Previewing Class 4A Quarterfinal Games

There are no unbeaten teams left in the Class 4A playoffs. That should make this weekend's quarterfinal games around the state very intriguing.   Let's take a closer look at the matchups:   POD A   NORTH SCOTT (8-2) AT WESTERN DUBUQUE (9-1)   These two teams are very familiar with each other. They're running back a matchup from Sept. 15 won by Western Dubuque, 31-24. That is after North Scott won both of last year's meetings, including a 38-15 victory in the first round of the playoffs.   Western Dubuque's lone setback in '23 happened 22-20 on Sept. 8 at Cedar Rapids Xavier. The Bobcats are here after defeating Newton, 41-2, in last week's first-round. They also have a win against West Delaware, which still is alive in the 3A postseason.   Junior [player_tooltip player_id='1279823' first='Tanner' last='Anderson'] engineers the Western Dubuque offense, entering this game with 17 touchdown passes against just four interceptions. Running back Grant Glausser helps balance the offense with 2,203 yards and 27 scores on the ground. [player_tooltip player_id='320880' first='Brock' last='Carpenter'] has 33 receptions for 592 yards and seven TDs. On defense, Carpenter, Derek Hoerner, Hunter Quagliano, Ryan Digmann and [player_tooltip player_id='1277238' first='Garret' last='Kluesner'] are standing out.   In addition to the loss to Western Dubuque, North Scott's other defeat is at the hands of Xavier. The Lancers have a win against 3A playoff qualifier, Assumption, and their season still is going because of last week's first-round win against Decorah.   North Scott quarterback Kyler Gerardy is one of the more productive players in the state with a more than 2,000 yards and 26 touchdowns passing and rushing. Running back [player_tooltip player_id='1402859' first='Jerrod' last='Lee'], who has 861 yards and 13 scores, adds to the ground game, while [player_tooltip player_id='1279117' first='Cash' last='Bowe'] and [player_tooltip player_id='305767' first='Carson' last='Lage'] are the team's leading receivers. Colin Albrecht, Owen Jordahl, Nolan Engelbrecht, Luke Belken and Jay Lightle are among the defensive standouts.   POD B   ADM (7-3) AT LEWIS CENTRAL (8-2)   It's another rematch of a regular-season contest. Lewis Central owns a 38-31 victory from Sept. 8 at ADM. According to Bound, Lewis Central is 5-2 against the Tigers since '08, which includes four wins in a row.   The Titans reached the quarterfinals with a 42-10 win against LeMars in last week's first round. They also have strong victories against Harlan, Norwalk and Dallas Center Grimes with their coming against Creston and Bondurant-Farrar.   [player_tooltip player_id='1279100' first='Brady' last='Hetzel'] has thrown for 20 touchdowns and rushed for three more in his first season as the Titans starting quarterback. [player_tooltip player_id='1360057' first='Brody' last='Patlan'] has 751 yards and 12 scores rushing, while [player_tooltip player_id='248038' first='Curtis' last='Witte'] and Ryan Ortega have stood out as receivers. Witte has been a key contributor defensively as has [player_tooltip player_id='592378' first='Kamdyn' last='Cross'], Owen Thomas, [player_tooltip player_id='156631' first='Caleb' last='Moore'], Nathan Beyenhof and Bryce Juon.   ADM has wins against Newton, Norwalk and Ballard with setbacks at the hands of Indianola and North Polk this season. The Tigers enter the action off of a 42-0 domination of Denison-Schleswig in last week's first round.   Iowa State preferred walk-on commitment [player_tooltip player_id='320738' first='Aiden' last='Flora'] has 12 passing touchdowns and 25 more rushing for ADM. Cameron Forgy complements him in the running game with Rhylan Stine-Smith and Zach Lohmann serving as receiving threats. [player_tooltip player_id='1402881' first='Brayden' last='Rynearson'], [player_tooltip player_id='248045' first='Talan' last='Guile'], [player_tooltip player_id='1402893' first='Karver' last='Sutton'], [player_tooltip player_id='1286621' first='Ethan' last='Asche'] and Grant Engleman help give the Tigers a salty defense.   