NW Iowa HS Football Game Predictions

Welcome to Week #4 across the great state of Iowa! There are three real good games in my neck of the woods over here in NW Iowa. Here are my thoughts on each contest and there will be talent on all three fields to keep an eye on tonight!   FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS SHOWCASE GAME SC North (2-1) @ Bishop Heelan (0-3) Kickoff: 7:00 PM Memorial Field Radio: Fox Sports Radio 620 AM   The Crusaders of head coach Jon LaFleur will play host to the North Stars this Friday night. The Crusaders fell at Spencer 31-7 last Friday and the Stars are coming off a 45-22 win over Des Moines North. This Friday night is a pivotal contest for both teams. The Stars of head coach Mitch Mohr are looking for back-to-back wins and continue to carry momentum forward as conference play has begun. The Stars offense has played well except for the loss to SC East in which the Black Raiders controlled the line of scrimmage. Stars senior QB [player_tooltip player_id='246725' first='Carson' last='Strohbeen'] has done a respectable job early on leading the offense. Strohbeen has passed for (425) yards and tossed (5) touchdowns and has not turned the ball over through the air.   Strohbeen has a key weapon in junior WR/RB [player_tooltip player_id='156577' first='Dayton' last='Harrell'] who has (10) receptions for (78) yards and (2) scores. Senior WR Lucius Pinney has (6) receptions for (111) yards and is another good passing target. Stars junior RB [player_tooltip player_id='320855' first='Demarico' last='Young'] has been electric at the start of the season rushing for (404) yards and (4) scores. Senior offensive left guard [player_tooltip player_id='320673' first='Chase' last='Keller'] has done a good job run blocking to help open the running game for the Stars. The Stars defense will be without senior DE [player_tooltip player_id='320671' first='Beau' last='Johnson'] the team leaders in tackles with (17.5) due to a hand injury. Senior LB Braden McClain (15.5) stops and (4.0) TFL will be counted on defensively. A pair of cornerbacks in junior Henry Jaerger (14.5) stops, and senior Luke Soldati (12.5) tackles will need to have an impact for the Stars.   The Crusader offense is led by junior QB Quinn Olson who has passed for (287) yards so far this season and brings a rushing dimension to the offense with (31) carries for (107) yards. The main targets in the passing game for Olson has been junior TE [player_tooltip player_id='431418' first='Kannon' last='Bork'] (8) catches for (84) yards and RB Sir Brandon Watts with (8) receptions for (73) yards. The Crusaders will also look to get their running game going with [player_tooltip player_id='105507' first='Isaiah' last='Favors'] and Watts.   The Crusader defense is led by senior Radyn Neal (14.0) tackles and Joey Fitzsimmons (13.0) tackles. Junior DE [player_tooltip player_id='431418' first='Kannon' last='Bork'] has been solid with (12.5) tackles and (1.5) TFL. Junior cornerback [player_tooltip player_id='378942' first='Max' last='Delaney'] has played well in the secondary with (10.5) stops and senior John Halbur (10.5) with (2.5) TFL has been solid at defensive tackle.   ANALYSIS: This will be a good game. The Stars have a very good run game, and it appeared that the Crusaders turned a bit of a corner last week as the offensive line started to gel. The loss of senior DE [player_tooltip player_id='320671' first='Beau' last='Johnson'] due to injury is a tough loss for the Stars defensively. I feel this will be a four-quarter ball game. If it is tight coming down the stretch each team has a capable field goal kicker with [player_tooltip player_id='320674' first='Jack' last='Lloyd'] of the Stars and George Tsibanos of the Crusaders.   PREDICTION STARS: 21 CRUSADERS: 17     SERGEANT BLUFF (0-3) @ SIOUX CITY EAST (3-0) KICKOFF: 7:00 PM RADIO: 1360 KSCJ (JUSTIN BARKER)   The Warriors of head coach Justin Smith fought hard last week against a high caliber Harlan football team but came up short on the scoreboard 42-14. The Black Raiders of first year head coach Mike Winklepleck made another statement last week with a 52-17 victory over LeMars. Should be an interesting contest tomorrow night at Olsen Stadium.   The Warriors will be looking to senior Scott Kroll to handle the QB duties as senior [player_tooltip player_id='104079' first='Tyler' last='Smith'] completes his suspension this Friday night and will be available next week as the Warriors travel to take on Sioux Center. Kroll has passed for (167) yards so far and his backup sophomore Brayden Kerr has passed for (131) yards. Sophomore RB [player_tooltip player_id='1529022' first='Zayvion' last='Ellington'] (41) carries for (185) yards and (3) scores has been a feature piece of the offense so far. The top receiving targets have been senior [player_tooltip player_id='320661' first='Jake' last='Hamilton'] with (8) receptions for (47) yards and junior Aiden Buckholtz (10) catches for (37) yards. The Warrior defense has been led by senior linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='320662' first='Garrett' last='McHugh'] (15.0) tackles and junior Carter McCrory with (14.0) stops. Senior [player_tooltip player_id='247881' first='Tylar' last='Lutgen'] has been solid up front defensively with (12.0) tackles and (2.5) TFL along with senior Jacob Hoffman (8.5) tackles form a good duo on the interior for the Warriors.   