Iowa
Top Iowa high school football games in Iowa City area in Week 8, and our predictions
Owen Bock talks Solon’s Week 7 win over Washington
Solon sophomore Owen Bock scored a 65-yard touchdown in a 42-0 win over Washington in Week 7 of the Iowa high school football season.
Week 8 of the Iowa high school football season will be another opportunity for all six Iowa City-area teams to boost their resumes as they inch closer to the end of the regular season.
The rivalry game between Iowa City Liberty and Iowa City High will headline the action on Friday, Oct. 17. Iowa City Regina will play in its last regular season game of the year.
Here are our predictions for each local football matchup in Week 8.
Iowa high school football predictions Week 8
Iowa City Liberty at Iowa City High
Iowa City Liberty (6-1), Iowa City High (1-6): The Little Hawks earned their first win of the season in a 59-14 road win over Des Moines East in Week 7. That momentum may be short-lived when they take on a Liberty team that has won three games in a row, with its most recent victory being a 28-14 road win over Pleasant Valley.
Liberty junior Brody Beaver has made up for lost time on the ground as of late. The running back, who missed time this season with a hamstring strain, rushed for 156 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries in Week 7. He has added an element to Liberty’s offense that has opened the pass game for quarterback Reece Rettig. Let’s not forget a Liberty defense that has created opportunities for that offensive success.
It seemed that the Little Hawks laid out their frustration against the Scarlets in Week 7 with elite performances across the board. Sophomore quarterback Chris Kabaiza threw for 323 yards and five touchdowns, while Chayse Newton nabbed 14 passes for 145 yards and two scores. Dominic Roe led the team with 132 rushing yards and a touchdown on 21 carries. The City High defense had its best performance this season, holding Des Moines East to 14 points.
Don’t expect the Little Hawks to have that same productivity against the Lightning. Liberty has too much talent to fall behind by double digits and its resume speaks for itself. Iowa City Liberty 50, Iowa City High 16
Louisa-Muscatine at Iowa City Regina
Louisa-Muscatine (0-7), Iowa City Regina (7-0): This game is a mismatch of epic proportions. The 7-0 Regals will face a Louisa-Muscatine team that earned its last win in September of 2020.
Regina quarterback Kyle Tracy put up video game numbers in a 49-8 win over Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont last week. He went 7-for-7 passing for 372 yards and six touchdowns in two quarters played. Don’t be shocked if Tracy surpasses that total in what should be an easy blowout win for the Regals in their regular season finale. Iowa City Regina 55, Louisa-Muscatine 6
Solon at Mount Pleasant
Solon (7-0), Mount Pleasant (6-1): After a dominant 42-0 win over Washington, the Spartans shift their attention to a Mount Pleasant team that has won three games in a row entering Week 8.
The Panthers are coming off a 35-34 win over Keokuk, a team that the Spartans shut out, 77-0, in Week 5. Sure, Mount Pleasant has dropped one game this season but they haven’t had the same strength of schedule as the No. 1 team in Class 3A.
The Spartans have been in a single one-score game this season, with six of their wins coming by double digits. Their dominance will continue on the road against the Panthers. Solon 45, Mount Pleasant 12
Iowa City West at Prairie
Iowa City West (6-1), Prairie (4-3): With blowout victories over Muscatine and Davenport Central, wins have been easy to come by for the Trojans as of late. Prairie is a gritty football team with talent that can strike at a moment’s notice. The Trojans will have to keep their heads on a swivel in Week 8.
The Hawks’ run game is led by Dawson Kahl, a former City High running back that has rushed for 642 yards and seven touchdowns on 84 carries this season. Senior David Fason is an Iowa football commit who leads the team in tackles (46.5), tackles for loss (25.5), sacks (8), receptions (25) and receiving yards (409).
The Trojans have their own Division I talent with Julian Manson, Colin Whitters and Ethan Headings with a number of other elite playmakers who can step up when their number is called. Iowa City West will do enough to win in a tight game. Iowa City West 38, Prairie 35
Clear Creek Amana at Pella
Clear Creek Amana (3-4), Pella (6-1): CCA dropped a 31-19 home game to No. 2 Newton in Week 7 without standout quarterback Conlan Poynton and will face Pella, the No. 3 team in Class 4A this week. Sophomore Texton Bollers got his first full start at quarterback against the Cardinals. He completed 14-of-26 passes for 194 yards and a touchdown with an interception.
Pella is coming off a 35-0 win over Oskaloosa in Week 7. The Dutch’s defense has compiled nine interceptions, the fifth most in 4A. Offensively, they are ranked fourth in passing completions (102) and passing attempts (163).
Pella has won the last three meetings between the two teams by double digits entering their 2025 showdown. This season’s Clippers squad is a gritty bunch, but they’ll have their hands full against a Dutch team that operates at an elite level. Pella 32, Clear Creek Amana 21
Marc Ray is the high school sports reporter for the Iowa City Press-Citizen. He can be reached at MARay@gannett.com , and on X, formerly Twitter, at @themarcszn.
