The Gazette’s Week 4 Iowa high school football roundup with Friday night’s statewide scores and complete coverage of area games.

3A No. 1 Solon 7, 3A No. 3 Mount Vernon 6

It was the hard-fought battle everyone expected.

Top-ranked Solon edged No. 3 Mount Vernon, 7-6, in a Class 3A non-district prep football clash on Armed Forces Night on Friday at Spartan Stadium.

Mount Vernon scored on a 65-yard touchdown pass from Kellen Haverback to Watson Krob with 1:53 left. The ensuing two-point conversion pass was caught but ruled out of bounds.

When Solon recovered the onside kick, it secured the victory and 4-0 record.

Solon wasted little time putting up points on the opening drive of the game. The Spartans motored 65 yards on six plays, getting a 2-yard touchdown run up the middle from Eddie Johnson for a 7-0 lead just 1:59 into the game.

For the game, Johnson amassed 162 yards, including 109 rushing.

“It’s a good statement win for us,” Johnson said. “We really hadn’t beaten any big teams this year. We were ranked No. 1 but we needed a good win to say we are up there.”

Mount Vernon put together multiple long drives into Solon territory in the first half but stalled out. The first ended with a turnover on downs at the Solon 28. The next stalled at the Spartans 30 after an illegal man downfield penalty wiped out a 25-yard TD pass from Kellen Haverback to Watson Krob.

Solon’s Maddox Kelley spoiled the Mustangs’ third drive by picking off a Haverback pass that was tipped and bounced around until he pulled it in at the Solon 14.

The Spartans thwarted two more Mount Vernon drives in the third with interceptions. Owen Einwalter grabbed another tipped pass for a pick on the first drive of the second half. Kelley jumped a route for another interception in Solon territory on the following drive.

Jase Jaspers had 123 yards for Mount Vernon (3-1), including 102 on the ground.

» Read the game story from The Gazette’s K.J. Pilcher

5A No. 8 Pleasant Valley 38, 5A No. 10 Cedar Rapids Prairie 21

Getting zero defensive stops of your opponent gives you zero chance to beat that opponent.

Thus Cedar Rapids Prairie fell to Pleasant Valley, 38-21, on another very warm September football Friday night at John Wall Field.

Pleasant Valley had the ball offensively six times in this game. It scored points all six times: five touchdowns and a field goal.

“We could have maybe scored 50, but they would have scored 51,” said Prairie Coach Kyle Knock. “I don’t know. I know our offense played well, moved the ball really well at times. But you feel that pressure that you’ve got to score every time. We’re young and still learning … the glories of 5A football.”

Prairie took the opening kickoff and drove 80 yards on nine running plays, the touchdown coming on a 2-yarder from Talan Jackson. The extra point made it 7-0 right away.

What makes Pleasant Valley (3-1) so difficult offensively is its unique double-wing offense. It’s one you just don’t see anymore in today’s big-school prep football.

Quarterback Harrison Fierce runs the show with aplomb. He had three TD runs in the game and a 21-yard touchdown pass to slotback Ben Birkel. PV rushed for 286 yards, 136 of them and a TD coming from tough little 5-foot-6 running back Elijah Rodney.

“Huge win for us,” said Pleasant Valley Coach Rusty VanWetzinga, whose son, Joey, is a two-way lineman who has committed to the University of Iowa. “Our schedule has been tough, and Prairie is a very good team. I was very impressed by them on film, their physicality.”

Prairie’s other two touchdowns were on pass plays. Starting quarterback Wyatt Eash threw one to sophomore Tae Alexander at the end of the first half, and backup QB Owen Marxen threw one to Drew Bennis late in the fourth.

» Read the game story from The Gazette’s Jeff Johnson

4A No. 3 Pella 21, 4A No. 10 Cedar Rapids Xavier 19

For the first time in 13 years, the Class 4A 10th-ranked Saints lost back-to-back regular-season games after No. 3 Pella visited Saints Field and triumphed, 21-19, in the final non-district game for both teams Friday night.

