Several Area Football Teams Still Have Playoff Pulse Heading Into Stretch Run

Posted on October 9, 2017October 9, 2017 by Rick Watts

The football season is winding down with just two weeks of the regular season remaining. Even though there’s just two games left for most teams, there’s dozens of playoff implications that can come into play for several teams still hanging around for a postseason berth.

In Class 4A District 4, the Newton Cardinals improbably started their season 6-0. But a loss to Southeast Polk last week has put them in a dire position, needing to win both of their remaining games to squeak into the playoffs. With powerhouse West Des Moines Valley on deck, it would be a monumental feat for the Cardinals to be playing postseason football.

The same cannot be said for the Oskaloosa Indians, who will be looking to cinch up a playoff spot out of Class 3A District 5 in Washington this week. Osky has a very easy road map: beat Washington and you’re in, lose to Washington and you need to hope to get a wild card. A Week 9 matchup with West Burlington/Notre Dame should not deter the Indians should they get past the Demons.

Also in Class 3A, Pella is well on their way to another district title after holding off Norwalk last week. The Dutch are the only unbeaten team left in District 6 and have favorable matchups at North Polk and at home to Nevada to wrap up their season.

In Class 2A District 6, PCM is rolling through their schedule. After a tough non-district loss to undefeated Pella Christian in the season opener, the Mustangs have won six straight and are big favorites against Davis County and Clarke as they wind down a season where they’ll be named District 6 Champions.

Class 1A District 4 is pretty self-explanatory for Sigourney/Keota. There’s one open playoff spot after Iowa City Regina and the Cobras need to beat Wilton and Wapello the last two weeks of the season to clinch it. A win over Wapello this week would effectively eliminate them from the race and leave it between S/K and Wilton, and they will meet in Wilton to decide the automatic berth in Week 9.

District 5 in Class 1A is monopolized by a couple of area teams. Pella Christian is still undefeated after they knocked off Pleasantville on the road last week. PC should waltz to the district title. Pleasantville has to beat Woodward-Granger this week to clinch their spot in the playoffs.

Class A District 6 has been a fun one to follow all year and Lynnville-Sully is on their way to winning the district title. The Hawks started 8-0 last year before losing in Week 9 to Montezuma. Now, after gutsy wins over Pekin and New London, L-S gets a bye before seeing the Braves again looking for retribution on their way to the playoffs and a first round home game. Pekin faces off with New London this week to determine the #2 seed out of this district, while the loser hopes to get one of the wild cards.

Finally, 8-Player District 5 is chaotic. All we know is that HLV is sitting pretty at 5-0 in the district after a big win over Colo-Nesco. HLV faces Melcher-Dallas this week. If M-D were to drop this home game, they will likely fall out of the playoff race. Moravia is also hanging around. Their matchup this week with Colo-Nesco will factor heavily into that #2 seed. A Melcher-Dallas win this week would create even more chaos, however, as all four teams could end the week with hopes of the playoffs going into Week 9. There are no wild cards in 8-Player football so these matchups are huge for these schools.

We’ll be following the action closely the last two weeks of the season, so be sure to join us for Scores and More Presented By Bubbl’r after the games go final Friday night on 104.9 FM KBOE, 99.5 FM/740 AM KMZN, kboeradio.com and radiokmzn.com.

Several Area Schools In Good Playoff Position at Midway Point of Football Season

Posted on September 25, 2017 by Rick Watts

Five weeks of high school football are in the books and we are starting to learn who the contenders are in every district in the state.

For our listening area, there are several teams who seem to be look to push towards the playoffs.

Oskaloosa (3-2) made the playoffs in 2016 after a great 7-2 regular season after a couple of down years. They are looking to repeat the dose here in 2017, and their road map is identical. Wins in their last four games will clinch the #2 spot in Class 3A District 5 and send Osky to the postseason. Their biggest challenge will be in Week 8 against Washington, who sits at 4-1 on the year.

Pella (4-1) also sits pretty as one of the top teams in Class 3A District 6 along with Norwalk (4-1). Those teams will battle for what will likely be the District 6 Championship in Week 7.

In Class 2A, PCM (4-1) should run away with the District 6 Title once again, following up a dominant run in 2016. District 6 is fairly weak after the Mustangs which has to door wide open for someone to grab that second spot. After EBF’s (3-3) tough loss to Albia last Friday, Central Lee seems to be in the best shape to snag that #2 slot and an automatic playoff berth. Do not rule out a wild card team either, as Centerville (2-3) snuck into the playoffs last year after having a high district point differential.

In Class 1A District 4, Sigourney/Keota (2-3) is looking to bounce back after a couple of tough weeks to start the year. Their playoff aspirations likely rest on their Week 9 matchup on the road at Wilton (5-0) as Iowa City Regina (3-2) will run away with the district. Don’t sleep on Louisa-Muscatine (2-3), as they still have a road to the playoffs they can follow as well.

