Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

Liberty High (6-3) at Indianola (7-2)

Where: Indianola Stadium, 7 p.m.

Last season: Did not play

Player to watch: Indianola sophomore quarterback Nolan Freeman (5-11, 170) has completed 113-of-154 passes for 1,577 yards and 21 touchdowns with five interceptions and has rushed for 345 yards and four touchdowns.

Key stat: Liberty High has passed for at least 200 yards in eight of nine games this season and is averaging 279 passing yards per game while Indianola has allowed more than 200 passing yards once in nine games and is giving up just 138 passing yards per game.

About the Indians: After losing back-to-back games to Norwalk and Carlisle by a combined seven points Indianola has won seven games in a row by an average of 21.9 points.

The seven wins for Indianola matches the highest win total for the Indians since going 7-4 in 2022.

Indianola has road wins over 5A playoff qualifiers West Des Moines Valley and Urbandale during its current seven-game winning streak.

Led by Freeman the Indianola offense is averaging 35.7 points and 326 total yards per game while posting 6.9 yards per play.

The Indians have been balanced offensively averaging 190 passing yards and 135 rushing yards per game.

Daxton Heimbaugh (5-9, 187) has rushed for a team-high 658 yards and eight touchdowns while averaging 6.3 yards per carry.

Six players have at least 76 receiving yards and a touchdown for the Indians this season.

Max Martinez (5-11, 175) has caught 30 passes for 378 yards and four touchdowns and Rylan Hilton (5-10, 175) has 24 receptions for 374 yards and six touchdowns.

Parker Amos (6-0, 180) has 23 catches for a team-high 402 yards and four touchdowns and George Blake (6-4, 195) has 12 catches for 164 yards and four touchdowns.

The Indianola defense is allowing 19.4 points and 278 total yards per game while giving up 5.2 yards per play.

Indianola has forced 13 turnovers in nine games with Hilton and Martinez each picking off a pair of passes.

Kasey Pontier (5-11, 185) has a team-high 65 tackles while Josiah Green (6-0, 190) has 53 tackles with six for loss.

Lucas Gordon (6-2, 170) has 51 tackles and Aiden Curtis (6-0, 264) has 30 tackles with 8.5 for loss and three sacks.

About the Lightning: Liberty High bounced back from a week seven home loss to Pleasant Valley with back-to-back road wins over City High and Muscatine to return to the Class 5A playoffs for the third consecutive season.

The Lightning are 5-0 in road games this season and have outscored opponents 192-61 in those five wins.

Led by senior quarterback Emerson Berner the Liberty High offense is averaging 32.1 points and 384 total yards per game while averaging 6.6 yards per play.

Berner has completed 173-of-251 passes while throwing for 2,092 yards and 25 touchdowns with seven interceptions.

Pryor Reiners has caught 63 passes for 907 yards and 10 touchdowns while Adrian Clerry has 34 receptions for 433 yards and six touchdowns.

Cooper Lester has 33 receptions for 509 yards and six touchdowns and Tate Rettig has caught 17 passes for 139 yards and a touchdown.

Senior Brody Beaver has rushed for a team-high 568 yards and seven touchdowns and has caught 16 passes for 209 yards and two touchdowns.

Leo Rozz has rushed for 212 yards and two touchdowns and has 13 receptions for 65 yards.

The Liberty High defense is allowing 18.7 points and 237 total yards per game while giving up 5.4 yards per play.

The Lightning have forced 23 turnovers in nine games with Clerry, Lester and Rettig each picking off two passes.

Carter Lester leads the team with 52 tackles including 13 for loss and Alex Strunk has 43 tackles with 12 for loss and 3.5 sacks.

Asher Eisenbach has 32 tackles with 12.5 for loss and 3.5 sacks and Eric Strunk has 31 tackles with 9.5 for loss.

Hank Thompson has 27 tackles and leads the Lightning with 13.5 tackles for loss and six sacks.

Clear Creek Amana (6-3) at Waverly-Shell Rock (7-2)   

Where: Go-Hawk Stadium, 7 p.m.

Last season: Did not play

Player to watch: Waverly-Shell Rock junior Jayden Stephens (6-0, 190) has caught 45 passes for 835 yards and nine touchdowns and has 27.5 tackles and a team-high five interceptions.

Key stat: Waverly-Shell Rock has allowed an average of 31.5 points per game in losses to Western Dubuque and Cedar Rapids Xavier and has allowed a total of 13 points in seven wins.

About the Clippers: Clear Creek Amana stopped a two-game losing streak with a 49-13 road win at Oskaloosa last week and is making its second playoff appearance in the past three seasons.

All three losses for the Clippers have come to Class 4A playoff qualifiers in Cedar Rapids Xavier, Pella and Newton.

Clear Creek Amana is averaging 33.9 points and 326 total yards per game while averaging 6.8 yards per play.

