Previewing the 2025 Iowa 8-Man Semifinals

In the only class with all the teams arriving to the UNI-Dome undefeated, four of the top teams in 8-Man face off on Wednesday this week for a shot at the state championship game.   #1 Bishop Garrigan (11-0) vs. #5 Audubon (11-0), 10 AM, Wednesday Nov. 12   Looking to take home the 8-Man crown for the second time in three years, Bishop Garrigan returns to the state title game after losing to Remsen St. Mary's in the Semis last season. Led by <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/10/five-more-two-way-wonders-iowa-standouts-on-offense-and-defense/">Two-Way Wonder</a>, [player_tooltip player_id='1242287' first='Tate' last='Foertsch'] on both sides of the ball, the senior completed 61-of-93 passes (65.6%) for 1,121 yards, 22 TDs and a pick so far this season, adding 92 carries for 942 yards and 16 scores on the ground. Defensively, Foertsch is tied for the state-lead in interceptions with nine, including two pick-sixes.   One can't forget about leading rusher and leading tackler, [player_tooltip player_id='2005136' first='Ethan' last='Marso'], either. This season, Marso has taken 146 carries for 1,212 yards and 25 touchdowns offensively, adding 44.5 tackles, seven tackles-for-loss and four sacks for the Golden Bears.   Meanwhile, Audubon comes in led by sophomore sensation, [player_tooltip player_id='2005055' first='Aiden' last='Kjergaard'] after upsetting Iowa Valley 26-19 in the quarterfinals. On the rise the last few seasons, the Wheelers have finally broken through to the Dome after also having their season ended by Remsen St. Mary's in the quarterfinals last year.   Kjergaard has taken Audubon to this new level, posting the fifth-most touchdowns in 8-Man and all classes with 46. Mostly a runner, the first-year starter at QB has rushed 131 times for 1,418 yards and 32 touchdowns this season. Also a threat to through, he's completed 33-of-46 passes (71.7%) for 772 yards, 12 touchdowns and zero picks, leading to the state's top QB rating of 298.8. Also impactful on defense, Kjergaard has added four picks for the Wheelers.   It's not a one-man show for Audubon, though. Between Kjergaard, Mason Kasperbauer, Carson Wessel, and Paxton Beane, the Wheelers have four ball-carriers that have scored double-digit touchdowns this season.   Though Garrigan will be the favorite, Audubon has weapons of their own to contend with.   The Pick: Bishop Garrigan   #2 Woodbine (10-0) vs. #3 Gladbrook-Reinbeck (11-0) 1 PM, Wednesday Nov. 12   Back to the Dome for the first time since 1997, second-ranked Woodbine is led by Power 4 wide receiver prospect, [player_tooltip player_id='1197458' first='Landon' last='Blum']. The tall, lanky receiver has the second-most receiving scores this season with 20, including 851 yards on 47 receptions. Blum catches passes from senior captain gunslinger, [player_tooltip player_id='1242266' first='Brody' last='Pryor'], who has completed 89-of-126 passes (70.6%) for 1,574 yards and the fifth-most touchdowns in all classes with 31. He's also only thrown two picks, resulting in the fifth-best QBR in all classes, 253.6. Pryor, yet another dual-threat quarterback 8-Man has to offer, has also taken 35 carries for 641 yards and 14 scores. Lead running back, Micah Moores has taken 69 carries for 474 yards and 12 scores, adding 14 catches for 204 yards and two scores.   Defensively, the Tigers are led by Joe Freund and [player_tooltip player_id='1358962' first='Brenner' last='Sullivan'], who have a combined 114 tackles to go with Freund's 11 TFLs. Woodbine's defensive efforts have helped propel Woodbine to blowout wins every week with an average victory margin of a whopping 60.7 points per game. The closest game they've had all season was last week's 50-12 win over Fremont-Mills in the quarterfinals.   SportsCenter Top 10 plays like this from your star receiver definitely don't hurt, either.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/landon_blum/status/1986889980103283117?s=20 </div></figure>   Gladbrook-Reinbeck returns to the Dome after finishing as last season's 8-Man runner up. On a mission all season long, GR has also mounted repeated double-digit wins all season long, including a 56-6 throttling of one of the top offenses in all of Iowa led by Easton Valley, 56-6 in the second round of the 8-Man playoffs.   Trevor Mathern, [player_tooltip player_id='1034037' first='Hudson' last='Clark'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1197467' first='Treyvon' last='Herron'] have served as the stars for the Rebels again this season.   Mathern, a senior in his first year as the starting quarterback for GR, has completed 75-of-105 passes (71.4%) for 1,089 yards, 22 touchdowns and just three picks -- in fact, he has more interceptions on defense (four) than he does at QB so far this season). On the ground, Mathern has taken 54 carries for 654 yards and 12 touchdowns.   Mathern's job has been made quite a bit easier with Clark and Herron at his disposal. GR's leading receiver by a mile with 57 catches for 836 yards and 17 touchdowns, Clark also leads the Rebels in tackles (74.5), interceptions (seven) and pick-sixes (three). A weapon in the return game, too, Clark has returned two kickoffs for scores and a punt for a touchdown this season.   Herron, the team's leading rusher, has put up 88 carries for 1,222 yards and 26 touchdowns, while adding 15 catches for 218 yards and three scores through the air. Defensively, he only trails Clark in tackles with 69, including 15 TFLs and 4.5 sacks. Throw in his four forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries (including one he took back 36 yards for a score) and three interceptions (including two pick-sixes), and GR has quite a list of weapons on their roster.   The Pick: Gladbrook-Reinbeck

In the only class with all the teams arriving to the UNI-Dome undefeated, four of the top teams in 8-Man face off on Wednesday this week for a shot at the state championship game.