Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

Regina (2-0) at Alburnett (2-0)  

Where: Martin Complex Field, 7 p.m. on Thursday

Last season: Regina 59, Alburnett 27

Player to watch: Alburnett senior running back Laken Caves (5-11, 180) has rushed for 504 yards and six touchdowns while averaging 13.6 yards per carry and has also caught three passes for 39 yards and a touchdown. Caves also has 9.5 tackles and a sack.

Key stat: Alburnett senior running back Laken Caves is averaging 252 rushing yards per game and better than 13.6 yards per carry and faces a Regina defense that is giving up 14.5 yards per game on the ground while holding opponents to .8 yards per attempt.

About the Pirates: A Class 2A quarterfinalist last season, Alburnett opened the season with a 47-0 win over Center Point-Urbana and won 35-28 at 2025 2A quarterfinalist Mid-Prairie last week.

Fueled by the rushing production of Caves the Pirates are averaging 413 total yards and 41 points per game while averaging 9 yards per play.

Caves has rushed for 100 or more yards in nine consecutive games dating back to last season and is averaging 203 rushing yards per game during that span.

Senior Brody Kaestner (6-0, 185) has completed 15-of-26 passes for 194 yards and four touchdowns with one interception.

Senior Cash Varner (5-9, 180) has four receptions for 76 yards and a touchdown and senior Cooper Franklin (5-10, 180) has rushed for 76 yards and two touchdowns and caught two passes for 11 yards and two scores.

Defensively Alburnett is holding opponents to 213 total yards and 14 points per game while giving up just 4 yards per play.
Franklin leads Alburnett with 17 tackles including two for loss while junior defensive lineman Eaghan Fleshman (6-2, 260) has nine tackles with four tackles for loss and two sacks.

About the Regals: Regina has been impressive during a 2-0 start outscoring Wilton and West Branch by a combined total of 85-6.

The Regals are averaging 42.5 points and 415 total yards per game while producing 7.9 yards per play.

Senior quarterback Zach Poe (6-1, 190) has completed 17-of-22 passes for 270 yards and two touchdowns and junior Aiden Gaffey (6-3, 170) has completed 11-of-17 passes for 172 yards and two touchdowns.

Junior Gabe Hegelheimer (6-0, 205) has rushed for 193 yards and four touchdowns and has five receptions for 153 yards and two touchdowns.

Tate Wallace (6-4, 240) has seven receptions for 65 yards and a touchdown and Ryan Tracy (6-1, 170) has four catches for 54 yards and a touchdown.

On defense Regina is holding opponents to 3 points and 124 total yards per game while allowing 3.4 yards per play.

Senior Roan Eckhoff (6-2, 225) has 9.5 tackles with 4.5 tackles for loss and two sacks and Wallace has 7.5 tackles with 2.5 tackles for loss and a sack.

City High (1-1) at Waukee Northwest (0-2)

Where: Northwest Stadium, 7 p.m.

Last season: Waukee Northwest 49, City High 13

Player to watch: Waukee Northwest senior quarterback Mack Heitland (6-0, 185) has completed 39-of-67 passes for 544 yards and four touchdowns with one interception and has rushed for a team-high 144 yards and three touchdowns while averaging 6.9 yards per carry.

Key stat: City High senior Savion Miller (5-10, 200) leads Class 5A with five rushing touchdowns, ranks second in all purpose yards (372) and third in rushing yards (294).

About the Wolves: A Class 5A semifinalist last season, Waukee Northwest is off to an 0-2 with losses to Ankeny (28-20) and West Des Moines Valley (56-42).

The Wolves have been solid offensively averaging 31 points and 402 total yards per game while averaging 6.5 yards per play.

Heitland leads the offense and has three receivers with at least eight receptions led by senior Carson Burns (5-8, 155) with nine catches for 74 yards.

Sophomore Devonta Toe (5-10, 195) has caught eight passes for 94 yards and a touchdown and sophomore Miles Leifker (6-0, 195) has eight receptions for 186 yards and two touchdowns.

On defense Waukee Northwest is allowing 371 total yards and 42 points per game while giving up 7.2 yards per play.

Senior Ben Gallagher (5-9, 165) has a team-high 12 tackles while junior Charlie Hemmer (6-0, 235) has 10 tackles.

Junior Jude Quaid (6-2, 215) has 5.5 tackles with a tackle for loss and senior Colin Costinga (6-2, 185) has five tackles with a tackle for loss.

About the Little Hawks: City High bounced back from a season-opening loss to West High with a 49-21 win over Bettendorf in its home opener last Friday.

The Little Hawks have been excellent offensively averaging 39 points and 504 total yards per game while averaging 7 yards per play.

Senior Jackson Grabinski (6-0, 205) has completed 20-of-32 passes for 321 yards and a touchdown and junior Chris Kabaiza (5-11, 180) has gone 17-of-29 for 249 yards and two touchdowns.