Junior quarterback Texton Bollers (6-2, 180) has been among the top quarterbacks in the state this season completing 59 percent of his passes (118-of-199) while throwing for 1,821 yards and 17 touchdowns with five interceptions.

Bollers has also rushed for 343 yards and six touchdowns.

Senior Ian Kelley (5-8, 195) has rushed for a team-high 439 yards and nine touchdowns and caught nine passes for 116 yards and a touchdown.

Jonah Drake (5-8, 165) has caught a team-high 37 passes for 441 yards and four touchdowns and Myles Howell (6-2, 200) has 13 receptions for 212 yards and three touchdowns.

The Clear Creek Amana defense is allowing 19.9 points and 283 total yards per game while holding opponents to 5.6 yards per play.

Nolan Dao (6-1, 195) leads the Clippers with 44 tackles including 6.5 for loss and 2.5 sacks and Tucker Stockman (5-11, 200) has 36.5 tackles with nine tackles for loss.

Senior defensive end Avery Sorensen (6-4, 226) has 34 tackles with 7.5 tackles for loss and five sacks and Brody Schrock (5-10, 145) has 29 tackles with six for loss.

About the Go-Hawks: Waverly-Shell Rock bounced back from a 4-6 season a year ago and is seeking its first postseason win since 2022.

The lone two losses for the Go-Hawks this season have come to a pair of the top teams in Class 4A in 8-1 Western Dubuque and unbeaten Cedar Rapids Xavier.

Waverly-Shell Rock enters the postseason on a three-game winning streak and has outscored opponents 114-3 since a 31-13 loss to Cedar Rapids Xavier in week six.

The Go-Hawks are averaging 30.4 points and 283 total yards per game while posting 6.8 yards per play.

Senior quarterback Tate Lalk (5-10, 170) has completed 92-of-139 passes while throwing for 1,377 yards and 14 touchdowns with three interceptions and has rushed for 30 yards and three touchdowns.

Junior Easton Jorgenson (5-11, 170) has rushed for a team-high 585 yards and 12 touchdowns while averaging 5.7 yards per carry and senior Grady Harris (5-11, 195) has rushed for 341 yards and three touchdowns.

Stephens has been the top target in the passing game while Elijah Wheeler (6-6, 190) has caught 14 passes for 191 yards and four touchdowns.

The Waverly-Shell Rock defense has been among the best in Class 4A this season holding opponents to 8.4 points and 231 total yards per game while allowing 4.8 yards per play.

The Go-Hawks have held six opponents to three points or less and have posted four shutouts in nine games.

Waverly-Shell Rock has forced 16 turnovers in nine games with Wheeler picking off four passes and the Go-Hawks have scored five defensive touchdowns.

Jorgenson has a team-high 53 tackles with 10 for loss and Eagan Hunt (5-11, 170) has 44.5 tackles with four for loss.

Parker Holmgaard (6-0, 190) has 39 tackles with six for loss and Meric Hagarty (6-4, 220) has 19 tackles with 5.5 for loss and a team-high 3.5 sacks.

Fairfield (5-4) at Solon (9-0)

Where: Spartan Stadium, 7 p.m.

Last season: Solon 77, Fairfield 0

Last meeting: Solon 47, Fairfield 8 (Week 5)

Player to watch: Fairfield senior Ethan Bisgard (6-0, 185) has rushed for 1,147 yards and 21 touchdowns while averaging 10.1 yards per carry and has caught six passes for 143 yards. Bisgard also ranks second on the team with 49 tackles including 5.5 for loss and has forced three fumbles and has an interception.

Key stat: Fairfield averaged 330 rushing yards and scored 24 rushing touchdowns in five wins this season and averaged 200 rushing yards and scored eight rushing touchdowns in its four losses.

About the Spartans: Solon and Fairfield meet for the seventh time in the past six meets with the Spartans winning each of the previous six meetings by a combined score of 328-65.

Solon defeated Fairfield 77-0 last season and 47-8 back on September 25 of this season.

The Spartans have scored at least 38 points in every game this season and have scored 41 or more points seven times.

Solon is averaging 45.6 points and 388 total yards per game while posting 8.9 yards per play.

The Spartans have been balanced on offense, averaging 214 rushing yards and 174 passing yards per contest.

Senior quarterback Maddox Kelley (5-10, 185) has completed 71 percent of his passes (79-of-111) while throwing for 1,330 yards and 21 touchdowns with just four interceptions and has rushed for 843 yards and 20 touchdowns.

Senior Jackson Burk (5-8, 180) has rushed for 482 yards and six touchdowns and senior Kaden Hoeper (6-2, 190) has been the top receiving threat with 30 receptions for 531 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Cody Milliman (6-2, 200) has 18 receptions for 271 yards and three touchdowns and Owen Bock (6-1, 180) has 14 catches for 307 yards and four touchdowns.

On defense Solon is holding opponents to 6 points and 186 total yards per game while giving up just 3.8 yards per play.

The Spartans have 16 turnovers in nine games and have four different players with two or more interceptions.

Lucas Feuerbach (6-3, 215) has a team-high 39 tackles with 6.5 for loss and senior James Thomsen (6-3, 230) has 33.5 tackles with 8.5 for loss.

Simon Einwalter (6-3, 215) has 31.5 tackles with 14.5 for loss and eight sacks and Foster Owens (5-10, 200) has 20 tackles with 2.5 for loss.

About the Trojans: After a 2-3 start to the season Fairfield won three of its final four games to reach the postseason for the first time since 2013.

The five wins match the highest win total for Fairfield since 2021 and snaps a string of four consecutive below .500 seasons for the Trojans.

Fairfield is averaging 28.7 points and 307 total yards per game while averaging 7 yards per play.

The Trojans relied heavily on their running game averaging 273 rushing yards and 34 passing yards per game.

Bisgard leads the team in rushing while senior quarterback Voss Richardson (5-9, 180) has rushed for 357 yards and five touchdowns while throwing for 309 yards and two touchdowns with four interceptions.

Tucker Robertson (5-10, 160) has rushed for 565 yards and five touchdowns while averaging 6.9 yards per carry.

The Fairfield defense is holding opponents to 25.3 points and 341 total yards per game while giving up 6.4 yards per play.

Blake Burnett (6-0, 165) leads the Trojans with 67 tackles including 4.5 tackles for loss and two sacks.

Robertson has 42 tackles with 5.5 for loss while Owen Adam has 35 tackles with 1.5 for loss.

Sigourney-Keokta (5-4) at Class 1A No. 1 Regina (9-0)

Where: Regal Field, 7 p.m.

Last season: Regina 41, Sigourney-Keota 7

Last meeting: Regina 44, Sigourney-Keota 9 (Week 6)

Player to watch: Sigourney-Keota junior Blake Baker (6-0, 182) has rushed for 1,049 yards and 16 touchdowns while averaging 7.5 yards per carry and leads the team with 38.5 tackles including 29 solo stops.

Key stat: Sigourney-Keota is averaging 258 rushing yards per game and 6.4 yards per carry while the Regina defense is allowing 68 rushing yards per game while holding opponents to 2.6 yards per carry.

About the Savage Cobras: Making its seventh consecutive playoff appearance Sigourney-Keota opened postseason play with a 31-7 road win at Hudson last Friday.

The Savage Cobras earn a return trip to Regina after 44-9 loss to the Regals in Iowa City in week six.

Since its regular season loss to Regina on October 2 Sigourney-Keota has won three games in a row while outscoring opponents by a combined total of 135-13.

Sigourney-Keota is averaging 31.6 points and 325 total yards per game while putting up 6.6 yards per play.

Senior quarterback Chase Clarahan (6-2, 195) has completed 30-of-74 passes while throwing for 592 yards and six touchdowns with four interceptions and has rushed for 462 yards and six touchdowns.

Hunter Sellers (6-6, 186) has caught nine passes for 197 yards and two touchdowns, Ike Molyneux (5-11, 187) has caught four passes for 69 yards and Ayden Galindo (6-2, 175) has caught four passes for 82 yards and two touchdowns.

The Sigourney-Keota defense is holding opponents to 17.9 points and 270 total yards per game while allowing 6.8 yards per play.

Carson O’Rourke (5-9, 193) has 32.5 tackles with 3.5 tackles for loss and two sacks and Clarahan has 28.5 tackles with 2.5 for loss.

Ryker Van Den Heuvel (6-1, 170) has 28.5 tackles and Levi Jaeger (6-5, 216) has 18 tackles with 3.5 for loss.

About the Regals: Regina continued to roll in its playoff opener downing Waterloo Columbus 50-7 in the opening round last Friday.

The Regals have scored at least 44 points in six consecutive games and has held opponents to nine points or less in all six of those contests.

Regina is averaging 46.1 points and 389 total yards per game while averaging 9.6 yards per play.

Junior quarterback Aiden Gaffey (6-3, 170) has completed 70-of-92 passes for 1,350 yards and 18 touchdowns without an interception.

Gabe Hegelheimer (6-0, 205) has rushed for a team-leading 1,101 yards and 17 touchdowns and has caught 13 passes for 337 yards and four touchdowns.

Tate Wallace (6-4, 240) has caught 29 passes for 444 yards and six touchdowns and Holt Hinkel (5-11, 245) has 12 receptions for 357 yards and five touchdowns.

The Regina defense is holding opponents to 6.8 points and 164 total yards per game while allowing 4 yards per play.

Roan Eckhoff (6-2, 225) leads Regina with 45 tackles including 7.5 for loss while Wallace has 39 tackles with 20.5 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks.

Zach Poe (6-1, 190) has 22.5 tackles with 4.5 tackles for loss and Luke Hamilton (5-11, 175) has 18 tackles with six for loss and two sacks.

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