“I liked the fact that we didn’t quit,” Xavier Coach Duane Schulte said. “We’re decimated with injuries and illnesses and playing young guys, but they just kept battling.”

Just like last week’s 21-17 loss at No. 8 Western Dubuque, Xavier (2-2) was again without sophomore quarterback Cash Parks. Parks, who threw for 440 yards and four touchdowns in the Saints’ first two games (both wins), had surgery on his mouth after being involved in an automobile accident earlier this month.

“Day to day, I think,” Schulte said of Parks’ status.

Given the uncertainty of the passing game success, Xavier leaned heavily on Carter Hoffmann and the offensive line to chew up yardage and try to take some pressure off the quarterbacks.

Hoffmann ran for a game-high 163 yards and two touchdowns, including a 4-yard score with 4:26 left in the game that pulled the Saints within 21-19 after a failed two-point conversion attempt.

“Our offensive line did great blocking tonight,” Hoffmann said. “Got to thank them a lot for everything. Couldn’t get those yards without them. We just had great blocking and everyone just did well tonight. Everyone played their heart out.”

Pella (4-0) seemed to move the ball at will in the first half. Senior quarterback Colin Kerndt threw for 174 yards, ran for 88 and accounted for three total touchdowns as the Dutch piled up 273 total yards and a 21-13 halftime lead.

» Read the game story from Gazette correspondent Douglas Miles

Iowa City Liberty 49, 5A No. 7 Cedar Falls 42

Iowa City Liberty’s Reece Rettig scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 7-yard run with 20 seconds left, and the Lightning outscored Class 5A seventh-ranked Cedar Falls in an offensive showcase, 49-42, Friday night at Liberty High School.

“We were efficient,” Rettig said.

The Lightning (3-1) racked up 568 yards — 296 by land, 272 by air. They churned out 28 first downs and didn’t punt once.

“We didn’t feel like we should,” Rettig said.

Liberty held a seemingly safe 42-28 lead when Sutton Koller broke free for a 61-yard touchdown run with 2:52 left, but Cedar Falls (2-2) scored twice in 40 seconds to tie it with 1:41 to go.

Josh Grete caught a 28-yard TD pass from Leyton Wolf, then the Tigers recovered the subsequent onside kick and went back to work.

Wolf’s 2-yard touchdown keeper got the Tigers even, but they left too much time left on the clock and Liberty went 80 yards in eight plays to win it.

The Lightning had four plays of 10-plus yards on the winning drive.

“Our offensive execution was awesome,” Koller said. “(Rettig) can scramble, can throw. He can do everything.”

Rettig completed 23 passes in 28 attempts. Koller rushed for 105 yards, Owen Drapeaux 95, Rettig 78. The Bolts averaged 8.6 yards per play.

Cedar Falls averaged 9.0 yards per play (495 yards on 55 plays). Wolf passed for 284 yards; Davarrion Clark ran for 221. The Tigers accumulated 24 first downs, and — like the Bolts — didn’t punt a single time.

» Read the game story from The Gazette’s Jeff Linder

Cedar Rapids Kennedy 28, Cedar Rapids Washington 14

After losses to West Des Moines Dowling, Pleasant Valley and Linn-Mar, Cedar Rapids Kennedy found itself in another tussle with Cedar Rapids Washington.

“They are a tough football team,” White said of the Warriors (1-3). “They played hard and they played a full game. I thought we did some nice things, too. We came out with a W and that was the most important part of it.”

Kennedy took the opening kickoff and drove 80 yards to score, using up over seven minutes. Jacob Doyle capped off the drive with a 9-yard scoring run, giving the Cougars a 7-0 lead.