POD C   BONDURANT-FARRAR (8-2) AT GLENWOOD (8-2)   According to Bound records dating back to '02, this is the first meeting between these schools.   Glenwood arrived here with wins against Norwalk the last two weeks, including a 21-0 victory in the first of the playoffs last week. The Rams' losses this fall have happened against Harlan and Lewis Central.   Glenwood quarterback Kayden Anderson has thrown for 12 touchdowns and run for two more. Kellan Scott and [player_tooltip player_id='247994' first='Trent' last='Patton'] have teamed up for 999 yards and 19 touchdowns, while Payton Longmeyer has caught 62 passes for 750 yards and 10 TDs. Casey Godbout and [player_tooltip player_id='1619887' first='Jack' last='Johnson'] also have been outside threats. On defense, Scott, Patton, Johnson, [player_tooltip player_id='1406695' first='Brodie' last='Schafer'] and Preston Longchaya stand out.   Bondurant-Farrar defeated Lewis Central this season. The Bluejays have been beaten by North Polk and Pella. They came back to beat Pella in last week's playoff first round, 23-6.   [player_tooltip player_id='252225' first='Jordan' last='Rial'] has tossed 16 touchdowns against just five interceptions quarterbacking Bondurant-Farrar. [player_tooltip player_id='156487' first='Titus' last='Cram'] and [player_tooltip player_id='156631' first='Caleb' last='Moore'] lead a potent rushing attack, combining for more than 2,200 yards and 27 touchdowns on the ground. [player_tooltip player_id='247963' first='Reed' last='Pfaltzgraff'] and Cole Miller have led the receiving corps. Moore, Pfaltzgraff, Cram, [player_tooltip player_id='1406662' first='Parker' last='Ernst'] and Jacob VanderLinden have shine on defense.   POD D   CEDAR RAPIDS XAVIER (8-2) at NORTH POLK (8-2)   Bounds indicates that this is also the first-ever meeting between Xavier and North Polk.   North Polk edged Ballard, 17-14, in the first round of the playoffs last week. The Comets avenged a 7-6 loss from earlier this season. They've also downed ADM, Bondurant-Farrar and Indianola this campaign with their other loss coming against by one point to Webster City.   Comet signal caller [player_tooltip player_id='320817' first='Isaac' last='Zoske'] has thrown for 1,282 yards and 15 touchdown passes this fall. [player_tooltip player_id='320815' first='Brock' last='Miller'] has caught 33 balls for 335 yards and two TDs, while [player_tooltip player_id='320816' first='Kale' last='Yoakum'] has a team-high six scoring receptions to go with 399 yards. On the ground, [player_tooltip player_id='1361480' first='BJ' last='Tate'] has rushed for 1,052 yards and 11 scores. The defense is led by a group that includes Nathan Feldman, [player_tooltip player_id='320821' first='Cohan' last='Torres'], [player_tooltip player_id='320829' first='Brayden' last='Foster'], Carter Van Brocklin and [player_tooltip player_id='320830' first='Colton' last='Manock'].   Defending state champion Xavier dropped two of its first four contests this season before settling in for six wins in a row, including a 17-10, playoff triumph against Indianola last week. The Saints also have knocked off Western Dubuque and North Scott with their setbacks coming against Williamsburg and Pella.   [player_tooltip player_id='633628' first='Ronan' last='Thomas'], who quarterback Xavier to the state title a year ago, has thrown 12 touchdowns and added 11 more on the ground. Noah Schimberg has rushed for 864 yards and 11 touchdowns, while Coleton Beasler-Weber has added 512 yards and three scores on the ground. Sophomore Carter Hoffmann has caught 32 passes for 526 yards and five TDs. On defense, Adam Cook, Jack Stevenson, Aidan Kinner, Quinn Oleson and Grant Helmle have gotten it done defensively.

There are no unbeaten teams left in the Class 4A playoffs. That should make this weekend's quarterfinal games around the state very intriguing.