Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

West High (7-2) at Cedar Falls (7-2)

Where: Cedar Falls High School, 7 p.m.

Last season: Did not play.

Player to watch: Cedar Falls senior quarterback Leyton Wolf (6-7, 210) has completed 102-of-148 passes for 1,054 yards and 10 touchdowns with just one interception and has rushed for 172 yards and four touchdowns.

Key stat: In seven wins this season Cedar Falls averaged 194 rushing yards per game on an average of 29 carries per game. In two losses this season the Tigers were held to an average of 99.5 rushing yards per game on 21.5 carries.

About the Trojans: West High rebounded from a 45-31 loss at Cedar Rapids Prairie in week eight with a 42-14 win over Linn-Mar in its regular season finale last Friday to secure a spot in the 5A postseason for the second consecutive season.

The seven regular season wins for West High are the most since the Trojans went 8-1 in 2018.

West High has been among the most productive offenses in Class 5A this season averaging 43.9 points and 415 total yards per game while averaging 8.1 yards per play.

Junior quarterback Reece Wheeler has completed 88-of-144 passes while throwing for 1,850 yards and 21 touchdowns with just three interceptions and has rushed for 145 yards and four touchdowns.

Senior running back Campbell Janis has rushed for a team-high 1,128 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Senior Ethan Headings has been the top target in the passing game with 41 receptions for 1,062 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Julian Manson has 20 receptions for 369 yards and five touchdowns and Henry Elser has caught 13 passes for 270 yards and three touchdowns.

The West High defense is allowing 18.7 points and 261 total yards per game while giving up 4.9 yards per play.

Manson leads the Trojans with 53 tackles including five for loss and senior defensive end Jackson Law has 42 tackles with 10.5 for loss and 5.5 sacks.

West High has forced 13 turnovers on the season returning both a fumble and an interception for touchdowns.

About the Tigers: Cedar Falls had a six-game winning streak snapped with a 21-13 loss to Linn-Mar in week eight but bounced back with a 41-0 win over Cedar Rapids Jefferson in the regular season finale last week.

The Tigers are making their ninth consecutive playoff appearance after falling in the 5A opening round a year ago.

Cedar Falls has relied on a defense that has been among the best in Class 5A this season.

The Tigers are holding opponents to 14.3 points and 289 total yards per game while allowing 5.3 yards per play.

Senior Camden Wroe (6-1, 191) leads Cedar Falls with 77 tackles including 11.5 for loss while senior Tyler Hermansen (6-1, 175) has 54.5 tackles with seven for loss.

Junior Izzah Grandon (6-2, 195) has a team-high 20.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks among his 54.5 tackles and senior Jaden Ubben (6-4, 220) has 41.5 tackles with 17 for loss including 7.5 sacks.

The Tigers have forced 19 turnovers in nine games, recovering eight fumbles and picking off 11 passes with senior Josh Grete (6-0, 175) leading the way with four interceptions.

Wolf directs a Cedar Falls offense that is averaging 29.3 points and 300 total yards per game while producing 6 yards per play.

Senior Ian Fuchtman (5-8, 178) has rushed for 885 yards and seven touchdowns and Carsen Gary (6-1, 177) has rushed for 241 yards and four touchdowns while averaging 21.9 yards per carry and has caught 25 passes for 248 yards and a touchdown.

Senior Will Remmert (5-11, 174) leads the Tigers with 36 receptions for 441 yards and five touchdowns and Trey Reuter (6-4, 210) has caught 17 passes for 205 yards and two touchdowns.

Waukee (4-5) at Liberty High (8-1)

Where: Liberty Stadium, 7 p.m.

Last season: Liberty High 31, Waukee 14

Player to watch: Waukee senior quarterback Beckett Bakker (5-11, 192) has completed 126-of-202 passes while throwing for 1,560 yards and 11 touchdowns with nine interceptions and has rushed for a team-high 652 yards and seven touchdowns.

Key stat: Liberty High has run 546 offensive plays this season while opponents have run just 378 plays against the Lightning.

About the Warriors: Waukee opened the season 1-4 with four losses to 5A playoff qualifiers with a combined 28-6 record but won three of its final four games to reach the postseason for the third consecutive season.

The Warriors have faced one of the toughest schedules in the state this season with seven of their nine regular season games coming against 5A playoff qualifiers.