The Black Raiders are led offensively by senior QB [player_tooltip player_id='300098' first='Cole' last='Ritchie'] completing (72%) of his passes for (770) yards and (3) scores. The main downfield threat for Ritchie has been senior WR [player_tooltip player_id='152853' first='Kelynn' last='Jacobsen'] who is coming off an (18) catch performance last week and has (29) receptions on the season for (378) yards and one score. Senior WR Destiny Adams is emerging as a solid #2 receiver with (9) catches for (87) yards. A couple other targets producing include WR Preston Dobbs and TE Lincoln Colling. The running game is led by senior [player_tooltip player_id='24025' first='Brady' last='Wavrunek'] (19) carries for (182) yards and (5) touchdowns. Brecken Schossow has also performed well in the backfield having rushed for (97) yards and (5) scores. The Black Raider defense has overwhelmed opponents recently led by senior DE [player_tooltip player_id='105144' first='Nick' last='Wells'] (26.0) tackles and (13.5) TFL and senior DT [player_tooltip player_id='247875' first='Cale' last='Pittenger'] with (15.0) tackles and (7.5) TFL. The linebackers have been flowing freely to the football as Wavrunek (26.5) tackles leads the team and Brecken Schossow (11.0) tackles have led the way. The defensive secondary has performed well with [player_tooltip player_id='247910' first='Dalyn' last='Tope'], Dane Milton and [player_tooltip player_id='434095' first='Carter' last='Reekers'].   ANALYSIS: The Warriors have played an unbelievable schedule so far having faced Central Lyon and Harlan two heavy weights in high school football. The Warriors have historically had success verses the Black Raiders defensively, but the Warriors are without QB [player_tooltip player_id='104079' first='Tyler' last='Smith'] who would impact the outcome of this game. I do expect the Warriors to defend the Black Raiders, but it will be tough sledding against a very good Black Raider defense that will flip field position for their talented offense.   PREDICTION: BLACK RAIDERS 34 WARRIORS 13   WESTWOOD (2-1) @ LAWTON-BRONSON (2-1)   KICKOFF: 7:00 PM The Westwood Rebels of head coach Cass Burkhart take their battering ram run game over to Lawton- Bronson who is celebrating homecoming this weekend. Both teams are coming in off a loss. The Rebels lost 14-6 last week against Logan-Magnolia and the Eagles of head coach Jason Garnand dropped a 35-0 contest to LeMars Gehlen. This game matches two teams of contrasting styles. The Rebels operate on the ground and the Eagles can soar to the end-zone quickly with a capable passing game.   The Rebels are a one-man wrecking crew with prolific senior RB Jackson DeWald who has carried the ball (83) times already for (674) yards and (7) touchdowns. The Rebels attack one way only and that is on the ground, but they can be difficult to stop as they will be looking to control time of possession with Dewald toting the rock. The defense is led by Dewald (26.0) tackles at linebacker and he gets help from junior Devin Labrune (21.0) stops and seniors Bryson Martindale (13.5) tackles and senior Thomas Heilman (12.5) tackles.   “We must take care of the football first and foremost. We have to control clock and possessions as they are very explosive offensively. This is a huge game in the district as the Eagles are (1-0) and we already have a district loss,” stated coach Burkhart.   The Eagles offense is triggered by junior QB Braden Heiss who has thrown for (773) yards and (9) touchdowns. The main receiving targets on offense are sophomore Louden Grimsley (15) catches for (224) yards and (3) scores. Brayden Williams (13) receptions for (83) yards and (1) score. Junior Caleb Garnand (13) catches for (174) yards and (4) touchdowns. Speedy senior Jesse Oehlerking has (6) catches for (174) yards and a score.   Defensively, the Eagles are led by sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='1418222' first='Marcus' last='Silva'] (17.5) tackles and (6.0) TFL. Cowan Jaminet has performed well at linebacker with (15.5) tackles. “We are 1-0 in the district. This game is of high importance in possible seedings come later in the season. The kids are aware that we cannot stumble like we did last week. We cannot afford to drop our homecoming game or fun football is out the door and immense pressure begins,” stated Coach Garnand.   PREDICTION EAGLES 27 REBELS 19

Welcome to Week #4 across the great state of Iowa! There are three real good games in my neck of the woods over here in NW Iowa. Here are my thoughts on each contest and there will be talent on all three fields to keep an eye on tonight!