Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

Ames (2-0) at City High (1-1)

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

Last Season: City High 43, Ames 5

Player to watch: Ames senior quarterback Dallas Sauser (6-3, 160) leads Class 5A in both passing yards and passing touchdowns throwing for 752 yards and seven touchdowns while completing 60 percent (42-70) of his passes through two games.

Key stat: Ames leads Class 5A in total offense averaging 527.5 yards per game while averaging 9.1 yards per play.

About the Little Cyclones: Former West High head coach Brian Sauser has Ames off to a 2-0 start for the first time since 2013 after snapping a six-game losing streak to Fort Dodge with a 36-32 road win over the Dodgers last week.

Led by senior quarterback Dallas Sauser Ames has been among the most productive offensive teams in the state over the first two weeks of the season averaging 527 yards and 34.5 points per game.

Sophomore running back Jamison Poe (5-8, 160) has been a strong compliment to Sauser in the run game rushing for 307 yards and three touchdowns while averaging 7.3 yards per carry and has also caught 11 passes for 164 yards and three scores.

Senior Jalen Lueth (6-3, 175) is the top target for Sauser with 14 receptions for 189 yards and four touchdowns while Braydon Beelner (6-0, 177) has six receptions for 147 yards.

In wins over Marshalltown and Fort Dodge the Little Cyclone defense allowed an average of 24.5 points and 416 total yards per game and gave up 279 rushing yards last week against Fort Dodge.

About the Little Hawks: City High bounced back from a season-opening loss to Liberty High last week with a 77-0 win over Cedar Rapids Jefferson in which the Little Hawks allowed zero yards of total offense.

The Little Hawks posted the largest margin of victory in the history of Little Cy-Hawk series last season with a 43-5 win in Ames and will attempt to even the all-time series between the two teams at 4-4 with a win on Friday.

City High got its run game going last week against Cedar Rapids Jefferson rushing for 147 yards on just 12 carries after running for just 81 yards in the week one loss to Liberty High.

The Little Hawks rolled up 276 yards rushing in the win over Ames last season.

Junior quarterback Drew Larson has been among the most efficient passers in the state this season completing 78 percent of his passes while throwing for 501 yards and three touchdowns.

Larson has spread the ball around to his receivers with 13 different Little Hawks making a reception in the first two games.

Juniors Carsen Newton and Oliver Kniss lead the team with six receptions while Ronnie Major has five receptions for 135 yards and two scores and Akili Mattox has three grabs for 133 yards and a touchdown.

Senior linebacker Ben Kueter leads the City High defense with 20 tackles including seven tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks.

Dubuque Hempstead (0-2) at West High (1-1)

Where: Trojan Field, 7 p.m.

Last Season: Dubuque Hempstead 39, West High 31

Player to watch: Dubuque Hempstead senior linebacker Christian Pettinger (5-11, 190) leads the Mustangs with 14 tackles including two tackles for loss and has an interception.

Key stat: Dubuque Hempstead finished 4-5 last season, the fifth time in the last six seasons the Mustangs have ended with a 4-5 record. The lone season in that stretch that Dubuque Hempstead wasn’t 4-5 was a 7-2 mark in 2020 that ended with a playoff loss to West High.

About the Mustangs: It has been a déjà vu type of start for Hempstead which has opened the season with back-to-back lopsided loss to Dubuque Senior and Pleasant Valley for the second year in a row.

Dubuque Hempstead has been outscored 84-13 during its 0-2 start after a 42-0 loss to 5A third-ranked Pleasant Valley last week.

A year ago the Mustangs were outscored 54-6 in back-to-back losses to those same opponents before a 39-31 win over West High in week three.

The Mustangs have used two quarterbacks in each of their first two games with junior Carter Krug (6-0, 195) and senior Joe Helminik (5-10, 180) splitting time.

Krug has passed for 55 yards and an interception and Helminik has throw for 195 yards and a touchdown with two picks.

Junior Justin Potts (6-0, 175) is the top receiving target with three receptions for 102 yards and a touchdown.

About the Trojans: West High got in the win column for the first time in 2022 with a 42-21 win over Muscatine last week after opening the season with a nine-point road loss at sixth-ranked Cedar Rapids Kennedy.

The Trojans got their running game rolling last week in the win over Muscatine piling up 220 yards on the ground led by senior tailback Davontae Morris who ran for a career-high 127 yards and three touchdowns.

Look for West High to continue to establish its running game this week against a Dubuque Hempstead defense that is allowing 308.5 rushing yards per game and 8.3 yards per carry.

A strong running game should open up the pass for sophomore quarterback Jack Wallace who has thrown for 392 yards and five touchdowns without an interception.

The top target for Wallace has been senior Christian Janis who has caught nine passes for 243 yards and four touchdowns.

Liberty High (2-0) at Western Dubuque (0-2)

Where: Epworth, 7:30 p.m.

Last Season: Western Dubuque 21, Liberty High 10

Player to watch: Senior running back Kaleb Reed (5-6, 160) rushed for 94 yards and a touchdown while averaging 13.4 yards per carry in a week one loss to Cedar Rapids Xavier.