All five losses for Waukee have come to playoff teams with at least seven wins and the Warriors handed top-ranked Waukee Northwest its only loss of the season.

Bakker leads a Waukee offense that averages 27.4 points and 349 total yards per game while posting 6.5 yards per play.

Senior Ben Case Haub (5-9, 180) has rushed for 623 yards and seven touchdowns and has 14 receptions for 194 yards and two touchdowns and senior Jai White (6-1, 195) has rushed for 196 yards and five touchdowns and caught 13 passes for 151 yards and a touchdown.

Senior Jayden Jeter (5-9, 162) has been the top target in the passing game with 33 receptions for 304 yards and Texas A&M recruit Evan Jacobson (6-7, 236) has caught 22 passes for 347 yards and a touchdown.

Waukee has been stolid defensively holding opponents to 24.1 points and 345 total yards per game while allowing 5.8 yards per play.

Senior Kayden Crispin (5-11, 172) leads Waukee with 75 tackles including eight for loss and Therston Nebo (5-11, 180) has 44.5 tackles.

Senior Vincent Johnston (6-3, 227) has eight tackles for loss and three sacks among his 27 tackles and has an interception.

About the Lightning: After reaching the state semifinals in its Class 5A playoff debut last season Liberty High returns to postseason for the second consecutive season as the fourth seed in Class 5A.

The Lightning join West Des Moines Dowling, Waukee Northwest and Sioux City East as the one loss teams in the 5A playoff field.

Liberty High enters the postseason on a five-game winning streak following a 27-24 loss at playoff qualifier Johnston on September 19.

The Lightning are averaging 48.4 points per game during their current win streak and have scored at 44 points or more four times during that stretch.

On the season Liberty High is averaging 38.8 points and 402 total yards per game while averaging 6.6 yards per play.

Senior quarterback Reece Rettig has completed 161-of-232 passes for 1,766 yards and 16 touchdowns with eight interceptions and has rushed for a team-high 722 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Brody Beaver has rushed for 367 yards and five touchdowns and Logan Laubenthal has rushed for 255 yards and two touchdowns.

Junior Pryor Reiners has caught 35 passes for 422 yards and four touchdowns and Leo Rozz has 27 receptions for 275 yards and three touchdowns.

Adrian Clerry has 26 receptions for 249 yards and three touchdowns and Jordan Schroeder has 20 receptions for 304 yards and four touchdowns.

The Liberty High defense is allowing 18.1 points and 259 total yards per game while giving up 6.2 yards per play.

Senior linebacker Landon Bell leads the Lightning with 47 tackles including a team-high 16.5 for loss and 4.5 sacks.

Junior Alex Strunk has 28 tackles with five for loss and sophomore Hank Thompson has 7.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks.

Benton Community (5-4) at Solon (9-0)

Where: Spartan Stadium, 7 p.m.

Last season: Benton 21, Solon 20; Solon 34, Benton 27 (3A Playoffs)

This season: Solon 28, Benton 21

Player to watch: Benton Community senior quarterback Carson Nolan (6-0, 185) has completed 140-of-199 passes for 1,459 yards and 10 touchdowns with nine interceptions and has rushed for 1,005 yards and 16 touchdowns.

Key stat: The previous four meetings between Solon and Benton Community, all since 2023, have been decided by a total of 18 points and all have a margin of victory of seven or less.

About the Bobcats: Benton Community is making its second consecutive playoff appearance and fourth in the past five seasons after falling to Solon in the 3A opening round last season.

The Bobcats have faced one of the most difficult schedules in Class 3A this season with games against five playoff qualifiers including losses to the top three ranked teams in Clear Lake (35-7), Solon (28-21) and West Delaware (42-20).

Benton Community locked up its playoff spot with a 56-28 win at Iowa Falls in the regular season finale.

Nolan leads a Benton Community offense that is averaging 30 points and 347 total yards per game while averaging 6.3 yards per play.

Senior Elias Bieschke (5-8, 180) has rushed for 518 yards and seven touchdowns and has caught six passes for 71 yards.

Senior Brody Timmerman (5-11, 160) has been the top target in the pass game with 58 receptions for 512 yards and two touchdowns and senior Eli Patterson (6-4, 175) has 31 receptions for 428 yards and six touchdowns.

Grant Volesky (6-0, 190) has 16 receptions for 138 yards and a touchdown and Evan Martin (6-0, 185) has 14 receptions for 137 yards.