Iowa
Where to watch Iowa women’s basketball vs. Indiana today, TV, time
Looking for a second road win this week, No. 14 Iowa women’s basketball heads to Indiana for today’s 4 p.m. contest inside Assembly Hall. BTN will televise the game.
The Hawkeyes (13-2, 4-0 Big Ten Conference) remained perfect in league play with a 67-58 win at Northwestern on Jan. 5, a game in which Iowa survived despite enduring heavy foul trouble.
Meanwhile, Indiana (11-6, 0-5) has reached desperation territory. The Hoosiers have dropped four straight, including two at home, during this extended skid.
Here’s how to watch today’s game.
Watch Iowa vs. Indiana on Fubo (free trial)
What channel is Iowa women’s basketball vs. Indiana on today?
Iowa vs. Indiana time today
- Date: Sunday, Jan. 11
- Start time: 4 p.m. CT
- Location: Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana
Dargan Southard is a sports trending reporter and covers Iowa athletics for the Des Moines Register and HawkCentral.com. Email him at msouthard@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter at @Dargan_Southard.
Iowa
Iowa women’s wrestling finishes third at National Duals
Iowa women’s wrestling’s Clarissa Chun’s National Duals press conference
VIDEO: Iowa women’s wrestling’s Clarissa Chun discusses program’s first loss
CEDAR FALLS − The undefeated start to the Iowa women’s wrestling program has ended after the Hawkeyes lost a dual for the first time in program history at the NWCA National Duals on Jan. 10.
A 40-5 win over William Jewell College and a 39-3 victory over Sacred Heart set up a major semifinal clash with rival North Central College on Jan. 10.
Iowa won six of 10 matches in the semifinals. Karlee Brooks beat national runner-up Yele Aycock by a 8-4 decision, 138-pounder Skye Realin defeated a former national champion by a 6-6 score on criteria in Claire Dicugno with a four-point throw at the buzzer, Reese Larramendy knocked off No. 1 ranked and former Hawkeye teammate Bella Mir in a 10-4 decision at 145 and 180-pounder Kylie Welker wrestled and won in just her second match back after a period of rest to start the season.
All of those wins helped put Iowa in front, 21-18, going into the final bout at 207 pounds.
What did the Hawkeyes in was losses by fall at 110, 124 and 207. The 207 loss, with Dasia Yearby pinning Jaycee Foeller in the first period, gave North Central a 23-21 victory despite the Cardinals dropping six of 10 matches. North Central also scored team points in nine of 10 bouts because they scored match points and did not lose by fall.
As a result, the Iowa program’s 42-0 unblemished record in duals was broken.
The final result was eerily similar to the dual between the two teams at the same tournament two years ago, where the Hawkeyes also lost six of 10 bouts, but got crucial bonus points and at least one team point in all 10 bouts to escape with a 21-20 win.
Iowa women’s wrestling coach Clarissa Chun emphasized to her team two years ago that every point mattered in the win. This time around, it worked against them as the Cardinals got the upset victory.
“Every point does matter,” Chun said. “You can’t replicate those moments in those times, in certain moments and positions. We got to be better at finishing, that’s apparent. We can get to the legs, but we got to continue to wrestle through that to the strong finish.”
Iowa women’s wrestling’s Skye Realin discusses loss to North Central
VIDEO: Iowa women’s wrestling’s Skye Realin discusses loss to North Central
Chun said the emotions were raw afterwards, with wrestlers in and out of the lineup taking the loss to heart. Welker, who won her bout 8-2 against Jael Miller, took it hard since she nearly had a pin that could have flipped the final result.
“There was a lot of us that felt it was hard to take a loss, especially for me, and there was a couple other girls that took it pretty hard,” Welker said. “I have girls that look to me, so I’m like, ‘I got to pull myself together and step forward with them, alongside them so we can finish this tournament.’”
Ultimately, the Hawkeyes finished with a win in the third-place bout shortly after by defeating a solid Grand Valley State team, 26-15. The main difference, they said, was the positive energy exuded from the coaching staff to not harp on the past and look for the next best thing.
Iowa women’s wrestling’s Karlee Brooks discusses loss to North Central
VIDEO: Iowa women’s wrestling’s Karlee Brooks discusses loss to North Central
While the loss brings an unfamiliar feeling to the program, it’s something they knew would come eventually. While it was their main rival today, McKendree will also present a tough challenge to the field when the NCAA Championships come in March.
Behind stars Welker and Kennedy Blades, rising wrestlers like Brooks and Realin, as well as proven veterans in Larramendy, Brianna Gonzalez and Foeller, Iowa will have a good chance to win a third-consecutive team title this season.
Even in a crushing loss, they got some key wins from those like Realin, Larramendy and Brooks that bode well for the Hawkeyes in the future. The places they faltered were spots they’ll have confidence to bounce back or won’t apply come the NCAA Championships, like Nyla Valencia’s loss by fall after controlling most of the bout at 110 pounds, and Welker and Blades giving up team points in their matches.
Regardless, the third-place finish served as a reminder to the program and fans alike that this year is going to bring Iowa’s toughest challenge yet.