Key stat: During an 0-2 start last season Liberty High scored 15 total points and averaged 237.5 total yards per game. During a 2-0 start this fall the Lightning have scored 61 points while averaging 389.5 total yards per game.

About the Bobcats: The 2019 Class 3A state champion Western Dubuque went 4-5 and missed the postseason last season while facing one of the most challenging 4A schedules in the state.

It has been another tough start for Western Dubuque this season with consecutive losses to a pair of top-five ranked 4A teams in No. 2 Cedar Rapids Xavier and fifth-ranked North Scott.

The Bobcats will be looking to follow a similar script from a year ago when it got on track with a 21-10 win over Liberty High in week three.

Reed and junior Grant Glausser (5-11, 190) each rushed for more than 90 yards in the opener against Xavier with Glausser running for 92 yards on 14 carries against the Saints.

Senior quarterback Connor Maiers (6-0, 175) completed 11-of-25 passes for 78 yards with a touchdown and an interception in week one with senior Caleb Klein (6-0, 175) his top target with six receptions for 47 yards and a touchdown.

About the Lightning: Liberty High has been among the most impressive teams in the state to open the season posting back-to-back wins over ranked Class 5A opponents City High and Linn-Mar.

The Lightning have been solid on both sides of the ball averaging 30.5 points and 390 yards of total offense per game while holding opponents to 16 points and 346 total yards per game.

Offensively Liberty High has been led by junior quarterback Graham Beckman who is completing 63 percent of his passes while throwing for 562 yards and five touchdowns without an interception.

Four Liberty High players have at least five receptions this season led by senior tight end Christian Barney who has caught a team-high 12 passes for 140 yards and two touchdowns.

Senior Trey Gregoire has rushed for 96 yards while Beckman has run for 86 yards and two touchdowns.

Clear Creek Amana (1-1) at Washington (2-0)

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

Last Season: Clear Creek Amana 48, Washington 14

Player to watch: Washington senior running back Tayven Stuart (5-11, 185) has rushed for 314 yards and six touchdowns and has also caught a 26-yard touchdown pass.

Key stat: Washington has forced six turnovers through two games, recovering five fumbles and picking off a pass while Clear Creek Amana has committed just one turnover in two games.

About the Demons: Washington had a string of 12 consecutive .500 or better seasons end with a 4-5 season last fall.

The Demons won their final three games of 2021 and have picked up where they left off this season with back-to-back wins over Burling and Mount Pleasant.

A strong running game led by Stuart has been the key during the 2-0 start for the Demons.

Washington is averaging 289 rushing yards per game and 7.8 yards per carry this season and has three players with more than 80 rushing yards.

Senior quarterback Ethan Patterson (6-2, 160) has rushed for 175 yards and senior Jude Brown (6-2, 195) has added 81 yards and a touchdown.

Patterson has also passed for 149 yards and four touchdowns with four different Washington players catching a touchdown pass.

About the Clippers: Clear Creek Amana will look to bounce back after falling to Independence 13-7 last week on a touchdown pass in the final seconds.

The Clippers were dominant defensively for the second week in a row against the Mustangs and are allowing just 6.5 points, 112 rushing yards and 194 total yards per game through two games.

A strong group of linebackers have led the way for the Clipper defense with senior Brock Sherman making a team-high 20 tackles and sophomore Brody Clubb posting 15 tackles.

Senior quarterback Jackson Schmidt leads a Clipper offense that is averaging 282 yards per game.

Schmidt has passed for 164 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 210 yards and a touchdown.

Junior Sam Pettinger has rushed for 120 yards and two touchdowns and Clubb leads three Clipper players with three reception with 63 yards and a touchdown.

Class 3A No. 7 Solon (1-1) at Class 2A No. 1 Williamsburg (2-0)

Where: Williamsburg, 7:30 p.m.

Last Season: Solon 28, Williamsburg 14

Player to watch: Williamsburg junior linebacker Derek Weisskopf (6-2, 185) is an Iowa commit that has three interceptions and 4.5 tackles in two games this season and has also caught four passes for 76 yards.

Key stat: Solon rushed for 290 yards in a 28-14 win over Williamsburg last season. The Raiders are allowing 38.5 rushing yards per game and 1.3 yards per carry this season.

About the Raiders: Williamsburg has been dominant defensively during a 2-0 start to the season that has featured back-to-back wins over perennial 1A powers Regina (31-0) and Van Meter (18-13).

The Raiders are holding opponents to 6.5 points and 80 total yards of offense per game while allowing just 1.6 yards per play.

Offensively the Raiders are led by senior Carson Huedepohl (5-11, 165) who has completed 50 percent of his passes while throwing for 186 yards and a touchdown.

Huedepohl has also rushed for a team-high 94 yards and three scores while senior running back Owen Douglas (5-10, 180) has added 86 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.

Senior Madox Doehrmann (5-8, 150) and juniors Derek Weisskopf and Clayten Steckly (5-11, 170) have all caught four passes while Doehrmann leads the Raiders with 14 tackles.

About the Spartans: Solon had a 14-game regular season winning streak and 19-game streak of rival Mount Vernon end with a 17-14 loss to the Mustangs last week.

