Senior night showdown

After two straight dominant wins by a combined score of 95-10 over Atlantic and Knoxville in district play on the road, the Creston Panthers return home Friday in a game of huge stakes on senior night.

Undefeated Creston and 6-1 Nevada, both in the top 10 of an array of statewide rankings, collide at Panther Field to decide the Class 3A District 6 champion. Both teams are 3-0 in district play with one game remaining next week, so if Creston suffers its first loss Friday and both teams end 4-1, Nevada would be the champion based on head-to-head outcome.

Creston finishes the regular season at Perry (1-6) and Nevada closes at Atlantic (3-4). Both the district champion and runner-up are automatic playoff qualifiers in Class 3A, with four at-large berths from the six districts determined by the IHSAA’s Ratings Percentage Index.

Currently, Creston is No. 2 on the RPI list behind Clear Lake, the only other undefeated Class 3A team in the state. Nevada is No. 6 on the RPI list.

On the Associated Press weekly rankings, Creston moved into No. 1 this week after Williamsburg was defeated by state-ranked Solon last Friday. Nevada is No. 7 on the AP poll. The Cubs are unranked by the Des Moines Register, which has Creston at No. 3 behind Clear Lake and 6-1 Mount Vernon.

KMA Radio of Shenandoah releases a weekly statewide rankings and has had Creston at No. 1 for multiple weeks, trailed this week at No. 2 by Nevada. The Cubs are coming off a 39-20 win over Harlan, which was operating without multiple injured starters including all-state end Cade Sears and defensive end standout Franz Reisz.

The statistics on both sides for Friday’s game are nearly identical.

“It’s going to be a good one, no doubt about it,” said Creston coach Brian Morrison. “It’s going to be a fun game. You’re talking two teams that have already qualified for the playoffs, but obviously there is a lot riding on it.”

Playoff ramifications

Besides a district title, there are long-term consequences of Friday’s outcome. The top eight teams on the RPI list are host teams in the first round of the playoffs. There are already seven one-loss teams in Class 3A, so a Creston loss on Friday would put the Panthers in that mix of teams relying on their standing in the RPI after week nine.

Also still in play for Creston as one of just two undefeated teams is the chance to finish in the RPI top four, which counts in the second round of playoffs.

“If you’re in the top four and you win the first game, you get to host the second round as well,” Morrison said. “That’s huge, because you wouldn’t hit the road until the semifinals (played in the UNI-Dome). The top four is still possible if we lose this game, but when everybody has one loss, it comes down to RPI. I know that Harlan is on the bubble to make the playoffs (listed 16th) like we were two years ago. It all depends on what happens those final two weeks.”

Creston already owns wins over three teams that have been statewide ranked this season — Lewis Central and Ballard in Class 4A, and Harlan in Class 3A. So, preparing for a “big game” is anything but unique this season.

Nevada beat West Marshall, Roland Story and Prairie City-Monroe in non-district play before suffering its lone defeat to Hampton-Dumont-CAL, 24-21. H-D was ranked at that time, but has slipped to 4-3, just in front of Harlan in 15th on the RPI list.

“Hampton-Dumont is a good football team,” Morrison said. “But when you watch that game on tape, Nevada looks like the better team. It was just that some things happened, field position and some big plays. But, they did some good things in that game. Last week, Harlan was missing some pieces, but Nevada owned the line of scrimmage on both sides. They looked impressive.”

The teams are near mirror-images of each other in terms of playmakers at key skill positions in high-powered offenses. Creston’s average score to date is 39-17 and Nevada’s is 36-10.

Both teams have returning all-state running backs who have surpassed 1,000 yards already this season. Nevada senior Cason Stevenson leads 3A rushing with 1,143 yards, and Creston’s Brennan Hayes is third with 1,042 yards after last week’s 269-yard effort at Knoxville.

“No. 10 (Stevenson) is as good as it gets,” Morrison said. “He’s very much like Brennan. They are built the same, run the same, and both are very fast and explosive in the open field. He (Stevenson) starts at outside linebacker too, so he’s not afraid of contact, just like Brennan.”

Both teams have first-year starters at quarterbacks leading dangerous passing attacks. Creston senior Cael Turner leads Class 3A with 1,789 yards and 22 touchdowns. He has three interceptions, including two last week at Knoxville. Nevada junior Conner King ranks 11th in 3A with 1,110 yards and 15 touchdowns. Both have completed more than 60% of their passes.

The one difference in offensive weapons is the use of Hayes in Creston’s passing game, while Stevenson has caught only three passes. Hayes ranks fourth in 3A receiving with 653 yards and six TDs. The Nevada duo of Jacob Khounsourath (540 yards, 8 TDs) and Kyle Kingsbury (466 yards, 6 TDs) rank seventh and 13th, respectively, in 3A. Creston’s Brandon Briley (523 yards, 7 TDs) ranks ninth and Josh Schaefer has been another key target with 23 catches for 190 yards and five touchdowns.

Hayes leads the state in total yardage (1,695) and Stevenson is fourth at 1,156. Nevada’s Kingsbury is also a rushing threat with 744 total yards.

Leading tacklers are Nevada’s Jackson Burlage (55.0) and Creston’s Austin Evans (44.5). Creston’s Max Chapman ranks second in 3A with 18 tackles for losses. Nevada’s Will Palmer is 15th at with 10.

Both secondaries are ballhawks. Kingsbury has five of Nevada’s 10 pass interceptions in seven games, including three last week against Harlan. Dylan Calvin and Austin Evans each have three of the Panthers’ nine swipes. Nevada’s Jacob Khounsour also has three interceptions.

Senior ceremony

So, it shapes up as an even matchup on a night when 25 seniors will be honored at 7 p.m. prior to the 7:30 kickoff.

“Every senior group is tough to lose,” Morrison said. “They have all contributed for four years, on top of that junior high and junior padded or even flag football. They’ve played together for a long time. Their families have put in a lot of time.”

A member of this senior class was the late Sterling Sharp, whose family died when a water heater malfunction while on a spring break vacation in 2018. The seniors have been playing for “the 12th man” all season, in reference to their former teammate.

Morrison said it’s a special group that is still on track with their lofty goals.

“You want games like this,” Morrison said. “This is what you play for. It’s going to be a playoff atmosphere. The more games you can get under your belt like that, the better off you’re going to be when it comes time to finish games in the postseason.

“Our kids will play hard as hard as they can for four quarters,” he continued. “We’ll make adjustments throughout the course of the game. Our kids are excited and they should be. They’ve worked hard for this.”

Projected starters

OFFENSE

WR — Brandon Briley, Sr., 150

WR — Tyler Riley, Jr., 125

TE — Carson Rieck, Sr., 160

TE — Josh Schaefer, Jr., 170

OT — Quinten Fuller, Sr., 230

G — Gunner Martwick, So., 220

C — Jagger Luther, Sr., 205

G — Tucker Rohrig, Sr., 225

OT — Lucas Rushing, Sr., 250

QB — Cael Turner, Jr., 165

RB — Brennan Hayes, Sr., 195

PK — Hayes

DEFENSE

DE — Max Chapman, Sr., 260

NT — Tom Mikkelsen, Fr., 210

DE — Jackson Kerr, Sr., 205

OLB — Milo Staver, Sr. 175

ILB — Will Bolinger, Sr., 175

ILB — Luke Travis, Jr., 180

OLB — Austin Evans, Sr., 160

CB — Dylan Calvin, Sr., 165

CB — Jack Walter, Sr., 170

S — Dillon Starlin, Sr., 125

S — McCoy Haines, Sr., 155

P — Calvin or Haines