GOOD STUFF FROM BOB. AFTER THE SEMI FINALS I WILL ALSO GO BACK AND COMPARE PRESEASON RANKINGS WITH THE TEAMS THAT MAKE THE SEMI’S.. NOW WILL BE DOWN TO 24 TEAMS FROM 192.. KEEP IN MIND. WE HAVE FOUND THAT SOME OF THE TEAMS WITH A TRADITION OF WINNING  THAT GET TO THE DOME… HISTORICALLY HAVE AN ADVANTAGE IN THE ATTRITION THAT TAKES PLACE IN THIS BRUTAL PLAYOFF SYSTEM…

PLUS IN 3-A A COUPLE OF POWERHOUSE DISTRICT RUNNER UP PROGRAMS GET TO HOST AND LOOK FOR REVENGE IN REMATCHES. PELLA HAS BEEN IN THE PLAYOFFS 21 TIMES.. CENTERVILLE GOT THEIR FIRST OFFICIAL PLAYOFF WIN LAST WEEK… WILL THE DUTCH GET THEM BACK.. SAME THING FOR THE VIKINGS OF DECORAH.. 4 STATE TITLES 19 TRIPS TO THE PLAYOFFS.. HOSTING NEW HAMPTON A TEAM THAT BEAT THEM EARLIER THIS SEASON.. CARROLL WILL BE HOSTING BUT TAKES ON CLEAR LAKE AND THEIR DOMINANCE OF DOME RUNS..   I KINDA LIKE THE TIGERS..

IN 2-A CAN OSAGE END NORTH FAYETTE’S RUN? IKM AND KEUMPER HAVE BOTH BEEN TO THE DOME IN RECENT YEARS.. BUT IKM-MANNING HAS MORE TRADITIONAL SUCCESS. IN 1-A THE ONLY REAL ONE TO LOOK AT IS ??CAN CLAYTON RIDGE BEAT WEST BRANCH??  THAT WOULD SHOCK ME..

AND IN 8-MAN TRI COUNTY LOOKS TO BE THE REAL DEAL.. BUT CAN THEY KNOCK OF THE TRADITION OF LENOX.  I SAY BEST GAME OF THE NIGHT..

ANKENY HAS BEEN TO THE DOME 6 OF THE LAST 8 SEASONS… JER-PA AND THE BOYS LOOKING TO MAKE IT 7 OUT OF 9 WHEN THE GO TO MARSHALLTOWN.. IT WOULD BE ANKENY’S 9TH TRIP TO THE DOME.. THE BOBCATS HAVE NEVER BEEN ON THE CARPET/FIELD TURF. DOWLING HAS BEEN TO THE DOME 16 TIMES.. THEY HAVE TWO STATE TITLES.. URBANDALE DOES HAVE ONE IN 3-A IN 1975… THEY HAVE ALSO BEEN TO THE SEMI’S 4 TIMES.. THE LAST TRIP IN 4-A WAS IN 1986…

JUST FEW NOTES.. THE BEST TEAM WILL WIN, BUT IT TAKES A SPECIAL TEAM OF CHARACTERS TO GET TO THE DOME FOR THE FIRST TIME, FOR SURE WHEN YOU HAVE TO BEAT A PROGRAM THAT HAS STANDING ROOMS BOOKED AT THE CEDAR FALLS HOLIDAY INN.

I promised some more on Urbandale.  Here we go

GILSON HAS DONE ALL HE HAS BEEN ASKED.. QB-THEN INJURY.. THEN FB.. AND ALWAYS AT LB… ON D.. LEADS THE TEAM IN TACKLES.. AND PASSING YARDS.. NEARLY 600.. 7 TD’S AND NO INT’S…. HE WILL HAVE MORE THAN 1000 YARDS RUSHING WITH 14 TD’S..

IN THE FIRST ROUND OF THE PLAYOFFS HE HAD 6 TD’S INCLUDING 3 RUSHING ONE PASSING.. ONE INT RETURN AND ONE FUMBLE RETURN?? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?  Gilson is Sick-

Wedderburn, Jevoury 28- HAS BEEN A STUD FOR THE J-HAWKS.. THIS SEASON ALMOST 2000 YARDS RUSHING AND 24 TD’S… HE HAS BEEN A GREAT HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PLAYER.. JUST A FEW OF HIS 2009 TOUCHES …

Urbandale is on the rise. They are fueled by senior stud running back Jevoury Wedderburn, he had a buck 35 and a TD last night……. but perhaps the heart of this team is Chad Gilson, after the QB broke his hand earlier this season.. …. he continued to play LB and moved to Fullback on Offense.. That is AWESOME.. and says a ton about this kid. He is back at QB NOW… I expected Urbandale to be better this year, but I will admit, I never expected coach Anderson’s team to be a Dome Contender.. I missed it. Gilson went off for 6 TD’s last night in the win over defending state champ WDM Valley.. Later this week I will try to give you some more highlights of these two and the U from our archive. 