“Everyone on our team knows it, this sport has depth,” Chun said. “There are great wrestlers across the entire country.”
Iowa women’s wrestling’s results at NWCA National Duals
Iowa women’s wrestling’s Kylie Welker’s National Duals press conference
VIDEO: Iowa women’s wrestling’s Kylie Welker discusses program’s first loss
Round of 16: Iowa 40, William Jewell College 5
- 103 – Sterling Dias (Iowa) over Juliana Alejandro (William Jewell College) TF 11-0
- 110 – Nyla Valencia (Iowa) over Unknown (Unattached) Forf
- 117 – Alexandra Waitsman (William Jewell College) over Harlee Hiller (Iowa) Fall 1:04
- 124 – Isabella Gonzales (Iowa) over Miyah Palacios (William Jewell College) TF 10-0
- 131 – Emily Frost (Iowa) over Shelby Kemp (William Jewell College) Fall 1:22
- 138 – Lilly Luft (Iowa) over Zainab Ibrahim (William Jewell College) Fall 2:01
- 145 – Cadence Diduch (Iowa) over Mckinzie Ross (William Jewell College) TF 11-0
- 160 – Kennedy Blades (Iowa) over Paige Barber (William Jewell College) TF 10-0
- 180 – Katja Osteen (Iowa) over Jianna Chavez (William Jewell College) Fall 1:22
- 207 – Jaycee Foeller (Iowa) over Desiree Hall (William Jewell College) TF 10-0
Quarterfinal: Iowa 39, Sacred Heart University 3
- 103 – Valarie Solorio (Iowa) over Aaliyah Payne-Parris (Sacred Heart) Fall 0:54
- 110 – Ava Bayless (Iowa) over Tiffany Stoshak (Sacred Heart) TF 10-0
- 117 – Brianna Gonzalez (Iowa) over Tatiana Walker (Sacred Heart) TF 11-0
- 124 – Cali Leng (Iowa) over Lauren Nguyen (Sacred Heart) TF 10-0
- 131 – Bella Williams (Iowa) over Bella Sowards (Sacred Heart) TF 10-0
- 138 – Skye Realin (Iowa) over Elleahna Anderson (Sacred Heart) Fall 2:21
- 145 – Reese Larramendy (Iowa) over Selena Sifuentes shaffer (Sacred Heart) TF 10-0
- 160 – Kennedy Blades (Iowa) over Love Daley (Sacred Heart) TF 10-0
- 180 – Kylie Welker (Iowa) over Madeline Hodges (Sacred Heart) TF 10-0
- 207 – Josephine Larson (Sacred Heart) over Libby Dix (Iowa) Dec 5-2
Semifinal: North Central College 23, Iowa 21
- 103 – Valarie Solorio (Iowa) over Brianne Graves (North Central College) TF 12-0
- 110 – Kaelani Shufeldt (North Central College) over Nyla Valencia (Iowa) Fall 5:38
- 117 – Riley Rayome (North Central College) over Brianna Gonzalez (Iowa) Dec 3-3
- 124 – Sara Sterner (North Central College) over Cali Leng (Iowa) Fall 1:45
- 131 – Karlee Brooks (Iowa) over Yele Aycock (North Central College) Dec 8-4
- 138 – Skye Realin (Iowa) over Claire Dicugno (North Central College) Dec 6-6
- 145 – Reese Larramendy (Iowa) over Bella Mir (North Central College) Dec 10-4
- 160 – Kennedy Blades (Iowa) over Taylor Graveman (North Central College) TF 11-1
- 180 – Kylie Welker (Iowa) over Jael Miller (North Central College) Dec 8-2
- 207 – Dasia Yearby (North Central College) over Jaycee Foeller (Iowa) Fall 1:38
Third-place dual: Iowa 26, Grand Valley State 15
- 103 – Sterling Dias (Iowa) over Rayana Sahagun (Grand Valley State) Dec 7-0
- 110 – Ava Bayless (Iowa) over Kiely Tabaldo (Grand Valley State) Dec 6-0
- 117 – Brianna Gonzalez (Iowa) over Libby Roberts (Grand Valley State) TF 10-0
- 124 – Sage Mortimer (Grand Valley State) over Isabella Gonzales (Iowa) Fall 0:37
- 131 – Karlee Brooks (Iowa) over Aspen Blasko (Grand Valley State) Dec 8-3
- 138 – Katerina Lange (Grand Valley State) over Lilly Luft (Iowa) TF 10-0
- 145 – Cadence Diduch (Iowa) over Margaret Buurma (Grand Valley State) TF 10-0
- 160 – Kennedy Blades (Iowa) over Noelle Gaffney (Grand Valley State) Fall 3:45
- 180 – Kylie Welker (Iowa) over Maddison Ward (Grand Valley State) TF 10-0
- 207 – Sabrina Nauss (Grand Valley State) over Jaycee Foeller (Iowa) Fall 4:47
Eli McKown covers high school sports and wrestling for the Des Moines Register. Contact him at Emckown@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @EMcKown23.
Iowa
Ben Kueter earns top-10 in return to Iowa men’s wrestling lineup
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