Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

Davenport North (4-1) at City High (2-3)

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

Last Season: Davenport North 34, City High 28

Last Week: City High lost to Muscatine 46-17. Davenport North defeated Linn-Mar 13-7.

Player to Watch: In a run-heavy Davenport North attack junior Priest Sheedy (6-0, 180) is a dangerous threat at receiver. Sheedy has 23 receptions for 316 yards and three touchdowns, all team-highs.

Key Stat: After allowing 32.3 points per game last season Davenport North is holding foes to 15.2 points per game during its 4-1 start.

About the Wildcats: Davenport North is off to its best start in 31 years, starting the season 4-1 for the first time since 1987. The strong start has pumped life into a program that hasn’t won more than six games since 1989.

Davenport North lost three games by a combined eight points during a 3-6 season a year ago. The Wildcats have found a way to win those close games this so far this fall. The four wins for North have come by one, 13, 12 and six points.

Junior Kade Schultz (5-9, 170) does much of the heavy lifting in North’s option offense leading the team with 402 yards on 89 carries.

About the Little Hawks: City High had the momentum of a week-four win run out in the second half of a 46-17 loss to Muscatine last week.

The Little Hawks led 17-12 at halftime before the Muskies rattled off 34 unanswered points in the district opener for both teams.

City High will attempt to get back on track as it returns to Bates Field to face a North squad that will be playing its first game away from Brady Street Stadium this fall.

The Little Hawks posted 310 total yards and 224 rushing yards in the loss to Muscatine, both the highest totals against 4A competition this season.

Sophomore quarterback Raph Hamilton is 17-of-26 for 268 yards with a touchdown and an interception in his last two games.

South Hardin (2-3) at Regina (2-3)

Where: Regal Field, 7 p.m.

Last Season: Did Not Play

Last Week: Regina defeated East Marshall 28-0. South Hardin defeated Jesup 34-12

Player to Watch: South Hardin senior receiver Tyrell Todd (5-9, 170) has a team-high 17 receptions for 265 yards and two touchdowns but is most dangerous in the return game where he averages better than 42 yards per kick return with a pair of touchdowns.

Key Stat: Five different Regina quarterbacks have combined to throw nine touchdown passes with just three interceptions.

About the Tigers: After an 0-3 start to the season South Hardin snapped an 11-game losing skid dating back to last season with back-to-back wins over Eagle Grove and Jesup.

The Tigers averaged nine points per game last season and 13.7 points per game during its 0-3 start to this season and hadn’t scored more than 20 points in a game since 2016 before back-to-back 34-point performances the past two weeks.

Senior running back Tanner Lawrence (6-1, 180) leads South Harding with 352 yards and three touchdowns after rolling up 176 yards and a pair of touchdowns last week against Jesup.

Junior quarterback Dalton Lake (5-10, 150) threw for 246 yards and four touchdowns in the win

About the Regals: Regina snapped a two-game losing skid with a 28-0 shutout of East Marshall in its district opener last week.

The Regals allowed 335 total yards and 30 points per game during a rugged non-district slate but held East Marshall to 202 yards of offense in its first shutout since a 35-0 win over Wilton in the 1A quarterfinals last November.

Regina continued its quarterback shuffle due to injuries and senior Bryce Barnett was excellent in his first start under center passing for 318 yards and three touchdowns and running for a score.

Sophomore Alec Wick has been the top target for Regina quarterbacks this season making a team-high 30 receptions for 384 yards while Patrick Clark has 20 grabs for 228 yards and four touchdowns.

Washington (3-2) at Class 3A No. 3 Solon (5-0)

Where: Spartan Stadium, 7:30 p.m.

Last Season: Solon 40, Washington 0

Last Week: Solon defeated Fort Madison 49-6. Washington won 28-6 at Keokuk

Player to Watch: Washington junior quarterback Luke Turner is a dual-threat, passing for 815 yards and nine touchdowns with just one interception and running for a team-high 342 yards and seven touchdowns.

Key Stat: Turner accounts for 70 percent of the total offense for Washington, averaging better than 231 total yards per game.  

About the Demons: Since back-to-back losses to open the season Washington has rattled off three consecutive wins while averaging better than 32 points per game.

