Panthers open playoffs Friday

Many of Creston’s football players this year weren’t in middle school yet when the Panthers last participated in the state playoffs.

When the ball is kicked off at North Polk’s home field in Alleman Friday night, it will be the first postseason appearance for Creston since the 2016 season. Chase Shiltz was rushing for 1,537 yards and 26 touchdowns for an 8-2 Panther team that lost to Boone in the playoffs, 22-21, after opening the season against the Toreadors in a 28-7 victory. Carroll was the only other team to beat Creston that season, just two years after the school’s only semifinal appearance in the UNI-Dome.

Creston coach Brian Morrison said the 2022 team has been preparing with enthusiasm after last Friday’s 26-21 loss to Atlantic. The Panthers (6-3) ended up 10th on the Iowa High School Athletic Association’s ratings percentage index and qualified for the playoffs as an at-large team after finishing fourth in District 6 at 2-3.

“We had a stretch of multiple appearances in the playoffs in a row there, but it’s been awhile and you forget how much fun it is to be still playing when other teams are turning in their equipment,” Morrison said. “The kids are excited to be out there and be one of 16 teams still playing in 3A.”

North Polk (7-2) tied Humboldt and Nevada for first place in District 2 with 4-1 records. The Comets ended up fifth on the RPI rankings and serve as the host school Friday as the higher-seeded team. The other matchup in this pod of four teams is District 5 runner-up Grinnell (5-4) at District 6 runner-up ADM (8-1).

The two winners meet Nov. 4 at the site of the higher-seeded team.

Common opponents

Both North Polk and Creston have previously lost to ADM this season. Creston fell 38-7 to the Tigers in Adel on Sept. 30. North Polk held a first-half lead at ADM before losing 29-20.

“North Polk had a couple of big plays on special teams to take a lead on ADM, then ADM got it going in the second half and pretty much controlled the game,” Morrison said.

Likewise, Gilbert is a common opponent for Creston and North Polk. The Panthers staged a huge fourth-quarter rally to win at Gilbert 40-36 on Sept. 16. In district play North Polk shutout Gilbert, 28-0 on Oct. 14.

North Polk’s only losses this season were to ADM and district co-champion Humboldt, 24-14.

“They have good athletes and a lot of speed in their skill positions,” Morrison said. “They play two quarterbacks (juniors Isaac Zoske and Reggie Postel). No. 23 (Brady Miller) is a good back for them. He’s fast and a tough kid. He’s made some big plays for them. They also have a group of good athletes at the receiver position.”

One of them, senior Austin Parkins, is the son of Creston graduate Brian Parkins and former East Union athlete Jodie Nissen. Brian’s parents are J.P. and Pat Parkins of Creston.

Assistant coach Bill Ocker is a former Creston coach and juvenile court school liason officer. Another assistant coach, Bill Capaldo, is a 1987 Corning graduate and head track coach at North Polk. His brother, Chris, and his son Anthony are also on the North Polk staff.

Austin Parkins has 40 catches for 405 yards and four touchdowns. Miller, who has rushed for 947 yards and 12 touchdowns, is also a pass receiving threat with 25 catches for 206 yards and two TDs.

“They do a lot of RPOs (run-pass option) where they look at the defense and throw the ball if they like the formation matchup, or if (receivers) are covered up, they’ll run the ball,” Morrison said. “You pick your poison. You just have to make sure you’re gap-sound against the run and tackle in space. That’s where they gouge teams. They have a high pass percentage completion rate (69.1%) with a lot of short passes where they get their athletes the ball and let them make plays after the catch.”

The Comet defense has been stingy, allowing no team to surpass ADM’s final total of 29 points. Three opponents were held to seven points or less.

“Their front seven is good,” Morrison said. “They will show both four-man and three-man fronts and they will adjust their coverages based on what they see offensively. It’s a good defense.”

Morrison hopes his team can establish the run game better than in Friday’s loss to Atlantic. Brennan Hayes has 1,281 yards rushing and 10 touchdowns.

The Panthers passed for 223 yards and two touchdowns last week. Quarterback Kyle Strider has completed 104 of 209 passes for 1,586 yards and 13 touchdowns with five interceptions. Cael Turner, Dylan Calvin and Brandon Briley each have more than 350 yards receiving, led by Turner’s 457 yards and four TDs.

With ADM fourth on the RPI list and favored over No. 17 Grinnell, both Creston and North Polk could be playing for a rematch with ADM.

“Our pod is set up in a way that we could get another shot with ADM and we know we could do some things better than the first time,” Morrison said. “Our kids understand we have an opportunity and they’re excited about playing Friday night. I feel good about our preparation.”