Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

Liberty High (11-1) vs. West Des Moines Dowling (11-1)  

Where: UNI-Dome, Friday 7 p.m.

Last season: Did not play

Player to watch: West Des Moines Dowling running back Ian Middleton (5-9, 215) has rushed for 1,561 yards and 17 touchdowns while averaging 6.4 yards per carry and has caught five passes for 40 yards and a touchdown.

Key stat: Liberty High has run 737 offensive plays this season an average of 61 plays per game while Lightning opponents have run a total of 496 offensive plays, an average of 41 plays per game.

About the Maroons: Perennial power West Des Moines Dowling returns to the state title game after a five-year absence seeking the 11^th state championship in program history.

West Des Moines Dowling won seven consecutive state titles from 2013 to 2019 but hasn’t appeared in the title game since.

The 10 titles for West Des Moines Dowling are the second most in state history behind only Harlan with 14 titles.

West Des Moines Dowling brings an 11-game winning streak into Friday’s championship game.

The Maroons lost the season opener 20-19 at rival West Des Moines Valley but avenged that loss with a 14-10 win over the Tigers in the 5A semifinals last week.

West Des Moines Dowling has been excellent on both sides of the ball this season but has been especially impressive on defense.

Since the season-opening loss at West Des Moines Valley, the Maroons haven’t allowed more than 14 points in a game posting four shutouts during their 11-game winning streak.

On the season West Des Moines Dowling is allowing 7.6 points and 189 total yards per game while giving up just 3.8 yards per play.

The Maroons have been stellar against both the run and pass allowing 90 rushing yards per game and just 3.2 yards per carry while surrendering just 99 passing yards per game.

Junior linebacker Carlos Blount Jr. (6-0, 210) leads West Des Moines Dowling with 60.5 tackles including 3.5 for loss and Jackson Miller (6-1, 190) has 56.5 tackles.

Senior Ryan Bobo (5-11, 220) has a team-high 16 tackles for loss and 12 sacks among his 37.5 tackles while Anthony Bonanno (6-1, 205) has 9.5 tackles for loss and seven sacks among his 39.5 tackles.

On offense the Maroons are led by senior quarterback Joey Nahas (6-0, 190) and senior running back Ian Middleton (5-9, 215).

West Des Moines Dowling is averaging 33.6 points and 388 total yards per game while putting up 6.9 yards per play.

Nahas has completed 61 percent of his passes (135-of-222) while throwing for 2,165 yards and 24 touchdowns with four interceptions and has rushed for 74 yards and a touchdown.

Middleton has run for a team-leading 1,561 yards and 17 touchdowns and sophomore Grayson Pennington (5-11, 175) has added 283 rushing yards and five touchdowns.

Senior Sam Drexler (6-0, 175) has caught a team-leading 52 passes for 745 yards and seven touchdowns and Iowa State recruit Jeffrey Roberts (6-0, 190) has caught 46 passes for 895 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Jimmy Nahas (6-0, 185) has 14 receptions for 184 yards and Preston Hofbauer (5-10, 170) has 11 receptions for 188 yards and two touchdowns.

About the Lightning: One year after making its first ever state semifinal appearance Liberty High will play for a state title for the first time.

The Lightning advanced to the 5A title game with a 31-15 semifinal win over second-ranked Waukee Northwest.

Liberty High has won eight straight games following a week four loss at Johnston and has scored at least 28 points in each of those wins.

The Lightning have been among the best offenses in Class 5A this season averaging 37.1 points and 401 total yards per game while averaging 6.5 yards per play.

Liberty High has been balanced, averaging 213 passing yards and 188 rushing yards per game and 32 rushing touchdowns and 25 passing touchdowns.

Senior quarterback Reece Rettig leads the Liberty High offense and has accounted for 3,268 yards of total offense and 35 touchdowns.

Rettig has completed 71 percent of his passes (221-of-310) while passing for 2,326 yards and 21 touchdowns with 11 interceptions and has rushed for 942 yards and 14 touchdowns.

Junior Brody Beaver has rushed for 588 yards and six touchdowns while averaging 7.3 yards per carry and senior Logan Laubenthal has rushed for 300 yards and four touchdowns.

Junior Pryor Reiners has rushed for 170 yards and a touchdown and has caught 52 passes for 613 yards and seven touchdowns.

Jordan Schroeder has 35 receptions for 451 yards and four touchdowns and Adrian Clerry has 34 receptions for 291 yards and three touchdowns.

Leo Rozz has caught 28 passes for 299 yards and three touchdowns and Beaver has 23 receptions for 175 yards and a touchdown.

The Liberty High defense is coming off perhaps its best performance of the season when it limited Waukee Northwest to a season-low 15 points and 202 total yards.

Liberty High is allowing 18.8 points and 262 total yards per game while giving up 6.3 yards per play.

Senior linebacker Landon Bell leads the Lightning with 65 tackles including 17.5 for loss and 4.5 sacks and junior Alex Strunk has 47 tackles with 10.5 for loss and 4.5 sacks.

Eric Strunk has 32.5 tackles with seven for loss and 4.5 sacks and Cash Hennings has 25.5 tackles with six for loss and 2.5 sacks.

