Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

3A No. 3 Solon (3-0) at 3A No. 9 Davenport Assumption (2-1)

Where: Jack and Pat Bush Stadium at Davenport Assumption, Thursday at 7:30 p.m.

Last season: Did not play

Player to watch: Assumption senior John Argo (6-0, 205) will be all over the field on Thursday. The senior has rushed for 333 yards and six touchdowns while averaging 7.7 yards per carry, has caught three passes for 65 yards and a touchdown and leads the Knights with 21.5 tackles.

Key stat: Solon is averaging 303 rushing yards per game while Davenport Assumption is allowing an average of 81 yards per game on the ground and hasn’t given up more than 126 rushing yards in a game this season.

About the Spartans: Solon improved to 3-0 with a 28-14 win over Williamsburg on Friday as the Spartans closed the game with 14-0 unanswered points.

After an 0-2 start a year ago, Solon has been impressive while rattling off three consecutive wins to open the season outscoring opponents 132-41.

Solon has been especially strong out of the gate offensively averaging 44 points, 454 total yards and 8.3 yards per play.

The Spartans have done most of their damage on the ground, averaging 303 rushing yards per game behind junior tailback Sean Stahle (5-10, 162) who has rushed for 484 yards and six touchdowns.

Junior quarterback Blake Timmons (5-10, 175) has rushed for 302 yards and completed 16-of-36 passes for 356 yards and five touchdowns.

About the Knights: Davenport Assumption outscored Rock Island Alleman and Dubuque Wahlert by a combined total of 110-14 during a 2-0 start to the season before falling at 2020 3A state champion and 4A second-ranked North Scott 38-14 last week.

Assumption held the Lancers to 96 rushing yards on 33 carries last week but allowed North Scott to complete 24-of-29 passes for 246 yards and four touchdowns.

Argo carries the offensive load for the Knights but there are weapons surrounding the senior tailback.

Senior quarterback Ayden Weiman (6-0, 175) has completed 16-of-34 passes for 286 yards and two touchdowns with senior Reese Harris (6-2, 170) leading the way with four receptions for 115 yards and a touchdown.

Four different Knights have at least three receptions this season and two players other than Argo have rushed for more than 129 yards and at least one touchdown.

Davenport North (1-2) at West High (1-2)

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

Last season: Did not play

Player to watch: Davenport North junior quarterback Nolan Mosier (6-4, 210) is off to a strong start completing 61 percent of his passes while throwing for 606 yards and three touchdowns with five interceptions.

Key stat: West High has been stingy against the pass this season holding teams to just 74 passing yards per game.

About the Trojans: West High dropped its second one-possession game of the year on Friday falling to Dubuque Hempstead 39-31 after a seven-point loss to second-ranked Cedar Rapids Kennedy in the opener.
The Trojans have been solid defensively holding teams to 262 total yards per game on 5.1 yards per play but have give up a combined 66 points in their two losses.

Offensively the Trojans have relied on production from senior Mason Applegate who has rushed for 382 yards and six touchdowns while averaging better than 10 yards per carry and adding four receptions for 95 yards.

Freshman quarterback Jack Wallace has completed 54 percent of his passes for 383 yards and two touchdowns and hasn’t thrown an interception since the season opener.

About the Wildcats: Davenport North had a string of consecutive winning seasons snapped with a 3-4 season last year and is off to a 1-2 start in 2021.

The Wildcats followed up a 41-7 loss to 4A second-ranked North Scott in the opener with a 17-14 win over Davenport West before falling to Dubuque Senior 27-23 last week.

Led by standout senior defensive tackle Dominic Wiseman (6-2, 270) the Wildcats have been stout up front against the run holding teams to 110 rushing yards per game.

The challenge for the Wildcats on defense has been against the pass where teams have thrown for more than 238 yards per game.

Mosier has plenty of weapons around him on offense starting with running backs Giovanni Rivera (5-10, 200) and Cade Sheedy (5-11, 185) who have rushed for a combined 334 yards and two touchdowns.

Senior Peter Phan (5-6, 140) has been the top target for Mosier with 19 receptions for 234 yards and two touchdowns.