Senior Chayse Newton (5-8, 160) has caught a team-high 16 passes for 243 yards and a touchdown and junior Braden Bickford (6-3, 168) has six receptions for 161 yards.

Defensively City High is allowing 25.5 points and 332 total yards per game while giving up 6.1 yards per play.

Marshall Sheldon (6-1, 195) leads the Little Hawks with 11.5 tackles with two tackles for loss and a sack.

Freshman Crosby Newton (5-9, 155) has 10.5 tackles while senior Shepherd Stanton (6-2, 170) has 6.5 tackles and an interception.

Liberty High (1-1) at Linn-Mar (1-1)

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

Last season: Liberty High 28, Linn-Mar 7

Player to watch: Linn-Mar junior quarterback Derek Roling (6-1, 165) has completed 20-of-27 passes for 267 yards and two touchdowns and has rushed for 20 yards and a touchdown.

Key stat: Liberty High is averaging 255 passing yards per game while Linn-Mar is allowing 241 passing yards per game while allowing opponents to complete 67 percent of their passes.

About the Lions: There may not be a better 0-2 team in the state than Linn-Mar which has lost its first two games of the season by a combined five points.

The Lions opened the season with a 23-21 loss at Cedar Rapids Prairie and fell to Ankeny Centennial 23-20 last week.

The Linn-Mar offense led by Roling is averaging 20.5 points and 252 yards per game while posting 5.3 yards per play.

Senior Hud Turner (5-7, 180) has rushed for 158 yards and a touchdown while averaging 4.1 yards per carry.

Senior Deklan Thoms (6-0, 175) has been the top target for Roling with 11 receptions for 182 yards and a touchdown while Bradley Duncan-Porter (5-9, 205) has five receptions for 35 yards and a touchdown.

Defensively the Lions are allowing 23 points and 346 total yards per game while surrendering 5.8 yards per play.

Senior linebacker Barrett Mieras (5-9, 200) has a team-leading 15.5 tackles with two tackles for loss and junior Nolan Runge (6-1, 170) has 11.5 tackles with three tackles for loss.

Senior Holden Heideman (6-1, 240) has 11 tackles with five sacks and senior Jareth Navarro (6-5, 278) has six tackles with three tackles for loss and two sacks.

About the Lightning: After opening the season with a 21-7 win at Cedar Falls the Lightning fell to Southeast Polk 21-14 in its home opener last Friday.

Liberty High outgained Southeast Polk 291 to 210 but committed four turnovers in the week-two loss.

The Lightning are averaging 371 total yards and 17.5 points per game while producing 5.9 yards per play.

Senior quarterback Emerson Berner has completed 39-of-63 passes for 428 yards and three touchdowns and has rushed for 39 yards and a touchdown.

Brody Beaver has rushed for 119 yards and caught seven passes for 46 yards.

Pryor Reiners leads Liberty High with 17 receptions for 249 yards and two touchdowns and Cooper Lester has five receptions for 53 yards while Adrian Clerry has four receptions for 98 yards and a touchdown.

Defensively Liberty High is holding opponents to 212 total yards and 14 points per game while allowing 4.7 yards per play.

Carter Lester has a team-high 14 tackles with five tackles for loss while Asher Eisenbach has 14 tackles with six tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.

Alex Strunk has 10.5 tackles with 3.5 tackles for loss and Cash Hennings has seven tackles with 4.5 tackles for loss.

Pleasant Valley (0-2) at West High (2-0)

Where: Trojan Stadium, 7 p.m.

Last season: West High 42, Pleasant Valley 30

Player to watch: Pleasant Valley junior quarterback Colin Townsend (5-10, 180) has completed 25-of-47 passes for 238 yards and has rushed for 51 yards.

Key stat: Pleasant Valley is allowing 274 passing yards per game and has given up five passing touchdowns while West High is averaging 276 passing yards per game and has five passing touchdowns.

About the Trojans: West High is off to a 2-0 start for the second consecutive season following up a 30-29 season-opening win over City High with a 53-7 win at Dubuque Hempstead.

Led by senior quarterback Reece Wheeler (5-11, 170) West High is averaging 514 total yards and 41.5 points per game while putting up 8.4 yards per play.

Wheeler has completed 27-of-46 passes while throwing for 540 yards and five touchdowns without an interception and has rushed for 97 yards and four touchdowns.

Junior Atari Brown (5-11, 170) has rushed for 222 yards and a touchdown and senior Neil James (6-1, 180) has been the top target in the pass game with eight receptions for 316 yards and four touchdowns.

Cade Towler (5-11, 170) has caught six passes for 114 yards and Tayten Wheeler (6-2, 195) has caught seven passes for 72 yards.

