Iowa high school football's top stars, best performances (11/5/2023)

Here are some stars from the past week’s high school football games across Iowa. 

If you know of a top performance we should include, please email nate@scorebooklive.com. 

Luke Anderson, Ankeny

The senior quarterback completed 13 of 16 passes and tossed a pair of touchdown passes as the Hawks shocked No. 2 West Des Moines Dowling in a Class 5A quarterfinal. Ankeny controlled the clock and avenged a 35-14 loss to the Maroons during the regular season.

Austin Baumhover, Van Meter

The senior quarterback rushed for 124 yards and three touchdowns and passed for 138 yards and another score as last year’s Class 1A state champs advanced to a 2A semifinal with a 31-21 win over PCM. Unbeaten Van Meter will face Monticello in a semifinal.

Tyler Bell, Solon

The junior completed 18 of 24 passes for 286 yards and a pair of touchdowns, leading the Spartans to a 36-35 victory over West Delaware in a 3A quarterfinal. Brett White had 114 receiving yards on five catches, 10 tackles, 2.5 for loss and a sack as Solon moved on to a semifinal.

Isaac Clark, Gladbrook-Reinbeck

The senior rushed 16 times for 153 yards and completed 15 of 20 passes for 179 yards and another score as the Rebels avenged their only regular season loss with a 32-20 victory over Clarksville in an 8-player quarterfinal. It’s the first trip to the semifinals for Gladbrook-Reinbeck since 2016.

Kamdyn Cross, Lewis Central

The senior had 31 carries for 151 yards and three touchdowns, while adding a 22-yard touchdown reception as the Titans downed ADM 32-21 in a 4A quarterfinal. Lewis Central has a matchup with North Polk in a semifinal.

Jake Edwards, Winfield-Mt. Union

The junior passed for 214 yards and three touchdowns, leading the unbeaten Wolves to a 34-29 win over Don Bosco in an 8-player quarterfinal. Cole Milks intercepted a pass in the end zone on the final play of the game to send Winfield-Mt. Union into a semifinal.

Tate Foertsch, Algona Garrigan

The sophomore rushed for three touchdowns and passed for another as the Golden Bears beat CAM 26-16 in an 8-player quarterfinal. Garrigan is heading to the UNI-Dome for a semifinal for the first time since 2016.

Grant Glausser, Western Dubuque

The senior rambled for 250 yards on 32 carries and a touchdown and also caught a 35-yard touchdown pass for the Bobcats in a 21-7 Class 4A quarterfinal win over North Scott. Western Dubuque will play Bondurant-Farrar in a semifinal.

Colin Gordon, Grundy Center

The senior passed for two touchdowns and rushed for two more, leading last year’s Class A state champs to a 40-0 shutout win over Dike-New Hartford in a Class 1A quarterfinal. Justin Knaack added a pair of scoring runs for the unbeaten Spartans, who play Waterloo Columbus in a semifinal contest.

Drew Kluender, Woodbury Central

The senior passed for 189 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 62 yards and another score as the Wildcats returned to the Class A semifinals with a 35-0 quarterfinal shutout of Logan-Magnolia. Unbeaten Woodbury Central’s foe in the UNI-Dome will be East Buchanan.

Carter Lockert, Waterloo Columbus

Lockert completed 14 of 18 passes for 217 yards and a touchdown, helping Columbus reach the state semifinals for the first time in 19 years with a 35-14 Class 1A quarterfinal win over Sumner-Fredericksburg. Parker Kjeldson and Myles Gardner each rushed for two touchdowns for the Sailors.

Garrett Lueth, Underwood

The sophomore passed for 335 yards and four touchdowns – completing 19 of 25 – as the Eagles soared past OABCIG 43-8 in a Class 1A quarterfinal. Mason Boothby had three touchdown receptions among his six catches for 171 receiving yards.

Caden Lundt, Spirit Lake

The junior passed for 238 yards and two touchdowns and the Indians clipped West Lyon 20-19 in a 2A quarterfinal. Dylan Stecker had 10 catches for 137 yards, including an 85-yard scoring strike from Lundt.

Jayden McGregory, West Des Moines Valley

The sophomore caught a 71-yard touchdown pass (from classmate Drake DeGroote) and returned a blocked field goal for a touchdown in the Tigers’ 20-7 5A quarterfinal win over Waukee. Valley started the season 0-4, but has won its last six games to reach a semifinal against Southeast Polk.

Connor Moberly, Southeast Polk

The senior and Iowa State recruit passed for 199 yards and two touchdowns as the defending 5A state champions edged Cedar Falls 21-20 in a playoff quarterfinal. The Rams denied Cedar Falls on a two-point conversion try in the final minute.

Garrison Motsinger, Bedford

The junior rushed for 190 yards on just nine carries, scoring three touchdowns for the unbeaten Bulldogs in a 36-24 win over Lenox in an 8-player quarterfinal. Cal Peterman had 14.5 tackles, including four for loss.

Quinn Olson, Sioux City Bishop Heelan

The senior quarterback had 124 yards passing and two touchdowns, while tacking on 93 rushing yards on 22 carries with a touchdown in Heelan’s thrilling 27-26 triple-overtime win over Sioux Center in a 3A quarterfinal. Olson hit George Tsiobanos on fourth-and-9 from the 30 yard line with less than two minutes remaining to tie the game at 7-7.

Wyatt Powell, MFL MarMac

Powell rushed for 161 yards and two touchdowns, leading the Bulldogs to a 22-7 Class 1A quarterfinal victory over Iowa City Regina. MFL MarMac will play Underwood in a semifinal at the UNI-Dome.

Preston Ries, Monticello

The University of Iowa recruit rushed 39 times for 232 yards and four touchdowns and passed for 319 yards and another score in a 34-28 Class 2A quarterfinal victory over Mediapolis. Ty Tallman caught passes for 235 yards.

Tanner Thurn, East Buchanan

Thurn rushed for 183 yards and three touchdowns as the Buccaneers upended top-ranked Saint Ansgar 30-16 in a Class A quarterfinal. East Buchanan handed Saint Ansgar its first loss and moved to the semifinals for the second time in the last three seasons.

Cael Turner, Creston

Turner passed for 264 yards and four touchdowns and added 60 rushing yards and a score for the top-ranked Panthers in a 50-27 come-from-behind win over Webster City in a Class 3A quarterfinal. Creston (11-0) trailed 19-0 before scoring 43 unanswered points to earn its first trip to the UNI-Dome since 2014 and just the second in school history.

Reece Vander Zee, Central Lyon/George-Little Rock

The senior quarterback, who will play at the University of Iowa, rushed for 224 yards and four touchdowns as the defending Class 2A state champions beat Carroll Kuemper 48-27 in a quarterfinal game. Graham Eben, who will also play at Iowa, had 22 carries for 251 yards and three touchdowns, a fumble recovery and six tackles.

Derek Weisskopf, Williamsburg

The University of Iowa commit passed for 137 yards and four touchdowns and rushed for 108 yards in the Raiders’ 38-35 3A quarterfinal win over Mount Vernon. Rayce Heitman scored three touchdowns, including the go-ahead score on a 55-yard pass from Weisskopf late in the third quarter.

Brent Yonkovic, West Delaware

The senior had 263 passing yards and a touchdown and 100 rushing yards and four touchdowns in a 36-35 loss to Solon in a Class 3A quarterfinal.

Cale Zuehl, West Hancock

The senior carried 31 times for 183 yards and four touchdowns as the Eagles reached the state semifinals for the third straight season with a 44-22 Class A quarterfinal win over Wapsie Valley. West Hancock plays Madrid in a semifinal.

--Barry Poe