Prep Redzone Iowa | Games of the Week | 8th Edition
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Take a look below at the game preview summaries for Iowa’s top matchups across all classifications. Week 8 will answer plenty of questions that still remain about who are the legitimate contenders and what the playoff fields will realistically look…
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Continue ReadingTake a look below at the game preview summaries for Iowa’s top matchups across all classifications. Week 8 will answer plenty of questions that still remain about who are the legitimate contenders and what the playoff fields will realistically look like. Who will come out on top in Prep Redzone Iowa’s games of the week?
Ankeny at Waukee Northwest
The Wolves are riding a four game winning streak after being put through the wringer in the first part of the season. They are clicking lately and looking very strong; they have a big opportunity in week 8 to come away with a win against a top program and prove they can do some damage in the playoffs. Ankeny, on the other hand, has an opportunity to knock off a team that has earned plenty of respect and show they should be regarded as the team to beat. Wolves’ Quarterback Carson Renken and his weapons Tanner Spyksma, Hayden Huntley Hayden Huntley 6'0" | 175 lbs | WR Waukee Northwest | 2022 State IA , Brady Grisham, and Jadon Engstrom are a talented bunch who have averaged nearly 40 points per game during their winning streak. The Ankeny defense, though, is loaded from top to bottom and will thoroughly test the Wolves who only scored 17 combined points earlier this year against Dowling and Southeast Polk. The Wolves will need an error free, efficient passing game with the likes of Ryan Crandall Ryan Crandall 6'3" | 200 lbs | DB Ankeny | 2022 State IA , Ben Sandvig Ben Sandvig 5'10" | 175 lbs | DB Ankeny | 2023 State IA , and Will Cornwell Will Cornwell 5'10" | 180 lbs | DB Ankeny | 2022 State IA patrolling the secondary. They will also need exceptional blocking to move the ball against a front seven that includes Jackson Penningroth Jackson Penningroth 6'0" | 210 lbs | LB Ankeny | 2022 State IA , Tamden Webb-Tate Tamden Webb-Tate 6'2" | 220 lbs | LB Ankeny | 2022 State IA , Braden Simonsen Braden Simonsen 6'3" | 235 lbs | DL Ankeny | 2022 State IA , Sean Gavin, and Nick Eaton. It will be just as challenging for Waukee Northwest on the other side of this matchup. Benjamin Reiland Benjamin Reiland 6'4" | 230 lbs | DL Waukee Northwest | 2022 State IA , Griffin Gammell, and Chase Lamb have been outstanding at the heart of the Wolves’ defense. Ankeny is a handful on offense, though, with all their weapons. Colin Kadolph Colin Kadolph 6'0" | 190 lbs | RB Ankeny | 2022 State IA is looking for the 5A rushing crown, JJ Kohl JJ Kohl 6'6" | 225 lbs | QB Ankeny | 2023 State IA is without a doubt the real deal, and Brady McCullough has been virtually unguardable. The Wolves have their work cut out for them if they want to take the next step and become a true 5A contender.
Prep Redzone Iowa’s Pick: Ankeny
Bondurant-Farrar at Indianola
The 7-0 Bluejays travel this week to take on the 6-1 Indians in a 4A showdown that features two teams who will be among the top seeds in the playoff bracket just a couple of weeks from now. There will be a lot of stakeholders across Iowa keeping an eye on this one as the regular season winds down. Though undefeated, Bodurant-Farrar hasn’t experienced quite the same strength of schedule their adversary has. Indianola dropped a disappointing one to Norwalk, but has defeated Lewis Central and Ankeny Centennial; they are battle tested. The Bluejays’ best win to date came a month ago against Pella. This contest will feature two offenses that are loaded with talent and two defenses who might be on their heels trying to find answers. Quarterback Colby Collison Colby Collison 6'3" | 185 lbs | QB Bondurant-Farrar | 2023 State IA and Running Back Titus Cram Titus Cram 6'1" | 190 lbs | RB Bondurant-Farrar | 2024 State IA have been an unstoppable duo so far this year. The formula of Cram pounding the rock to soften up coverage and Collison efficiently picking it apart has worked like a charm. Statistically speaking the Bluejays have been the most efficient offense in 4A so far averaging 43 points a contest. Bennett Brueck, Kael Kolarik Kael Kolarik 6'0" | 205 lbs | DB Indianola | 2022 State IA , and Drew Kingery and the rest of the Indians’ offense aren’t far behind at 40 points per game and will without a doubt test the Bluejays like no other team has. Cameron Meislahn and John Powers John Powers 6'2" | 195 lbs | LB Bondurant-Farrar | 2023 State IA are an outstanding Linebacker tandem, maybe the best in 4A, and they can prove it in week 8. Maintaining their standard of play will be a hard task. The same can be said for the Indians defense. Carter Erickson and Walker Whalen Walker Whalen 6'3" | 210 lbs | DL Indianola | 2022 IA are a couple of the best around, but stifling the Bluejays’ attack just might not be possible.
