Top Week 5 Games in Each Class, Players to Watch

Let's take a look at Week 5 top games and players in them for each class:   Class 5A   Game of the Week: Cedar Rapids Kennedy (2-2) at Iowa City High (2-2)   The Setup: Here's hoping these two traditionally strong programs stay on each other's schedules more frequently. They did not face each other from 2014-2020. They're in a tough group with unbeaten Bettendorf. The winner here stays in the hunt with the loser facing a steep uphill climb.   Players to Watch: Kennedy quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='847811' first='Vincenzo' last='Gianforte'] is completing 65 percent of his throws for 1,118 yards and 13 touchdowns against one interception. [player_tooltip player_id='986660' first='Cyrus' last='Courtney'] (35 catches, 661 yards, 6 TDs) is his favorite target. Running backs Trevor Scott and [player_tooltip player_id='332995' first='Jacob' last='Doyle'] have combined for 70 carries for 412 yards and three scores. Offensive tackle [player_tooltip player_id='847892' first='Nick' last='Brooks'] is verbally committed to the Iowa Hawkeyes. On defense, Calvin White, Anthony Huber, [player_tooltip player_id='1361687' first='Sam' last='Adams'] and Christian Gasper stand out.   Junior [player_tooltip player_id='1205114' first='Bobby' last='Bacon'] has filled in nicely for injured City starting quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='247922' first='Drew' last='Larson'], completing 60 percent of his passes for 620 yards, three touchdowns and one pick. Miles Parlet has rushed for 442 yards and three scores, and Carsen Newton (27-279-2) and [player_tooltip player_id='320791' first='Jeremiah' last='Madlock'] (14-328-2) have stood out as receivers. [player_tooltip player_id='247981' first='Dax' last='Judge'], [player_tooltip player_id='247995' first='Sam' last='Kueter'], Holdon Clay, [player_tooltip player_id='1279082' first='Jalyn' last='Ford'] and Jake Mitchell lead an improving Little Hawk defense.   Other Marquee Matchups in 5A: Ankeny at Iowa City West; Waukee at Johnston; Linn-Mar at Cedar Falls; Hempstead at Bettendorf; Liberty at Prairie.   Class 4A   Game of the Week: Glenwood (3-1) at Lewis Central (2-2)   The Setup: Glenwood has just a 17-14 loss at Harlan as its only blemish this season. Lewis Central reached the state championship game last year and has won the last six meetings in this series.   Players to Watch: Senior Kayden Anderson has completed 67.6 percent of his passes with five touchdowns and four interceptions for Glenwood. Payton Longmeyer (24-313-3) has been his go-to guy. Kellen Scott, Tristan Meier and [player_tooltip player_id='247994' first='Trent' last='Patton'] all are chipping in at running back. [player_tooltip player_id='1406695' first='Brodie' last='Schafer'], Nolan Clark and Logan Hughes lead a strong defense.   Junior quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1279100' first='Brady' last='Hetzel'] has 909 yards and eight touchdowns with five interceptions passing in his first season as a starter for Lewis Central. Receiver [player_tooltip player_id='248038' first='Curtis' last='Witte'] (18-378-3) has built on a excellent junior season, while [player_tooltip player_id='1360057' first='Brody' last='Patlan'], [player_tooltip player_id='592378' first='Kamdyn' last='Cross'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1360075' first='Chance' last='Chappell'] are powering the running game. Cross, Witte, Owen Thomas, [player_tooltip player_id='156631' first='Caleb' last='Moore'] and Nathan Beyenhof have been in a group standing out on defense.   Other Marquee Matchups in 4A: ADM at Boone; Ballard at Indianola; Bondurant-Farrar at Newton; Winterset at Norwalk.   Class 3A   Game of the Week: Harlan (3-1) at Creston (4-0)   The Setup: Creston defeated Lewis Central, 22-20, while Harlan fell to the Titans, 21-20. Harlan has won this match-up in each of the last six seasons.   