Sent weekly directly to your inbox!
Assumption's Angelo Jackson runs the ball during a game against North Scott two weeks ago. The Knights look to end a three-game losing skid Friday at Central DeWitt.
Basics: Approx. 7:30 p.m., Birney Field, DeWitt
Last week: Assumption surrendered 256 rushing yards on the road in a 35-10 loss to Solon. Central DeWitt fell at home to Marion, 20-13.
Last meeting: Assumption 41, Central DeWitt 10 (2021)
Overview: This is the Class 3A district opener for both teams. Assumption has won all seven meetings between the schools since 2016, including five by 14 points or more. The Knights have dropped three straight since beating seventh-ranked Independence in the opener. Central DeWitt has lost its top tailback (Ben Pace) and quarterback (Paul Kuehn) to injuries each of the past two weeks. Junior Michael Cabrera, the Sabers' leading tackler, filled in last week and rushed for 73 yards on 13 carries. Assumption has given up 31 or more points in each of the last three games, something its defense did just twice all of last season.
Basics: Approx. 7:15 p.m., TouVelle Stadium, Bettendorf
Last week: Central mustered only 130 total yards in a 42-0 loss to Davenport West. Bettendorf squandered a 10-point lead in an 18-17 home defeat to Cedar Rapids Prairie.
Overview: It has been 32 years since Central beat Bettendorf in football. The Blue Devils, in fact, haven't played the Bulldogs to a single-score game since 2010. Junior quarterback Tatum Roselle has thrown for 254 yards and rushed for a team-high 184 yards for Central, which beat Cedar Rapids Jefferson two weeks ago. Ben Strang has four sacks to lead Central's defense. Bettendorf has not started 0-5 since 1964. The Bulldogs are allowing an uncharacteristic 239 yards a game on the ground and have only one sack on the season. Linebacker Aiden Maurer is among the top tacklers in 5A with 40.5 stops.
Basics: Approx. 7:15 p.m., Brady Street Stadium
Last week: PV won its homecoming game with a 49-9 rout over Muscatine. North dropped a 42-7 home tilt to Iowa City West.
Overview: For a North team which lost the bulk of its defense from a year ago, this is a daunting task. PV is the top-ranked team in Class 5A this week and has outscored opponents 132-22 in four games. The Spartans average 274 yards a game on the ground and their starting defense has yielded one touchdown. PV has passed only 24 times but completed 15 of those for 226 yards and six scores. Poor starts have hindered the Wildcats, who have been outscored 88-14 in the first half this season. North has thrown five picks and lost five fumbles. North's top eight tacklers are comprised of seven juniors and a sophomore.
Basics: Approx. 7:15 p.m., Liberty High School, North Liberty
Last week: North Scott saw its 15-game regular-season win streak snapped by No. 2 Cedar Rapids Xavier 17-0. Liberty pounded Clear Creek Amana 55-7.
Last meeting: North Scott 21, Liberty 0 (2021)
Overview: This is the district opener and it could go a long way in deciding the winner of this district. North Scott is ranked fifth in Class 4A and Liberty seventh. The Lancers are looking to rebound after getting shut out for the first time in seven years last week. Liberty has wins over Iowa City High, Linn-Mar and CCA mixed in with a 36-30 loss to Western Dubuque. Both teams feature dynamic junior QBs — North Scott's Kyler Gerardy (630 passing yards, 498 rushing) and Liberty's Graham Beckman (970 passing yards, 9 scores). It is homecoming for the Lightning, who are seeking their first win in four tries against the Lancers.
Basics: Approx. 7:15 p.m., UNI-Dome, Cedar Falls
Last week: Muscatine lost at Pleasant Valley 49-9. Cedar Falls stumbled on the road to Ankeny Centennial 28-14.
Last meeting: Cedar Falls 42, Muscatine 7 (2021)
Overview: The Muskies make their longest road trip of the season with a two-hour trek to the UNI-Dome. Running back Ty Cozad is second in Class 5A in rushing with 793 yards. He had 81 yards against PV before getting dinged and leaving the game. His status is uncertain. Cedar Falls is looking to snap a two-game skid after losses to Prairie and Centennial. The Tigers are averaging 152 yards a game on the ground and 76 through the air. This is the second of three straight homecoming games for the Muskies — PV last week, Cedar Falls on Friday and then their own next week against Dubuque Hempstead.
