West High (6-4) at Southeast Polk (6-4)   

Where: Southeast Polk High School, 7 p.m.

Last season: Did not play

Player to watch: Southeast Polk senior quarterback Holden Hansen (6-2, 200) has completed 66 percent of his passes (164-of-248) while throwing for 1,844 yards and 15 touchdowns with 12 interceptions and has rushed for 256 yards and a team-high seven touchdowns.

Key stat: Southeast Polk has won 13 consecutive playoff games by an average of 24.7 points per game.

About the Trojans: West High made sure its first playoff appearance since 2020 wasn’t short lived with a 21-16 win at Bettendorf in the opening round.

The Trojans will now attempt to secure their first semifinal appearance since 2017.

West High is 2-3 against playoff qualifiers with wins over Bettendorf and Pleasant Valley and losses to City High and road losses to quarterfinalists Liberty High and Ankeny.

The Trojans have been among the most productive offensive teams in the state this season averaging 38.7 points and 423 total yards per game while averaging 7.9 yards per play.

Senior quarterback Jack Wallace has been the leader behind the impressive offensive effort and teams with receivers Julian Manson and Mason Woods to give West High one of the most dangerous offensive trios in the state.

Wallace has completed 72 percent of his passes while throwing for 2,658 yards and 32 touchdowns with four interceptions and has rushed for 380 yards and eight touchdowns.

Woods has 49 receptions for 1,003 yards and 11 touchdowns and Manson has 47 receptions for 836 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Senior Chase Bopp has caught 22 passes for 275 yards and a touchdown and Henry Elser has 22 receptions for 189 yards and two touchdowns.

Senior Butali Butali has rushed for a team-high 789 yards and six touchdowns while averaging 5.5 yards per carry.

West High is allowing 28.8 points and 379 total yards per game on defense while giving up 6.2 yards per play.
The Trojans have forced 14 turnovers in 10 games recovering seven fumbles and picking off seven passes.

Manson leads the team with 77.5 tackles and senior linebacker Declan Bunn has 64 tackles with 3.5 for loss.

Junior Jackson Law leads West High with 5.5 tackles for loss and four sacks and junior defensive back Ethan Headings has 52 tackles with three for loss.

About the Rams: Three-time defending 5A champion Southeast Polk is seeking a fifth consecutive state title game appearance.

Southeast Polk opened postseason play with a 24-21 win at Pleasant Valley, its fifth win over a 5A playoff qualifier this season.

Led by senior quarterback Holden Hansen the Southeast Polk offense is averaging 26.5 points and 326 total yards per game while averaging 6.1 yards per play.

Senior Sam Zelenovich (6-2, 188) has caught a team-high 61 passes for 779 yards and six touchdowns while senior Kaden Hills (6-1, 180) has caught 29 passes for 407 yards and four touchdowns.

Senior Landon Vander Werff (5-11, 180) leads the Rams with 451 rushing yards and four touchdowns while junior Drew Thompson (5-10, 175) has rushed for 361 yards and five touchdowns.

Southeast Polk is allowing 19.7 points and 305 total yards per game while holding opponents to 6.4 yards per play.

The Rams have been solid against the run allowing 137 rushing yards per game on 4.8 yards per carry.

In its six wins this season Southeast Polk has allowed an average of 13 points per game but has allowed 29.8 points per game in four losses.

Senior Cael Winget (6-0, 180) has 61.5 tackles with 8.5 for loss while senior defensive lineman Cooper Martinson (6-4, 285) has 61.5 tackles with seven for loss.

Kane Brockman (5-11, 195) leads the Rams with 13.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks.

Ankeny (6-4) at Liberty High (9-1)

Where: Liberty Stadium, 7 p.m.

Last season: Ankeny 40, Liberty High 21;

Last meeting: Week 7 – Liberty High 28, Ankeny 20

Player to watch: Ankeny junior running back Daniel Larmie (5-9, 185) has rushed for 1,147 yards and 11 touchdowns while averaging 6.7 yards per carry and has caught nine passes for 45 yards.

Key stat: Ankeny has played each of the seven other teams in the 5A quarterfinals (Ankeny Centennial, Southeast Polk, West Des Moines Dowling, Johnston, West High, Liberty High and West Des Moines Valley) going 3-4 in those games.

About the Lightning: Liberty High earned the first 5A playoff win in program history last week with a 31-14 win over Waukee.

The Lightning can make more history on Friday as Liberty High attempts to earn its first semifinal appearance.

Liberty High has won seven straight games since a week-three loss to Pleasant Valley, a stretch that includes a 28-20 home win over Ankeny.

The Lightning have been as efficient and productive on offense as any team in the state.

Liberty High is averaging 449 total yards and 42.7 points per game while averaging 7.9 yards per play.

The Lightning have scored at least 26 points in every game this season and has scored 31 or more points in six of 10 games.

Junior quarterback Reece Rettig has completed 73 percent of his passes (153-of-211) while throwing for 2,315 yards and 28 touchdowns with three interceptions and has rushed for 390 yards and six touchdowns.

