Photo by David Borer: Jaxon Cherry of Webster City carries the ball last week against Humboldt.

Webster City seniors will finish their careers with four playoff appearances.

For the fourth straight season and 25th overall, the Lynx (7-2 overall) will take their chance at a state championship.

During that four-year stretch, the Lynx have compiled a 30-10 record with one playoff victory in 2021.

The seventh-seeded Lynx enter the postseason as district runner-ups, denying Humboldt (5-4) the league championship with a 26-7 victory.

Webster City’s first opponent will be ninth-seeded Nevada (7-2).

No. 15 Humboldt is competing in the postseason for the third consecutive season and 17th overall. The Wildcats put together a memorable year, knocking off No. 3 Hampton-Dumont/CAL and top-ranked Clear Lake during district play.

In the first round, Humboldt will face third-seeded Williamsburg (8-1).

Algona (6-3) enters as the 12th-seed and will face No. 4 Sioux Center (8-1).

Bishop Garrigan (8-1) and West Bend-Mallard both earned victories in the first round of eight-man action a week ago, as did Emmetsburg in Class 1A.

Nevada (7-2) at Webster City (7-2)

The Lynx enter on a hot-streak, winning four straight after back-to-back losses to West Delaware (2A) and No. 1 Clear Lake.

After trailing early to the Wildcats, the Lynx scored 26 unanswered points, led by a three touchdown performance from senior Jaxon Cherry and one by classmate Keegan Hisler.

This is the third recent meeting between the Cubs and the Lynx, the first since 2011 and 2010 when Webster City captured both wins.

Nevada has one of the top touchdown combos in the state with quarterback Connor King and receiver Kyle Kingsbury.

King is fourth in 3A with 20 touchdown passes and Kingsbury is the top pass-catcher in the state with 11 touchdowns. Jacob Khounsourath is fifth with eight scores.

The Cubs, whose only loss is to top-ranked Creston, also have one of the top scoring backs in the field, in Cason Stevenson. The senior is fourth in 3A with 15 touchdowns.

Nevada’s defense is also a juggernaut. Kingsbury has a 3A high five interceptions, and Will Palmer is tied for most fumble recoveries with three.

This first round matchup will showcase 3A’s top two running backs in Cherry and Stevenson.

Cherry leads 3A with 1,499 yards and Stevenson has scampered for 1,454. Cherry is second with 21 touchdowns and is third with 1,599 all purpose yards.

The Lynx career rushing and touchdown leader has 4,367 yards and 79 touchdowns. Hisler has run for 620 yards and six touchdowns, to go along with two scoring passes.

Harlan (6-3) and top-ranked Creston (9-0) are the other two teams in Pod A.

Humboldt (5-4) at Williamsburg (8-1)

The Wildcats, who have been in two straight semifinal games, will have a tough task with Williamsburg to get back on the road to the Dome.

The Raiders have won two consecutive games and are playing in their 16th straight postseason, a year after finishing as the state runner up.

Senior Lance Coon returned at the perfect time for the Wildcats, right when district play began.

Coon has run for 538 yards and eight touchdowns.

Coen Matson has 505 yards and five scores and has thrown for five scores.

Williamsburg comes in with a balanced offense, throwing for 1,647 yards and running for 1,248.

Quarterback Kellen Cockrell has 1,154 throwing yards and 23 touchdown strikes, second in 3A.

The Raiders have two of the top receivers in 3A — Braylon Wetjen. He is tied for the lead with 11 touchdowns and 504 yards. Clayten Steckley is fourth with nine endzone trips and 491 yards.

Nile Sinn has run for 707 yards and has six touchdowns.

The Raider defense had turned eight turnovers into touchdowns. They have five touchdowns off of interceptions, two punt returns and one kickoff return.

Independence (7-2) and Mount Vernon (8-1) are the other two teams in POD C.

Algona (6-3) at Sioux Center (8-1)

A week after a tough loss to Webster City, the Bulldogs bounced back with a 21-7 win over Hampton-Dumont/CAL.