The Cougars were driving again when Doyle, after catching a pass and gaining 23 yards, was hit from behind and fumbled. The Warriors recovered and took advantage early in the second quarter. Brock Davis took a handoff and went around end 66 yards for the tying touchdown.

Just before halftime, Kennedy retook the lead when Vinny Gianforte hit Deacon Kucera with a 9-yard scoring pass, giving the Cougars a 14-7 lead at the break.

With both defenses playing tough, it took a special teams play from the Cougars to break the game open in the third quarter. Keegan Mastin fielded a punt at the Cougar 33. He broke a couple of tackles, then weaved his way through the remaining Warrior defenders to up the lead to 21-7.

It became 28-7 in the fourth quarter when receiver Josiah Smith took a backwards pass from Gianforte and fired it downfield to a wide-open Brayden Peck for a 52-yard score with 7:35 remaining.

Davis got his second TD on a 10-yard pass from Grady McGuire, with 3:12 left, but the Warriors could get no closer.

Doyle led the Cougar offense, rushing 17 times for 117 yards. Damarian Orr carried 18 times for 82 yards. Davis paced the Warriors with 92 yards on nine carries. He also had three catches for 35 yards.

» Read the game story from Gazette correspondent Mike Condon

Iowa City High 40, Iowa City West 39

For the fourth straight season, The Boot is staying in Iowa City High’s possession.

Powered by a methodical gameplan and clutch late-game offensive execution, the Little Hawks (2-2) took down Iowa City West (2-2), 40-39, in a Class 5A thriller Friday at Trojan Field.

The play of the game was a two-point conversion from City High quarterback Bobby Bacon to Jack Lampe with 22 seconds remaining. Dominic Salibi capped a final six-play, 76-yard drive for the Little Hawks with a 7-yard touchdown.

“Man, our guys believe in him (Bacon),” City High Coach Mitchell Moore said. “You should have heard our sidelines with two minutes to go … we’re going down, scoring two and winning this game.”

Bacon was nearly perfect, completing 16 of 17 passes for 262 yards.

“I just trust these guys so much,” Bacon said. “This is kind of the group I’ve been with and I love these guys. They got my back, I got theirs.”

The game was a back-and-forth battle between two effective offenses with different approaches.

City High was methodical; West had more quick strikes.

» Read the game story from Gazette correspondent Ryan Pleggenkuhle

4A No. 6 Decorah 21, 3A No. 6 Independence 14

Trevor Kuennen rushed for 98 yards and quarterback Louis Bucksa ran for two touchdowns as the Vikings scored a big win at home.

Jackson Pipho got Decorah on the board with a 38-yard interception return.

Mustangs QB EJ Miller completed 22 of 32 passes for 199 yards, including a pair of TD tosses to Zeke Symonds.

2A No. 9 Anamosa 28, Monticello 7

Austin Scranton rushed for 252 yards and four touchdowns as the Raiders won the coveted Cowbell for the first time since 2019.

Anamosa outgained Monticello 388-139 and in total offense.

— Daryl Schepanski

West Delaware 49, Webster City 7

Brent Yonkovic rushed for 108 yards and two touchdowns and passed for 214 and two more scores as the Hawks (1-2) won on the road.

Yonkovic completed 7 of 10 passes, hitting Ryan Hilby and Seth Jackson on TD passes. Macoy Roling added 106 rushing yards, scoring on runs of 3 and 5 yards.

— Bill Logan

West Branch 35, Cascade 13

Tate Frantz blocked two punts, returning one for a touchdown, to help lead a strong Bear special teams performance.

The senior’s first blocked set up the first West Branch score, a 3-yard Cooper Gates TD.

Later in the first half, Brandon Pedersen returned a punt 54 yards for another Bear touchdown, then Frantz scored on his second blocked punt of the night.

Keaton Gates and Conner Capper also scored for the Bears (2-2, 1-0).

— Jason Miller

8P No. 6 Iowa Valley 70, English Valleys 16

It did not take long for the Tigers to put this one out of reach, scoring on their first three offensive snaps.

