Scouting Reports: Cedar Rapids Prairie-Iowa City West

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>IOWA CITY, Iowa - </strong>The schedule told us that Friday's Iowa City West-Cedar Rapids Prairie game was the regular-season finale. The RPI indicated that the winner would move on to the playoffs and the loser would turn its attention to 2024. That's exactly how it played out. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The visitors jumped out to a big lead and hung on for a 45-38 victory. The Prairie Hawks (5-4) punched their ticket to the postseason, where they will play in the first round at Waukee this coming Friday. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Prairie led the Trojans, 28-7, at halftime this past Friday. West scored 30 points after the break but came up just short in finishing the season at 4-5. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I've scouted West twice prior to Friday. I filed reports on the Trojans that you can read <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2023/08/scouting-report-iowa-city-liberty-at-west-high/">HERE</a> and <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2023/09/scouting-report-battle-for-boot/">HERE</a>. I wrote about a couple of them here, but focused on Prairie, who I was watching live for the first time this season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":1055908,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Casey Kelley ","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'10u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2408","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Cedar Rapids Prairie","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"If we're picking a player of this game, Kelley is a sound choice. He toted the ball 27 times for 266 yards (9.9 YPC) and three touchdowns, including a 91-yard scoring sprint in the second quarter. He added a 92-yard kick return TD. Kelley isn't the biggest back but he makes up for it with intense football speed that allows him to outrun most defenders once in space. He's a patient runner with good vision and a quick burst through the hole. He gets to the edge in a hurry.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_player_details_selected_featured_image":1055906,"_player_evaluations_1_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_1_player_details_player_name":"Collin Velky","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_1_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_1_player_details_height":"5'11u0022","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_1_player_details_position":"2496","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_1_player_details_school":"Cedar Rapids Prairie","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_1_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_1_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"Velky (5-11, 210) is a hammer on both sides of the ball. On offense, he's the thunder to Kelley's lightning when running the ball with the nimbleness to catch passes. He hauled in two balls for 36 yards in this one. He stands out most in the middle of the defense, however, where he racked up a team-high 16.5 tackles (14 solo, 2.0 for loss) with a sack. Velky looks like a football player. You can tell he enjoys the game with how hard he plays and how much he embraces physicality. He's also skilled, reads the offense well and flies to the ball.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_player_details_selected_featured_image":1055907,"_player_evaluations_2_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_2_player_details_player_name":"Apollo Payne","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_2_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_2_player_details_height":"6'3u0022","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"2410","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_2_player_details_school":"Cedar Rapids Prairie","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_2_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_2_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"Payne came into this game with a team-best 42 catches for 803 yards and eight touchdowns. West held him without a reception in this contest. Part of it is still working on his connection with a backup quarterback. Also, credit the Trojans' defense. For his part, Payne did what he needed to do to help his team win. On offense, that included him blocking like a boss in aiding the Prairie Hawk rushing attack. He also played well defensively, and I could see coaches at the next level perhaps preferring him there. He recorded four solo tackles.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_player_details_selected_featured_image":1055913,"_player_evaluations_3_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_3_player_details_player_name":"Ian Monnahan","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_3_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_3_player_details_height":"6'2u0022","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_3_player_details_position":"2406","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_3_player_details_school":"Cedar Rapids Prairie ","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_3_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_3_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"Monnahan is the man in the middle of the Prairie defense. He moves bodies and eats up blocks. He registered two tackles for loss in this game and helped hold West to 123 rushing yards on 32 carries. He plays with good leverage, shows strength, power and violent hands. He is one of the team leaders with 7.5 tackles for loss this season but his contributions don't always show up in the box score.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_player_details_selected_featured_image":1055924,"_player_evaluations_4_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_4_player_details_player_name":"Wyatt Vlasek","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_4_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_4_player_details_height":"5'11u0022","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_4_player_details_position":"2496","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_4_player_details_school":"Cedar Rapids Prairie","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_4_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_4_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_4_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"Wyatt Vlasek is an active linebacker that runs well sideline to sideline, allowing him to cover a lot of ground. Six of his 9.5 tackles were of the solo variety and one resulted in lost yardage for West. The performance aligned with his consistently productive senior season. Vlasek flows well to the football and finds his run fits on a consistent basis.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_5_player":["245608"],"_player_evaluations_5_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_5_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_5_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_5_player_featured_image":967694,"_player_evaluations_5_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"Wallace helped West stage an impressive comeback that fell just short in this game. The junior completed 27 of 44 passes for 458 yards and three touchdowns against two interceptions. He's grown as a quarterback the last three seasons with improved footwork, quicker decisions and a faster release. The three-year starter isn't a runner but he's athletic and keeps plays alive with his legs. He has a strong arm and can take a hit.","_player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_6_player_details_selected_featured_image":967697,"_player_evaluations_6_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_6_player_details_player_name":" Izaiah Loveless","_player_evaluations_6_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_6_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_6_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_6_player_details_height":"5'11u0022","_player_evaluations_6_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_6_player_details_position":"2410","_player_evaluations_6_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_6_player_details_school":"Iowa City West ","_player_evaluations_6_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_6_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_6_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_6_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_6_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"Loveless played well in all three games I saw West play in person this season. His speed makes him successful now. His potential development as a receiver makes him an interesting prospect for the next level. In this game, Loveless caught eight passes for 157 yards and two touchdowns. He averaged 21.8 yards per catch this season. Loveless finished second in the 4A 200 meters (21.52) at the state track meet in May. He also ran on West's state champion 4x100 team.","_player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":7,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65353bf934c86"} /-->