The Lightning have forced 15 turnovers with Laubenthal leading the way with three interceptions.

No. 3 Regina (12-0) vs. No. 1 West Lyon (12-0)

Where: UNI-Dome, Thursday 4 p.m.

Last season: Did not play

Player to watch: West Lyon senior running back Evan Hildring (5-11, 190) has rushed for 1,412 yards and 23 touchdowns while averaging 9.3 yards per carry and has caught seven passes for 83 yards and two touchdowns. Hildring also has 38 tackles with seven for loss and two sacks and has three interceptions.

Key stat: During its current 25-game winning streak West Lyon is allowing 6.4 points per game and has held opponents to seven points or less in 22 of 25 games.

About the Wildcats: A six-time state champion, West Lyon is seeking the first back-to-back state titles in program history after winning the Class 2A state title last season.

West Lyon brings a 25-game winning streak into the state title game, capping a 13-0 season a year ago with a 42-7 win over Spirit Lake in the 2A title game before a perfect 12-0 this season.

The Wildcats are appearing in the state title game for the 11^th time in program history which is tied for the sixth most title game appearances in state history.

West Lyon continued a dominant season with a 21-7 win over South Hardin in the 1A semifinals last week.

The Wildcats scored 21 unanswered points in its semifinal win over South Hardin holding the Tigers to 234 yards of total offense and seven first downs.

West Lyon has been dominant all season outscoring opponents by a combined total of 575-75.

The Wildcats have been especially impressive on defense holding opponents to 6.3 points and 156 total yards per game while allowing just 3.5 yards per play.

West Lyon allows just 74 rushing yards per game and is giving up just 2.8 yards per carry.

The Wildcats have held 11 opponents to seven points or less, the lone team to score more than a touchdown on West Lyon was Underwood which put up 22 in a 35-point quarterfinal loss.

Daxtyn Metzger (6-3, 205) leads West Lyon with 64.5 tackles including nine for loss and senior Cooper Schoening (6-1, 190) has 52.5 tackles with three for loss.

Ben Meyer (6-3, 240) has 46.5 tackles with 12 for loss and five sacks and Jack Carolan (6-3, 215) has 43.5 tackles with 8.5 for loss and 3.5 sacks.

The Wildcats have forced 20 turnovers with Hildring, and senior defensive backs Jared Ciesielski (6-2, 205) and Tanner Lynott (6-2, 195) all picking off three passes.

Junior quarterback Easton DeJong (6-3, 175) leads a West Lyon offense that is averaging 47.9 points and 389 total yards per game while producing 8.8 yards per play.

The Wildcats average 272 rushing yards per game behind Hildring but have balance averaging 117 passing yards per game.

DeJong has passed for 1,160 yards and 16 touchdowns with just one interception and has also rushed for 540 yards and nine touchdowns.

Jorden Meyer (6-1, 190) leads the team with 18 receptions for 325 yards and five touchdowns and River Kramer (5-9, 150) has caught 16 passes for 190 yards and three touchdowns.

Ciesielski has 13 receptions for 229 yards and two touchdowns, Mason McCarty (5-11, 150) has caught nine passes for 182 yards and two touchdowns and Meyer has eight receptions for 170 yards and three touchdowns.

About the Regals: Regina returned to the state title game for the first time since 2020 with a 31-12 win over three-time defending champion Grundy Center in the semifinals.

The semifinal win for Regina snapped a 50-game Grundy Center winning streak and sends the Regals to the state title game for the 13^th time, the fifth most championship game appearances in state history.

The 2025 title game will be a rematch of the 2014 title game won by Regina 38-21.

Regina has one of the most productive and balanced offenses in Class 1A this season.

The Regals are averaging 47.3 points and 385 total yards per game while posting 9.3 yards per play.

Regina has averaged 194 passing yards per game and 191 rushing yards per game.

The Regina offense is led by senior quarterback Kyle Tracy who has been among the most productive signal callers in the state.

Tracy has completed 73 percent of his passes (111-of-152) while throwing for 2,114 yards and 32 touchdowns with five interceptions and has also rushed for 557 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Junior Savion Miller has rushed for a team-high 986 yards and 16 touchdowns while averaging 8.6 yards per carry and has caught nine passes for 281 yards and eight touchdowns.

Tate Wallace leads Regina with 37 receptions for 540 yards and nine touchdowns and Drew Greve has caught 26 passes for 478 yards and five touchdowns.

Senior Carter Slager has 14 receptions for 312 yards and four touchdowns.

The Regina defense has been excellent all season but has been at its best in the postseason.

Regina has allowed 32 total points in four playoff wins and hasn’t allowed more than 13 points in a playoff game this season.

On the season Regina is holding opponents to 10.2 points and 181 total yards per game while allowing 3.8 yards per play.

Luke Hamilton leads Regina with 47 tackles including 7.5 for loss and Wallace has 45.5 tackles with a team-high 17.5 for loss including 8.5 sacks.

Edwin Gangba has 42 tackles and James Whisler has 38 tackles with five for loss for Regina.

The Regals have forced an impressive 31 turnovers with Greve leading the team with eight interceptions.

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