The Iowa high school football playoffs kick off tonight. Oskaloosa takes on Harlan in a Class 3A playoff game at Statesmen Community Stadium. Oskaloosa Coach Jake Jenkins says Harlan has a strong tradition, including a win over the Indians for the 1983 State 3A Championship.
“They’re used to making long runs. They have a rich tradition in football. Coach (Curt) Bladt has done a wonderful job. I think he has over 400 victories as a coach. I can’t even fathom that number. It’s unbelievable. I believe he’s the second winningest coach in the state of Iowa. They’re going to be ready to play and they’re used to being in the playoffs. I think it’s a really good matchup for us. It’s a really good challenge for us and we’re excited that we have them at home and we have a chance to knock off a team like Harlan. So we’re excited for the opportunity.”
The Indians have an 8-1 record and are ranked 7th in the state. Harlan has a 7-2 record. Tonight’s kickoff is at 7:00. We’ll have Oskaloosa and Harlan on KMZN and the No Coast Network with pregame starting around 6:40.
Other playoff games involving area teams tonight: Pella plays at defending 3A champions Cedar Rapids Xavier; In Class 2A, PCM hosts Kuemper Catholic; and in Class A, Lynnville-Sully travels to Hudson and BGM is at Edgewood- Colesburg.
