NW Iowa HS Football Game Predictions
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Welcome to Week #4 across the great state of Iowa! There are three real good games in my neck of the woods over here in NW Iowa. Here are my thoughts on each contest and there will be talent on…
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Continue ReadingWelcome to Week #4 across the great state of Iowa! There are three real good games in my neck of the woods over here in NW Iowa. Here are my thoughts on each contest and there will be talent on all three fields to keep an eye on tonight!
FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS SHOWCASE GAME
SC North (2-1) @ Bishop Heelan (0-3)
Kickoff: 7:00 PM Memorial Field
Radio: Fox Sports Radio 620 AM
The Crusaders of head coach Jon LaFleur will play host to the North Stars this Friday night. The Crusaders
fell at Spencer 31-7 last Friday and the Stars are coming off a 45-22 win over Des Moines North. This
Friday night is a pivotal contest for both teams.
The Stars of head coach Mitch Mohr are looking for back-to-back wins and continue to carry momentum
forward as conference play has begun. The Stars offense has played well except for the loss to SC East in
which the Black Raiders controlled the line of scrimmage. Stars senior QB
Carson Strohbeen
Carson
Strohbeen
6'1" | 185 lbs | QB
Sioux City North | 2023
IA
has done a
respectable job early on leading the offense. Strohbeen has passed for (425) yards and tossed (5)
touchdowns and has not turned the ball over through the air.
Strohbeen has a key weapon in junior WR/RB
Dayton Harrell
Dayton
Harrell
5'9" | 165 lbs | DB
Sioux City North | 2024
State
IA
who has (10) receptions for (78) yards and
(2) scores. Senior WR Lucius Pinney has (6) receptions for (111) yards and is another good passing
target. Stars junior RB
Demarico Young
Demarico
Young
5'6" | 155 lbs | RB
Sioux City North | 2024
State
IA
has been electric at the start of the season rushing for (404)
yards and (4) scores. Senior offensive left guard
Chase Keller
Chase
Keller
6'3" | 245 lbs | OL
Sioux City North | 2023
IA
has done a good job run blocking to help
open the running game for the Stars.
The Stars defense will be without senior DE
Beau Johnson
Beau
Johnson
6'0" | 200 lbs | LB
Sioux City East | 2023
IA
the team leaders in tackles with (17.5) due to
a hand injury. Senior LB Braden McClain (15.5) stops and (4.0) TFL will be counted on defensively. A pair
of cornerbacks in junior Henry Jaerger (14.5) stops, and senior Luke Soldati (12.5) tackles will need to
have an impact for the Stars.
The Crusader offense is led by junior QB Quinn Olson who has passed for (287) yards so far this season
and brings a rushing dimension to the offense with (31) carries for (107) yards. The main targets in the
passing game for Olson has been junior TE
Kannon Bork
Kannon
Bork
6'2" | 215 lbs | TE
Bishop Heelan Catholic | 2024
State
IA
(8) catches for (84) yards and RB Sir Brandon
Watts with (8) receptions for (73) yards. The Crusaders will also look to get their running game going
with
Isaiah Favors
Isaiah
Favors
6'0" | 190 lbs | RB
Bishop Heelan | 2024
State
IA
and Watts.
The Crusader defense is led by senior Radyn Neal (14.0) tackles and Joey Fitzsimmons (13.0) tackles.
Junior DE
Kannon Bork
Kannon
Bork
6'2" | 215 lbs | TE
Bishop Heelan Catholic | 2024
State
IA
has been solid with (12.5) tackles and (1.5) TFL. Junior cornerback
Max Delaney
Max
Delaney
6'2" | 190 lbs | ATH
Bishop Heelan | 2024
State
IA
has played well in the secondary with (10.5) stops and senior John Halbur (10.5) with (2.5) TFL has been
solid at defensive tackle.
ANALYSIS: This will be a good game. The Stars have a very good run game, and it appeared that the
Crusaders turned a bit of a corner last week as the offensive line started to gel. The loss of senior DE
Beau Johnson
Beau
Johnson
6'0" | 200 lbs | LB
Sioux City East | 2023
IA
due to injury is a tough loss for the Stars defensively. I feel this will be a four-quarter ball
game. If it is tight coming down the stretch each team has a capable field goal kicker with
Jack Lloyd
Jack
Lloyd
6'3" | 190 lbs
Sioux City East | 2023
IA
of
the Stars and George Tsibanos of the Crusaders.
PREDICTION
STARS: 21
CRUSADERS: 17
SERGEANT BLUFF (0-3) @ SIOUX CITY EAST (3-0)
KICKOFF: 7:00 PM
RADIO: 1360 KSCJ (JUSTIN BARKER)
The Warriors of head coach Justin Smith fought hard last week against a high caliber Harlan football
team but came up short on the scoreboard 42-14. The Black Raiders of first year head coach Mike
Winklepleck made another statement last week with a 52-17 victory over LeMars. Should be an
interesting contest tomorrow night at Olsen Stadium.
The Warriors will be looking to senior Scott Kroll to handle the QB duties as senior
Tyler Smith
Tyler
Smith
5'10" | 175 lbs | QB
Sergeant Bluff-Luton | 2023
State
IA
completes his suspension this Friday night and will be available next week as the Warriors travel to take
on Sioux Center. Kroll has passed for (167) yards so far and his backup sophomore Brayden Kerr has
passed for (131) yards. Sophomore RB Zayvion Ellington (41) carries for (185) yards and (3) scores has
been a feature piece of the offense so far. The top receiving targets have been senior
Jake Hamilton
Jake
Hamilton
6'0" | 185 lbs | WR
Sergeant Bluff-Luton | 2023
IA
with (8) receptions for (47) yards and junior Aiden Buckholtz (10) catches for (37) yards.