Top Division I recruit Alex Manske has had a strong season, throwing for 15 touchdowns and 1,560 yards.

Manske is fourth in 3A with 26 combined touchdowns.

Porter Reffer has been the main target for Manske, leading the class in receiving yards with 855. Reffer has seven touchdowns.

On the ground, Evan Allie has 737 yards and seven rushing touchdowns, along with one scoring catch.

After losing their first game of the season, the Warriors have run off an eight-game win streak, entering the postseason with a 28-16 win over Sergeant Bluff-Luton.

This year, quarterback Brodie Van Regenmorther has thrown for 857 yards and run for 505. He has 14 combined scores; nine through the air and five on the ground.

Solomon Tea has carried the ball 121 times for 685 yards and 10 trips to the endzone.

Joining the Bulldogs in POD D is Sioux City Bishop Heelan (8-1) and district foe Clear Lake (8-1).

Remsen St. Mary’s (9-0) at Bishop Garrigan (8-1)

District foes Bishop Garrigan and West Bend-Mallard could meet in the quarterfinals with two victories.

The Golden Bears, who have won eight straight, have drawn fifth-ranked and unbeaten Remsen St. Mary’s.

Bishop Garrigan went on a tear in their postseason opener, rolling past Janesville 63-6, while the Hawks beat Harris-Lake Park, 52-23.

The Golden Bears rushed for 342 yards and seven touchdowns. Caden Rothler had 148 yards on the ground with two touchdowns. Ethan Marso also had two scores.

Kyle Bormann, Tate Foertsch and Owen Murphy each had touchdowns.

In their nine victories, the Hawks have outscored their opponents 345-105.

Quarterback Landon Waldschmitt has thrown for 836 yards and 12 touchdowns, while running for 958 yards and 22 scores. He has a combined 34 touchdowns.

Collin Homan has 330 yards and three touchdowns, while Braxton Kniep has 274 yards and four trips to the endzone.

Foertsch has a combined 24 touchdowns. He has thrown for 1,022 yards and 17 touchdown strikes, while running for seven scores.

Foertsch has thrown touchdowns to eight different receivers. Sam Plathe is the leader with six, followed by Drew Lappe (4), Justin Bauer (3), Daniel Meis (2), Owen Murphy (2) are the other leaders.

Roethler has 15 touchdowns and 816 yards.

West Bend-Mallard (7-2) at Anita CAM (9-0)

The Wolverines, who have won six straight games, have only lost to the teams on the other side of the bracket.

West Bend-Mallard opened with a 64-26 win over Riceville.

The Wildcats had no answer for Landon Montag, who had eight combined touchdowns. Montag rushed for five touchdowns on 214 yards. Montag threw for 169 yards and three scores.

This season Montag is third in eight-man with 26 touchdowns. The senior is also fourth in the class with 1,346 yards.

For the Cougars, Chase Spieker is fifth with 43 combined touchdowns. Spieker has 1,186 yards throwing and 22 touchdown passes. Spieker has rushed for 781 yards and 21 touchdowns.

Sumner-Fredericksburg (8-1) at Emmetsburg (7-2)

After losing their first two games, Emmetsburg has won seven straight, including a 20-8 victory over Ridge View in the first round of the playoffs a week ago.

The E-Hawks have done all of their damage on the ground, rushing for 2,425 yards and 34 touchdowns. They are averaging 269 yards per game on the ground.

Jace Nelson-Brown is tied for fourth in Class 1A with 14 touchdowns, he has run for 898 yards.

Quarterback Gavin Swanson has nine touchdowns on the ground and has thrown for four.

The Cougars enter on a five-game win streak and knocked off South Hardin 31-26 in the opening round of the Class 1A playoffs.

Quarterback Davi Van Sickle has thrown for 819 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Noah Henderson (605 yards) and Jaxon Williams (550) are the leading rushers with five touchdowns each.

Waterloo Columbus (7-2) and South Hamilton (8-1) are on the other side of POD C.

