Prep Redzone Iowa | Games of the Week | 1st Edition

Take a look below at the game preview capsules for Iowa’s most high-profile contests that feature top talent, sought-after recruits, and rising stars. The spotlight will be on these programs as they look to firmly establish themselves as favorites for the crown in their respective classifications. Rankings, playoff seeding, and bragging rights are on the line. Who will come out on top in Prep Redzone Iowa’s games of the week?   Southeast Polk vs. Dowling Catholic There is a lot more on the line in this one than your typical season opener. Two talent loaded juggernauts will duel it out in one of the most high profile matchups you will find, not only in Iowa, but the Midwest. Southeast Polk is obviously stacked with a lot of household names who are going to be on a mission to capture the state championship they fell just short of a year ago. [player_tooltip player_id="23947" first="Jaxon" last="Dailey"] and [player_tooltip player_id="23983" first="Titus" last="Christiansen"] shouldn’t skip a beat in the backfield, but will the Rams be able to replace production at Wide Receiver having graduated 4 of their 5 leading targets? Either way, Dailey should have all day to throw with [player_tooltip player_id="24023" first="Kadyn" last="Proctor"] and [player_tooltip player_id="23986" first="Cade" last="Borud"] holding it down up front. The defense is led by returning starters [player_tooltip player_id="23942" first="Xavier" last="Nwankpa"], [player_tooltip player_id="100804" first="Andrew" last="Reed"], and [player_tooltip player_id="101038" first="Andrew" last="Harris"]; this unit has qualities of one that can be the best in the state. Dowling Catholic will set out to show Iowa that they are still the same dynasty that went on a historic run of state titles that came to an end last season. The offense will be in the hands of [player_tooltip player_id="104098" first="Jaxon" last="Smolik"] full-time now and he has a few big time weapons in [player_tooltip player_id="98713" first="Kham" last="Middleton"], [player_tooltip player_id="104749" first="Jalyn" last="Thompson"], and [player_tooltip player_id="148739" first="Carson" last="Brown"]. The Maroons have one of the best Defensive Lines in Iowa featuring [player_tooltip player_id="100043" first="Jaylen" last="Pettus-McMullen"] and [player_tooltip player_id="148781" first="Maada" last="Brewah"]. Expect this group to be very determined to show everyone they are next in the line of Dowling greats and eager to be able to prove it right off the bat. What to Watch For: There is skill all over the field in this contest, pretty much everywhere you look. The Rams appear to have the upper hand there, but it could very well be a wash. This game will be won in the trenches. Can the Maroon defense hold their ground against the Rams’ monsters up front? Or will Southeast Polk’s mauling Offensive Line prove to be too much to handle? Prep Redzone Iowa’s Prediction: Southeast Polk   North Scott vs. Davenport North Bumping up to the reorganized 4A class, the reigning 3A state champs, the North Scott Lancers will play host to the Davenport North Wildcats in an intriguing matchup. The Lancers have a ton of talent coming back and it will be exciting to see how they fare against a larger school. North Scott will be lining up someone new at Quarterback, but return a lot of skill elsewhere with players like [player_tooltip player_id="147978" first="Darnell" last="Butler"], Oliver Hughes, and Jakob Nelson coming back. They also have plenty up front with one of the top blockers in the class of 2023 [player_tooltip player_id="105140" first="David" last="Borchers"] leading the way. Surrounding casts for a new Quarterback don’t get much better than this. The Lancers return several key players from last year’s state championship defense that allowed less than 12 points per game. They should feel very confident that they can match up well with players like Ryan Campbell and [player_tooltip player_id="148760" first="Adam" last="Allen"] getting after the Wildcats’ offense. Davenport North features one of Iowa’s best, [player_tooltip player_id="104805" first="Nolan" last="Mosier"], in an extremely loaded crop of Quarterbacks in the class of 2023. He has a big arm and will look to take big steps forward as the full-time starter. The Wildcats will bring a balanced attack with top two-way player [player_tooltip player_id="23956" first="Cade" last="Sheedy"] running the ball and the ultra athletic Yovani Morales catching passes. [player_tooltip player_id="23961" first="Dominic" last="Wiseman"] anchors the defense and is joined by impressive teammates [player_tooltip player_id="148833" first="Gaige" last="Avants"] and [player_tooltip player_id="148787" first="Amir" last="Lomas"]. The quality of this defensive unit should be able to keep it a close one even if the offense stumbles out of the gate. What to Watch For: Will it take a series or two for the Lancers to adjust to the speed of a 5A football team? Do the Wildcats have a deep enough team to match the skill and talent of the defending state champs? The respective jumps in classification make for a very intriguing matchup. Look for both teams to try to establish the run early on to let their young Quarterbacks settle in. Though, that may be hard with all the talent each defensive front features. Prep Redzone Iowa’s Pick: Davenport North   Harlan vs. Lewis Central Harlan defeated the newly reclassified 4A contender