The Bobcats have been solid defensively allowing 23.3 points and 295 total yards per game while giving up 5.6 yards per play.

Volesky has a team-high 84.5 tackles with 7.5 for loss and Nolan has 44 tackles with 10.5 for loss.

Bieschke has 46.5 tackles with 5.5 for loss and senior Grady Frese (81) has 21 tackles with three sacks.

The Bobcats have forced 11 turnovers with Timmerman leading the way with two interceptions.

About the Spartans: One of only two remaining unbeaten teams in Class 3A along with top-ranked Clear Lake, the Spartans closed the regular season with a 51-2 win at Fort Madison.

Solon outscored its five district opponents by a combined score of 263-8 and is making its 21^st consecutive postseason appearance.

Led by senior quarterback Eli Kampman the Spartans are averaging 43.9 points and 329 total yards per game while averaging 7.1 yards per play.

Kampman has completed 108-of-172 passes for 1,742 yards and 24 touchdowns with six interceptions and has rushed for 312 yards and five touchdowns.

Junior Maddox Kelley has rushed for 301 yards and 11 touchdowns and caught 35 passes for 480 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Kaden Hoeper has 31 receptions for 549 yards and eight touchdowns and Cody Milliman has 28 receptions for 412 yards and three touchdowns.

Solon has been one of the stingiest defenses in Class 3A this season holding opponents to 8.4 points and 187 total yards per game while allowing 4 yards per play.

Senior linebacker Kyler Jensen has a team-high 57.5 tackles with nine for loss and Lucas Feuerbach has 36.5 tackles with 10 for loss and three sacks.

James Thomsen has 29.5 tackles with 10 tackles for loss and five sacks and senior Tripp Johnson has 31.5 tackles with 3.5 for loss.

Solon has forced 26 turnovers in nine games with Ethan Ulch lead the team with three interceptions.

No. 10 Wilton (7-2) at No. 7 West Branch (7-2)

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

Last season: Wilton 39, West Branch 20

Player to watch: Wilton junior quarterback Gunner Edwards (5-11, 165) has completed 118-of-202 passes for 1,416 yards and 14 touchdowns with eight interceptions and has rushed for 326 yards and three touchdowns.

Key stat: Dating back to last season Wilton has allowed more than 21 points just three times over a span of 21 games.

About the Beavers: Wilton has put together a third consecutive impressive season and is 25-6 over the previous three campaigns.

The Beavers followed up a 10-2 season last fall that included a spot in the 1A semifinals with a strong showing in its move up to 2A this season.

Wilton brings a five-game winning streak into Friday’s matchup a stretch that includes a 50-14 win over Dike-New Hartford in its playoff opener last week.

The two losses for the Beavers each came to top-three ranked opponents, a 42-20 loss to 1A third-ranked Regina in the season opener and a 21-20 loss to 2A third-ranked Mid-Prairie.

Wilton has been efficient offensively this season behind its junior quarterback Edwards averaging 30.3 points and 327 total yards per game and 5.8 yards per play.

Junior Noah Gray (5-10, 165) has rushed for a team-high 745 yards and eight touchdowns and senior Hayden Hill (5-9, 185) has rushed for 457 yards and 14 touchdowns.

Four different Wilton players have at least 25 receptions this season led by senior Gatlin Rogers (6-3, 215) with 29 receptions for 328 yards and three touchdowns and junior Bryer Putman (6-5, 195) who has 27 receptions for 441 yards and eight touchdowns.

Gabe Brisker (6-0, 160) has caught 26 passes for 333 yards and two touchdowns and Jaxson Drayfahl (5-10, 130) has 25 receptions for 144 yards.

The strength for the Beavers has been the defense.

Wilton is holding opponents to 16.6 points and 217 total yards per game while allowing 4.4 yards per play.

Rogers leads the defense from his defensive line spot racking up a team-high 55.5 tackles including 19.5 for loss and seven sacks.

Hill has 55.5 tackles with 5.5 for loss and junior Corban Burford (5-10, 200) has 41.5 tackles with three for loss.

Wilton has forced 20 turnovers with Brisker leading the team with five interceptions and junior Oliver Grings (5-10, 155) intercepting four passes.

About the Bears: West Branch has won four in a row after a 22-15 win over Denver in the Class 2A opening round last week.

The Bears have posted three consecutive wins over playoff qualifiers, closing the regular season with victories over Anamosa and Bellevue.