Rece Davis did the Play by Play Friday night.. I visited with Rece, Chris Spielman, prior to kickoff. These men were well prepared and a very gracious.  I observed Herm Edwards on the field prior to kick off also and he was also a real pro.  ESPN found a way to showcase this event with out taking away from the game. 

A quick interview with Jon Thompson. The superintendent of Schools for AP

some 4-A preseason thoughts..

It is no fair to pick chalk and not pick upsets.. I think you can see by following the ICS/rankings that I post each week, that you can probably guess who I think will end up at the dome. Now how bout tonight.. How bout teams that would not have been in the playoffs last year, but will win in substate tonight and be part of the “Real State Playoffs”

Let me give you a few shots in the dark.. Indianola, Mason City and DM East would not have been in the playoff field if not for expansion.. I think all have a shot to win. I like East as a dog here, the Played a brutal schedule and ended the season with a couple wars. Mason City has speed and can score, and Johnston has lost a little MoJo so maybe the MoHawks can find it. Indy is just a good team, but so is Waukee the Indians will have to play awesome.

In 3-A I See a couple of 2 vs. 3 Matchups where the lower seed has a chance., but none I have a feelings.. So I will take a shot in the dark and take DCG over Webster City!

In 2-a lets take a major risk!! PCM is a 4 that is starting to play well.. IKM-Manning has been on my top 4 list all year. However, the Stangs are getting healthy, and they look to be gellin’

Coach Betts and DNH at 6-3 should handle an 8-1 Sumner Fred team but I believe the Wolverines are the higher seed so maybe this is not an upset special.

Staying in 2-A I like Wilton to upset West Burlington/Notre Dame (8-1)

In 1-A it seemed everyone love Griswold earlier in the year, I like Hinton to upset them tonight. Of course I’m taking the Trojans to beat the Hawks in Woodward? How could I pass that one up!! I’m also taking Tom Stone and Pekin to get upset over Maquoketa Valley, Delhi (6-3)

In A, I like road teams Alta and Earlham..Rockford and Wapsie Valley

In 8-man upset specials would include these road warriors Coon Rapids Bayard, say it isn’t so? But East Union over Melcher?? Going to be a dandy.. And Laurens-Marathon (7-2)Got too!! 

Finally I will say this, The Tigers are in the Quarters for sure, but what happens Friday November 7th.  Dowling may be rolling into to this game sky high with confidence.    Friday Quarterfinal night is going to be Awesome beware of the Maroons!   Have fun tonight! See you all later tonight.

LETS DEAL WITH THE TASK AT HAND. SEEING 32 TEAMS IN EACH CLASS PUT IN A BRACKET IS KIND OF COOL. BOB MENTIONED THE TROJANS NUMBERS DURING HIS 4 YEARS IN HIGH SCHOOL. PRETTY CRAZY TO THINK HE NEVER GOT TO STEP ON TO A FOOTBALL FIELD THAT WAS AN IHSAA PLAYOFF GAME. THE TROJANS WERE NOT BAD IN MY DAY, WE LOST A TOTAL OF 6 GAMES IN 4 YEARS AND I NEVER PLAYED IN ANY POST SEASON EITHER. SO I’M NOT GOING TO HAMMER THE NEW SYSTEM.

IN FACT, OUR HOME TOWN OF PLEASANTVILLE HIGH SCHOOL IS A GREAT EXAMPLE TO LOOK AT UNDER THE NEW PLAN. WHILE, OUR GENERATION OF TROJANS RARELY MADE THE POST SEASON.. THESE DANG GENERATION I-PODER’S MIGHT NEVER MISS. GOOD OR BAD, THE POST SEASON EXPERIENCE GIVES YOU SOMETHING YOU DON’T LEARN IN THE REGULAR SEASON.
YOU COULD SEE IT IN OUR EARLY PLAYOFF CHANCES UNDER THE POWERHOUSE COACH DANKS WAS BUILDING. GETTING THERE, SEEMED TO BE GOOD ENOUGH BECAUSE IT WAS SO DAMN HARD. I THINK THIS WAS THE CASE FOR SCHOOLS, PLAYERS, AND COACHES ALL ACROSS THE STATE FOR MANY YEARS. THEN AFTER 3 OR 4 TRIPS TO THE POST SEASON THE TROJANS  FINALLY GOT A PLAYOFF WIN. THEN CAME DISTRICT PLAY, AND THE PLAYOFFS BECAME AUTOMATIC. WINNING IN THE POST SEASON BECAME A GIVEN. MANY SCHOOLS WITH TRADITION HAVE BEEN THROUGH THIS PROCESS, SOME HAVE BROKE THROUGH FOR A TITLE. WE ARE STILL WITHOUT THAT TROPHY IN THE ROSE CITY… AND HAD THIS SYSTEM BEEN IN PLACE SINCE 72, I’M NOT SURE THAT WOULD BE THE CASE. I BELIEVE THAT OUR TRADITION WOULD HAVE BENEFITED FROM MORE TRIPS, PERHAPS BUILDING CONFIDENCE SEASON BY SEASON.
WE HAD SOME TERRIFIC TEAMS NOT EVEN GET A CHANCE. NOW WE HAVE A 5-4 TEAM IN THE PLAYOFFS? DOES THIS BOTHER ME, SHOULD I BE UP IN ARMS. HELL NO! I HOPE THEY GET HOT AND WIN A COUPLE. IN FACT, I BELIEVE THEY MIGHT MAKE A RUN AND GET TO THE DOME. LETS GO PUT A PAD ON SOMEONE, I’M READY!!!
A LOT OF OLD SCHOOLERS MIGHT NOT LIKE THE NEW FORMAT, BUT WHAT ABOUT THESE NEW SCHOOLERS? I BET THESE KIDS LIKE IT. HOW COOL WOULD IT HAVE BEEN TO BE ONE OF THESE KIDS ON a TEAM THAT MADE IT..   WAKE UP SATURDAY, FIND  YOUR TEAM, WHERE IT SITS IN THE BRACKET AND THEN THE POTENTIAL GAMES THAT LIE AHEAD.. WOW! I WOULD HAVE LOVED IT. SO THAT MEANS… I HAVE TO LIKE IT. TODAY’S IOWA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PLAYERS, UNDERSTAND THEY HAVE MORE OPPORTUNITY. I HOPE IN OUR CASE, THIS YEARS 5-4 TROJANS BOTTLE IT UP FOR ALL THE GREAT TEAMS THAT DIDN’T GET THE PRIVILEGE!!   . BOYS, TAKE THE BALL AND RUN………………AND FOR CRYING OUT LOUD PUT A PAD ON SOMEBODY!!