Lewis Central twice last year on their way to a finals appearance. Each return many of the athletes involved in those games. Will Harlan make it three straight and solidify themselves as 3A favorites or will the Titans get over the hurdle? Harlan likely has the best passing attack in Iowa with [player_tooltip player_id="104082" first="Teagon" last="Kasperbauer"] at the helm slinging it to speedy targets [player_tooltip player_id="99142" first="Connor" last="Frame"], [player_tooltip player_id="104715" first="Aidan" last="Hall"], and [player_tooltip player_id="148723" first="Joey" last="Moser"]. This trio accounted for over 2,000 receiving yards last year and could be even better this year. The Titans will need to put some serious pressure on Kasperbauer if they hope to slow this high-powered offense down. The Cyclones are led by [player_tooltip player_id="23949" first="Will" last="McLaughlin"], arguably the state’s best Linebacker, on defense. This unit did graduate a handful of seniors, though, and that may create some opportunity for Lewis Central to take advantage of new faces. Lewis Central graduated some key players from last year’s team, but appear to have plenty of gifted young players to surround their veteran returning starters with. [player_tooltip player_id="104088" first="Braylon" last="Kammrad"] and [player_tooltip player_id="104113" first="Jonathan" last="Humpal"] should make for a potent one-two punch and [player_tooltip player_id="99196" first="Brayden" last="Loftin"] should be one of the most productive targets in the state. The Titans have one of the best Defensive fronts you will find this fall on Friday nights in [player_tooltip player_id="23948" first="Hunter" last="Deyo"], [player_tooltip player_id="100842" first="Nick" last="Miller"], [player_tooltip player_id="100841" first="Wyatt" last="Hatcher"], and [player_tooltip player_id="156631" first="Caleb" last="Moore"]. Their ability to shut down the run and get after the Quarterback should put some very real fear in their opponents this season. What to Watch For: The Titans pass rush and pressure packages against the Cyclones passing game will be what leads to this contest’s outcome. If the Cyclones’ Offensive Line can buy time for Kasperbauer to scan the field and get rid of the ball they should pick up right where they left off. The Lewis Central Defensive Line, which features two of the best pass rushers in the state, could be the ultimate game wreckers this Friday. Prep Redzone Iowa’s Pick: Lewis Central   Waukon vs. Waverly-Shell Rock The defending 2A state champion Waukon Indians have an exciting contest lined up as they take on the 4A Go-Hawks of Waverly-Shell Rock. After losing their opener last year Waukon went on a tear winning ten straight to capture the title, but graduated a lot of the impact players that got them there. Will they be able to handle the run heavy Go-Hawks in what could be a slugfest? Waukon graduated their top passer, rusher, and receiver from last year’s state championship team. While they will feature some top notch, impressive players like [player_tooltip player_id="24012" first="Lincoln" last="Snitker"] and [player_tooltip player_id="99199" first="Braden" last="Hemann"] they will have some big shoes to fill. Expect to see players like Snitker and Hemann in expanded roles with plenty of new faces filling in around them. They certainly have a big opportunity to prove they can compete and continue to dominate the 2A landscape by opening against a very solid 4A team. Waukon will have to replace a lot on defense, too, but have one of the better Linebacker corps in the state that should keep the game close. Waverly-Shell Rock has a couple of big time players who can pound the rock in [player_tooltip player_id="152913" first="Asa" last="Newsom"] and McCrae Haggarty. They also have a monster at Tight End in [player_tooltip player_id="148070" first="Layne" last="Mcdonald"] who is an outstanding blocker and pass catcher. Their rushing attack is executed with precision and, it doesn’t matter if the opposition knows what’s coming, the Go-Hawks will take it to you. In a world where teams like to run what is bright and shiny, Waverly-Shell Rock plays old school, smash mouth football and does it really well. All three players are two-way stars and are just as productive on the other side of the ball. What to Watch For: Waukon will feature a lot of new names this Friday and they will need to step up to be able to compete against a very tough Waverly-Shell Rock team. The Go-Hawks play tough defense and a very physical brand of football in general. The way they fly around on defense and attack with option and power runs on offense could prove to be just too overwhelming for inexperienced players. Prep Redzone Iowa’s Pick: Waverly-Shell Rock   Van Meter vs. Earlham The Van Meter Bulldogs head into the season as an early favorite to take it all in 1A and there probably won’t be a whole lot that Earlham can do to get in the way of that. There will be plenty of high profile matchups between 1A contenders down the road, but that isn’t exactly the case this week. Earlham, though, is coming off of a strong season and is certainly a formidable opponent. Upsets do happen early on and anything can happen. Van Meter is a model of efficiency on offense with [player_tooltip player_id="23999" first="Dalten" last="Van Pelt"] and [player_tooltip player_id="148359" first="Jack" last="Pettit"] in the backfield. Both are highly capable with the