Players to Watch: Harlan quarterback Will Arkfeld has thrown for nine touchdowns and three interceptions while adding three scores on the ground. Noah Schmitz has rushed for 230 yards, and receivers [player_tooltip player_id='247962' first='Cade' last='Sears'] (17-399-6) and Brehden Eggerss (12-99-2) have stressed defenses through the air. [player_tooltip player_id='248026' first='Matthew' last='Sorfonden'] has been a tackling machine, and Sears, [player_tooltip player_id='1406611' first='Landen' last='Kaufman'] and [player_tooltip player_id='245591' first='Franz' last='Reisz'] also have stood out defensively.   Creston's [player_tooltip player_id='320765' first='Cael' last='Turner'] has performed like one of the state's better signal callers. He's completed 68.5 percent of his passes for 1,201 yards and 14 touchdowns without an interception. He's also scored twice on the ground. [player_tooltip player_id='320767' first='Brennan' last='Hayes'] has rushed for 559 yards and five TDs, while he and Brandon Briley have served as big-play receivers. Dillon Starlin, Jack Walter, McCoy Haines, Lucas Travis and [player_tooltip player_id='320768' first='Max' last='Chapman'] have enjoyed strong seasons on defense.   Other Marquee Matchups in 3A: Charles City at Algona; Hampton-Dumont-CAL at Humboldt; Heelan at Sioux Center; Clear Lake at Webster City; Fort Madison at Assumption; Maquoketa at West Delaware.   Class 2A   Game of the Week: West Lyon (4-0) at Western Christian (4-0)   The Setup: Western Christian snapped a five-game skid in this series with a 21-7 victory last season in Inwood. West Lyon was ranked No. 3 in this week's 2A AP Poll with the Wolfpack one spot behind it.   Players to Watch: [player_tooltip player_id='1282297' first='Bryson' last='Childress'] is a dual threat at quarterback for West Lyon. He's thrown for 594 yards and nine touchdowns with no interceptions, and rushed for 151 yards (5.1 YPC) and a score. [player_tooltip player_id='318135' first='Tate' last='Hawf'] has 284 yards and seven TDs rushing, and has added eight receptions for 141 yards and three scores. Carson Hoogeveen (12-241-3) has stood out at receiver. [player_tooltip player_id='827113' first='Jaxan' last='Huyser'], [player_tooltip player_id='1221929' first='Evan' last='Hildring'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1282304' first='Ridge' last='Kramer'] have been racking up tackles.   Western Christian quarterback Kaden VanRegenmorter also has stressed defenses with his arm and legs, accounting for four touchdowns throwing and four more running. Tyler Mantel has rushed for 465 yards and seven scores, while Karsten Moret (12-216-2) and Uchan Harberts (14-125-1) have shined as receivers. On defense, Mantel, Barret Bleeker and Teague VerVelde have performed well.   Other Marquee Matchups in 2A: Central Lyon/George-Little Rock at Cherokee Washington; Kuemper Catholic at Greene County; Clarke at Van Meter.   Class 1A   Game of the Week: Grundy Center (4-0) at Columbus Catholic (3-1)   The Setup: It's a Thursday-nighter and the first-ever meeting between two schools separated by 30 miles. Top-ranked Grundy Center has cruised since pulling out a 7-6, opening-game victory against Dike-New Hartford. Columbus fell by a touchdown to West Branch but has been dominant otherwise.   Players to Watch: [player_tooltip player_id='320787' first='Colin' last='Gordon'] has 551 yards passing, 237 yards rushing and a combined eight touchdowns for Grundy Center. He's joined by Justin Knaack and Brody Zinkula in a productive ground attack. [player_tooltip player_id='252315' first='Tiernan' last='Vokes'] (14-22-4) and Tanner Laube (12-131-2) have been top targets in the passing game. Vokes, Zinkula, [player_tooltip player_id='320786' first='Trent' last='Cakerice'], Ryder Ross and [player_tooltip player_id='252335' first='Ryker' last='Thoren'] help form a strong defensive foundation.   Quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1120034' first='Carter' last='Lockert'] is completing 76.0 percent of his passes for Columbus. He's thrown for 12 touchdowns (3 INTs) and run for three more. Parker Kjeldsen has 608 yards and five scores on the ground, while [player_tooltip player_id='252341' first='Myles' last='Gardner'] (20-373-4), Nick Merrifield (19-260-6) and Parker Kjeldsen are threats as receivers. Gardner, Merrifield, Aiden Hosch and [player_tooltip player_id='156618' first='Mason' last='Knipp'] have sparked the defense.   Other Marquee Matchups in 1A: Sumner-Fredericksburg at MFL MarMac; AHSTW at Treynor; Aplington-Parkersburg at Denver; Sigourney Keota at Pleasantville.   Class A   Game of the Week: Saint Ansgar (4-0) at Nashua-Plainfield (4-0)   The Setup: These teams have played 11 times with Saint Ansgar winning 10 of those meetings. The Saints have claimed the last three victories in the series via shutout.   Players to Watch: Junior Jayce Schwiesow has thrown for 402 yards and seven touchdowns against two interceptions, and added 96 yards and a score on the ground. [player_tooltip player_id='1406631' first='Connor' last='King'], Christian Michels and Regan Witt have combined for 515 yards and 10 scores rushing. Hunter Hillman (11-169-3) and [player_tooltip player_id='1359938' first='Dylan' last='Brumm'] (6-167-2) have led the receiving corps. King, Michaels, Witt and Korben Michels have shined defensively.   Nashua-Plainfield quarterback Tucker Franzen is completing 67.7 percent of his passes and has thrown four touchdowns without an interception. Running backs Titus Evans and Aiden Gelner have teamed up for 1,135 yards and 13 scores rushing. Trae Geise has been a strong two-way player as has [player_tooltip player_id='1691595' first='Eli' last='Kalainoff']. Tyler Zimmer, Jackson Carey and [player_tooltip player_id='156621' first='Tate' last='White'] have excelled on defense.   Other Marquee Matchups in A: North Linn at East Buchanan; Lisbon at Pekin; Earlham at Madrid; South Central Calhoun at IKM-Manning; North Tama at Wapsie Valley.   8-Players   Game of the Week: Janesville at Gladbrook-Reinbeck   The Setup: It's the first meeting between the two schools. Their lone loss this season is a 36-15 setback for Janesville against No. 6 Clarksville.   Players to Watch: Janesville's [player_tooltip player_id='1358234' first='Dane' last='Appleby'] has thrown for five touchdowns and run for 503 yards and six scores. Talan Pletz has 229 ground yards and two TDs, while Trevor Forey has caught 10 balls for 160 yards and five touchdowns. Appleby, Forey, [player_tooltip player_id='1279840' first='Daniel' last='Britt'], [player_tooltip player_id='1213599' first='Gabe' last='Meaney'], [player_tooltip player_id='1280077' first='Kole' last='Haan'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1358226' first='Logan' last='Lashbrook'] have done well on defense.   [player_tooltip player_id='156459' first='Isaac' last='Clark'] has completed 65.9 percent of his passes with 13 touchdowns and no interceptions for Gladbrook-Reinbeck. He's added four rushing scores. Austin Vaverka has run 16 times for 190 yards and five TDs on the ground. [player_tooltip player_id='252223' first='Drew' last='Eilers'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1034037' first='Hudson' last='Clark'] each has caught five touchdowns. Eilers, Clark, Vaverka, [player_tooltip player_id='1352888' first='Michael' last='Boyd'], [player_tooltip player_id='1197467' first='Treyvon' last='Herron'] and Garrett Gebel have led the squad defensively.   Other Marquee Matchups in 8-Player: Clarksville at Turkey Valley; Edgewood-Colesburg at Lone Tree.

Let's take a look at Week 5 top games and players in them for each class: