Iowa high school football 2025: Gazette-area Week 5 games to watch

The following are area football capsules for Week 5 of the Iowa high school football season:

Cedar Rapids Prairie at Cedar Rapids Jefferson

When and where: 7:15 p.m. Thursday, at Kingston Stadium

Records and rankings: Prairie is 2-2; Jefferson is 1-3.

Overview: Prairie has won six in a row in this series, all handily, including a 56-7 conquest last year. The Hawks opened with a 2-0 start, but managed just 21 total points in consecutive losses to Bettendorf and No. 1 Waukee Northwest. Junior Dawson Kahl has rushed for 376 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Jefferson also is battling a two-game skid. The J-Hawks were competitive most of the way with Urbandale last week before bowing, 37-15.

Linn-Mar at Davenport Central

When and where: 7:15 p.m. Thursday, at Davenport (Brady Street Stadium)

Records and rankings: Linn-Mar is 0-4; Central is 1-3.

Overview: One of four remaining winless teams in Class 5A, Linn-Mar has two good opportunities for victory remaining: Thursday, and a Week 7 road contest against Muscatine. The Lions’ last encounter with Central came in 2022, a 72-0 victory. They’ll try to jump-start an offensive attack that is averaging just 8.3 points per game. Central’s win came in Week 3 against Davenport West.

Iowa City Liberty at Iowa City West

When and where: 7 p.m. Friday, at Trojan Field

Records and rankings: Class 5A eighth-ranked Liberty is 3-1; No. 7 West is 4-0.

Overview: The undisputed game of the week in the Cedar Rapids/Iowa City corridor. West is one of only three unbeatens in Class 5A, joining Waukee Northwest and Sioux City East. The Trojans rank No. 1 in the class in scoring offense (39.8 ppg) and are No. 2 in scoring defense (12.8 ppg). Junior QB Reece Wheeler is third in the class in passing yards (859), with 552 of them going to Ethan Headings, who has scored five receiving touchdowns. Liberty’s Reece Rettig is right behind Wheeler in the passing-yards derby (with 851), and also has five rushing TDs. The Lightning have split a pair of road tests with Central Iowa teams.

Durant at Iowa City Regina

When and where: 7 p.m. Friday, at Regina

Records and rankings: Durant is 3-1 overall, 1-0 Class 1A District 6; No. 3 Regina is 4-0, 1-0.

Overview: Regina is halfway to its first perfect regular season since 2021, and it’s difficult to envision anything less. The Regals already have wins against three quality 2A opponents (Wilton, West Branch and Alburnett), getting through their non-district stretch scoring at a 46-point pace and averaging 7.4 yards per play. Kyle Tracy has accounted for 12 touchdowns (nine passing, three rushing). Durant’s three wins have come against teams with a combined 1-11 record. Colby Gast has five receiving touchdowns for the Wildcats.

Cedar Rapids Xavier at Cedar Rapids Washington

When and where: 7 p.m. Friday, at Kingston Stadium

Records and rankings: No. 1 Xavier is 4-0 overall, 0-0 Class 4A District 2; Washington is 2-2, 0-0.

Overview: The non-district portion of the schedule couldn’t have gone any better for Xavier. The Saints faced four quality opponents and vanquished them all. Junior QB Cash Parks has completed nearly 80 percent of his attempts for 708 yards, 12 touchdowns and no interceptions. Ryan Kelly has six TD receptions, and Carter Hoffmann has rushed for 400 yards. Defensively, Michael Bean has three interceptions. Both of Washington’s last two games were decided by three points, winning last week against Grinnell. Warriors QB Grady McGuire has accumulated 951 total yards and 12 TDs.

Cedar Rapids Kennedy at Marshalltown

When and where: 7 p.m. Friday, at Marshalltown

Records and rankings: Kennedy is 2-2; Marshalltown is 3-1.

Overview: Kennedy is after its first back-to-back wins since a five-game win streak in the middle of the 2023 season. The Cougars are coming off a 28-16 victory over Linn-Mar last week, rallying from a 10-7 halftime deficit. QB William Woodring has completed more than 70 percent of his passes thus far, throwing for 511 yards, with Brayden Peck securing three TD catches. For Marshalltown, the waters become more turbulent the rest of the way after a relatively easy early schedule. Led by juniors Tyler Englund and Jamison Niehouse, the Bobcats are averaging 296 rushing yards per game.

