Previewing Class 2A Quarterfinal Games

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Teams from around the state will take the field Friday night competing to head indoors. Winners advance to the semifinals in the UNI-Dome next week. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The group includes eight teams from Class 2A. Let's take a closer look at those matchups: </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>POD A</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Carroll Kuemper Catholic (8-2) at Central Lyon/George-Little Rock (10-0)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>These teams last met in 2016, according to Bound. Kuemper took a 21-20 decision. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Defending state champion Central Lyon/George-Little Rock has won 23 games in a row. This season that included victories against playoff teams in Emmetsburg, Cherokee Washington, Western Christian, West Lyon, Okoboji and Roland-Story. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Iowa receiver commitment Reece Vander Zee has been playing quarterback for CL/G-LR. The senior has thrown for 1,081 yards and 12 touchdowns, adding 1,281 yards and 17 scores rushing. Fellow Hawkeye pledge Graham Eben has contributed 983 yards and 26 TDs on the ground and 15 catches for 213 yards with a pair of scores. Isaiah Johnson has caught 36 balls for 560 yards and three touchdowns. On defense, Vander Zee, Eben, [player_tooltip player_id='1282232' first='Drew' last='Kupferschmid'], [player_tooltip player_id='1280523' first='Jack' last='Krull'] and Gabe Schulte have stood out. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Kuemper has won eight games in a row after starting 0-2 with losses against Sioux City Heelan and Underwood. The Knights have defeated postseason qualifiers in Roland-Story, Southeast Valley, Cherokee Washington and Clarinda. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Another Iowa commitment in this game, DJ Vonnahme, has done it all for Kuemper on both sides of the ball. Sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='1242935' first='Brock' last='Badding'] has 1,809 yards and 27 touchdowns passing with only four interceptions. Kaesin Pierce leads the ground attack with 515 yards and four scores rushing. Michael Kasperbauer has 37 receptions for 596 yards and nine TDS. Jake Hausman, Will Simons, Jake Irlbeck, Kent Sanders and Tate Bieret have shined on defense. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>POD B</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Van Meter (10-0) at PCM (8-2)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bound indicates that these teams will be meeting for the first time since at least '08. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>PCM outscored Interstate 35 and Mid-Prairie, 78-0, in a pair of postseason victories. The Mustangs also have topped playoffs teams in Union, Sigourney Keota and Jesup this fall. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Junior quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1279929' first='Gavin' last='VanGorp'] has thrown for 1,330 yards and 18 touchdowns with just three picks. Griffin Olson has been his top target, catching 27 passes for 637 yards and 13 scores. Adrien Robbins has led the ground attack with 1,978 yards and 23 TDs rushing. Olson, [player_tooltip player_id='1586795' first='Finn' last='Wilson'], Trenner VanDyke, [player_tooltip player_id='1096903' first='Brevin' last='DeRaad'], Justin Johnston and Hewitt Brinegar have produced on defense. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Van Meter's playoff victories have come against Albia and Union, outscoring them, 112-7. The Bulldogs also have taken down postseason qualifiers in Underwood, Des Moines Christian, Humboldt, Clarinda, Clarke and Interstate 35 as well. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bulldog quarterback Austin Baumhover has racked up 1,222 yards and 24 touchdown passing with only one interception. Ben Gordon has rushed for 1,807 yards and 25 scores. Van Meter has gotten 21 catches for 290 yards and seven TDs from Cael Trudo. On defense, Porter Doggett, John Braun, John Braun, Cason Peterson and Cole Moore have stood out among a strong group. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>POD C</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>West Lyon (9-1) at Spirit Lake (9-1)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>West Lyon won the two previous meetings between these teams. The Wildcats captured a 35-7 victory in '21 after taking a 12-0 decision a year earlier. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Spirit Lake advanced to this point with postseason wins against Southeast Valley and New Hampton, outscoring them, 97-6. It also logged victories this year versus playoff teams in Algona, Okoboji, Clarion-Goldfield-Dows and Lincoln Central. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1286491' first='Caden' last='Lundt'] has completed 63.5 percent of his passes for 1,808 yards and 20 touchdowns. [player_tooltip player_id='1286604' first='William' last='Ditsworth'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1286483' first='Bode' last='Higgins'] have teamed up for 1,350 yards and 23 scores on the ground. [player_tooltip player_id='1286501' first='Dylan' last='Stecker'] has led the receiving corps with 40 catches for 785 yards and 12 TDs. For a stout defense, Higgins, Owen Lalumendre, Will Graves, Evan Beck, Owen Meerbeek and [player_tooltip player_id='1418083' first='Joey' last='Andres'] have stood out. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>West Lyon eliminated Clarion-Goldfield-Dows and Western Christian so far this postseason. The Wildcats also have registered wins against other playoff qualifiers in Sioux Center, OABCIG and Cherokee Washington. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1282297' first='Bryson' last='Childress'] has thrown for 797 yards and 11 touchdowns for West Lyon. Tate Hawf has rushed for 757 yards and 14 scores to go with 239 yards and four TDs receiving. Carson Hoogeveen has caught 27 balls for 414 yards and four touchdowns. [player_tooltip player_id='1238533' first='Jorden' last='Meyer'], Jaxan Huyser, [player_tooltip player_id='1221929' first='Evan' last='Hildring'], Mathias Knoblock and [player_tooltip player_id='1238539' first='Ben' last='Meyer'] have performed well on a stingy defense.  </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>POD D</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Monticello (9-1) at Mediapolis (8-2)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This will be the first meeting between these schools since at least '08, according to Bound. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Mediapolis has won seven games in a row since losing two of its first three. In addition to its postseason victories against Anamosa and Camanche, Mediapolis has outlasted other playoff teams in Mid-Prairie, Albia and West Burlington Notre Dame this season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Georgia punter commitment Drew Miller has thrown for seven touchdowns and rushed for 615 yards with three scores. Jackson Hutcheson has gained 1,096 yards with 21 TDs on the ground, while Noah Schmidgall has picked up 566 yards and found the end zone four times rushing. He and Aedin Nelson have led the receivers. On defense, Grady Gunn, Alton Wonderlich, Chett Mohr, Quinton Schulz and Kyle Vorwerk have thrived.  </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>After dropping its season-opener against 3A quarterfinalist Mount Vernon, Monticello has reeled off nine consecutive triumphs. That included besting fellow playoff teams in North Fayette Valley, Jesup, Camanche, Northeast and Anamosa.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Iowa Hawkeye defensive commitment Preston Ries has thrown for 1,998 yards and 22 touchdowns, and rushed for 1,555 and 20 scores for Monticello. He's also recorded 56 solo tackles with 24.5 stops for loss and four sacks. Conner Jordan has rushed for 578 yards and six TDs, while Peyton Schilling has caught 54 balls for 916 yards and 12 touchdowns. Ries, Jordan, AJ Phelps, Adrian Graves and Jonah Luensman have excelled defensively. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->