-Editor’s note:  I did step on the field for that 1982 playoff game.  I dressed and stood by one of the Murphy Construction space heaters on the sideline as a sophomore who did not get to play.  It was a thrill to get to go out onto the field for warmups and soak in the playoff atmosphere.  It was different than any other game. -Selby  

We showed up at Ankeny tonight to soak in the HAWK/RAM Game.  Woody was as advertised earlier here on ICS, but this was a second straight statement game for Coach P and the Hawks. They have found the magic.  No telling what is next for the jungle of the CIML but as for tonight Dowling and Ankeny have to feel like they have some major MOJO.. Here are the Ankeny/SE-Polk Highlights. More Playoff stuff later this week.

In all these years of covering high school sports certain kids make an impact on you.  Jeff Woody is one of them.  In my case, I don’t worry about where they will go to college or even try to project.   I do know when the kid is a special High School Athlete and to take time to soak in their ability and accomplishments as a prep.  A ton of wasted time projecting and not enough time enjoying the ride. 

Woody is one of those impact kids, as a sophomore with the Rams, he helped guide SE-Polk to the title Game.  He wasn’t the star, but he was a key part.  The kid that looked and smiled like the freckled boy on the Dairy Queen signs back in the 80′s, also plays like a throw back from that era.  Broken arm and all, I will never forget Bob’s call as Woody checked into the game against Valley and busted one for a TD.  Bob’s call was not memorable because it was Woody, but because he was in the game with that dang loaf of bread tied around his hand and arm.  I don’t know Jeff and his family very well, but they should be proud.  I’ve noticed an extremely positive vibe from this athlete since the first time we met him.   A trait winners and leaders seem to share.  Here is a Woody Highlight Package from the Dowling Game Last Week.

Woody and Grant Mayfield of Dowling rushed for more than 200 yards Friday Night. Here is a look at Mayfield.

Heading into week 6, yes week 6! The rankings have stayed the same here on ICS. Valley, Heelan, Solon, AP, Madrid and Stanton. Wait a second Bay just hit one out for the sox! Post season baseball can ruin a good thought on high school football. Back to the #1’s. I don’t see Valley, Heelan, or Stanton losing in the regular season. Solon will have it’s test later against Coach Cook and Regina. However, we will learn a ton about Madrid and AP this week. AHST is always solid and if the Tigers are the real deal we will know for sure after this non district contest on the road. Wickett and Mattewson are averaging more than 16 yard per touch. It is mind numbing to fathom what a machine this Madrid offense has been during the tenure of Coach Hinkel. Ed Thomas and the boys have a road test at Turkey Valley. I think this district could be the best top to bottom in 1-A, and the Junction boys will give the Falcons a good measuring stick as the regular season starts to close. Lester just got out of the 6th. No real other thoughts, I will leave you with some more highlights from our week one Blitz Extra between DNH and AP. Also, our thoughts are with coach Muller, and we wish him a speedy recovery.

1st Half 

Post Game

When you get a chance to cover Harlan, you do it.  ADM hosting the Cyclones, and this is a Tiger Squad that has some Playmakers.  An overtime thriller!  This is going to be one of our best Blitz Extra’s.   Here’s a sample.

Just a little dose of the Monsoon we endured at SEP vs DM East. Camera down but we did survive and will live another day.  Congrats to Coach K and the Trojans who got the win tonight!!