Standouts from Class 5A, 3A, 2A Title Games

Another fun and exciting high school football season came to an end Friday at the UNI-Dome. Champions in 5A, 3A and 2A were crowned. The other classes <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2023/11/standouts-from-class-4a-1a-a-championship-games/">wrapped up on Thursday</a>.   The final trio of contests featured outstanding performances throughout. Here's a look at some of the guys who stood out:   C.J. Phillip, '24, RB, Southeast Polk   The Rams leaned on their senior running back during a 49-21 victory against Ankeny in Friday night's 5A finale, a three-peat for Southeast Polk. The 5-foot-11, 185-pounder toted the rock 29 times for 148 yards and five touchdowns. During a 30-27, overtime win against West Des Moines Valley in the semifinals, the senior rushed for 129 yards and three touchdowns on 23 carries. Phillip isn't overly flashy, although he has some wiggle. He mostly runs downhill, hitting the hole hard and using excellent vision to get his. He finished the season with 1,088 yards (5.6 YPC) and 20 scores on the ground replacing the departed Abu Sama, who is standing out as an Iowa State freshman.   Carson Robbins, '24, WR/DB, Southeast Polk   The Iowa State preferred walk-on commitment showed why the Cyclones are excited to get him on campus next year. Robbins caught five passes for 111 yards and a touchdown Friday, raising his season totals to 50 receptions for 928 yards and 11 scores. He also contributes on defense. He chipped in 4.0 tackles (3 solo) and broke up two passes in the championship game. At 6-0, 168, Robbins is athletic and runs well. He's a skilled route runner and a smart football player. Don't be surprised to see him emerge as a contributor in Ames.   Devon Akers, '24, WR, Ankeny   The Hawks surprised plenty of folks by reaching the state championship game and guys like Akers were a big reason why they were able to pull it off. In Friday's final, the 6-6, 210-pounder stood out with nine receptions for 118 yards. He proved to be a matchup problem for Southeast Polk as a long-limbed wideout with good speed and crisp route running. His performance in his last prep game improved his sensational senior season numbers to 52 catches for 959 yards and eight touchdowns. He's visited Northern Iowa and Minnesota State on recruiting visits this month. He's an intriguing prospect with a high ceiling. More colleges should be checking in.   [player_tooltip player_id='848057' first='Rayce' last='Heitman'], '25, WR/LB, Williamsburg   The versatile, dynamic and heavily-used Raider junior looked gassed by the end of his team's 20-0 win against Sioux City Heelan in Friday's final. Williamsburg captured its first-ever state championship with Heitman rushing 16 times (mostly out of the wildcat formation) for 69 yards and a touchdown. He added two receptions for 11 yards, returned three punts for 48, brought back a kick for 19 and racked up a team-high 8.0 tackles (6 solo, 1.0 TFL) on defense. He's set to visit the University of Iowa for its game against Illinois Saturday, and was expected to stop Iowa State and South Dakota State in the near future. They will be return trips to the in-state schools.   Braylon Wetjen, '24, WR/CB, Williamsburg   Wetjen made his presence felt on both sides of the ball Friday. He hauled in six receptions for 121 yards and a score, and gained 15 on his lone carry. He intercepted three balls, broke up a pass and delivered a pair of solo tackles as well. His big plays occurred at key moments in the game, either sparking the Raider offense or denying a driving Heelan outfit.   [player_tooltip player_id='1238514' first='Kasen' last='Thomas'], '26, RB/LB, Heelan   The sophomore certainly caught my eye with his effort in this game. It landed him firmly on the PRZIA radar as a prospect moving forward. He's 6-1, 190, plays fast and physical, and shows impressive athleticism. In this contest, he carried the ball four times for 29 yards on a day when they were hard to come by. On defense, he produced 5.5 tackles (3 solo) and intercepted a pass.   [player_tooltip player_id='320866' first='Ben' last='Gordon'], '24, RB/S, Van Meter   Gordon played a key role during the Bulldogs' run to the 1A state championship a year ago. He was at it again on Friday as Van Meter topped No. 1-ranked and previously unbeaten Central Lyon/George-Little Rock, 24-21. Gordon carried the ball 27 times for 107 yards of the 276 totaled by Van Meter. His 55-yard kick return set up a touchdown for the Bulldogs after they fell behind 7-3. He also chipped in with a pair of solo tackles.   [player_tooltip player_id='320758' first='Graham' last='Eben'], 'Graham '24, RB/DB, Central Lyon/George-Little Rock   The Iowa Hawkeye preferred walk-on commitment shined despite the Lions falling just short of their second consecutive state championship. He rushed the ball 24 times for 138 yards and a touchdown. He caught four passes for 35 yards and a score, and returned two kickoffs for 43 yards. Eben is athletic and plays physically. Those traits should serve him well when he starts his college career as a safety.

Another fun and exciting high school football season came to an end Friday at the UNI-Dome. Champions in 5A, 3A and 2A were crowned. The other classes wrapped up on Thursday.