Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

Liberty High (2-2) at 3A No. 9 Clear Creek Amana (4-0)

Where: Clipper Stadium, 7:15 p.m.

Last Season: Did Not Play

Last Week: Clear Creek Amana defeated Marion 17-15. Liberty High knocked off Mid-Prairie 27-22

Player to Watch: Clear Creek Amana senior quarterback Andrew Rohret (5-10, 170) has been stellar during the Clippers strong start completing 61 percent of his passes for 430 yards and six touchdowns and rushing for a team-high 504 yards and six touchdowns.

Key Stat: A Liberty High rushing attack averaging 237 yards per game with 11 rushing touchdowns faces a Clear Creek Amana defense that is holding opponents to 90 yards per game on the ground and hasn’t allowed a rushing score since week one.

About the Lightning: Liberty High scored a pair of second-half touchdowns to rally for a 27-22 win over Mid-Prairie last week to improve to 2-0 in home games.

The Lightning will look for their first road win in program history when they make the short trip to Tiffin for their district opener.

Liberty High has relied heavily on a power running game that has produced more than 200 yards and two touchdowns in every game this season.

Four different players have more than 100 yards on the ground this season led by juniors Kaleb Williams with 367 and Jack Ankenbauer who has 299 yards and five touchdowns.

A Liberty High defense holding opponents to 296 yards per game will look to slow down a Clear Creek Amana offense averaging better than 374 total yards in its last two games.  

About the Clippers: A 4-0 non-district performance has vaulted Clear Creek Amana back into the Class 3A rankings for the first time since 2016.

Clear Creek Amana passed its toughest test of the season last week, building a 17-3 lead and hanging on for a 17-15 win over Marion.

Senior quarterback Andrew Rohret has been the key for the Clipper offense, passing for 430 yards and six touchdowns and rushing for 504 yards and six more scores.

Rohret has a solid group of receivers led by speedy Sam Stevens who has a team-high 14 receptions for 207 yards and two touchdowns.

Nolan Schwarting, a 6-foot-6 senior has touchdown receptions in back-to-back games and seven grabs for 76 yards on the season.

Pleasant Valley (1-3) at Class 4A No. 5 West High (3-1)

Where: Trojan Field, 7:15 p.m.

Last Season: Did Not Play

Last Week: West High won at Dubuque Senior 48-14. Pleasant Valley defeated Davenport Central 27-7

Player to Watch: Pleasant Valley senior quarterback Max Slaven (5-9, 175) has rushed for a team-high 289 yards and four touchdowns while passing for 367 yards and three scores.

Key Stat: West High has won 10 consecutive home games dating back to 2016.

About the Spartans: Pleasant Valley snapped a three-game losing skid to open the season with a 27-7 win over Davenport Central last week.

Don’t get too caught up in the slow start for Pleasant Valley. All three of the Spartans’ losses to start the season came to ranked teams that currently sit 3-1 entering district play.

Pleasant Valley was held to 75 rushing yards in a season-opening shutout against Bettendorf but the Spartans triple-option attack has averaged 216 yards per game on the ground since.

Slaven is the top ground gainer with fullback Jake Brandmeyer (5-9, 175) adding 157 yards and two touchdowns and wingback Ben Royer (5-10, 150) rushing for 149 yards and a touchdown while averaging 9.3 yards per carry.

About the Trojans: West High rolled up a season-high 488 total yards and scored 41 unanswered points in a 48-14 win over Dubuque Senior last week.

Since scoring seven points and managing 217 total yards in a week-two loss at Bettendorf the Trojans are averaging 39.5 points and 403 yards per game.

Senior Joey Kuehn and sophomore Marcus Morgan split time at quarterback last week, combining to complete 20-of-33 passes for 335 yards and three touchdowns.

The top target for Trojan passers continues to be senior Jalen Gaudet who has caught 15 passes for 435 yards and five touchdowns all longer than 32 yards.

East Marshall (0-4) at Regina (1-3)

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

Last Season: Did Not Play

Last Week: Regina lost at Williamsburg 37-17. East Marshall lost to BGM 41-0

Player to Watch: Senior Noah Bandstra (5-11, 203) leads East Marshall with 175 rushing yards, has scored both Mustang touchdowns and has a team-leading 32 tackles.  

Key Stat: Regina rushed for 145 yards and four touchdowns in its win over Anamosa. The Regals averaged 70 rushing yards and scored one rushing touchdown in their three losses.

About the Mustangs: Since a 5-2 start to last season East Marshall has lost six straight games by a combined total of 191-46. East Marshall opened the season with a 26-12 loss to Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont and has been outscored 100-0 the past three weeks.

Offense has been tough to come by for the Mustangs. East Marshall is averaging just over 112 yards of total offense and three points per game this season.

Turnovers have hampered the Mustangs early in the season. East Marshall quarterbacks have thrown 12 interceptions and the Mustangs are -10 in turnover margin.

About the Regals: Regina let a halftime lead get away for the second consecutive week as Williamsburg scored 27 unanswered second half points in a 37-17 win. Playing without starting quarterback Ashton Cook last week, Regina lost backup quarterback Scott Arendt to injury in the loss to the Raiders.

Regina will look to get back on track offensively against an East Marshall team that is allowing 31.5 points and 335 yards of total offense per game.

Bryce Barnett and Patrick Clark shared time at quarterback to close out the Williamsburg game. That duo has combined for 27 receptions for 341 yards and six touchdowns as receivers and combines with sophomore Alec Wick (21 receptions for 241 yards) to give any Regina quarterback a strong receiving corps.

