Huge Week 1 in small school football

The first week of high school football is about as action-packed as you can get. The area’s small school slate is full of excitement with ranked vs. ranked games, a heated rivalry and a game between two of Southeast Iowa’s best from last season.

Cardinal (0-0) at Pekin (0-0)

The Panthers host the Comets for another chapter in a fierce rivalry that really heated up in the 2020 playoffs when Cardinal knocked Pekin out of the postseason and ended a decades long dominance by the Panthers.

In the last matchup between the two teams, the Comets thrashed the Panthers 70-19. Both teams will be debuting a lot of new talent when the two teams clash.

No. 5 (A) Columbus (0-0) at Mediapolis (0-0)

Star running back Kaden Amigon and the Columbus Wildcats will enter the 2023 season off the heals of a 8-2 campaign in 2022. The Wildcats won their first seven games last year before their first loss.

Columbus does bring big back a few big pieces from last year, but the hosting Bulldogs are no slouch either. Mediapolis was 8-2 last season as well, and looks to be strong this year, despite the loss of a huge chunk of their dominant running game from last season.

No. 4 Winfield-Mount Union at No. 3 Central City

The fourth-ranked team in Class 8-Player is absolutely loaded with returning talent from last year’s 6-4 squad, and that sets up a clash of Top-5 teams as WMU visits Central City on Friday night.

The Wolves, led by all-around star Cam Buffington (35 touchdowns) last season, tight end Abram Edwards (392 receiving yards, 4 TDs) and quarterback Cole Milks (723 passing yards, 11 TDs), will take on a Central City squad that returns the bulk of a dominant rushing attack that helped the Wildcats finish 8-2 last year.

No. 7 Fremont Mills — 10 WACO (Des Moines, Saturday)

Speaking of Class 8-Player, there is another big game going on one day after the rest of the area teams go at it, and that one involves the highly-touted WACO Warriors.

One year after making the 8-Player state championship, 10th-ranked WACO will have their own Top-10 battle against No. 7 Fremont-Mills in Des Moines on Saturday.

The Knights are certainly a formidable opponent, having gone 8-3 last season. WACO, led by returners Louden Huisenga (463 rushing yards, 11 TDs) and Colton Leichty (90 tackles, 17 sacks) will try to prove they’re still one of the best 8-Player teams in the state of Iowa.

North Cedar (0-0) at Highland (0-0)

The 2022 season didn’t go quite as planned for the Huskies, who will try to look for their first win since Oct. 15, 2021, when North Cedar comes into town.

North Cedar went 1-8 last year, with its only win being a 36-19 homecoming win over the Huskies, but it’s going to be a lot tougher this year, as the Huskies bring back a load of talent, including junior quarterback Sage Hartley-Norman, who led the team with 550 passing years, 490 rushing yards and 10 total touchdowns last season.

No. 4 (1A) Sigourney-Keota (0-0) at PCM (0-0)

Sigourney-Keota could be the best team in the Union coverage area. The Cobras went 8-3 last year after an 0-2 start and bring loads of talent back in 2023.

SK returns second-leading rusher Isaac Bruns (500 yards, 4 TDs) as well as Sawyer Stout (620 yards, 9 TDs), and plenty more, but that doesn’t mean Friday night’s game will be a cake walk. PCM is one of the best teams in Class 2A, having earned nine votes in the Gazette’s preseason poll, planting the Mustangs just one spot out of the Top-10.

Central Lee (0-0) at Van Buren County (0-0)

Van Buren County certainly lost a load of talent from last year’s 3-5 squad, but the Warriors will be looking for four wins in four years against a close-quartered rival.

VBC defeated Central Lee in a 22-20 thriller last year, but the Hawks return plenty of talent and will be a tough out on Friday night.

Wilton (0-0) at Mid-Prairie (0-0)

Football season in Wellman is underway, as the Golden Hawks host a Wilton team it hasn’t faced since a 40-6 Golden Hawks drubbing in 2019.

Mid-Prairie is coming off a 6-4 season last year. Wilton was 4-4, but the Beavers return a much bigger portion of talent from last season’s campaign.

Friday night will be the debut o head coach Daren Lambert, who takes over the football squad in 2023.

New London (0-0) at Easton Valley (0-0)

New London looks to burst into action under a new head coach as well, as Dominick Loyd takes over at the helm to lead the Tigers.

New London comes into the game after going 6-4 last season, although the Tigers will need to make up for the loss of their quarterback, four leading rushers and four leading pass-catchers.

Easton Valley had quite the squad last year, going 7-2, but the River Hawks were also gutted by graduation this spring.