Iowa Valley improved to 5-0 thanks to Nolan Kriegel’s 50-yard touchdown run and three passing TDs in the first half. Layne Peska had rushing touchdowns from 55 and 36 yards out.

— Ben Lamparek

A No. 6 Lisbon 49, Highland 6

Senior quarterback Dakota Clark and running back Tiernan Boots led the Lions to a lopsided road victory.

Boots rushed for four touchdowns and Clark scored three as Lisbon improved to 4-0.

— Elise Gan

A No. 9 North Linn 66, North Cedar 0

Cole Griffith scored four touchdowns for the Lynx, on a 12-yard reception, 45-yard interception return, 40-yard punt return and 75-yard run.

Will Sommerfelt completed 7 of 7 passes for 95 yards and two TDs.

5A No. 5 Bettendorf 27, 5A No. 6 Linn-Mar 24

It was a most unusual ending to a great football game between two of the state’s top-six teams at TouVelle Stadium.

Linn-Mar junior Brody Pata absorbed a sledgehammer blow on a kickoff return with 1:55 left in the game and had to be taken away in an ambulance.

Linn-Mar co-head coach Chad Tompkins reported after the game Pata never lost consciousness and had movement in all extremities when he was removed from the field on a stretcher after being down for 23 minutes. He was first attended to by school trainers and then Bettendorf fire department personnel before being taken to a local hospital for what the coach called precautionary measures and observation.

Coaches were mixed on whether or not the game should resume with Bettendorf leading 27-16 with 1:55 when the injury occurred.

But it did, and the Lions roared back to make it an even more interesting finish in a game that endured huge swings of emotions both ways the entire game and not just toward the finish.

A 64-yard pass play on the first play from scrimmage when the game resumed set up Linn-Mar for a Hud Turner 9-yard touchdown reception from senior quarterback Austin Waller with 1:24 left in regulation.

Tyree Alons ran in the two-point conversion on an option play from tailback Dylan Muszynski (178 yards from scrimmage) to pull the Lions within 27-24.

Linn-Mar then recovered the onside kick and moved to the Bulldogs’ 27-yard line as time wound down.

However, senior Remy Amisis came up short on a 44-yard field goal attempt as time expired.

– Tim Johnston, Quad City Times

Statewide Week 4 Iowa high school football scores

Adel ADM 35, Norwalk 34 (OT)

Algona 35, Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley 0

Ames 49, Des Moines Roosevelt 21

Ballard 31, Dallas Center-Grimes 14

Bettendorf 27, Linn-Mar 24

Burlington 42, Mount Pleasant 14

Carroll 50, Creston 7

Cedar Rapids Jefferson 24, Des Moines East 8 (Thursday)

Cedar Rapids Kennedy 28, Cedar Rapids Washington 14

Center Point-Urbana 32, South Tama 6

Central DeWitt 56, Clinton 14

Clear Creek Amana 21, Benton Community 10

Council Bluffs Lincoln 42, Council Bluffs Jefferson 6

Davenport Central 7, Davenport West 0

Decorah 21, Independence 14

Des Moines Lincoln 27, Des Moines North 10

Dubuque Hempstead 38, Muscatine 14

Dubuque Wahlert 38, Davenport Assumption 21

Fort Dodge 40, Waterloo East 7

Gilbert 35, Boone 21

Glenwood 35, Denison-Schleswig 14

Grinnell 31, Washington 0

Humboldt 26, North Polk 17

Indianola 28, Carlisle 7

Iowa City High 40, Iowa City West 39

Iowa City Liberty 49, Cedar Falls 42

Johnston 24, Ankeny 7

Keokuk 44, Fairfield 33

Knoxville 28, Des Moines Hoover 7 (Thursday)