After managing just 205 yards in a season-opening loss to Marion the Turner-led Washington offense has been red-hot.

The Demons are averaging 365 total yards of offense over their previous four games and Turner has accounted for 15 touchdowns during that stretch.

Over the last four games Turner is accounting for 263 yards of total offense per game while throwing nine touchdown passes without an interception.

Cade Hennigan (5-11, 165) is the top target for Turner with a team-high 18 receptions for 298 yards and five touchdowns but keep an eye on junior Ethan Hunt (5-11, 155) who is averaging 29.9 yards on seven catches.

About the Spartans: After an overtime scare against West Liberty in week two the Spartans have been impressive, outscoring opponents 143-23 in three wins.

While the Solon offense has gotten rolling the past three weeks, averaging 358 yards and 47.7 points per game, it has been the defense that has been the calling card for the Spartans.

Solon is holding opponents to 162 total yards and 7.4 points per game this season and has forced 15 turnovers in its five wins.

The Spartans have allowed more than 14 points in a game twice in their last 24 games dating back to 2016 and have nine shutouts during that stretch.

North Cedar (1-4) at Class 1A No. 6 West Branch (4-1)

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

Last Season: West Branch 49, North Cedar 7

Last Week: West Branch fell to No. 3 Bellevue 28-20. North Cedar lost to Cascade 47-19

Player to Watch: North Cedar senior running back Senior Logan Thimmes (5-9, 190) ranks second on the team with 455 yards rushing and has a team-high six touchdowns.

Key Stat: Five different West Branch players have more than 144 receiving yards and at least one touchdown reception.

About the Bears: West Branch dropped its first regular season game since the 2016 finale with a 28-20 loss at Bellevue last week. The Bears will look to bounce back on Friday returning home to newly dedicated Butch Pedersen Field where they have outscored opponents 119-26 this season.

After committing one turnover during a 4-0 start to the season West Branch turned it over three times in last week’s loss at Bellevue.

West Branch still put up 328 yards of total offense last week and boasts one of the best offenses in Class 1A.

Senior quarterback Beau Cornwell has passed for 1,066 yards and 12 touchdowns and junior Tanner Lukavsky has rushed for 560 yards and eight scores.

About the Knights: North Cedar has struggled in the years following a 9-2 season in 2014 winning a total of 4 games over the past three seasons.

The Knights snapped a six-game losing skid with a 53-24 win over Columbus in its non-district finale before falling to Cascade in its district opener last week.

After averaging 11 points per game last season North Cedar has showed considerable improvement on offense.

The Knights are averaging 26.4 points and better than 330 yards of total offense per game.

Junior quarterback Ethan Sahr (6-1, 170) has passed for 657 yards and seven touchdowns while junior Brody Hawtrey (5-11, 165) has rushed for a team-high 528 yards and scored three touchdowns. 

Class 3A No. 6 North Scott (4-1) at Liberty High (2-3)

Where: North Liberty, 7:15 p.m.

Last Season: Did Not Play

Last Week: Liberty High fell to Clear Creek Amana 37-7. North Scott defeated Central DeWitt 35-7.

Player to Watch: North Scott senior quarterback Nile McLaughlin (6-3, 205) is among the best in Class 3A. McLaughlin has passed for 920 yards and seven touchdowns without an interception and rushed for 142 yards and three scores.

Key Stat: Since allowing 405 total yards in a season-opening loss to West High the North Scott defense is holding opponents to 214 total yards and 6.8 points per game.

About the Lancers: Few 3A teams have been tested as much early in the season as North Scott.

The Lancers opened the season with three consecutive games against 4A opponents and a home matchup with seventh-ranked Western Dubuque.

North Scott has been up to the task, rattling off four consecutive wins following a 28-7 loss to 4A No. 5 West High in week one.

McLaughlin directs a balanced North Scott offense that averages better than 322 yards per game.

Senior Jacob Porth (6-0, 170) has rushed for a team-high 300 yards and four touchdowns while Carson Rolling (5-11, 170) leads the Lancers with 26 receptions for 446 yards and four scores.

About the Lightning: Liberty High was held to season-lows in rushing yards (137), total yards (190) and points in a 37-7 loss to Clear Creek Amana last Friday.