Class 1A District 5 seems to be locked up for Pella Christian (5-0) and Pleasantville (5-0) to make it back to the playoffs. They will meet in Pleasantville in Week 7 to likely determine the district champion and who will get home field in the first round.

Chaos is the name of the game in Class A District 6, as Lynnville-Sully (5-0), Pekin (6-0), and New London (4-0) are all rolling so far this year. A huge matchup will be featured in our Game of the Week on 104.9 FM KBOE and kboeradio.com this Friday, as Lynnville-Sully hosts Pekin. Winner of that matchup sets themselves up nicely to get into the playoffs and potentially win the district while the loser will need to win out. New London gets their crack at the top when they host Lynnville-Sully in Week 7 and travel to face Pekin in Week 8.

In 8-Player District 5, Moravia (5-1) seemed to have the best chance to make the playoffs, but a slip up last week at HLV (4-2) has the Mohawks desperate. A Week 8 duel at Colo-Nesco (4-1) will in all likelihood decide who gets the only other playoff berth at stake barring any upsets to HLV. Melcher-Dallas (4-1) has played well this season and have a route to the playoffs, but will be a solid underdog in their matchups with HLV and Moravia in Weeks 8 and 9.

Newton (5-0) has looked great in Class 4A so far this year, but the Cardinals have benefitted from the weakest schedule in the state’s largest class. They have two top teams in Southeast Polk and West Des Moines Valley in as opponents in District 4 and will need to beat at least one of them to have a chance at the postseason. That doesn’t include tough matchups against Indianola and Fort Dodge that the Cardinals will be also find themselves as underdogs.

The playoffs begin October 27^th, but we will be able to track every single movement of our area teams between now and then. Check kboeradio.com or radiokmzn.com for weekly looks at the area playoff picture.

Oskaloosa Football Builds Confidence with Route of Fort Madison

Posted on September 11, 2017 by Rick Watts

Just two short weeks ago, the Oskaloosa football team stumbled in a highly anticipated season opener against the three-time defending state champion Pella Little Dutch. But on the first week of district play, Osky seems to be finding their groove.

The 58-14 drubbing of Fort Madison is a similar score to the 49-0 win the Indians picked up on the Bloodhounds’ home field last year. That’s a great sign for Osky supporters as their team looks to get back to the playoffs.

Quarterback Seth Howard looked in the zone against Fort Madison, going 15 for 24 for 257 yards and 3 TDs. He also ran ten times for 110 yards and 3 TDs. This kind of performance is sure to excite fans of the Indians as an athletic quarterback who can find his targets downfield will make Osky tough to beat.

Howard will be the first to say he couldn’t do it without his targets, as several players got into the act offensively. None more so than Cole Henry, who caught four passes for 38 yards and two touchdowns. The 6-foot-7-inch junior will be a threat in short yardage, especially in the redzone, all season long. Alex Chapman led Osky with 127 receiving yards on four receptions. Tanner DeKock had three catches and a TD on the day as well.

Complementing the improved passing game was a rush attack that got going behind the Blake VanVeldhuizen-led offensive line. Casey Hill was the main beneficiary, rushing 13 times for 60 yards and a TD. Tyler Miller also had his best day in the backfield so far this season, gaining 47 yards on 6 carries with a rushing TD as well.

Defensively, Osky starting a little slowly, but eventually were able to surround the Hounds and not allow any big plays. Keaton DeKock and Cole Kraber had seven tackles each. Turnovers also played a factor as Alex DeJong picked off two more passes to increase his season total to four and Calvin Silvers had a fumble recovery.

All in all, there didn’t seem to be a lot of holes for Coach Jake Jenkins and the Indians last Friday, but there will be stiffer tests in Class 3A District 5. Mount Pleasant will host Osky this Friday and they are no pushover, as they nearly upset Washington, falling 16-14 on the road.

You can hear that game live on 99.5 FM/740 AM KMZN, radiokmzn.com, and the KMZN mobile app starting with the pregame at 7 PM on Friday as Mount Pleasant and Oskaloosa battle to stay in the mix at the top of District 5.

Story By Emery Songer

Five Schools Start the Year In Radio Iowa Football Rankings

Posted on August 22, 2017 by Rick Watts

The Radio Iowa High School Football Poll has been released for Week 1 and it favors the reigning state champions at the top of the list.

In Class 3A, Pella starts the year ranked #1. The Dutch have won 41 straight games and are 51-1 in the last four seasons. They have won the last three Class 3A state titles. They will open their season up on Friday night against Oskaloosa at the Lacey Recreation Complex. You can hear that game live on 99.5 FM/740 AM KMZN, and watch a live video stream on radiokmzn.com and the KMZN mobile app. The pregame show starts at 7 PM for the 7:30 PM kickoff.