Senior Owen Drapeaux has rushed for 800 yards and 13 touchdowns while senior Sutton Koller has rushed for 492 yards and seven touchdowns and has caught 30 passes for 776 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Dallas Miller has been the top pass catcher for the Lightning with 56 receptions for 828 yards and eight touchdowns and Collin Decker has 39 receptions for 446 yards and five touchdowns.

On defense the Lightning are allowing 337 total yards 26.8 points per game while surrendering 6 yards per play.

Koller leads the team with 59 tackles including 6.5 for loss while junior linebacker Landon Bell has 50 tackles.

Senior Ethan Barber leads Liberty High with 10 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks and junior Keshawn Wyldon has 37 tackles.

Liberty High has forced 19 turnovers including 12 interceptions led by junior Logan Laubenthal who has four interceptions and sophomore Pryor Reiners with three interceptions.

About the Hawks: Last year’s 5A runner-up, Ankeny is appearing in the quarterfinals for sixth consecutive season and is seeking a fourth trip to the UNI-Dome in the past five seasons.

Ankeny has played one of the most challenging schedules in the state with eight games against playoff qualifiers including seven matchups against teams in the 5A quarterfinals.

The Hawks have won five of six games following a 1-3 start to the season, the lone loss in that stretch was a 28-20 loss at Liberty High on October 11.

Ankeny scored 26 second-half points in a 47-21 opening-round win over Linn-Mar last week.

The Hawks have been solid on both sides of the ball this season.

On offense Ankeny is averaging 26.2 points and 369 total yards per game while averaging 6.8 yards per play.

The Hawks averaged 13.3 points per game during the 1-3 start to the season but have averaged 34.8 points per game over the last six.

Senior quarterback Luke Anderson (6-1, 180) leads the Ankeny offense and has completed 61 percent of his passes (136-of-224) while throwing for 1,564 yards and nine touchdowns with nine interceptions.

Anderson has also rushed for 79 yards and two touchdowns.

Larmie leads the Ankeny rushing attack while senior Caden Henkes (6-2, 180) has rushed for 532 yards and four touchdowns.

Four players have at least 270 receiving yards for Ankeny led by junior Andrew Brandhorst (6-1, 205) who has 35 receptions for 555 yards and three touchdowns.

Senior Evan Irlmeier (5-8, 160) has 50 receptions for 528 yards and four touchdowns and Owen Fischer (5-10, 160) has 18 receptions for 279 yards and two touchdowns.

On defense Ankeny is holding opponents to 18.9 points and 352 total yards per game while allowing 5.5 yards per play.

The Hawks are giving up 198 rushing yards per game and 4.7 yards per carry.

Sophomore Dawson Whitinger (6-1, 200) has a team-high 78.5 tackles with 10.5 for loss while senior Ben Taylor (6-0, 175) has 73 tackles.

Senior Andrew Haase has 45.5 tackles with 10.5 for loss including a team-high 7.5 sacks.

Junior LaMarus Clark (6-0, 160) has 52 tackles including 8.5 for loss and has five interceptions returning two for touchdowns.

Solon (8-2) at Humboldt (9-1)  

Where: Humboldt, 7 p.m.

Last season: Did not play

Player to watch: Humboldt senior quarterback Coen Matson (6-0, 175) has completed 65 percent of his passes while throwing for 1,973 yards and 21 touchdowns with four interceptions and has also rushed for 279 yards and four touchdowns.

Key stat: Humboldt senior quarterback Coen Matson has thrown at least one touchdown pass in nine of 10 games this season while Solon has allowed just seven touchdown passes all season and has held opponents without a touchdown pass in seven of 10 games.

About the Spartans: Solon is seeking a third semifinal appearance in the past four seasons after reaching the UNI-Dome in 2021 and 2023.

The Spartans avenged a regular season loss with a 34-27 win at Benton Community in the opening round last Friday.

Solon has now won three in a row after back-to-back losses to Benton Community and Williamsburg last month.

Senior quarterback Ty Bell leads a Spartan offense that is averaging 34.5 points and 377 total yards per game on 6.7 yards per play.

Bell has completed 67 percent of his passes (139-of-209) while throwing for 1,694 yards and 19 touchdowns with seven interceptions and has rushed for 73 yards and a touchdown.

Senior running back Eddie Johnson has rushed for 1,178 yards and 18 touchdowns and has caught 12 passes for 250 yards and three touchdowns.

Sophomore Maddox Kelley has caught 51 passes for 660 yards and seven touchdowns and senior Karsyn Regennitter has caught 30 passes for 319 yards and three touchdowns.

On defense Solon is holding opponents to 15.1 points and 265 total yards per game while allowing 4.9 yards per play.

Junior linebacker Kyler Jensen has a team-high 51 tackles with eight for loss including 2.5 sacks.

Kelley has 47 tackles and a team-high four interceptions and junior linebacker Tripp Johnson has 41 tackles.

Eddie Johnson leads Solon with nine tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks and Oliver Owens has 7.5 tackles for loss.

About the Wildcats: Humboldt is seeking a third semifinal appearance in the past four seasons after missing out on a trip to the UNI-Dome last season.