It marked the first time this season the Lightning failed to rush for at least 200 yards and score at least two rushing touchdowns.

The Liberty High run game features another stiff test this Friday in the form of a North Scott defense that is holding opponents to 152 yards per game on the ground and has allowed five rushing touchdowns on the season.

Junior Kaleb Williams leads Liberty High with 446 rushing yards on 74 carries while Jack Ankenbauer has added 333 yards and five touchdowns.

Class 4A No. 5 West High (4-1) at Linn-Mar (1-4)

Where: Linn-Mar Stadium, 7:15 p.m.

Last Season: West High 42, Linn-Mar 7

Last Week: West High defeated Pleasant Valley 20-14. Linn-Mar lost to Davenport North 13-7

Player to Watch: Linn-Mar junior quarterback Marcus Orr (6-0, 195) has passed for 1,028 yards and six touchdowns while completing 54 percent of his passes.

Key Stat: After being -4 in the turnover margin over its first two games West High is +6 in turnovers in its last three contests, forcing nine turnovers during that span.

About the Trojans: West High put itself in the District 4 drivers’ seat with a 20-14 win over Pleasant Valley last week.

The Trojans held Pleasant Valley to 277 yards of offense in the win and has now held four of five opponents under 300 yards of total offense.

West High is holding teams to 263 total yards and 12.4 points per game this season and has allowed more than 17 points just once in its last 11 games dating back to last season.

Seniors Owen McAreavy and Landon Green have led the defensive effort. McAreavy has a team-high 27 tackles from his linebacker spot while Green has 26 tackles as a defensive tackle.

The two have combined for 22.5 tackles for loss and seven sacks.

About the Lions: Linn-Mar scored seven or few points for the third time this season in a 13-7 loss to Davenport North last week.

Three of the four losses for Linn-Mar have come by a combined eight points as the Lions have one-point losses to Dubuque Senior and Urbandale along with the six-point setback to Davenport North.

The lone win for Linn-Mar this season was a 33-14 week-three win over Cedar Rapids Jefferson.

Orr has had success throwing the ball and has used a balanced group of pass catchers.

Five different Linn-Mar players have at least 100 yards receiving and four players had 10 or more receptions.

The top-targets for Orr have been juniors Brandon Raus (6-3, 160) and Will Zahradnik (6-6, 200) who each had 10 receptions and two touchdowns while combining for 373 receiving yards.

Class 3A No. 8 Clear Creek Amana (5-0) at Clinton (3-2)

Where: Coan Field in Clinton, 7:15 p.m.

Last Season: Did Not Play

Last Week: Clear Creek Amana defeated Liberty High 37-7. Clinton fell to Davenport Assumption 40-7

Player to Watch: Clinton senior quarterback Calvin Godette (5-9, 180) is a dangerous athlete under center. Godette has passed for 683 yards and eight touchdowns and rushed for a team-high 476 yards and five scores.

Key Stat: In three wins this season Clinton is allowing an average of 105 rushing yards per game. In its two losses the River Kings have given up an average of 256 yards on the ground.

About the Clippers: Clear Creek Amana just keeps rolling behind a stingy defense and powerful ground game.

The Clippers improved to 5-0 for the second time in three seasons with a 37-7 win over Liberty High in its District 5 opener last week.

Through five games the Clippers have been as good as any team in Class 3A on defense holding opponents to 5.8 points, 229 yards and 99 rushing yards per game.

Senior quarterback Andrew Rohret is averaging 228 total yards per game and has accounted for 15 touchdowns (8 passing, 7 rushing) while sophomore running back Alex Figueroa has rushed for 371 yards and three touchdowns.  

About the River Kings: Clinton had a three-game winning streak snapped with a 40-7 loss to Davenport Assumption in its district opener last Friday.

Following a 45-7 season-opening loss to 3A No. 7 Western Dubuque the River Kings outscored opponents 102-23 during its three-game win streak.

Godette is the key for the River Kings. The senior receiver turned quarterback has four interceptions and two total touchdowns in two losses and 11 touchdowns and three interceptions in three wins.

Patrick Mulholland (6-2, 190) has been the top target for Godette with 12 receptions for 203 yards and two touchdowns.

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