By Mark Schafer | The News-Review
CEDAR FALLS – For 28 teams their journey to a potential State championship is still alive.
The State football semifinals were set last weekend as the final four teams separated themselves from the rest of the pack.
Class 5A
In the biggest class in Iowa there were a few upsets. A new State champion will be crowned as Iowa City Liberty bested Southeast Polk 31-28, ending the Rams recent run of State championships.
Dowling Catholic blanked Iowa City, West, 35-0. Valley beat Johnston 28-21. Waukee Northwest downed Sioux City, East in a back-and-fourth game, 48-34.
This Friday Dowling Catholic will play Valley, although the two schools share a stadium in West Des Moines, they will make the trip north to play Friday night in Cedar Falls. Waukee Northwest will play Iowa City Liberty in the second semifinal game.
Class 4A
Like Southeast Polk in class 5A, the defending class 4A football champions fell just shy of a chance to return to the Dome.
Sergeant Bluff-Luton pummeled the defending champions, North Polk, 55-15. Xavier was able to win over ADM 45-7, and Newton finished the take down of the Raccoon River Conference teams with a 42-14 victory over Gilbert.
Not all the class 4A games were high scoring. Pella won 7-6 over Decorah.
The 4A semifinals kickoff at 4 p.m. on Nov. 13 as Sergeant Bluff-Luton plays Pella. Followed by Xavier playing Newton.
Class 3A
The first chance for a repeat champion comes in the class 3A field where Wahlert Catholic is vying for a second-straight State title after they beat West Delaware 27-6 to advance to the Dome.
Nevada upset Clear Lake 24-14, while Solon bested Winterset 21-6 (Winterset is the fourth Raccoon River Conference team to lose on Friday night). Bishop Heelan won 35-14 over Sioux Center.
In the Dome Bishop Heelan will play Wahlert Catholic at 4 p.m. on Nov. 15. Solon will take on Nevada at 7 p.m.
Class 2A
The overwhelmingly favorite team in class 2A, Kuemper Catholic, continued to roll as they won their quarterfinal game 43-26 over Cherokee. It is the first time since the Knights won the class 2A title in 2013 that Kuemper has returned to the Dome.
Van Meter bested Mid-Prairie 28-21. Wilton moves to the Dome after beating PCM 21-17 (two teams that Sigourney-Keota played). Osage won 12-7 over Alburnett.
On Nov. 15 the class 2A games will kickoff at 10 a.m. with Osage taking on Van Meter. Followed by Kuemper playing Wilton.
Class 1A
The top four teams in class 1A all made it to the Dome.
West Lyon, the No. 1 team in the class, won over Underwood 57-22. Grundy Center eliminated Beckman Catholic 21-0.
Third-ranked Regina won 49-7 over Pleasantville. No. 4 seeded South Hardin won 27-14 against Treynor.
Class 1A will play their semifinal games on Nov. 14 starting at 10 a.m. when Grundy Center takes on Regina. West Lyon and South Hardin will kick off around 1 p.m.
Class A
In the A class the northern part of the state seemed to be the most dominant. MMCRU was able to pick up a 42-6 win over Woodbury Central. West Sioux won 24-14 over AC-GC. Saint Ansgar bested North Linn 49-21. Wapsie Valley won 22-16 over Lynnville-Sully.
The class A semifinals start on Nov. 13 when Saint Ansgar and Wapsie Valley kickoff at 10 a.m. MMCRU and West Sioux will follow at 1 p.m.
Eight-player
The eight-player games took place on Thursday night. Bishop Garrigan won by 30 points over Don Bosco, 51-21. Gladbrook-Reinbeck won 54-18 over Edgewood-Colesburg.
Woodbine downed Fremont-Mills 50-12. Audubon survived a 26-19 win over Iowa Valley.
The eight-player semifinals begins at 10 a.m. on Nov. 12 as Bishop Garrigan plays Audubon. Woodbine and Gladbrook-Reinbeck will kick off at 1 p.m.