City High (2-2) at Muscatine (3-1)

Where: Muscatine, 7:15 p.m.

Last Season: Muscatine 20, City High 16

Last Week: City High defeated Dubuque Hempstead 23-22. Muscatine lost to 4A No. 5 Johnston 42-7

Player to Watch: Muscatine sophomore receiver Eli Gaye (5-10, 165) ranks third in the state with 35 receptions for 426 yards and two touchdowns.

Key Stat: Each of the past five meetings between the two teams have been decided by eight points or less.

About the Little Hawks: City High snapped a two-game shutout stretch with a 23-22 come-from-behind win over Dubuque Hempstead last week.

Sophomore quarterback Raph Hamilton sparked a City High offense that entered the game with 10 completions for 125 yards and no touchdowns by completing 9-of-12 passes for 187 yards and a score.

City High picked off three passes in the win over Hempstead which was one more interception than the Little Hawks had in their previous 12 games dating back to last season.

Junior Tonka Hickman leads City High with 378 rushing yards and two touchdowns while senior Malik Kimber is averaging 23.1 yards per catch on eight receptions and has also rushed for 121 yards and a touchdown.

About the Muskies: Muscatine started the season 3-0 for the first time since 2015 before falling to fifth-ranked Johnson last week.

Led by sophomore running back Timothy Nimely (5-9, 175) the Muskies averaged 160 rushing yards per game during their 3-0 start but were held to 59 yards on the ground in the loss to Johnston.

Nimely leads the Muscatine ground game with 484 yards and three touchdowns and the Muskies are 5-0 over the past two seasons when Nimely hits the 100-yard mark.

Senior quarterback Carson Orr (6-3, 175) and Gaye team up to give the Muscatine offense some balance.

Orr has passed for 673 yards and four touchdowns while completing 61 percent of his passes.

Gaye and senior Cooper Zeck (6-3, 195) have combined for 40 receptions for 557 yards and all four Muskie touchdown grabs.  

Class 3A No. 3 Solon (4-0) at Fort Madison (2-2)

Where: Fort Madison, 7 p.m.

Last Season: Solon 62, Fort Madison 0

Last Week: Solon won at Davenport Assumption 47-7. Fort Madison lost to Burlington 31-0

Player to Watch: Fort Madison senior quarterback Lennon Barker (5-10, 180) has passed for 901 yard and two touchdowns while completing 56 percent of his passes and has a team-best four rushing touchdowns.

Key Stat: Dating back to last season Solon has allowed more than 14 points once in its previous 16 games.

About the Spartans: Since scuffling offensively in a 7-0 overtime win over West Liberty in week two Solon has scored 47 points in back-to-back games while averaging 341 yards per game.

Junior quarterback Cam Miller has passed for 604 yards and 11 touchdowns with AJ Coons catching 18 passes for 266 yards and four scores and Adam Bock leads the Spartans with 263 rushing yards and four touchdowns.

The offense has been efficient over the past two weeks but it has been the Solon defense that stood out during non-district play.

Solon is holding opponents to 7.8 points and 178 total yards per game and has forced 14 turnovers in four games.

About the Bloodhounds: It has been a stark contrast for Fort Madison in the first four weeks of the season. After opening the season with back-to-back shutouts of Central Lee and West Burlington the Bloodhounds have been outscored 69-0 the last two weeks in loss to Clear Creek Amana and Burlington.

Barker averaged 311 passing yards per game during the 2-0 start but has been limited to 140 yards per game with two interceptions and no touchdowns during the Bloodhounds’ current two-game losing skid.

After holding opponents to 64 rushing yards per game in its two wins Fort Madison has allowed an average of 292 yards on the ground in back-to-back loss.

Class 1A No. 1 West Branch (4-0) at Class 1A No. 5 Bellevue (4-0)

Where: Bellevue, 7:30 p.m.

Last Season: West Branch 45, Bellevue 41

Last Week: West Branch defeated Tipton 56-13. Bellevue defeated Clayton Ridge 42-7

Player to Watch: Bellevue senior running back Hunter Clasen (5-9, 170) ranks seventh in the state in rushing with 762 yards and has a state-best 14 rushing touchdowns.

Key Stat: Clasen is averaging 11.7 yards per offensive touch this season and 10.3 yards per carry.  

About the Bears: West Branch continued to roll with a 56-13 win over previously unbeaten Tipton last week that gave head coach Butch Pedersen career victory number 300.

The Bears were impressive during an unbeaten non-district slate, outscoring opponents 168-40 with no game closer than 24 points.

West Branch has relied on a balanced offense that is averaging 380 yards and 42 points per game and a steady defense holding opponents to 217 total yards and 10 points per game.

Junior running back Tanner Lukavsky has rushed for 484 yards and eight touchdowns and Beau Cornwell has passed for 851 yards and 10 touchdowns without an interception.

This will be the fifth meeting in as many years with the teams splitting the past two meetings.

West Branch won 45-41 a year ago with Bellevue winning the last meeting in Bellevue 26-13 in 2016.

About the Comets: Led by one of the top all-around players in Class 1A in Clasen the Comets have been among the most impressive teams in 1A through four games.

Bellevue is averaging 427 points and 42 points during its 4-0 start fueled by Clasen who averages 190 rushing yards per game.

Senior quarterback Lucas Tennant has passed for 639 yards and six touchdowns with his top target senior Trey Daugherty snagging 18 passes for 341 yards and two touchdowns.

Clasen leads the way on defense with 13 tackles for loss and five sacks among his 20.5 stops.

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