Basics: Approx. 7:15 p.m., Bracewell Stadium, Burlington
Last week: Clinton dropped a 44-36 tilt on the road to Maquoketa. Burlington throttled Ottumwa on the road 42-7.
Overview: Offense has not been the primary concern for the River Kings, who are averaging 28.5 points and 375 yards per game. QB Addison Binnie is seventh in 4A in total yards with 1,064. Getting stops, though, has been a challenge for Clinton after allowing 27 points to Davenport Central, 37 to Central DeWitt and 44 to Maquoketa. Since a season-opening loss to Washington, Burlington has wins over Keokuk (35-21), Oskaloosa (20-3) and Ottumwa. Burlington has thrown only 18 passes, but it averages 290 yards a game on the ground. Clinton is allowing just 89 rushing yards a game.
Basics: 7 p.m., Soule Bowl, East Moline
Last week: Rock Island got off to a bad start in its eventual 49-24 loss to Moline. UT lost its fourth straight with a 49-14 defeat at Quincy.
Last meeting: Rock Island 40, United Township 6 (2021)
Overview: Rock Island allowed over 300 rushing yards in its loss to Moline. The Rocks turned it over four times and trailed 20-3 after the first quarter. Rocky found its footing in the second quarter but was outscored 29-7 to end the game. Senior running back Quonterrion Brooks ran for 138 yards and found the end zone, but quarterback Conner DiIulio struggled with three interceptions. UT, looking for its first win, allowed 373 passing yards to Quincy quarterback Bradyn Little. UT quarterback Matthew Kelley ran it in from five yards to tie the game with 51 seconds before half against Quincy, but the Blue Devils outscored the Panthers 42-7 from that point on.
Basics: 7 p.m., Roscoe Eades Stadium, Sterling
Last week: Geneseo displayed stout defense in its 21-7 win over Galesburg. Sterling dominated from start to finish in its 69-0 win over Alleman.
Overview: Geneseo has already matched its win total from a season ago before the halfway point of the 2022 campaign. And on top of that, it beat two teams that were losses last year (United Township and Galesburg) by two or more possessions. AJ Weller had three total touchdowns and ran for over 150 yards against Galesburg last Friday in a game that major offensive weapons Jaden Weinzierl and Conner Helke were in limited roles because of injury. Geneseo has allowed 19 points in its first two WB6 matchups but will go on the road to a Sterling team it hasn’t beat since 2014. Sterling scored six touchdowns in the second quarter of its win against Alleman and finished the game with over 350 yards and forced six turnovers.
Overview: Alleman forfeited its matchup with Moline earlier this week because of injuries. Up to four Pioneer offensive linemen could have been out against the Maroons, and Alleman decided it wasn’t a safe situation. Alleman coach Fritz Dieudonne said the team plans to play next week at home against Geneseo. Moline will host United Township next Friday.
Sent weekly directly to your inbox!
Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
Sports editor, with my emphasis on covering the Mississippi Athletic Conference and Iowa area high schools. I've been in sports journalism for 22 years, the last 10 at the Q-C Times.
Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
In one of the most disheartening losses, the Bettendorf football program has reached a point it has not been at in nearly five decades.
Alleman High School football will forfeit its game against Moline on Friday because injuries have led to low numbers on the offensive line. Read more:
For the first time since new episodes of ALF were airing on television, Davenport West is 4-0 to start a football season.
Cedar Rapids Xavier used a suffocating defense and two long pass plays to trip up North Scott on Friday night, 17-0.
Pleasant Valley specialized in efficiency Friday night.
Moline's Riley Fuller ran for 262 yards and five touchdowns in the Maroons' 49-24 victory over Rock Island on Friday. Moline forced five turnovers and outscored the Rocks 29-7 to end the game.
The Pleasant Valley football team's starting defense has surrendered just one touchdown in the first four games of the season.
Davenport West came up with five turnovers to beat Dubuque Hempstead 14-7 Thursday night at Brady Street Stadium.
A look at the ballot Quad-City Times sports editor Matt Coss submitted for this week's Iowa high school Associated Press prep football poll:
Assumption's Angelo Jackson runs the ball during a game against North Scott two weeks ago. The Knights look to end a three-game losing skid Friday at Central DeWitt.
Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device.