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Home stretch for area teams

We’ve reached the penultimate week of the prep football season.

Two games remain and playoff berths are still up for grabs around the state.

Week 8 presents more of a setup for the final Friday night, which should shape just about every district race from the area.

In Class 3A, 10th-ranked Webster City hosts North Central Conference rival Iowa Falls-Alden. The Lynx are set to travel to Boone next week, as the Toreadors take on Dallas Center-Grimes tonight.

In Sac City, the Raiders welcome Carroll Kuemper in a 2A, District 7 showdown. East Sac County and No. 9 South Central Calhoun are both 5-0 in the district, with Kuemper a game back at 4-1.

Eagle Grove can keep its playoff push going strong by taking care of Ogden and setting themselves up for a showdown with South Hamilton in Week 9 with that winner claiming the runner-up spot in 1A, District 6.

Here’s a look at those games, along with the rest of the slate of action:

Iowa Falls-Alden (1-7, 0-5) at No. 10 (3A) Webster City (6-1, 4-1)

The Lynx need to take care of Iowa Falls-Alden to keep alive the chances to score a share of the district title.

No. 1 Dallas Center-Grimes hosts Boone this evening, with DC-G sitting at 5-0 and holding a win over Webster City from earlier in the year. Boone is currently 4-1 and hosts the Lynx next Friday night.

Carter Bedford has stepped in for Zane Williams at the main running back position. Williams has missed the last two weeks and Bedford now sits at 199 yards and three TDs.

Dylan Steen is also picking up the offensive slack, rushing for 674 yards and seven scores. He has also thrown for 412 yards with six touchdowns.

Jordan Tanner is Steen’s top target, catching 14 passes for 202 yards and three scores.

Caleb Olson anchors the WCHS defense with 58 tackles, including five for loss. Steen has picked off seven interceptions, tied for second most in the state.

The Cadets lean on Tyjon Rose for their offensive spark. The senior is 54 of 100 for 861 yards and nine passing touchdowns, with a team-high 326 yards, as well.

Carroll Kuemper (5-2, 4-1) at East Sac County (5-2, 5-0)

Through five weeks, East Sac County and South Central Calhoun are both 5-0 in the district and square off next week in Lake City.

To keep pace with the Titans, who are at Red Oak, the Raiders must top Carroll Kuemper, which sits a game behind both and alone in third.

Junior Garret Bruce has turned it on as of late, rushing for at least 100 yards in his last five games — all wins by East Sac County.

Griff O’Neill, a sophomore, is completing 60 percent of his passes. He has 507 yards and four scores through the air. Marcus Green is his favorite target with 15 catches for 216 yards.

Senior Reed Vondrak has recorded 54 tackles and classmate Sebastian Pek 43.5. Pek also has picked off two passes.

Miles Rupiper leads the Knights, as the senior has ran for 722 yards and scored 10 times. Joey Pottebaum is 44 of 107 for 598 yards with seven touchdowns, but has also been picked off seven times.

Eagle Grove (5-2, 3-2) at Ogden (2-5, 1-4)

Paul Hansch has led a turnaround in Eagle Grove, as he has the team on the cusp of competing for a playoff berth. A win tonight over Ogden sets the Eagles up for a showdown with South Hamilton in Jewell next week for the runner-up spot in 1A, District 6.

Brayden Lyman, Evan Anderson and Niko Padilla have rushed for a combined 1,409 yards and scored 11 times. Lyman leads the group with 586 and five touchdowns, adding another 481 in the air with seven TDs.

Ryan Smith, a senior, has picked off seven passes, which is just one behind state leader Drake Johnson of Stanton.

Smith should get plenty of chances to add to his total, as Ogden’s Sam Christensen has thrown 174 passes this year and six interceptions. The sophomore does have 1,271 yards and 11 scores.

Other area games this evening: Algona (3-4, 1-4) at LeMars (1-6, 0-5); Sioux City Heelan (5-2, 3-2) at Humboldt (2-5, 1-4); Greene County (1-6, 1-4) at Perry (2-5, 1-4); Sheldon (5-2, 3-2) at Pocahontas Area (0-7, 0-5); Forest City (0-7, 0-5) at Clarion-Goldfield/Dows/CAL (0-7, 0-5); Clarinda (2-5, 2-3) at Southeast Valley (3-4, 3-2); No. 9 (2A) South Central Calhoun (6-1, 5-0) at Red Oak (1-6, 1-4); Emmetsburg (4-3, 4-1) at Hinton (4-3, 3-2); Manson Northwest Webster (4-3, 3-2) at Madrid (2-5, 2-3); No. 4 (A) Bishop Garrigan (7-0, 5-0) at Hartley-HMS (4-3, 3-2); South O’Brien (1-6, 1-4) at North Union (1-6, 0-5); No. 5 (8-man) Newell-Fonda (6-1, 4-1) at West Bend-Mallard (3-3, 1-3).

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