeaten.

Regina joins defending state champions Grundy Center (11-0) and West Lyon (11-0) as unbeaten teams in the Class 1A semis.

Solon is the only remaining unbeaten team in Class 3A and Cedar Rapids Xavier (11-0) is the only undefeated team in Class 4A.

Carroll Kuemper (11-0) and Osage are both undefeated entering the 2A semifinals and there is not an unbeaten team in the 5A semifinals.

Savion’s Streak: Regina junior running back Savion Miller had a big game in the quarterfinal win over Pleasantville rushing for 64 yards and a touchdown and catching two passes for 76 yards and a touchdown.

Miller did have an impressive streak end in the loss when a first-half reception went for 14 yards.

Prior to that reception for Miller, the first seven catches this season for the junior running back had all gone for touchdowns.

Miller’s ninth catch of the season did go for a score, as he raced 62 yards for a touchdown late in the first half.

On the season Miller has nine receptions for 281 yards and eight touchdowns, an average of 31.2.

Solon’s Defense Dominates: The Solon defense continued its late-season domination on Friday holding Winterset to 208 total yards and forcing four turnovers in a 21-6 win.

Solon has now allowed six points or less in seven consecutive games and hasn’t given up more than seven points since a 28-21 win over Benton Community on September 19.

The Spartans had seven tackles for loss and two sacks in the quarterfinal win over Winterset and had a pair of non-offensive touchdowns.

Maddox Kelley returned an interception 50 yards for a touchdown and the Spartans scored when Simon Einwalter recovered a blocked punt in the end zone.

Players of the Week

Offensive player of the week: Liberty High senior quarterback Reece Rettig completed 21-of-33 passes for 215 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 62 yards in a 31-28 win over Southeast Polk. Rettig led the game-winning drive in the fourth quarter, throwing the go-ahead touchdown to Pryor Reiners with 1:30 remaining.

Defensive player of the week: Regina junior defensive end Tate Wallace had four tackles for loss and three sacks among his five tackles in a 49-7 win over Pleasantville. Wallace also had four receptions for 68 yards and two touchdowns.

Special teams player of the week: Solon junior James Thomsen blocked a punt that was recovered for a touchdown in a 21-6 win over Winterset. Thomsen also had 4.5 tackles with 1.5 tackles for loss and half a sack in the win.

Helmet stickers

Offense: Liberty High junior Pryor Reiners had nine receptions for 116 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winner with 1:30 to play, and rushed four times for 21 yards in a 31-28 win over Southeast Polk.

Offense: Regina senior quarterback Kyle Tracy completed 14-of-16 passes for 267 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 85 yards and two touchdowns in a 49-7 win over Pleasantville.

Offense: West High senior Julian Manson had six receptions for 104 yards in a 35-0 loss to West Des Moines Dowling.

Defense: West High senior defensive end Jackson Law had 8.5 tackles including five solo stops, two tackles for loss, a forced fumble and a sack in a 35-0 loss at West Des Moines Dowling.

Defense: Liberty High junior Eric Stunk had six tackles, including four solos, 1.5 tackles for loss, a sack and recovered a fumble in a 31-28 win over Southeast Polk.

Defense: Solon junior Maddox Kelley had six tackles, including five solos and a sack and had three interceptions, returning one 50 yards for a touchdown in a 21-6 win over Winterset.

Special teams: Liberty High senior kicker Collin Weis made all four of his PAT attempts and hit a 42-yard field goal in a 31-28 win over Southeast Polk

Special teams: West High senior punter Brady Thoma averaged 47 yards per punt on three punts in a 35-0 loss to West Des Moines Dowling.

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