The 2024 Iowa high school football season is on a roll and it’s time for Week 3 of action.
Which Iowa City area teams will prevail, and which will come up short? The Press-Citizen has put together predictions for all six IHSAA football games for each Iowa City-area team.
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Iowa high school football predictions Week 3Iowa City Liberty at Pleasant Valley
Iowa City Liberty (2-0), Pleasant Valley (1-1): The Lightning are riding a wave of momentum with back-to-back wins over rivals Iowa City West and Iowa City High. That early-season success can be attributed to their explosiveness on the offensive side of the ball. The Lightning have averaged a whopping 518.5 yards of offense through the first two games of the season.
Their biggest challenge thus far will be Week 3 against Pleasant Valley, a team that has made the playoffs in six of the last seven seasons. The Lightning fell to the Spartans last season, but there’s just a different type of energy when talking about the Liberty faithful in 2024. A Liberty win will come down to stopping Pleasant Valley’s run game. The Spartans have totaled the same number of rushing attempts (91) as the Lightning, averaging 265.5 yards on the ground. It’ll be a shootout, but the Lighting will ultimately outlast the Spartans. Iowa City Liberty 44, Pleasant Valley 41
More: Iowa high school football: 3 takeaways from Iowa City Liberty’s win over Iowa City High
Williamsburg at Clear Creek Amana
Williamsburg (1-1), Clear Creek Amana (1-1): There’s no doubt that CCA football is still finding its footing. In Week 2, the Clippers struggled to contain Solon’s offense that posted four touchdowns on the ground and one in the air.
That margin for error will be even smaller against Williamsburg, the reigning Class 3A state champion. The Raiders are a threat in the air, having averaged 247.5 passing yards per game against West Branch and Xavier. The Clippers, who also struggled offensively in Week 2, will have to avoid a turnover bug and shore up their secondary to beat the Raiders for the second year in a row. If not, it’ll be a long night for the Clippers. Williamsburg 41, CCA 28
Solon at Central DeWitt
Solon (2-0), Central DeWitt (0-2): Unsurprisingly, the Spartans have operated like a well-balanced machine in the first few weeks of action. One of their keys to success has been their aggressiveness on the ground. Solon has totaled 78 rushing attempts so far this season.
Senior Eddie Johnson is responsible for 37 of those carries, having rushed for 258 yards and five touchdowns. In Week 2, the Spartans posted 372 yards of offense and five touchdowns in a 42-14 win over CCA. Johnson set a program record with five touchdowns in Week 2, earning 24 carries for 138 yards and four scores on the ground. It’s clear that Solon isn’t afraid to fight in the trenches on both sides of the ball. Don’t expect that trend to end in Week 3 against a Central DeWitt team that’s lost by double digits in its last two games. Solon 45, Centraal DeWitt 10
Mediapolis at Regina Catholic
Mediapolis (1-1), Regina Catholic (2-0): When looking at the statistics, Regina and Mediapolis are virtually identical. Both offenses operate a balanced approach between their running and passing games.
This matchup will come down to defense. Mediapolis has the edge in turnovers, having compiled six fumble recoveries and one interception on the season while the Regals have yet to force any. The good news is that Regina doesn’t lack in the tackling department. They’ve held opposing offenses to 2.1 yards per carry through two games. Yes, it’ll be a step up in competition, but the Regals will have the opportunity for an even bigger performance in Week 3. They’ll have to limit Mediapolis’ Noah Schmidgall, a versatile running back who has posted 44 carries for 283 yards and three touchdowns on the ground and three in the air. If the Regals can execute a dominant run-stop defense and maintain a clean pass-rush to control the tempo of the game, they’ll find success in their home opener. Regina Catholic 28, Mediapolis 24
Iowa City West at Muscatine
Iowa City West (1-1), Muscatine (1-1): As expected, Iowa City West got back on track with a 34-28 win over Urbandale in Week 2. With veteran quarterback Jack Wallace slinging the football, Julian Manson and Iowa commit Mason Woods combined for 239 yards in the air. Manson tied a program record for receiving touchdowns (3) in a game against the J-Hawks.
If the Trojans were to combine their elite passing game and promising run game from Week 1, they’d create problems for any team. They’ve beaten Muscatine in each of the last seven years, and this season won’t be any different. Iowa City West 45, Muscatine 14
More: Video: Highlights of Iowa commit Mason Woods in West’s win over Urbandale
Ames at Iowa City High
Ames (0-2), Iowa City High (0-2): The Little Hawks are winless, but they’ve overcome this type of adversity before. They started the 2023 season with a 0-2 record but battled back to clinch a spot in the Class 5A playoffs.
A turnaround is expected against an Ames team that allowed more than 55 points in each of its two games. With the Little Hawks averaging 12.4 passing yards per completion, they can exploit the Little Cyclones’ secondary and potentially stretch the field for the run game. But that success starts with limiting penalties and improving communication on both sides of the ball, two things that affected the Little Hawks in Week 2. It wouldn’t be a shock if City High were to make adjustments and earn their first win of the season in Week 3. Iowa City High 45, Ames 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.
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Publish date : 2024-09-11 00:03:00
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