West Des Moines Dowling (1-2) at 5A No. 4 City High (3-0)

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

Last season: Did not play.

Player to watch: West Des Moines Dowling senior receiver Carson Brown (6-2, 175) has become a go-to player for the Maroons with 15 receptions for 216 yards and a touchdown.

Key stat: Dowling hasn’t lost three games in a season since 2012.

About the Maroons: The premier program in the state for the past decade West Des Moines Dowling is 95-8 and has won seven state titles over the last eight seasons.

The Maroons are off to an uncharacteristic 1-2 start falling to 5A top-ranked Southeast Polk 13-7 in their opener and dropping a 27-13 contest to defending state champion Ankeny last week.

Dowling has been stout defensively holding opponents to 16.7 points and 249 total yards per game and is allowing just 124 rushing yards per game on 3.8 yards per carry.

Senior Jake English (6-1, 200) has stepped in at quarterback with starter Jaxon Smolik sidelined and has completed 29-of-64 passes for 379 yards and two touchdowns.

Sophomore tailback CJ Phillip (5-10, 175) has rushed for 184 yards and a touchdown and senior Khameron Middleton (5-11, 200) has run for 100 yards.

Brown is the top receiving target along with juniors Cooper Nicholson (5-10, 170) and Jalyn Thompson (6-5, 225) who have combined for 12 receptions for 144 yards and a touchdown.

About the City High: The Little Hawks have been one of the best stories in the state this season already posting an impressive turnaround in year one under head coach Mitch Moore.

Coming off four consecutive two-win seasons City High is 3-0 for the first time since 2010, has risen to No. 4 in the Class 5A Associated Press Poll and outscored opponents 152-5.

It all starts on defense for City High which has scored four defensive touchdowns while allowing five combined points in three games.

City High is holding opponents to 1.7 points and 147 total yards per game while allowing just 2.9 yards per play.

The Little Hawks have gone to an offensive by committee approach early this season.

Sophomore quarterbacks Quinton Tran and Drew Larson have combined to complete 17-of-30 passes for 390 yards and four touchdowns with one interception while sharing time.

Four Little Hawks have rushed for at least 89 yards and a touchdown led by senior Darren Richardson with 237 yards and five touchdowns while Ronnie Major has run for 156 yards and three scores.

Junior linebacker/tight end Ben Kueter has a team-high four receptions for 110 yards and two scores and also leads the Little Hawks with 20.5 tackles, two sacks and 10 tackles for loss.

Clear Creek Amana (2-1) at Liberty High (0-3)

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

Last season: Did not play

Player to watch: Clear Creek Amana senior quarterback Ben Swails (X) has completed 39-of-65 passes for 464 yards and four touchdowns and has also rushed for 115 yards and two scores.

Key stat: Clear Creek Amana and Liberty High have split the previous two meetings between the two teams with the Clippers winning 37-7 in 2018 and Liberty High winning 28-21 in 2019.

About the Clippers: Clear Creek Amana bounced back from a 28-14 loss to Class 3A sixth-ranked Independence with an impressive 48-14 win over Washington last week at home.

The big strides for the Clippers early this season have come on defense.

After allowing 474 total yards and 35 points in a season-opening win at Marion the Clippers have trimmed those totals each of the past two weeks holding Washington to 203 total yards and 14 points.

Offensively Swails leads a Clipper offense that is averaging 32.7 points and 339 total yards per game.

Senior Gage Freeman has rushed for a team-leading 329 yards and five touchdowns while averaging 9.7 yards per carry while Harrison Rosenberg is the top receiver for the Clippers with 13 receptions for 212 yards and two touchdowns.

About the Lightning: Few teams have faced a more difficult stretch to open the season than the Lightning who have started 0-3 against teams with a combined 7-2 record.

Liberty High opened with back-to-back set backs to unbeaten 5A opponents City High and Linn-Mar before falling to perennial 4A power Western Dubuque 21-10 last week.

The Lightning have improved offensively each week this season going from 4.3 yards per play in its opener to 5.8 last week.

Liberty High is averaging 242 total yards per game but nine turnovers have played a role in the Lightning scoring just 8.3 points per outing.