West Delaware, Sioux City Heelan, Norwalk, and Cedar Rapids Xavier round out the Class 3A top 5. Solon is ranked #9 and should be the preseason favorites in Oskaloosa’s district.

In Class 2A, PCM is looking to build off a great season and they start the year ranked #5. Williamsburg is #1, followed by Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley, Carroll Kuemper, and Union ahead of the Mustangs.

Sigourney/Keota has been a very successful team under Jared Jensen the last few years and they start the year ranked #8 in the Class 1A poll. Pleasantville will start their second season in Class 1A and they are ranked tenth the start the season. Perennial powerhouse Iowa City Regina is ranked #1, followed by West Lyon, Western Christian, Denver, and Van Meter to round out the top five.

Class A football has been very exciting in our listening area recently, and Lynnville-Sully has been near the top of the state in the playoff hunt the last couple of seasons. The Hawks will start as the #3 team in the state. Defending champs Gladbrook-Reinbeck, who eliminated both Lynnville-Sully and Montezuma on their way through the playoffs, start the year ranked #1. Council Bluffs St. Albert is ranked second, followed by Lynnville-Sully, West Sioux, and Lisbon in the top five.

There are no area teams ranked in the top ten in either Class 4A or 8-Player football.

In Class 4A, Dowling Catholic is #1, followed by Ankeny Centennial, Iowa City West, West Des Moines Valley, and Cedar Rapids Washington. In 8-Player football, the top five features #1 Harris-Lake Park, #2 Don Bosco, #3 Audubon, #4 Fremont-Mills, and #5 Newell-Fonda.

Oskaloosa Football Prepares for New Format to Old Shoe Game

Posted on August 11, 2017 by Rick Watts

The Oskaloosa football season is getting closer by the day and next Friday night is the Old Shoe Game.

Traditionally, the Old Shoe Game has been a scrimmage between Osky’s first, second, and third teams. But this year, to help with early season improvement and get better action on the field against true varsity starters, the format has changed.

Centerville will be bringing their varsity team to the Lacey Recreation Complex on Friday, August 18^th. There will be four segments to the Osky vs. Centerville scrimmage.

The first segment will be each team getting at least two 15 play series alternating at their own 30 yard line. Following that, each team will get at least two 15 play series alternating in the red zone. The third segment will feature special teams for both sides, and the night will wrap up with kicking competitions. There will be a slight break in between each segment.

The Oskaloosa freshman team will scrimmage the junior varsity in a traditional intrasquad scrimmage prior to the varsity teams taking the field.

The gates to the Lacey Recreation Complex Stadium open up at 4:30 next Friday night and the admission is just one sports drink per person. The action on the field begins at 5:30 PM. The Activities Department will be at the stadium selling Activity Passes and Reserved Football seats.

No Coast Network Announces the Game of the Week Football Schedule for 2017

Posted on August 9, 2017 by Rick Watts

With football season right around the corner, it’s time to announce the 2017 Game of the Week schedule, presented by the No Coast Network.

All of the Game of the Week broadcasts can be heard Friday nights on 104.9 FM KBOE, kboeradio.com, and the KBOE mobile app with Kiley Broadway on the call.

The season gets going on August 25^th as Newton faces Ottumwa in a battle of the two Class 4A teams in the listening area. Schaffer Stadium has undergone massive renovations, and the No Coast Network will be on the call as the Bulldogs open up their season on the new turf field.

In Week 2, Sigourney/Keota travels to face a young Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont team.

To kick off district play in Week 3, it’s a battle in Class 2A District 6 between PCM and Albia. The Mustangs ran away with the district title last year, but Albia is hoping to be a factor in their first year without Head Coach Jerry Staton, who retired in the offseason.

Week 4 will be a look at a couple of 8-Player teams in the area in Thornburg, as Tri-County hosts Twin Cedars in a district matchup.

Week 5 is the longest trip of the season, as North Mahaska ventures over an hour-and-a-half away to face a solid New London team who just missed out on the playoffs last year.

We’ll stay in Class A District 6 for a Week 6 battle between Pekin and Lynnville-Sully. The Hawks are looking to build off their 8-2 season last year in this home game against a solid Panther team.

The final three weeks of the season will feature more Class A District 6 action and will highlight 2016 District 6 Champion Montezuma.

Week 7 sees the Braves hosting North Mahaska, while in Week 8, Monte travels to Eldon to face Cardinal. Finally, in Week 9, it is a huge matchup between archrivals Lynnville-Sully and Montezuma on the Braves’s home field.

The Game of the Week broadcast will begin at 6:30 PM every Friday night with kickoff at 7 PM except Week 1 and Week 3. Those two weeks will feature a 7 PM start time for the broadcast with a 7:30 PM kickoff.

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