Pella at Marion

When and where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, at Marion Stadium

Records and rankings: No. 2 Pella is 4-0 overall, 0-0 Class 4A District 4; Marion is 1-3, 0-0.

Overview: Points are going to be hard to come by for the Wolves. First off, they are averaging only 6.8 points per game. Compounding the challenge is the fact that Pella has allowed only three touchdowns in four games. Rex Rhamy has intercepted four passes. On the other hand, the Dutch are scoring at a modest 16.3-point clip despite Emmanuel Diers’ 480 rushing yards. Marion has accumulated nine takeaways.

Norwalk at Iowa City High

When and where: 7 p.m. Friday, at Bates Field

Records and rankings: Norwalk is 1-3; City High is 0-4.

Overview: According to the BC Moore computer, City High has faced the toughest schedule of anybody in 5A, and that slate has taken its toll on the Little Hawks’ record. But there are some winnable games in the back end of the season, and this is one of them. Chayse Newton already has 25 receptions (for 287 yards). Norwalk picked up its first win of the season, blitzing Ames 53-0 on the road behind James Hatlevig’s four touchdown passes.

Clear Lake at Independence

When and where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, at Independence

Records and rankings: Both teams are 4-0 overall, 0-0 Class 3A District 2. Clear Lake is ranked No. 1; Indee is No. 5.

Overview: District 2 might be the strongest of the six 3A districts. You’ve got these two teams, plus undefeated West Delaware and a Benton Community team that’s better than its 2-2 record would indicate. So every week going forward with contain at least one pivotal game. Clear Lake already has two wins against ranked opponents, and is riding the best scoring defense in 3A (7.0 points per game). The Lions will try to wrangle Indee’s attack, piloted by Christopher Meyer (843 yards passing, 634 rushing, 16 total touchdowns).

Wapsie Valley at Maquoketa Valley

When and where: 7 p.m. Friday, at Delhi

Records and rankings: No. 8 Wapsie Valley is 4-0 overall, 3-0 Class A District 4; No. 10 Maquoketa Valley is 3-1, 1-1.

Overview: This can be termed as Exposive vs. Stingy. Wapsie Valley is the top-scoring team in Class A at 49.0 points per game. Hunter Curley (681 rushing yards) is tied for the class lead in rushing touchdowns (14), and the Warriors can strike via air, as well. Maquoketa Valley’s identity is a defense that allows just 6.5 points per contest (second-best in Class A). Kash Hunt has recorded two interceptions and a fumble recovery. The Wildcats lost in Week 3 to North Linn, and a victory Friday could put them back in the title hunt.

West Branch at Alburnett

When and where: 7 p.m. Friday, at Alburnett

Records and rankings: Both teams are 3-1 overall, 1-0 Class 2A District 5; West Branch is ranked No. 8; Alburnett is No. 10.

Overview: Unbeaten Bellevue might have a say in the matter, but this could be the championship game in 2A District 5. Both teams have moved up from 1A this year, and West Branch is coming off a three-win season. The winner probably will be the team that best contains the opposing rushing attack: West Branch’s Keaton Gates has rushed for 586 yards (11.3 per carry) and five touchdowns. For Alburnett’s Laken Caves, it’s 556 yards (8.1 per carry) and eight TDs. Caves leads 2A in all-purpose yards (1,051). The lone blemish on both teams’ resume has come from the hands of Iowa City Regina.

North Linn at East Buchanan

When and where: 7 p.m. Friday, at Winthrop

Records and rankings: No. 7 North Linn is 4-0 overall, 2-0 Class A District 4; East Buchanan is 2-2, 1-2.

Overview: North Linn is a win away from securing a fifth straight winning season, and its ninth in 10 years. The Lynx are thinking about more than that though, and it’s likely that they will go into the final week of the regular season (at Wapsie Valley) at 7-0. Many of North Linn’s key players are juniors, including QB Will Sommerfelt. Both of Braden Wheatley’s interceptions have gone back for touchdowns, and the Lynx are allowing 6.8 points per contest. Traditionally a running program, East Buchanan has a prolific air attack this season behind QB Keenan Pals (950 yards, 9 TDs).

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com