ball in their hands. They are a balanced attack with ability all over the field; they know how to keep a defense honest and take advantage of weaknesses. The Bulldogs have quite a pair on defense between [player_tooltip player_id="148775" first="Casey" last="Trudo"] and [player_tooltip player_id="105166" first="Ben" last="Gilliland"]. They should be able to get off the field and put the ball back in their offense’s hands often. Earlham dropped this contest last year with Van Meter by a score of 40-0. They do however have one of the best athletes in the state playing both ways in [player_tooltip player_id="23981" first="Darrell" last="Matchem"]. Lining up at Quarterback and Defensive Back, Matchem can have a huge impact on this game. The Cardinals bring back plenty of experience on defense, too, and between Matchem and their veteran leadership it isn’t crazy to think this could be much closer than most would expect. What to Watch For: If the Bulldogs can bottle up Matchem they shouldn’t have much of a problem putting Earlham away. If not, however, we could be in for an exciting game here in week 1. Van Pelt, Pettit, and company will likely be a little too much for the Cardinals to handle. Prep Redzone Iowa’s Pick: Van Meter   Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn vs. West Sioux West Sioux, one of the state’s more successful programs of the last decade, will travel week 1 to Class A preseason contender Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn. West Sioux had a very young team last year and was still able to make some noise with a 7 win season and a trip to the quarterfinals where they lost to eventual champ OABCIG. Hartley, who enters the season in a very similar position, will look to pull off the upset against the bigger school and prove they are legitimate. Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn has a very talented dual-threat Quarterback in [player_tooltip player_id="105190" first="Kooper" last="Ebel"] and a stable of backs in Connor Dodd, Keaton Graves, and Travis Kamradt that are hard to contain. This core of offensive weapons helped the Hawks average 35 points per game last season and could be even more dangerous now that they are all upperclassmen. Watch out for big man [player_tooltip player_id="152873" first="Lance" last="Berends"] on the other side of the ball. He is a Sack and TFL machine. West Sioux has an electric young playmaker at Quarterback in [player_tooltip player_id="104080" first="Dylan" last="Wiggins"] who averaged nearly 200 yards a game through the air as just a Sophomore. He has a stable of targets in [player_tooltip player_id="105182" first="Brady" last="Lynott"], [player_tooltip player_id="148734" first="Aaden" last="Schwiesow"], Blake Van Ballegooyen, and Levi Koopmans. This could be one of the most explosive offenses in the state this year. Expect the Falcons’ defense to take a big step forward, too, as they return most of last year’s starters. What to Watch For: This is an intriguing matchup; one team is going to pound the rock and the other is going to air it out. If Hartley can own the clock early and limit West Sioux possessions they’ll have a good chance. If West Sioux puts points up quickly it is hard to see Hartley getting back in it as their style of offense isn’t known for being able to play from behind. Prep Redzone Iowa’s Pick: West Sioux   CAM vs. Fremont-Mills The state of Iowa gets a real eight-player treat right off the bat in a state semifinals rematch from just a season ago between the CAM Cougars and Fremont-Mills Knights. The Knights were, by a slim margin, victorious in the last contest. CAM is a preseason favorite among many to make another run at a title and, for some reason, people are sleeping on Fremont-Mills. Both return key players from last year and this is a game all eight-player stakeholders will have an eye on. CAM features one of the best Running Backs and athletes in Iowa regardless of classification in [player_tooltip player_id="23971" first="Lane" last="Spieker"]. He has a vast and refined skill set that gives him the upper hand on the competition in pretty much any scenario. Spieker did start lining up at Quarterback last year, too, and figures to take more reps there. He was very efficient when he did get to throw the ball. The Cougars pound the rock and play stout defense as well as any eight-player team out there. Fremont-Mills has two-way playmakers all over the field in [player_tooltip player_id="152701" first="Payten" last="Van Houten"], [player_tooltip player_id="152844" first="Paxten" last="Van Houten"], [player_tooltip player_id="148871" first="Jake" last="Malcom"], [player_tooltip player_id="156642" first="Braxton" last="Blackburn"], and Taylor Reed. It shouldn’t take long for the Knights to climb into the rankings and prove they belong in related conversations. This is a very skilled core who played significant roles in last year’s run. The vast majority of eight-player programs will struggle to have answers for the versatility they have to offer. What to Watch For: It is no secret thT Spieker is going to run the ball and do a great job. Don’t expect anyone to be able to stop him, but can the Knights at least slow him down and force the Cougars to throw a little more than they want to? On the flipside, will the Cougars have answers and be able to match up with all the Fremont-Mills playmakers? Whoever best addresses these questions should walk away with a win. Prep Redzone Iowa’s Pick: Fremont-Mills