Small school preview: Golden Hawks, Cobras do battle

The area’s small school football teams are all in action this weekend as non-district play continues for most classes, and 8-Player jumps into district play for the first time.

Sigourney-Keota (0-1) at Mid-Prairie (1-0)

The Golden Hawks come in looking for a 2-0 start as the Cobras look to bounce back from a tough loss at home last week.

It should be a battle of the ground games as usual, as both teams relay heavily on the run. Mid-Prairie’s Braden Hartley went for 198 yards and two touchdowns in the running game last week. Sigourney-Keota’s Cole Clarahan ran for 122 yards and a score.

Columbus (1-0) at Highland (0-1)

Highland hopes that home sweet home will help the team bounce back from a tough 54-point defeat at East Buchanan next week, as they welcome in a familiar foe in Columbus.

The Wildcats proved last week that they were for real, stomping Louisa-Muscatine in Game 1. Triston Miller comes in after running for 172 yards and one touchdown in just seven rushing attempts last Friday.

Alburnett (1-0) at Pekin (1-0)

One week removed from a 20-0 win over rival Cardinal, the Panthers have their hands full with a home game against an Alburnett team that currently sits one spot out of the Top-10 in The Gazette’s class A poll.

Luke Long stepped in at quarterback and led the Panthers with 62 passing yards and two touchdowns, as well as 70 yards on the ground last week. The Pekin defense will try to contain Alburnett receiver Grayson Carolan, who burned North Linn for 105 yards and a touchdown receiving last season.

Central Lee (0-1) at Cardinal (0-1)

The Comets couldn’t get it done in Packwood last week, but they’ll hope to bounce back against a Central Lee team that fell 22-20 against Van Buren County last week.

Cardinal’s Carson Kenney ran for 46 yards and threw for 30 in Week 1. Central Lee running back Chase Johnson went for 130 rushing yards and two touchdowns in a loss.

Davis County (0-1) at Van Buren County (1-0)

A senior-led Van Buren County squad looks for a 2-0 start, and a little revenge on a Davis County team that has dominated this matchup in the last four years.

Van Buren County quarterback Jackson Manning threw for 104 yards and two touchdowns in last week’s two-point win. Anthony Duncan had 74 yards receiving and Sam Warth ran for 41 yards and a score.

The Warriors will look to contain Mustang quarterback Carter Will, who ran for 94 yards and a touchdown in last week’s blowout loss against PCM, to go along with 45 passing yards.

HLV (0-1) at No. 2 WACO (2-0)

The second-ranked team in Class 8-Player has all the momentum in the world after scoring a combined 99 points in the last two weeks.

WACO quarterback Isaac Oswald has been a nearly-perfect 13-of-14 passing this year, racking up 294 yards and four touchdowns, and adding one on the ground. Simeon Reichenbach has rushed for 186 yards, added 75 through the air and scored eight times.

A stellar Warrior defense will look to hold off an HLV rushing attack that scored four times last week in a 10-point loss to Montezuma.

Winfield-Mount Union (2-0) at Iowa Valley (1-1)

Points might be flying off the board in Marengo as a WMU squad that averages 66 points per game takes on a Tiger team that averages 55.

This game will feature two of the absolute best in Class 8-Player. WMU running back Cam Buffington has rushed for 512 yards and nine touchdowns so far this year, and also has three other scores to his name. Iowa Valley quarterback Evan Kearney has already racked up 824 total yards and 13 touchdowns.

New London (0-2) at Tri-County (1-0)

A Tri-County team that has been at the bottom of the 8-Player ranks for the last decade crushed Twin Cedars 60-14 in Week 1. A New London squad that has seen booming success in Class 8-Player sits 0-2 for the first time since joining the class.

The Tigers look to right the ship this weekend, and they’ve got the players to do it. Reean Seberg has rushed for 173 yards and three touchdowns so far this season. Evan Reed has caught six passes for 133 yards and a score.

Tri-County brings to the table the talented Eli Molyneaux who wrecked Twin Cedars last Friday, throwing for 217 yards and three touchdowns, and rushing for 213 yards and four scores.