The West High defense is holding opponents to 18 points and 341 total yards per game while giving up 5.7 yards per play.

Senior Carter Spark (5-10, 175) has a team-high 14 tackles for West High while senior linebacker Moses DeWaard (X) has 13 tackles with four tackles for loss.

Junior Ashten Holmes (6-0, 200) has 11 tackles with 3.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks and senior Jack McLaskey (6-0, 190) has nine tackles with 3.5 tackles for loss and two sacks.

About the Spartans: Pleasant Valley has dropped back-to-back games to open the season losing at Bettendorf 27-10 in the opener and falling to Cedar Falls 35-20 last Friday.

The Spartans are averaging 15 points and 269 total yards per game while averaging 4.3 yards per play.
Townsend leads a Pleasant Valley offense that has six players that have rushed for 30 or more yards.

Junior Owen Everhart (5-11, 195) has rushed for a team-high 58 yards and junior Mason Mcfate (6-3, 215) has rushed for 49 yards and two touchdowns while senior Daughtrey Vanzuiden (5-10, 195) has run for 48 yards and two touchdowns.

Junior Maddox Murdock (6-4, 175) has been the top target in the passing game with eight receptions for 84 yards and junior Jameson Andresen (6-0, 175) has five receptions for 50 yards.

The Spartans are allowing 368 total yards and 31 points per game on defense while giving up 7.8 yards per play.

Senior Robert Timper (6-1, 200) has a team-high eight tackles and senior Camden Fowler (6-0, 180) has eight tackles with 2.5 tackles for loss and a sack.

Senior Luke Knutson (6-2, 230) has seven tackles with 1.5 tackles for loss and a sack and Jackson Herlich (6-0, 230) and Dane Cox (6-1, 260) each have two tackles for loss.

Cedar Rapids Xavier (2-0) at Clear Creek Amana (2-0)  

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

Last season: Cedar Rapids Xavier 54, Clear Creek Amana 21

Player to watch: Cedar Rapids Xavier senior running back Dawson Doyle (5-11, 185) has rushed for 249 yards and two touchdowns while averaging 5.9 yards per carry.

Key stat: Clear Creek Amana is 1-5 against Cedar Rapids Xavier since 2020 with the win for the Clippers coming in 2024 at Cedar Rapids Xavier.

About the Clippers: Clear Creek Amana has started 2-0 for the second consecutive season with a 38-17 win over Davenport North.

The Clippers are averaging 316 total yards and 48.5 points per game while producing 8.2 yards per play.

Junior quarterback Texton Bollers (6-2, 180) has completed 18-of-30 passes for 288 yards and three touchdowns without an interception and has rushed for 109 yards and a touchdown.

Senior Ian Kelley (5-8, 195) has rushed for 158 yards and five touchdowns and Nolan Dao (6-1, 195) has caught five passes for 61 yards.

Tay Seals (5-10, 145) has four receptions for 123 yards and two touchdowns and Jonah Drake (5-8, 165) has three receptions for 27 yards and a touchdown.

The Clear Creek Amana defense is allowing 229 total yards and 8.5 points per game while giving up 4.5 yards per play.

Senior Tucker Stockman (5-11, 200) has a team-high 10 tackles with two tackles for loss and junior Brody Schrock (5-10, 145) has nine tackles with 1.5 tackles for loss.

Dao has eight tackles with 1.5 tackles for loss.

About the Saints: The defending 4A state champion, Cedar Rapids Xavier has won 15 games in a row dating back to last season after opening the season with consecutive wins over North Scott and Western Dubuque.

Cedar Rapids Xavier has been efficient on both sides of the ball during its 2-0 start.

The Saints are averaging 372 total yards and 27 points per game while averaging 6.6 yards per play.

Senior quarterback Cash Parks (6-2, 205) has completed 22-of-34 passes while throwing for 285 yards and two touchdowns and has rushed for 57 yards and a touchdown.

Dustin Cook (5-10, 190) has rushed for 84 yards and a touchdown and senior Ty Weiss (5-10, 168) has a team-high 10 receptions for 167 yards and two touchdowns.

Cedar Rapids Xavier has been dominant defensively holding teams to 222 total yards and 10 points per game while giving up 4.8 yards per play.

Carter Tuck (6-2, 180) has a team-high 9.5 tackles while junior Austin Dostal (6-4, 230) has nine tackles with three sacks.

Senior linebacker Beau Morio (6-2, 205) has 8.5 tackles with a tackle for loss and senior Nolan Wilgenbusch (6-1, 215) has six tackles with three tackles for loss and a sack.

Solon (2-0) at Mount Vernon (2-0)

Where: Martha Parsons Activities Complex, 7 p.m.

Last season: Solon 35, Mount Vernon 20

Player to watch: Mount Vernon junior Holden Hlavacek (6-1, 170) has caught 13 passes for 183 yards and five touchdowns while averaging 14.1 yards per reception.

