Week 3 of the Iowa high school football season brought a little breathing room for some teams that badly needed it, and a few more reminders that the state’s heavy hitters are still rolling.
Waukee and Waukee Northwest both snapped out of their early-season funk and got into the win column. The Warriors beat Cedar Rapids Kennedy, 39-6, while the Wolves took down Iowa City High, 35-21.
For Waukee Northwest, Mack Heitland had his hand in four touchdowns. He rushed for three and threw for another, finishing 8 of 11 for 134 yards while also adding 77 yards on the ground.
Max Schmitz piled up 113 rushing yards, and Jordon Green caught three passes for 67 yards. Paulo Tobongye chipped in 69 rushing yards and a touchdown, helping the Wolves average more than nine yards per carry.
Waukee did most of its damage early, putting 34 points on the board in the first half and never letting Cedar Rapids Kennedy back in the picture. TJ Sleiter led the way with 270 passing yards and three total touchdowns.
He connected with Boston Onstot seven times for 115 yards, and Sam Heinrich added two rushing touchdowns. The Warriors had entered the week off losses to Ankeny, 14-10, and Johnston, 42-7.
The offseason around Waukee had already drawn attention, with head coach Gabe Bakker suspended following an OWI charge in late August.
One of the most notable results of the night came in Mason City, where Newman Catholic finally got past West Hancock. For the first time since 2013, Newman Catholic beat the Eagles, 47-43, ending a nine-game skid in the series.
Thomas McGuire delivered a big night for the Knights, going 13 of 19 for 210 yards and three touchdowns while also scoring once on the ground. Max Robbins added 130 rushing yards, 66 receiving yards and two touchdowns, and Westly Cole finished with six catches for 92 yards and a score.
Cole also made his presence felt on defense with 11 tackles, one for loss, and a fumble recovery. Chase Pajer supplied another spark by taking a kickoff 86 yards for a touchdown.
West Hancock got a huge effort from Nathan Bixel, who ran for 189 yards and three touchdowns.
Edgewood-Colesburg leaned on a two-man wrecking crew to light up Kee, winning 71-42. Jax Steger was everywhere, running 14 times for 292 yards and five touchdowns while also throwing for 22 yards.
Jaden Miller was just as dangerous, carrying 11 times for 197 yards and four scores. Miller also had one of Edgewood-Colesburg’s three catches, added a pick-6 on defense, and handled nine extra-point attempts.
In Glenwood, the scoring came fast and kept coming. Creston led 28-21 after the first quarter, but Glenwood took control from there and finished with a 70-42 win.
The Rams scored twice in the third quarter and then erupted for 28 points in the fourth to pull away from the Panthers. Joe Leick ran 19 times for 166 yards and three touchdowns, Haze Stephens added 159 rushing yards and three scores, and Ben Carlo threw for 241 yards and two touchdowns to Myles Longmeyer, who caught eight passes for 150 yards.
Creston still got a monster performance from Tanner Ray, who threw for 274 yards and two touchdowns while running for 165 yards and three more scores.
Defending Class 5A state champion Dowling Catholic kept looking every bit the part. After opening with wins over Valley and Johnston, the Maroons handled Dallas Center-Grimes, 30-7.
Henry Smid carried 26 times for 147 yards and two touchdowns, Ethan La Cava went 11 of 17 for 109 yards passing, and Beau Williams caught six passes for 79 yards. On defense, Carlos Blount, Jr. recorded six tackles, including two for loss.
Dallas Center-Grimes got a passing touchdown from Chase Engel, while Wyatt Valenta finished with 13 tackles.
In Other News...
Iowa Is Using Cy-Hawk Weekend To Win Over Priority Targets
The Cy-Hawk game has long been one of the biggest dates on Iowas calendar, and this weekend it is doubling as a recruiting showcase. More than 20 football prospects are expected to be on hand, giving the Hawkeyes a chance to put their atmosphere, tradition and game-day routine in front of a group that includes both committed and uncommitted targets.
It is not just football being spotlighted, either. Iowa is bringing in recruits across womens basketball and mens basketball as part of the weekend push, turning one of the states signature sporting events into a broader pitch for the program. Former Hawkeyes quarterback CJ Beathard is also set to serve as honorary captain, adding another familiar face to a weekend designed to connect current targets with Iowas past and present. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa Turns To A Familiar Tone Setter For Huge Cy-Hawk Night
The Cy-Hawk rivalry is set for a familiar kind of spotlight Saturday night at a sold-out Kinnick Stadium, with Iowa leaning into the kind of setting that has long defined these games. The Hawkeyes will be in all-black uniforms for the annual showdown with Iowa State, and the occasion will carry extra weight with the quarterback competition still unfolding as Iowa looks for a clear answer behind center.
C.J. Beathard, who quarterbacked Iowa from 2013 to 2016, is part of the nights build-up and gives the program a direct link to one of its steadier recent eras. For a team trying to find its next leader under center, having a former quarterback from a successful stretch back around the program is the sort of familiar tone setter that can matter on a stage like this, even before the first snap is taken. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa May Have A Rare Chance To Dominate Cy-Hawk Again
The 73rd meeting of the Cy-Hawk rivalry is shaping up as one of those games that can say as much about momentum as it does about bragging rights. Iowa and Iowa State have spent years trading blows in a series that tends to distort expectations, and this matchup has drawn attention because it comes with the kind of context Hawkeye fans know well: a familiar in-state opponent, plenty of history, and a national audience that always seems ready to treat September football in Iowa as something bigger than it looks.
The comparison that keeps surfacing is the 2016 game, when Iowa turned the rivalry into a runaway and left little doubt about which sideline controlled the day. The setup this time is different enough to make the projection interesting, with both programs in new coaching eras and plenty of fan anticipation around whether Iowa can once again turn a rivalry game into a statement. The numbers point toward a lopsided feel, but the real question is whether this Cy-Hawk meeting can match the rare kind of dominance that made that earlier result so memorable. [Read more 🡒]