Lewis Central 24, Bondurant-Farrar 14

Marion 26, Maquoketa 11

Mason City 49, Charles City 14

MOC-Floyd Valley 32, Le Mars 21

Nevada 41, Hampton-Dumont-CAL 21

Newton 35, Marshalltown 0

Ottumwa 69, Oskaloosa 27

Pella 21, Cedar Rapids Xavier 19

Pleasant Valley 38, Cedar Rapids Prairie 21

Sergeant Bluff-Luton 42, Harlan 0

Sioux City East 35, Sioux City North 0

Sioux City Heelan 42, Sioux City West 0

Solon 7, Mount Vernon 6

Southeast Polk 21, Ankeny Centennial 13

Spencer 41, Sioux Center 6

Storm Lake 32, Perry 7

Urbandale 27, Dubuque Senior 0

Waterloo West 36, Davenport North 26 (Thursday)

Waverly-Shell Rock 31, Clear Lake 30

West Delaware 49, Webster City 7

West Des Moines Dowling 21, Waukee Northwest 14

West Des Moines Valley 42, Waukee 25

Western Dubuque 21, North Scott 7

Williamsburg 67, Fort Madison 6

Winterset 21, Atlantic 7

CLASS 2A DISTRICT 1

Central Lyon/George-Little Rock 56, Sheldon 6

West Lyon 49, Unity Christian 0

Western Christian 20, Cherokee 16

CLASS 2A DISTRICT 2

Garner GHV 21, Clarion CGD 0

Okoboji 40, Estherville-Lincoln Central 19

Spirit Lake 56, Forest City 0

CLASS 2A DISTRICT 3

Crestwood beat Oelwein, forfeit

North Fayette Valley 31, Waukon 14

Osage 34, New Hampton 6

CLASS 2A DISTRICT 4

Anamosa 28, Monticello 7

Northeast 35, Camanche 25

West Liberty 38, Tipton 0

CLASS 2A DISTRICT 5

Central Lee 21, Davis County 14

Mediapolis 32, Albia 7

Mid-Prairie 42, West Burlington/Notre Dame 21

CLASS 2A DISTRICT 6

Iowa Falls-Alden 14, Union Community 7

Monroe PCM 55, Jesup 7

West Marshall 44, Vinton-Shellsburg 3

CLASS 2A DISTRICT 7

Centerville 40, Clarke 7

Chariton 21, Interstate 35 13

Van Meter 45, Clarinda 0

CLASS 2A DISTRICT 8

Carroll Kuemper 22, Roland-Story 14 (OT)