CLASS 5A

POD A

Linn-Mar, Marion (4-5) at Southeast Polk (9-0)

Cedar Rapids, Kennedy (6-3) at Cedar Falls (6-3)

POD B

Sioux City, East (5-4) vs. Dowling Catholic, W.D.M. (8-1), at Williams Stadium

Johnston (5-4) at Ankeny (6-3)

POD C

Valley, W.D.M. (4-5) at Pleasant Valley (8-1)

Prairie, Cedar Rapids (5-4) at Waukee (7-2)

POD D

Ankeny Centennial (5-4) at Waukee Northwest (7-2)

Iowa City, City High (6-3) at Bettendorf (7-2)

CLASS 4A

POD A

Newton (6-3) at Western Dubuque (8-1)

Decorah (6-3) at North Scott (7-2)

POD B

LeMars (7-2) at Lewis Central (7-2)

ADM (6-3) at Denison-Schleswig (7-2)

POD C

Norwalk (5-4) at Glenwood (7-2)

Pella (6-3) at Bondurant-Farrar (7-2)

POD D

Ballard (5-4) at North Polk (7-2)

Indianola (6-3) at Xavier, Cedar Rapids (7-2)

CLASS 3A

POD A

Harlan Community (6-3) at Creston (9-0)

Nevada (7-2) at Webster City (7-2)

POD B

Fort Madison (6-3) at Solon (8-1)

Assumption, Davenport (7-2) at West Delaware (6-3)

POD C

Humboldt (5-4) at Williamsburg (8-1)

Independence (7-2) at Mount Vernon (8-1)

POD D

Algona (6-3) at Sioux Center (8-1)

Bishop Heelan, Sioux City (8-1) at Clear Lake (8-1)

CLASS 2A

POD A

Roland-Story (7-2) at Central Lyon/George-Little Rock (9-0)

Clarinda (7-2) at Kuemper Catholic, Carroll (7-2)

POD B

Union, LaPorte City (3-6) at Van Meter (9-0)

Mid-Prairie, Wellman (5-4) at PCM (7-2)

POD C

Western Christian, Hull (7-2) at West Lyon (8-1)

New Hampton (4-5) at Spirit Lake (8-1)

POD D

Jesup (6-3) at Monticello (8-1)

Camanche (5-4) at Mediapolis (7-2)

CLASS 1A

POD A

Pella Christian (7-2) at Grundy Center (9-0)

Dike-New Hartford (6-3) at Sigourney/Keota (8-1)

POD B

AHSTW (6-3) at Underwood (8-1)

Treynor (8-1) at OABCIG (7-2)

POD C

Sumner-Fredericksburg (8-1) at Emmetsburg (7-2)

Columbus Catholic, Waterloo (7-2) at South Hamilton (8-1)

POD D

West Branch (6-3) at MFL MarMac (8-1)

Wilton (8-1) at Regina, Iowa City (8-1)

CLASS A

POD A

Lake Mills (7-2) at Saint Ansgar (9-0)

East Buchanan (7-2) at Lisbon (9-0)

POD B

MMCRU (7-2) at Woodbury Central (9-0)

Logan-Magnolia (8-1) vs. Akron-Westfield (8-1), at LeMars

POD C

West Hancock (8-1) at Starmont (8-1)

Maquoketa Valley (7-2) at Wapsie Valley (8-1)

POD D

Central Decatur (6-3) at Madrid (9-0)

Lynnville-Sully (8-1) at ACGC (9-0)

EIGHT-PLAYER

POD A

Moravia (8-2) at Winfield-Mount Union (9-0)

WACO (7-1) at Don Bosco, Gilbertville (8-1)

POD B

Exira-EHK (6-3) at Bedford (9-0)

Lenox (8-1) at Audubon (8-1)

POD C

West Bend-Mallard (7-2) at CAM, Anita (9-0)

St. Mary’s, Remsen (9-0) at Bishop Garrigan, Algona (8-1)

POD D

Iowa Valley (7-2) at Clarksville (10-0)

Gladbrook-Reinbeck (8-1) at Central City (8-1)