Key Player In Each Class A Quarterfinal Playoff Game

Eight teams remain standing in Class A including the defending state champion and a multi-time king of the division. West Hancock is still on track to repeat, as the Eagles host Grundy Center. Meanwhile, Iowa City Regina is back on the short list of contenders a few years removed from its incredible run dominating the state. Here’s a look at a key player for each team in Friday night’s quarterfinals. <strong>Council Bluffs St. Albert at Logan-Magnolia</strong> <em>Sam Rallis, Council Bluffs St. Albert (2021)</em> Need a big play? Look to Council Bluffs St. Albert’s Sam Rallis, as the senior is averaging 21 yards per catch. Rallis has hauled in 23 passes for 482 yards with six touchdowns on the year while adding another 282 yards and three scores on just 10 touches out of the backfield. He also has returned a kickoff 85 yards for a score and a punt 51 yards. That ability makes Rallis a talent to be found for a college coach out there. <em>Gavin Maguire, Logan-Magnolia (2022)</em> At any moment, Gavin Maguire can break a game open with his skills running the football. The Logan-Magnolia junior has over 1,000 yards and 20 touchdowns on the ground. Maguire averages 5.5 yards per carry and should be getting more looks with another year to grow into his role out of the backfield. <strong>Grundy Center at West Hancock</strong> <em>[player_tooltip player_id="23982" first="Logan" last="Knaack"], Grundy Center (2022)</em> Zach Opheim is a tremendous talent at the running back position, but Grundy Center will need [player_tooltip player_id="23982" first="Logan" last="Knaack"] to play to his abilities to knock West Hancock off. Knaack, a junior, has shown that he can do that, passing for over 700 yards, running for over 900 and scoring 25 touchdowns. He is averaging over 12 yards per carry and almost 18 yards per completion. <em>Cole Kelly, West Hancock (2021)</em> There is no better running back in Class A than Cole Kelly. A year after helping West Hancock to the state title as part of a three-headed monster, the senior has shouldered the load this year. Kelly has 1,755 yards and 33 touchdowns on 198 carries, sitting much of the second half several times this season. He should be a little more rested and ready to go thanks to that. <strong>Wapsie Valley at Iowa City Regina</strong> <em>Kobe Risse, Wapsie Valley (2021)</em> A standout on the basketball court that helped Wapsie Valley cut the nets down last winter, Kobe Risse has carried the momentum over to the football field. Risse has thrown for 25 touchdowns and just two interceptions with over 1,500 yards. He is a strong, accurate passer who continually looks down the field for a big play. <em>Theo Kolie, Iowa City Regina (2021)</em> Running the football or catching it, Theo Kolie is dangerous in the open field. The Iowa City Regina senior has over 1,400 yards of offense and 26 touchdowns. Kolie is going to turn heads with his speed, but his hands are even more impressive on film. He does not miss a pass thrown his way and once he sets his sights on the end zone, he tends to get there. <strong>MFL MarMac at Saint Ansgar</strong> <em>Cullen McShane, MFL MarMac (2022)</em> Man, MFL MarMac is going to be fun to watch next season as Cullen McShane is one of two 1,000 yard rushers set to return. For now, though, they will focus on making the UNI-Dome this season. McShane has been the gamebreaker, averaging 11 yards per carry and racking up almost 1,300 yards on the ground with 19 touchdowns. He also has 13 receptions for 196 yards and two more scores. <em>[player_tooltip player_id="23848" first="Ryan" last="Cole"], Saint Ansgar (2021)</em> Saint Ansgar has a long history of standout running backs, and [player_tooltip player_id="23848" first="Ryan" last="Cole"] is quickly becoming one of the best to date. Cole has 1,659 yards and 21 touchdowns, adding 11 receptions for 174 yards and three scores in the passing game. At 5-foot-11 and 184 pounds, Cole can run past would-be defenders while also showing the power to get through the first tackler.