Des Moines Christian 33, Southeast Valley 6

Greene County 44, Saydel 14

CLASS 1A DISTRICT 1

Ida Grove OABCIG 56, Mapleton MVAOCOU 18

Ridge View 15, Hinton 0

West Sioux 27, Lawton-Bronson 9

CLASS 1A DISTRICT 2

Emmetsburg 42, East Sac County 6

Manson-Northwest Webster 28, Pocahontas Area 7

Sioux Central 37, Eagle Grove 8

CLASS 1A DISTRICT 3

Denver 34, Central Springs 12

Dike-New Hartford 46, Sumner-Fredericksburg 6

MFL MarMac 43, Aplington-Parkersburg 0

CLASS 1A DISTRICT 4

Grundy Center 42, East Marshall 6

Hudson 33, Waterloo Columbus 6

South Hardin 49, Alburnett 19

CLASS 1A DISTRICT 5

Iowa City Regina 49, Durant 14

West Branch 35, Cascade 13

Wilton 35, Dyersville Beckman 7

CLASS 1A DISTRICT 6

Pleasantville 20, Pella Christian 13

Sigourney-Keota 60, Eldon Cardinal 0

Colfax-Mingo at Eddyville EBF, no report

CLASS 1A DISTRICT 7

Ogden 30, Grand View Christian 26

South Hamilton 30, West Central Valley 7

Woodward-Granger 48, Nodaway Valley 8

CLASS 1A DISTRICT 8

Avoca AHSTW 26, Underwood 21

Shenandoah 48, Missouri Valley 6

Treynor 41, Red Oak 8

CLASS A DISTRICT 1

Hartley HMS 43, Akron-Westfield 34

Marcus MMCRU 44, South O’Brien 7

Sibley-Ocheyedan 20, Alta-Aurelia 0

CLASS A DISTRICT 2

Lake Mills 27, West Fork 17

Saint Ansgar 54, Belmond-Klemme 14

West Hancock 47, North Union 7

CLASS A DISTRICT 3

Nashua-Plainfield 48, Ackley AGWSR 7

North Tama 54, Conrad BCLUW 24

Wapsie Valley 33, North Butler 6

CLASS A DISTRICT 4

Bellevue 28, Clayton Ridge 21

Maquoketa Valley 45, Postville 0

North Linn 66, North Cedar 0

Starmont 37, East Buchanan 6

CLASS A DISTRICT 5

Danville 55, Louisa-Muscatine 12

Lisbon 49, Highland 6

Pekin 48, Columbus Community 0

Wapello 14, Van Buren County 6

CLASS A DISTRICT 6

Madrid 21, Lynnville-Sully 0

Mount Ayr 54, Central Decatur 12

North Mahaska 56, Martensdale-St. Marys 17

CLASS A DISTRICT 7

Earlham 41, Southwest Valley 6

Guthrie Center ACGC 28, South Central Calhoun 14

Oakland Riverside 28, IKM-Manning 20

CLASS A DISTRICT 8

Council Bluffs St. Albert 35, Kingsley-Pierson 12

Logan-Magnolia 49, West Monona 12

Tri-Center 58, Westwood 12

CLASS A NON-DISTRICT

Le Mars Gehlen 22, Woodbury Central 21

Mason City Newman 44, South Winneshiek 42

Wayne 38, Panorama 12

8-PLAYER DISTRICT 1

Ar-We-Va 63, West Harrison/Whiting 0

Remsen St. Mary’s 44, Boyer Valley 12

Woodbine 76, Siouxland Christian 0

8-PLAYER DISTRICT 2

Algona Garrigan 74, Northwood-Kensett 6

North Iowa 57, Rockford 6

Ruthven GTRA 62, West Bend-Mallard 12

8-PLAYER DISTRICT 3

Don Bosco 49, Lansing Kee 12

Riceville 67, West Central 7

Turkey Valley 58, Elkader Central 22

8-PLAYER DISTRICT 4

Clarksville 70, Tripoli 20

Gladbrook-Reinbeck 71, Dunkerton 6

Janesville 64, Meskwaki Settlement 6

8-PLAYER DISTRICT 5

Easton Valley 42, Calamus-Wheatland 27

Edgewood-Colesburg 70, Midland 13

Springville 36, Lone Tree 34

8-PLAYER DISTRICT 6

Iowa Valley 70, English Valleys 16

WACO 49, HLV 20

8-PLAYER DISTRICT 7

Belle Plaine 52, BGM 27

Melcher-Dallas 32, Twin Cedars 30

8-PLAYER DISTRICT 8

Bedford 63, East Union 0

Lenox 65, Mormon Trail 0

Murray 36, Lamoni 27

8-PLAYER DISTRICT 9

Audubon 44, Fort Dodge St. Edmond 22

Baxter 20, Glidden-Ralston 18

Collins-Maxwell 28, Colo-Nesco 18

8-PLAYER DISTRICT 10

Exira-EHK 46, Sidney 32

East Mills 64, Stanton 28

Fremont-Mills 63, Griswold 20

8-PLAYER NON-DISTRICT

Anita CAM 62, Coon Rapids-Bayard 6

Central City 46, New London 20

Montezuma 55, Winfield-Mount Union 14

Newell-Fonda 53, Harris-Lake Park 12

Southeast Warren 82, Moravia 7