The Wildcats were semifinalists in 2021 and 2022 before ending a 5-5 season last fall with an opening-round loss at Williamsburg.

Humboldt has been impressive this season against a challenging schedule that has consisted of seven playoff qualifiers including games against quarterfinalists Van Meter, North Polk and Algona.

The Wildcats have won six games in a row since a loss to 4A quarterfinalist North Polk on September 20 including a 13-10 win over Clear Lake in the opening round last week.

Matson leads a Wildcat offense that is averaging 24.8 points and 318 total yards per game on 6.7 yards per play.

Three players have at least 350 receiving yards for the Wildcats led by junior Chase Flaherty (5-9, 140) with 44 receptions for 662 yards and nine touchdowns.

Senior Keegan Groat (6-2, 200) has 24 receptions for 642 yards and seven touchdowns and junior Valley Davis (6-2, 175) has 23 receptions for 369 yards and four touchdowns.

Sophomore Cash McIntire (5-11, 170) leads Humboldt with 428 rushing yards and four touchdowns while averaging 5.9 yards per carry.

Sophomore Jaxson Kirchhoff (5-8, 160) has rushed for 262 yards and two touchdowns.

Humboldt has been strong defensively holding opponents to 14.2 points and 296 total yards per game while allowing 5.2 yards per play.

The Wildcats are allowing 157 rushing yards per game and 4.2 yards per carry.

Junior Cael Donahe (6-0, 200) leads Humboldt with 68 tackles including nine for loss and senior Landon Halverson (5-10, 185) has 61.5 tackles with 10 for loss.

Sophomore Broedy Hendricks (6-0, 195) leads Humboldt with 13 tackles for loss including four sacks and senior Mason Van Pelt (6-0, 190) has 11 tackles for loss among 49 tackles.

Humboldt has forced 16 turnovers with eight interceptions led by junior Jackson Flahery with three interceptions.

Wilton (9-1) at Regina (9-1)

Where: Regal Field, 7 p.m.

Last season: Regina 35, Wilton 0; Second round – Regina 33, Wilton 18

Last meeting: Week 8 – Regina 20, Wilton 8

Player to watch: Wilton senior quarterback Drew Keith (5-11, 185) has completed 60 percent of his passes while throwing for 1,643 yards and 20 touchdowns with just four interceptions and has rushed for 494 yards and four touchdowns.

Key stat: Regina and Wilton have played five times in the past four seasons with Regina winning all five meetings by an average of 22.8 points per game.

About the Regals: Regina has won back-to-back road games to reach the quarterfinals and is a win away from its first semifinal appearance since 2020.

The Regals defeated Wilton in the regular season finale and followed with a 32-21 opening-round win at Pleasantville and a 35-14 win over Woodward-Granger in the second round.

Regina is averaging 30.1 points and 368 total yards per game while averaging 6.7 yards per play.

Junior quarterback Kyle Tracy leads the Regina offense passing for 1,719 yards and 18 touchdowns with five interceptions while completing 62 percent of his passes.
Tracy has also rushed for 650 yards and eight touchdowns.

Sophomore Savion Miller has rushed for a team-high 897 yards and eight touchdowns and has caught 15 passes for 173 yards.

Sophomore Tate Wallace has a team-high 47 receptions for 694 yards and seven touchdowns and Will Aitchison has caught 24 passes for 436 yards and four touchdowns.

On defense Regina is allowing 16.8 points and 233 total yards per game while giving up 4.7 yards per play.

Aitchison leads Regina with 61.5 tackles with four tackles for loss and senior Spencer Winders has 49.5 tackles.

Senior Noah Clark has a team-high 10 tackles for loss with five sacks and Matt Colony has 7.5 tackles for loss and four sacks.

About the Beavers: Since a 20-8 loss at Regina in the regular season finale the Beavers have gotten back to business outscoring Aplington-Parkersburg and MFL Mar-Mac by a combined score of 78-28 in a pair of postseason wins.

Wilton is one of the most efficiently balanced offensive teams in Class 1A averaging 171 passing yards and 182 rushing yards per game.

The Beavers are averaging 32.8 points and 353 total yards this season while posting 6.6 yards per play.

Wilton is led offensively by Keith and senior tailback Owen Hassell (5-8, 160) who has rushed for 1,080 yards and 20 touchdowns and has also caught six passes for 135 yards and two touchdowns.

Senior Kale McQuillen (5-8, 130) has caught 48 passes for 558 yards and six touchdowns and senior Cade Souhrada (5-11, 175) has 25 receptions for 458 yards and six touchdowns.

Jordan Dusenberry (5-11, 60) has 32 receptions for 306 yards and a touchdown.

Wilton is holding opponents to 251 total yards and 11.3 points per game while surrendering 4.6 yards per play.

Hayden Hill (5-9, 170) has a team-high 70 tackles with seven for loss while senior Owen Milder (5-10, 180) has 66 tackles with 7.5 for loss.

Senior Parker Carpenter (6-2, 210) leads the Beavers with 18 tackles for loss and seven sacks and Carter Drake-Metzger (6-3, 250) has 11.5 tackles for loss and five sacks.

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