Key stat: Solon has won three in a row over Mount Vernon and has won 22 of the last 24 meetings between the Highway 1 rivals.

About the Spartans: Solon has won three in a row over its Highway 1 rival including a 35-20 win last season in Solon.

The Spartans are off to a 2-0 start in which they have outscored Davenport Assumption and Williamsburg by a combined score of 90-14.

Solon is averaging 397 total yards and 45 points per game while putting up 9.4 yards per play.

Senior quarterback Maddox Kelley (5-10, 185) has completed 16-of-25 passes for 292 yards and six touchdowns without an interception and has rushed for 269 yards and four touchdowns.

Senior Kaden Hoeper (6-2, 190) has been the top target with seven receptions for 168 yards and five touchdowns and senior Cody Milliman (6-2, 200) has four receptions for 69 yards and a touchdown.

Solon is holding opponents to 204 total yards and seven points per game while limiting teams to 3.8 yards per play.

Lucas Feuerbach (6-2, 260) leads Solon with 10.5 tackles including 1.5 for loss and senior James Thomsen (6-3, 230) has 8.5 tackles with three tackles for loss and two sacks.

Simon Einwalter (6-3, 215) has eight tackles with a tackle for loss and Kelley has seven tackles with two tackles for loss.

About the Mustangs: Mount Vernon is off to a 2-0 start with wins over Monticello and Benton Community.

The Mustangs have been efficient offensively averaging 450 yards and 43.5 points per game while producing 7.9 yards per play.

Junior quarterbacks Noah Olsen (6-3, 170) and Easton Reasland (5-11, 165) have combined to completed 29-of-34 passes for 442 yards and eight touchdowns without an interception.

Senior Jakob Yock (5-9, 180) has rushed for 265 yards and two touchdowns while averaging 6.3 yards per carry and has five receptions for 48 yards.

Hlavacek has been the top target in the passing game while Maddox Curran (6-1, 180) has caught six passes for 85 yards and two touchdowns.

The Mount Vernon defense is allowing 218 total yards and 10.5 points per game while giving up 5.1 yards per play.

Gabe Grafft (5-11, 180) leads the Mustangs with 8.5 tackles including 1.5 for loss and Xander Riniker (6-2, 175) has eight tackles with a tackle for loss.

Andrew Dix (6-1, 225) has three tackles for loss and sophomore Beckett Curran (6-1, 245) has 4.5 tackles with three for loss while Graham Yanda (6-1, 185) has two sacks.

West Branch (0-2) at Camanche (0-2)

Where: F&T Stadium, 7 p.m.

Last season: West Branch 56, Camanche 7

Player to watch: Camanche freshman Jaxson Lawrence (5-8, 140) has caught 15 passes for 150 yards and two touchdowns, rushed for 15 yards and has a team-high 10 tackles with seven solo stops and an interception.

Key stat: West Branch rushed for 322 yards and six touchdowns and averaged 10.4 yards per carry in a 56-7 win over Camanche last season.

About the Storm: Camanche went 4-5 last season reaching the Class 1A playoffs but has been outscored 84-30 in losses to Tipton and Bellevue to open the season.

Camanche is allowing 193 rushing yards per game and 6.7 yards per carry while surrendering 318 total yards and 42 points per game.

Sophomore Owen Thomson (5-8, 155) has 9.5 tackles with a tackle for loss and senior Harper Hoge (6-0, 160) has seven tackles and a sack for the Storm.

Junior quarterback Bentley Goldensoph (6-2, 160) has completed 38-of-77 passes for 417 yards and four touchdowns with six interceptions.

Lawrence is the top target in the pass game while senior Carsen Goldensoph (6-1, 175) has 12 receptions for 88 yards and Thomson has seven catches for 117 yards and two touchdowns.

Hoge has rushed for a team-high 58 yards.

About the Bears: West Branch has opened the season 0-2 with a pair of losses to 2-0 teams in West Liberty and Regina.

The Bears are averaging 198 total yards and 13.5 points per game while posting 4.8 yards per play.

Junior quarterback Dillan Schenkel has completed 7-of-20 passes for 120 yards and a touchdown and has rushed for 31 yards.

Senior Keaton Gates leads West Branch with 226 rushing yards and two touchdowns while sophomore Garrison Gross has rushed for 35 yards.

Freshman Thomas Pedersen has caught four passes for 95 yards and a touchdown and sophomore Brooks Seydel has two receptions for 20 yards.

The Bears are allowing 365 total yards and 37.5 points per game while giving up 7 yards per play.

Gates leads West Branch with 16 tackles while junior Garrett Tisinger has 10.5 tackles with 1.5 tackles for loss.

Sophomore Motley Johnston has 10 tackles and Seydel has 8.5 tackles and an interception.

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