Class 5A Quarterfinal Recap, Players of Week

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A topsy-turvy season in Class 5A reached the final-four stage with Friday's quarterfinals. West Des Moines Valley and Dowling Catholic, Southeast Polk and Iowa City Liberty advanced to this coming Friday's semifinals at the UNI-Dome.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>All four winners played host to quarterfinal games. Three-time defending champion Southeast Polk was the only one in the quartet to play a postseason road game, winning at Pleasant Valley in Round 1.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It's an interesting group. We'll talk more about how they match up in a game preview coming up later this week.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>First, let's look back at how they got here and the student-athletes that stood out during the quarterfinal round:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Dowling 14, Centennial 10</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>These teams were separated by nine points over eight quarters and three overtimes this season. Dowling won both meetings. While the first matchup featured 42 points scored in regulation, Friday's meeting was more defensive oriented. Centennial led, 3-0, at halftime.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Maroons two-quarterback system continued to win. Parker DePhillips and [player_tooltip player_id='401674' first='Joey' last='Nahas'] combined to complete 10 of 15 passes for 101 yards and two touchdowns. [player_tooltip player_id='847998' first='Rashawd' last='Davis'] carried 24 times for 111 yards, and [player_tooltip player_id='1619623' first='Sam' last='Drexler'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1279753' first='Trey' last='Wilson'] each caught a touchdown. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='856072' first='Ian' last='Middleton'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1278782' first='Dylan' last='Manning'] shared the team-lead with 7.0 tackles apiece for Dowling. Manning recorded six solo stops, 3.0 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks. [player_tooltip player_id='245539' first='Parker' last='Pearson'] contributed four solo stops, and [player_tooltip player_id='1279750' first='Cartyr' last='Smith'] recorded a sack. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Maroons improved to 10-1 on the season, while Centennial finished up at 8-3. The Jaguars had not uploaded their stats to bound at the time of publishing, which is why they don't appear here.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3TaaQNBuVs","type":"video","providerNameSlug":"youtube","responsive":true,"className":"wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3TaaQNBuVs </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Valley 38, Johnston 35</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Valley defeated Sioux City East by three points in the first round and turned the trick again in the quarterfinals. The Tigers added Friday's victory to a 34-24 win against Johnston on Sept. 13.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This time around, [player_tooltip player_id='1524941' first='King' last='Coleman'] rushed 21 times for 206 yards and two touchdowns for the winners. [player_tooltip player_id='401870' first='Drake' last='DeGroote'] threw for 162 yards and a score, [player_tooltip player_id='582192' first='Jayden' last='Davison'] rushed for a TD and tight end [player_tooltip player_id='1279870' first='Zach' last='Schemper'] hauled in a touchdown catch. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1619456' first='Miciah' last='LeLaCheur'] housed a kick return, Conley Harne booted a 34-yard field goal and [player_tooltip player_id='1241405' first='Trent' last='Grevengoed'] averaged 43.7 yards on three punts. LeLaCheur and [player_tooltip player_id='1589904' first='Andrew' last='Price'] each recorded four solo tackles, while [player_tooltip player_id='1241420' first='Luke' last='Wolter'], Drew Downing, Jarome Horn and [player_tooltip player_id='1241401' first='Alonzo' last='Jimenez'] each contributed three. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Johnston's [player_tooltip player_id='252226' first='William' last='Nuss'] completed an excellent prep career with 193 yards passing and two rushing touchdowns. [player_tooltip player_id='1361616' first='D'Angelo' last='Barkue'] ran 13 times for 195 yards and a pair of scores, and he caught two balls for 64 yards. [player_tooltip player_id='1619376' first='Max' last='Mincks'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1619510' first='Caleb' last='Gbarjolo'] shared the team lead with 7.0 tackles, Kolby Gibbons chipped in 2.0 tackles for loss and a sack. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Valley raised its record to 9-2. The Dragons wrapped up the campaign at 8-3. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPhrKkoa8ro","type":"video","providerNameSlug":"youtube","responsive":true,"className":"wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPhrKkoa8ro </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Southeast Polk 42, Iowa City West 15</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The champs have turned it on in the postseason and sit two wins away from a four-peat. These Rams faced more challenges than did their predecessors. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='401671' first='Drew' last='Thompson'] rushed 18 times for 174 yards and four touchdowns during Friday's win. Landon Vander Werff added 72 yards and a score, [player_tooltip player_id='254611' first='Holden' last='Hansen'] completed all nine of his throws for 93 yards and contributed a rushing TD, and [player_tooltip player_id='1279618' first='Kaden' last='Hills']<strong> </strong>caught six balls for 71 yards. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='640854' first='Cooper' last='Martinson'] led the defense with 9.0 tackles (8 solo, 1.0 TFL, Sack). <strong> </strong>Cristian Scalco, Kaeon Ward-Taylor,  [player_tooltip player_id='1619443' first='Jack' last='Hope'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1619426' first='Brayden' last='Lewis'] combined for 28.0 tackles. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>For West, [player_tooltip player_id='245608' first='Jack' last='Wallace'] completed a super prep career with 134 yards and a touchdown passing. [player_tooltip player_id='847948' first='Mason' last='Woods'] caught five passes for 54 yards and a score, and [player_tooltip player_id='1361552' first='Butali' last='Butali'] ran for 61 yards and a TD. [player_tooltip player_id='1238512' first='Julian' last='Manson'] led the Trojans with 9.0 tackles. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Rams improved to 7-4, and West ended '24 at 6-5. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqCi21IdwL0","type":"video","providerNameSlug":"youtube","responsive":true,"className":"wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqCi21IdwL0 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Liberty 21, Ankeny 13</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>For the second time in five weeks, the Lightning struck down Ankeny at home. And like the first meeting, Liberty won by eight points. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1552779' first='Reece' last='Rettig'] was efficient (12-16 70 yards TD passing/8 carries 62 yards) behind center, and [player_tooltip player_id='1278898' first='Owen' last='Drapeaux'] rushed for 89 yards for the Lightning on Friday. [player_tooltip player_id='1196514' first='Collin' last='Decker'] caught six passes for 44 yards and a score, and [player_tooltip player_id='1129677' first='Dallas' last='Miller'] delivered a 49-yard Pick-6. [player_tooltip player_id='988861' first='Sutton' last='Koller'] recorded a team-high 8.0 tackles (1.5 TFL), and Quayshon Harrington Johnson chipped in with 6.5 stops. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1280955' first='Luke' last='Anderson'] tossed two touchdowns passes for Ankeny with [player_tooltip player_id='1280082' first='Evan' last='Irlmeier'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1619654' first='Owen' last='Fischer'] each hauling in one of them. [player_tooltip player_id='401669' first='Daniel' last='Larmie'] rushed for 61 yards, and [player_tooltip player_id='1105160' first='Dawson' last='Whitinger'] and Ben Taylor each racked up 9.5 tackles. Ez Pinks and [player_tooltip player_id='1418751' first='Nathan' last='Becker'] teamed up for 3.5 tackles for loss. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Lightning enters the semifinals with a 10-1 mark. The Hawks completed their season at 6-5. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOIF572Bb7o","type":"video","providerNameSlug":"youtube","responsive":true,"className":"wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOIF572Bb7o </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed -->