Playoff football pairings released in 8P, Class A

Playoff football is here. For Classes 2A and below that is.

The Iowa High School Athletic Association released first round playoff pairings Saturday morning. Four area teams will take the field next Friday in the round of 32.

BGM qualified in Class A, and Belle Plaine, Iowa Valley and Montezuma did so in 8-player.

Here’s a quick look at each area team’s opponent.

8-PLAYER

East Union (6-2) at Montezuma (6-2)

A quick look at the opponent: East Union finished runner-up in 8-player District 8 with a 6-2 record. The Eagles have shown a lot of balance offensively this season, passing for 1,353 yards (23 TDs) and rushing for 1,492 yards (26 TDs). The team utilizes a lot of different players on offense. The Eagles and Montezuma did have one common opponent this season. East Union lost to Wayne 30-28 in the season opener, while the Braves defeated Wayne 63-20 in district play.

East Union players to watch: 1. Braxdyn Tucker — team’s leading passer with 1,009 yards and 19 TDs. Also has 418 rushing yards. 2. Wyatt Kelley — Leading rusher with 665 yards and 12 TDs. Also is the team’s leading tackler with 57 on the season. 3. Morgan Cooley — Has 12 tackles for loss on the season and is a key lineman on both sides of the ball.

Moravia (5-3) at Iowa Valley (8-0)

A quick look at the opponent: As one of two wild card teams, Moravia is theoretically the 31st or 32nd ranked team in the 8-player playoff field. The Mohawks finished fourth in District 7, with no wins over any other playoff team. Moravia fell to Montezuma 48-6 earlier this season, while Iowa Valley defeated the Braves in a 83-64 shootout. The Mohawks prefer to run the ball (1,675 yards), but trying to open things up via the pass may be their best bet to get any offense going against a Tigers’ starting unit that has limited most teams they’ve played this season.

Moravia players to watch: 1. Kale Moore— The offense runs through Moore who has 1,217 passing yards, 432 rushing yards and 24 total TDs. 2. Declan DeJong— Team’s top receiver by a good margin with 28 catches and 591 yards. Also leads the team with 12 tackles for loss. 3. Luke Long — Has 6 TDs on offense, but makes his biggest impact on defense and special teams. Has 64 1/2 tackles to lead the team and 470 kick return yards.

Belle Plaine (4-4) at Easton Valley (7-1)

A quick look at the opponent: Easton Valley finished runner-up in District 4 to undefeated Edgewood-Colesburg. In terms of total offensive yards, Easton Valley has been the best in 8-player this season with 4,233 yards, ahead of area teams such as Iowa Valley and Montezuma, that are also in the top five. The River Hawks have one of the more potent passing attacks you’ll see in 8-player, with an impressive 1,915 yards and 32 TDs. Easton Valley is no slouch on defense either with 14 interceptions and 54 1/2 tackles for loss.

Easton Valley player to watch: 1. Callan Messerich — The top receiver in the class, and by a wide margin. Has 67 catches, 1,133 yards and 18 TDs. Effective on both sides with 54 tackles and 6 interceptions on defense. 2. Keagan Lee — Responsible for slinging it to Messerich, Lee’s 8-1 TD to interception is quite impressive, highlighting the QB’s efficiency. Also lead’s the team in rushing and has 16 rushing scores. 3. Kinnik Ritchie — A key role player on both sides. Four receiving TDs to go along with 5 1/2 sacks and 32 tackles.

CLASS A

BGM (6-2) at Riverside (6-2)

A quick look at the opponent: No. 9 ranked Riverside finished runner-up in Class A District 7. The Bulldogs are coming off a loss to No. 3 ACGC. Riverside does their damage on the ground, leading the class in rushing yards with 2,691. Both the Bulldogs and BGM are top five in several offensive statistics. Riverside has shown the ability to pass, but their identity will be to keep it on the ground.

Riverside players to watch: 1. Jaxon Gordon — Leads the class in all purpose yards and rushing yards (1,961). Has 55 more carries than the next closest player in Class A, so the Bulldogs rely heavily on Gordon. 2. Cole Jeppesen — When the team does pass, Jeppesen is the top target with 460 yards and 6 TDs. 3. Wyatt Bell — Second on the team in tackles (28), while leading in tackles for loss (12) and sacks (7).