Prep Redzone Iowa’s Pick: Indianola
Nevada at Humboldt
There will be no shortage of offensive weapons as two teams, the Nevada Cubs and Humboldt Wildcats, square off in what should be a week 8 barn burner. Humboldt’s Quarterback Caden Matson Caden Matson 6'0" | 185 lbs | QB Humboldt | 2022 State IA leads all of 3A in total touchdowns with 32. He is second in the class in both passing yards and passing touchdowns. He has been a model of dynamic play all year turning in one electric performance after another. Nevada’s James Edwards is in that same category. He is second in 3A in total touchdowns with 26, second in rushing touchdowns with 16, and fifth in rushing yards with 826. The Quarterback duel in this contest is elite. Matson and Edwards have some of the most dangerous skill players in Iowa around them. Three top five Wide Receivers in 3A will be featured in this game; expect a ton of points to be scored. Humboldt’s Will Orness, 707 yards and 12 touchdowns, is an outstanding possession receiver and Jacob Heier who is a great downfield target, 609 yards and 8 touchdowns, have been unstoppable. Nevada’s Caeden DaSilva has totalled 604 yards and 8 touchdowns; he is one of the best vertical threats around. Both programs also have Sophomore Running Backs who are making names for themselves. Cason Stevenson of Nevada and Lance Coon of Humboldt have given these high-flying offenses an extra dimension and even more for opposing defenses to have to worry about. Don’t forget about Tight End Carson Rhodes Carson Rhodes 6'7" | 245 lbs | TE Nevada | 2023 State IA , a top recruit out of Nevada, either. This isn’t to say there is a shortage of talent on defense. Humboldt’s Tanner McKimmey and Nolan Lammers Nolan Lammers 5'10" | 180 lbs | LB Humboldt | 2022 IA are capable of big performances. Nevada’s Connor Schnettgoecke and Cael Franzen are, too. Their ability to manufacture turnovers could make the difference.
Prep Redzone Iowa’s Pick: Humboldt
Greene County at Clarke
The 6-1 Greene County Rams will look to stay hot and keep their winning streak alive in week 8 when they pay a visit to the 5-2 Clarke Indians. Since their close week 1 loss the Rams have been on a tear defeating their opponents by almost 40 points per game. A big reason for that has been the play of Rams’ Quarterback Bryce Stalder Bryce Stalder 6'0" | 165 lbs | QB Greene County | 2022 IA who has accounted for 24 total touchdowns and over 1,500 total yards. Stalder leads a balanced attack and the Rams do an impressive job of allocating carries and sharing targets to a number of players. He leads the team in rushing, but is just one of five ball carriers to have taken at least 20 carries. The Rams have depth and ability and they know how to use it. Among those playmakers is one of the most electric you will find on offense, defense, and special teams in Iowa: Jackson Morton Jackson Morton 6'2" | 160 lbs | DB Greene County | 2022 IA . The 6’1 athlete does it all and Greene County has found plenty of ways to maximize his abilities; he has 549 yards of offense, 11 total touchdowns, and 31 tackles on the year. He commands a lot of attention on offense and rightfully so. Morton is part of a defensive unit that has forced 21 turnovers this year and only allows 5 points per game. This team has the right kind of recipe for a long playoff run. Morton is joined on that defense by Richard Daugherty Richard Daugherty 6'0" | 150 lbs | DB Greene County | 2023 IA and Bradyn Smith Bradyn Smith 6'0" | 220 lbs | LB Greene County | 2022 IA who have been nothing short of a shut down unit. Clarke has some talent of their own in the form of players like Lineman Spruceton Buddenhagen Spruceton Buddenhagen 6'6" | 270 lbs | OL Clarke | 2022 State IA and Receiver and Defensive Back Kamis Bulis. The Indians feature a lot of athleticism across the board that has led to their success. A signature win would all but guarantee a spot in the 2A playoffs, while a loss could leave them in an unpredictable scenario.
