Class 3A Top QB Performances of Week 7

With two weeks left in the regular season for high school football, teams are making one more push to reach the playoffs, and we had several top teams across Class 3A take on each other through the week with exciting results. During these games, several of the QB names from Class 3A shine for their resilience and leadership as they look to help their teams get in position to earn a playoff spot, or to increase their ranking in the class right now. We take a look at 8 of the top QB performances from Class 3A in week 7!    Iowa's current passing touchdowns leader added a huge win to his budding resume this season as [player_tooltip player_id='1516961' first='Grant' last='Hocker'] led the onslaught in a destructive upset over #7 Solon. Hocker finished the night 10 of 16 for 208 yards, 5 touchdowns, and a pick. Hocker not only led a win over a tough Solon defense, but completely dismantled the secondary, finding receivers over the middle and hitting his guys in stride over the seams which turned into long touchdowns for the team. Hocker now sits with 34 touchdowns in 7 games, and it's clear that Williamsburg's offense has really hit it's stride with Hocker under center.     #13 Independence had their most dominant win over the season in week 7 on the road against Maquoketa, and EJ Miller ensured his offense control of the ball throughout the entire game. Miller finished 10 of 15 for 164 yards and 3 touchdowns while adding 41 rushing yards on just 5 carries. Miller looked sharp all night, hitting several deep sideline passes and consistently leading his offense with sharp, concise plays to progress the ball down the field, while also proving to be a nimble scrambler. Miller has 18 touchdowns to only 2 INTs this season, having been one of the most efficient QBs in the state, and he's bound to translate that success into the postseason.     After a tough loss to Algona in week 6, [player_tooltip player_id='1204540' first='Jaxson' last='McIntire'] led a rebound game for Clear Lake as they shut out Hampton-Dumont-CAL on the road. McIntire finished the night 12 of 18 for 102 yards and 3 touchdowns passing, and he added 36 rushing yards on 8 carries and a rushing touchdown. It was an overall well-rounded night for the Lions, but McIntire managed the offense extremely well once again, showing great footwork and timing on his passes, hitting some sharp passes over the middle through tight windows. McIntire has thrown 20 touchdowns to 2 picks this season, and he certainly has solidified his place as the best QB in Iowa for the class of 2027.     After losing 4 straight games to open the year, Creston has roared back to life, having won the last 3 in a row, and sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='1844844' first='Tanner' last='Ray'] has solidified his spot as the starting QB for the rest of the season after leading the team to a complete blowout over Knoxville. Ray finished 10 of 15 for 193 yards and 2 touchdowns while adding 2 carries for 18 yards. Ray has shown considerable improvement in his reads and accuracy over the last few games, and it culminated with his strongest effort of the season. Ray has driven Creston back this season as they look to make an unexpected push into the playoffs.     In possibly the biggest matchup of the season in Class 1A, #1 Algona lost in heartbreaking fashion to #2 Humboldt off a failed 2-point attempt. [player_tooltip player_id='252221' first='Alex' last='Manske'] didn't finish the game, leaving with an arm injury in the second half, but he played extremely well up to the injury, finishing 9 of 14 for 161 yards and 2 touchdowns while adding 52 rushing yards on 7 carries. Manske remained talented as an improviser, constantly moving around and extending the play, and he showed great timing in his passes, throwing the ball as the receiver made their cut on the routes. Hopefully, this injury won't hamper Manske for too long, as Algona will need him to help ensure a deep run in the postseason.     MOC-Floyd Valley throttled Sioux Center on the road in week 7, and [player_tooltip player_id='1282267' first='Blake' last='Aalbers'] delivered with another solid performance to build upon a strong senior campaign. Aalbers finished 13 of 20 for 174 yards, 2 touchdowns, and a pick. Aalbers played well firing the ball down the field from the pocket, hitting passes over the middle, and he also proved elusive, being able to move out of the pocket and improvise a play to get the team down the field, and Aalbers was in control of the offense throughout the entire night. Aalbers should continue to garner attention for his excellent leadership of the Dutchmen offense as one of the better unsigned QBs out of Iowa remaining in the class of 2025.     Leading the charge for the upset win against #1 Algona was Coen Matson, who proved to be a smart and savvy game-manager as he was able to piece apart Algona's defense. Matson finished the night 11 of 19 for 152 yards passing while adding 2 rushing touchdowns, playing a key difference in the upset. Matson took what the defense gave him and was able to chip away at the secondary with quick, concise throws and solid ball-control, while also running the QB power in goal-line situations to get points on the board. Humboldt now has firmly placed itself atop the Class 1A rankings, and Matson will look to lead the Wildcats in fending off their opponents for the rest of the year.     Harlan Community pulled off a massive upset at home against #5 Nevada this week, and [player_tooltip player_id='1242847' first='Gabe' last='Arkfeld'] did a solid job leading the offense to a huge statement win. Arkfeld finished 9 of 19 for 168 yards, a touchdown, and a pick, while also adding 82 rushing yards on just 5 carries and a touchdown. Arkfeld broke an 85 yard touchdown run against Nevada, which played a key difference in the win, and he engineered the drive that set up Harlan for the game-leading 31 yard FG early in the 4th quarter in which Harlan would hold on to win. Arkfeld could see his recruiting stock skyrocket after leading the upset win as he looks to maintain this momentum heading into the playoffs.

With two weeks left in the regular season for high school football, teams are making one more push to reach the playoffs, and we had several top teams across Class 3A take on each other through the week with exciting results. During these games, several of the QB names from Class 3A shine for their resilience and leadership as they look to help their teams get in position to earn a playoff spot, or to increase their ranking in the class right now. We take a look at 8 of the top QB performances from Class 3A in week 7!