Junior quarterback Tye Hughes has completed 35-of-69 passes for 497 yards and three touchdowns and has also run for 77 yards.

Senior Luke Meyers has emerged as a go-to receiver and leads the Lightning with 11 receptions for 194 yards and a touchdown and is an excellent defensive back and is tied for the team lead with two interceptions.

Louisa-Muscatine (0-3) at West Branch (2-1)

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

Last season: Did not play

Player to watch: Louisa-Muscatine junior Kendal Pugh (5-10, 175) has rushed for a team-high 99 yards, caught seven passes for 60 yards and a touchdown and leads the Falcons with 23.5 tackles including 5.5 for loss.

Key stat: Louisa-Muscatine is allowing 255 rushing yards per game and 6.9 yards per carry through three games this season.

About the Bears: West Branch bounced back in a big way from a 17-6 loss to Waterloo Columbus in week two with a 52-0 win at Maquoketa Valley last week.

After averaging just over 2.1 yards per play during its first two games the West Branch offense got on track last week putting up a season-high 340 yards while averaging 8.5 yards per offensive snap.

The Bears rushed for 247 yards last week behind a big game from junior Andy Henson who has rushed for a team-leading 342 yards and three touchdowns this season.

Junior quarterback Carter Boelk is coming off the best game of his career last week and has completed 13-of-29 passes for 185 yards and two touchdowns.

Senior Peyton Miller is the top pass catcher with five receptions for 87 yards and two touchdowns.

About the Falcons: Louisa-Muscatine fell to Columbus 9-6 in overtime in the season opener and has been outscored 102-12 over the past two weeks in lopsided losses to Wapello and Van Buren.

The Falcons have committed eight turnovers this season, including seven in the past two games, and are yet to record a takeaway on defense.

Louisa-Muscatine is led by junior quarterback Bryar Runnells (5-8, 155) who has completed 14-of-28 passes for 155 yards and a touchdown with three interceptions.

Pugh and senior Morgan Nowak (5-9, 175) are the top running backs for the Falcons with Nowak adding 60 yards on the ground.

Junior Chris Day (5-10, 155) has caught a team-leading 11 passes for 110 yards while Michael Kirby (5-11, 155) has three receptions for 49 yards.

Mediapolis (3-0) at 1A No. 3 Regina (3-0)

Where: Regal Field, 7 p.m.

Last season: Did not play

Player to watch: Mediapolis junior running back Anthony Isley (6-1, 175) has rushed for 597 yards and eight touchdowns while averaging 15.7 yards per carry, averages 27.3 yards per punt return, has 5.5 tackles for loss and has returned an interception for a touchdown.

Key stat: Mediapolis is averaging 295 rushing yards per game and 9.7 yards per carry while Regina is allowing 67.5 rushing yards per game on 2.6 yards per carry.

About the Regals: Regina returns to action after an unexpected week off due to the cancellation of its scheduled week three game at Mid-Prairie last Friday.
The Regals jump right back into action with a big one in its Class 1A, District 5 opener against unbeaten Mediapolis.

Regina has been stellar defensively two weeks into the season holding opponents to 10 points and 157.5 total yards per game on just 3.5 yards per play.

Offensively the Regals have relied on the running of junior Levi Daniel who has rushed for a team-high 320 yards and three touchdowns.

Sophomore Gentry Dumont has completed 15-of-29 passes for 189 yards and a touchdown while junior Jack Tierney has rushed for 103 yards and a score.

About the Mediapolis: The Bulldogs have outscored opponents 114-29 during a 3-0 start to the season after a 35-7 win over West Burlington last Friday.

Mediapolis allowed 425 yards of total offense, including 391 through the air, in a 44-22 win over Wapello in its opener but has held its past two opponents to just 189 total yards per game and seven total points.

Offensively it all starts with Isley for the Bulldogs.

The junior tailback ranks second in Class 1A in rushing yards with 597 and fourth in rushing touchdowns with eight while rushing for at least 180 in all three games this season.

Junior quarterback Ben Egan (5-10, 165) has completed 15-of-36 passes for 258 yards and three touchdowns with junior Cole Lipper (6-3, 205) his top target with seven receptions for 113 yards and two scores.

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