On the season West Branch is averaging 33.7 points and 305 total yards per game while averaging 6.8 yards per play.

Senior quarterback Brennen Dale has completed 51-of-100 passes for 657 yards and eight touchdowns with four interceptions and has rushed for 285 yards and six touchdowns.

Junior Keaton Gates leads the Bears with 1,256 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns and senior Cooper Gates has rushed for 459 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Senior Brandon Pedersen has caught 21 passes for 274 yards and a touchdown and Conner Capper has 12 receptions for 149 yards and four touchdowns.

On defense West Branch is allowing 15.2 points and 271 total yards per game while giving up 5 yards per play.

Capper leads the Bears with 58 tackles including six tackles for loss and Cooper Gates has 46.5 tackles with 13.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks.

Senior Lincoln Naber has 40.5 tackles with 7.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks.

Cascade (7-2) at No. 3 Regina (9-0)

Where: Regal Field, 7 p.m.

Last season: Regina 21, Cascade 7

Player to watch: Cascade senior quarterback Mick Hoffman (6-1, 180) has completed 185-of-270 passes for 2,323 yards and 33 touchdowns with three interceptions and has rushed for 343 yards and a touchdown.

Key stat: In its last three games Regina has averaged 17.2 yards per play and outscored opponents 160-8.

About the Cougars: Cascade has been completed one of the biggest turnarounds in the state this season going from 3-5 a year ago to 7-2 and a spot in the 1A second round this season.

The seven wins are the most for Cascade since it won 10 games in 2017 and are more than Cougars has the previous two seasons combined (5).

Cascade has won three in a row following a 48-13 loss to rival Dyersville Beckman on October 3, a stretch that includes a 35-27 win over Union in the opening round of the 1A playoffs last week.

Hoffman has been among the most prolific quarterbacks in the state this season and the senior leads a Cascade offense that has been impressive averaging 33.6 points and 398 total yards per game while producing 7.5 yards per play.

Hoffman ranks fourth in the state in passing yards (2,323) and third in passing touchdowns (33) and leads Class 1A in both categories.

Junior Jackson Green (6-2, 195) has rushed for a team-high 723 yards and eight touchdowns while averaging 7 yards per carry and has 25 receptions for 318 yards and four touchdowns.

Senior Eli Fritz (5-11, 170) has been the top target for Hoffman with 61 receptions for 702 yards and four touchdowns while senior Brody Otting (6-2, 190) has caught 46 passes for a team-high 761 yards and 18 touchdowns.

Kalvin Manternach (6-1, 180) has 30 receptions for 272 yards and four touchdowns.

Defensively the Cougars are allowing 21.1 points and 288 total yards per game while allowing 5.8 yards per play.

Cascade has forced 19 turnovers, including 12 interceptions and has five different players with two interceptions.

Otting leads the team with 53 tackles including nine for loss and three sacks and Lane Manternach (6-3, 205) has 40 tackles with six for loss and five sacks.

About the Regals: Regina rolls into the second round of the Class 1A playoffs following a 69-0 win over Northeast in its postseason opener.

One of three remaining unbeaten teams in 1A along with West Lyon and Grundy Center, Regina has outscored opponents by a total of 435-90 this season.

Regina has been impressive offensively this season averaging 48.3 points and 358 total yards per game while averaging 9.5 yards per play.

Senior quarterback Kyle Tracy has completed 78 percent of his passes (78-of-100) while throwing for 1,544 yards and 24 touchdowns with three interceptions and has rushed for 230 yards and six touchdowns.

Junior Savion Miller has rushed for 601 yards and 13 touchdowns while averaging 8.7 yards per carry and has seven receptions for 205 yards and seven touchdowns.

Gabriel Hegelheimer has rushed for 263 yards and five touchdowns and Aaron Honore has rushed for 150 yards and three touchdowns.

Tate Wallace has caught 28 passes for 386 yards and five touchdowns and Drew Greve has 17 receptions for 331 yards and three touchdowns.

Carter Slager has eight receptions for 231 yards and four touchdowns.

The Regina defense is allowing 10 points and 166 total yards per game while giving up 3.6 yards per play.

Luke Hamilton leads Regina with 37 tackles including 6.5 for loss and Wallace has 33 tackles with 10 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks.

Will Litton has 5.5 tackles for loss and three sacks and Emmett Burke has 4.5 tackles for loss with three sacks.

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