The Warrior defense has been led by senior linebacker
Garrett McHugh
Garrett
McHugh
6'1" | 200 lbs | LB
Sergeant Bluff-Luton | 2023
IA
(15.0) tackles and junior Carter
McCrory with (14.0) stops. Senior
Tylar Lutgen
Tylar
Lutgen
6'2" | 210 lbs | DL
Sergeant Bluff-Luton | 2023
IA
has been solid up front defensively with (12.0) tackles
and (2.5) TFL along with senior Jacob Hoffman (8.5) tackles form a good duo on the interior for the
Warriors.
The Black Raiders are led offensively by senior QB
Cole Ritchie
Cole
Ritchie
6'2" | 190 lbs | QB
East (Sioux City) | 2023
State
IA
completing (72%) of his passes for (770)
yards and (3) scores. The main downfield threat for Ritchie has been senior WR
Kelynn Jacobsen
Kelynn
Jacobsen
6'3" | 190 lbs | WR
Sioux City East | 2023
State
IA
who is
coming off an (18) catch performance last week and has (29) receptions on the season for (378) yards
and one score. Senior WR Destiny Adams is emerging as a solid #2 receiver with (9) catches for (87)
yards. A couple other targets producing include WR Preston Dobbs and TE Lincoln Colling. The running
game is led by senior
Brady Wavrunek
Brady
Wavrunek
5'10" | 180 lbs | RB
Sioux City East | 2023
State
IA
(19) carries for (182) yards and (5) touchdowns. Brecken
Schossow has also performed well in the backfield having rushed for (97) yards and (5) scores.
The Black Raider defense has overwhelmed opponents recently led by senior DE
Nick Wells
Nick
Wells
6'3" | 230 lbs | DL
Sioux City East | 2023
State
IA
(26.0)
tackles and (13.5) TFL and senior DT
Cale Pittenger
Cale
Pittenger
6'1" | 260 lbs | DL
Sioux City East | 2023
State
IA
with (15.0) tackles and (7.5) TFL. The linebackers
have been flowing freely to the football as Wavrunek (26.5) tackles leads the team and Brecken
Schossow (11.0) tackles have led the way. The defensive secondary has performed well with
Dalyn Tope
Dalyn
Tope
5'11" | 160 lbs | DB
Sioux City East | 2023
IA
,
Dane Milton and
Carter Reekers
Carter
Reekers
5'11" | 170 lbs | DB
Sioux City East | 2023
IA
.
ANALYSIS: The Warriors have played an unbelievable schedule so far having faced Central Lyon and
Harlan two heavy weights in high school football. The Warriors have historically had success verses the
Black Raiders defensively, but the Warriors are without QB
Tyler Smith
Tyler
Smith
5'10" | 175 lbs | QB
Sergeant Bluff-Luton | 2023
State
IA
who would impact the outcome of
this game. I do expect the Warriors to defend the Black Raiders, but it will be tough sledding against a
very good Black Raider defense that will flip field position for their talented offense.
PREDICTION:
BLACK RAIDERS 34
WARRIORS 13
WESTWOOD (2-1) @ LAWTON-BRONSON (2-1)
KICKOFF: 7:00 PM
The Westwood Rebels of head coach Cass Burkhart take their battering ram run game over to Lawton-
Bronson who is celebrating homecoming this weekend. Both teams are coming in off a loss. The Rebels
lost 14-6 last week against Logan-Magnolia and the Eagles of head coach Jason Garnand dropped a 35-0
contest to LeMars Gehlen. This game matches two teams of contrasting styles. The Rebels operate on
the ground and the Eagles can soar to the end-zone quickly with a capable passing game.
The Rebels are a one-man wrecking crew with prolific senior RB Jackson DeWald who has carried the
ball (83) times already for (674) yards and (7) touchdowns. The Rebels attack one way only and that is
on the ground, but they can be difficult to stop as they will be looking to control time of possession with
Dewald toting the rock. The defense is led by Dewald (26.0) tackles at linebacker and he gets help from
junior Devin Labrune (21.0) stops and seniors Bryson Martindale (13.5) tackles and senior Thomas
Heilman (12.5) tackles.
“We must take care of the football first and foremost. We have to control clock and possessions as they
are very explosive offensively. This is a huge game in the district as the Eagles are (1-0) and we already
have a district loss,” stated coach Burkhart.
The Eagles offense is triggered by junior QB Braden Heiss who has thrown for (773) yards and (9)
touchdowns. The main receiving targets on offense are sophomore Louden Grimsley (15) catches for
(224) yards and (3) scores. Brayden Williams (13) receptions for (83) yards and (1) score. Junior Caleb
Garnand (13) catches for (174) yards and (4) touchdowns. Speedy senior Jesse Oehlerking has (6)
catches for (174) yards and a score.
Defensively, the Eagles are led by sophomore Marcus Silva (17.5) tackles and (6.0) TFL. Cowan Jaminet
has performed well at linebacker with (15.5) tackles. “We are 1-0 in the district. This game is of high
importance in possible seedings come later in the season. The kids are aware that we cannot stumble
like we did last week. We cannot afford to drop our homecoming game or fun football is out the door
and immense pressure begins,” stated Coach Garnand.
PREDICTION
EAGLES 27
REBELS 19