The Spartans have a tough challenge for a bounce back game in the form of a trip to 2A top-ranked Williamsburg.

Solon has been solid itself defensively through the first two weeks allowing 8.5 points per game and holding each of its first two opponents under 100 yards rushing.

A Solon offense averaging 328 total yards and 28 points per game is led by senior quarterback Blake Timmons who has passed for 268 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 36 yards and three scores.

Senior tailback Sean Stahle has rushed for 120 yards and a touchdown and junior Brett White has added 123 rushing yards and a touchdown.

Mid-Prairie (2-0) at Regina (1-1)  

Where: Regal Field, 7 p.m.

Last Season: Regina won by forfeit

Player to watch: Mid-Prairie senior running back Braden Hartley (6-3, 195) has rushed for 417 yards and three touchdowns while averaging 6.7 yards per carry and is coming off a 219-yard effort in a win over Sigourney-Keota last week.

Key stat: Of the 108 offensive plays Mid-Prairie has run this season 88 have been running plays, meaning the Golden Hawks run the ball 82 percent of the time. Mid-Prairie has been successful both running and passing averaging 6 yards per rushing attempt and 6.8 yards per pass attempt.

About the Golden Hawks: Mid-Prairie has been over .500 each of the past four seasons but hadn’t started 2-0 before this fall since winning five straight games to open the 2015 season.

The Golden Hawks have done their damage this season with a power running game led by Hartley and a solid defense keyed by senior Cain Brown (6-3, 180).

Mid-Prairie is averaging 265.5 rushing yards per game behind Hartley who has ranks second in Class 2A with 417 rushing yards.

Senior quarterback Collin Miller (6-0, 165) directs the Golden Hawk offense and has completed 8-of-20 passes for 136 yards and four touchdowns.

Brown is the top receiving option with four grabs for 118 yards and two touchdowns and also spearheads a Golden Hawk defense that is allowing 305 total yards per game leading the team with 17.5 tackles and also has one of three Mid-Prairie interceptions.

About the Regals: Regina bounced back from a season-opening loss at Williamsburg with a 49-14 win over West Liberty in its home opener last Friday.

After totaling negative rushing yards in its opener Regina rolled up 195 rushing yards while averaging 5.6 yards per carry in its win over West Liberty.

Junior quarterback Gentry Dumont has passed for 133 yards and three touchdowns with his top target junior Jackson Naeve with nine receptions for 120 yards and two scores.

Four different Regals have rushed for at least 40 yards this season and three different Regals have scored a rushing touchdown.

Senior Jack Tierney has rushed for 93 yards and a score, Ronan Poynton has 49 yards and a touchdown and Chris Waikel has 43 yards and a touchdown.

Poynton leads the Regina defense with 21 tackles while Jack Clark has 10 tackles including three for loss and a sack.

Maquoketa Valley (2-0) at Class 1A No. 5 West Branch (2-0)

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

Last Season: West Branch 52, Maquoketa Valley 0

Player to watch: Maquoketa Valley junior Lance McShane (6-2, 190) has rushed for 452 yards and nine touchdowns while averaging 10.8 yards per carry. McShane also ranks second on the team with 16 tackles including seven for loss and has returned an interception for a touchdown.

Key stat: West Branch and Maquoketa Valley have combined to score six defensive touchdowns this season. Maquoketa Valley has returned a fumble and an interception for a score and West Branch has returned four fumbles for touchdowns.

About the Wildcats: Maquoketa Valley has been among the most improved teams in the state through the first two games of the season.

The Wildcats were shutout in six of their final seven games last season scoring just six total points over the final seven games after a 40-22 win over North Cedar in its opener.

Maquoketa Valley has already eclipsed its win total and season scoring total from a year ago averaging 42 points and 348.5 total yards per game in back-to-back wins over North Cedar and South Winneshiek.

McShane has done the heavy lifting scoring nine of the 10 offensive touchdowns for the Wildcats while sophomore quarterback TJ Cook (6-3, 175) has completed 9-of-20 passes for 60 yards.

Junior Aidan Salow (6-3, 225) leads a Wildcat defense that is holding opponents to 130.5 total yards and seven points per game with 18 tackles including 5.5 for loss with a sack.

About the Bears: West Branch continued its strong start to the season avenging a loss from last season with a 34-13 road win at Waterloo Columbus.

The Bears have been impressive on both sides of the ball during their 2-0 start outscoring opponents 95-33.

West Branch has held opponents to 68.5 rushing yards per game and 2.2 yards per carry while averaging 136.5 yards per game on the ground.

Senior quarterback Tye Hughes has completed 77 percent of his passes while throwing for 262 yards and three touchdowns and has also rushed for 67 yards and three touchdowns.

Senior running back Andy Henson has rushed for 185 yards and four touchdowns and has caught eight passes for 87 yards and a touchdown.

Junior Trenton Schutte has caught six passes for 48 yards and Carver Boelk has five receptions for 96 yards and two touchdowns.

Did you enjoy this subscription free article? Help keep Your Prep Sports free by donating.