Prep Redzone Iowa’s Pick: Greene County
ACGC at Van Meter
It would appear that, to at least anyone who took a look at the schedules before the season started, that the ACGC Chargers and Van Meter Bulldogs have been on a collision course since week 1. Both teams are undefeated and have collected impressive wins over larger schools and destroyed everyone else in their path. ACGC’s week 1 win over Greene County and Van Meter’s week 3 win over Winterset were signature victories and a couple of the more impressive wins Iowa has witnessed this year. Both teams feature outstanding lead backs; Dalten Van Pelt Dalten Van Pelt 5'11" | 190 lbs | RB Van Meter | 2022 State IA of Van Meter and Gavin Cornelison Gavin Cornelison 5'11" | 210 lbs | LB AC/GC | 2022 IA of ACGC. Van Pelt has totalled 909 yards from scrimmage and found the end zone 18 times. Cornelison has rushed for 1,227 and 23 scores. This game will feature a very heavy dose of running the football that will require a lot of toughness and discipline to slow down. Van Pelt shares carries with Quarterback Jack Pettit Jack Pettit 6'1" | 185 lbs | QB Van Meter | 2022 IA , who is also a very efficient passer and adds an element that ACGC doesn’t necessarily have. Chris Schreck Chris Schreck 5'11" | 155 lbs | WR Van Meter | 2022 IA and Gannon Archer are impressive athletes and reliable targets for Pettit when the Bulldogs decide to open it up. Cornelison shares the Chargers’ Wing T backfield with Quarterback Brock Littler and Wings Cayden Jensen and Charlie Crawford Charlie Crawford 5'10" | 160 lbs | RB AC/GC | 2022 IA ; together they have rushed for over 2,500 yards. Van Meter defenders Casey Trudo Casey Trudo 6'2" | 195 lbs | DL Van Meter | 2022 State IA , Ben Gilliland Ben Gilliland 6'0" | 175 lbs | LB Van Meter | 2023 IA , Lincoln Olsen, and Reese Moore Reese Moore 5'10" | 200 lbs | RB Forest City | 2022 IA are tough and they will need to be. It isn’t always possible to scheme against an offense like ACGC’s; sometimes it just comes down to being more physical and winning one on one’s. Similarly, are the Chargers built to defend Van Meter’s Spread? Cornelison, Jensen, and other standouts like Reid Rumelhart will make it interesting.
Prep Redzone Iowa’s Pick: Van Meter
North Butler at West Hancock
It is hard to lose a football game when you give up an average of less than a touchdown per contest. That is the case for the undefeated North Butler Bearcats and the undefeated West Hancock Eagles who have given up less than 100 total points on the season combined. Chet Buss Chet Buss 6'2" | 240 lbs | DL North Butler | 2022 IA , more often than not, wrecks everything at the line of scrimmage before the play even has a chance of developing and that is where it stops. He has 51.5 Tackles, 3 Sacks, and 14 TFL on the year; all that from the Defensive Line. On the chance he doesn’t get to the ball there are impressive players like Tanner Arjes there to clean it up. Teams have had some success moving the ball here and there, but the Bearcats just don’t break and find ways to end drives. Kane Zuehl Kane Zuehl 5'11" | 170 lbs | DB West Hancock | 2022 IA , Rylan Barnes, and the rest of the West Hancock defense has been just as dominant. Not a single team they have played through seven weeks has been able to crack 200 total yards of offense; the Eagles make quick work of their opponents and get the ball back in the hands of their offense as often as possible. Expect these defenses to be ready, too, as both programs take a run heavy approach on offense. This contest has the makings to be a stalemate; tune in if you love defense. This will come down to whose Offensive Line can step up because each team has plenty of skill and ability in their backfield. Both programs have rushed for over 2,000 yards on the season and only thrown for about 250. The Logan Leerar led Eagles like to pound the rock out of a Double Tight or X Open Wing T look. Corbin Lewis and the Bearcats offense run some Wing T Open out of Gun and Doubles. Who will be able to break through first?
Prep Redzone Iowa’s Pick: West Hancock
Easton Valley at Kee
The colossal 8-player contests just keep on coming week after week; the Regular season concludes with the Kee Kee Hawks hosting the Easton Valley River Hawks. Both programs are undefeated and looking to maintain their perfect record to earn the best possible playoff seed in an extremely competitive 2021 field. Easton Valley’s biggest win so far came right off the bat in week 1 in a blowout victory over Don Bosco, a team many were high on heading into the year. That set the tone for the River Hawks’ season and they have stacked huge wins week after week on their way to 7-0. They currently lead all of 8-player football with an average margin of victory of 55 points; nobody has even come close to keeping things competitive. Quarterback Conor Gruver Conor Gruver 6'1" | 165 lbs | QB Easton Valley | 2022 State IA is a big reason for that success. He is one of 8-player’s true passing Quarterbacks and he certainly can sling it; he has thrown 29 touchdowns to just 3 interceptions. Gruver distributes the ball pretty evenly to Carson Fuegen Carson Fuegen 5'9" | 150 lbs | WR Easton Valley | 2023 IA and Hayden Felkey Hayden Felkey 6'3" | 165 lbs | DL Easton Valley | 2023 IA . He has even found his brother, Aidan Gruver four times for touchdowns. Their attack is balanced and keeps defenses on their toes. Running Backs Charlie Simpson and Andin Farrell split carries and have combined for nearly 1,000 yards on the season. The River Hawks have only given up 62 points all season, which is outstanding regardless of classification, but especially excellent in the 8-player world. Kee will make this competitive and put both teams in unfamiliar territory. Kee Hawk Damon Weber Damon Weber 5'10" | 190 lbs | QB Kee | 2022 IA is an outstanding athlete playing Quarterback and Safety. Dalton Dibert is one impressive Wide Receiver and Corner. The duo can and will need to account for a lot of production on both sides of the ball to come out on top.
Prep Redzone Iowa’s Pick: Easton Valley