Panthers host Harlan in rematch

Creston’s football team has had some major accomplishments this season including the first district championship since 2011 and just the second 9-0 regular season in program history after last week’s 49-14 win at Perry.

But, now everyone starts over in Class 3A playoff action and the top-ranked Panthers have a rematch with the most storied program in Iowa. First-round opponent Harlan o(6-3) owns a state-high 14 state championships, including the last two years.

The game at 7 p.m. at Panther Field will be a rematch of the Sept. 22 Creston homecoming game when Brennan Hayes kicked a late field goal that held up for a 25-22 victory.

The other matchup in Pod A has another District 6 team, Nevada, traveling to Webster City in a battle of 7-2 teams to decide who takes on the Creston-Harlan winner on Nov. 3.

This will be the first home playoff game for Creston since a 22-21 loss to Boone in 2016 after an 8-1 regular season.

As a postseason game and state-sponsored event, cash and activity passes are not accepted. Debit and credit cards will be accepted at the gate, however, school officials advise fans to purchase tickets online in advance at https://www.iahsaa.org/tickets/. For questions call HomeTown Ticketing at 866-488-4849.

Activities Director Scott Driskell said reserved stadium seating will be honored during the playoffs. The state bans any banners, fathead photos, signs or any type of noisemakers.

Since the loss at Creston on Sept. 22, Harlan has experienced significant injuries, including all-state receiver Cade Sears who was injured late in that Creston game. The Cyclones qualified for an at-large berth by earning victories over Atlantic (27-6) and Knoxville (42-26) after losing 39-20 at district runner-up Nevada on Oct. 6 when the Cyclones were missing several starters.

Harlan coach Todd Bladt told KMA Radio this week that 33 different players have started this season because of the injuries.

“We’ve mixed and matched,” he said. “Against Nevada we were down 10 or 11 positions and didn’t play with a lot of confidence. I think our guys are building more confidence in what they’re doing on the field. It doesn’t just happen overnight. We had some good things happen that allowed us to be in the position we’re in. We’re going to make the most of it and see what we can do Friday night.”

Creston coach Brian Morrison said he’s had his team preparing as if the Cyclones are at full strength, except for the loss of Cyclone defensive end Franz Reisz with a season-ending leg fracture.

“As for Sears, he was not in a walking boot or on crutches last week and was walking the sidelines normally, so we’re preparing as if he will be on the field and if he’s not we’ll adjust from there,” Morrison said. “This is a team that’s gone to the championship game two straight years and the seniors on this team know what it takes. They’ve been there.”

Morrison said it’s a mixed blessing to have three district teams in the same pod to determine the semifinal qualifier for the UNI-Dome. Webster City, a run-oriented team from District 2 won by Clear Lake, is the lone outlier in Pod A.

“The positive is you have already put a lot of time in because you played them before, so you know them,” Morrison said. “The negative is, they know you, too. So there’s pros and cons to it. It’s not easy to beat a good football team twice. There are a lot of unknowns right now as far as who they are right now, but you know they will be ready.”

At the only position Creston has lost a player to injury since week one, offensive tackle Brayden Schoon has returned to practice this week and is expected to play, even if he doesn’t start. Senior Lucas Rushing has manned that position since the injury.

Passing attacks

While Creston has the 3A state passing leader in senior quarterback Cael Turner (2,251 yards and 28 touchdowns), Harlan has continued to have a productive passing attack as well directed by senior Will Arkfeld (1,813 yards, 19 TDs).

In the absence of Sears in recent games, senior Brehden Eggerss (No. 2) has blossomed with 41 catches for 696 yards. Last week against Knoxville he caught seven passes for 194 yards and three TDs.

Tight end Jozef Reisz has also had a good season with 28 catches for 393 yards.

The Cyclone rushing game has not matched what Creston has done with Class 3A fourth-leading rusher Brennan Hayes (1,351 yards and 15 TDs). Noah Schmitz has 449 yards and five touchdowns. Lukas Francis, a speedy junior who had 92 yards at Creston, has not played in recent games but he has averaged 5.7 yards per carry this season.

Harlan’s defense is led by all-state senior linebacker Matthew Sorfonden with 64.5 total tackles this year, including 12 for losses. (Creston’s Max Chapman leads 3A with 20.5 tackles for losses.)

In the Sept. 22 game, Hayes finished with 86 yards rushing and 47 yards receiving for Creston. Turner had 129 yards passing and 95 yards rushing.

“Their linebacking corps is the best we’ve seen this season,” Morrison said. “Number 36 (Sorfonden) is as good as it gets, and No. 26 (Bryce Van Baale) is another good one. They play disciplined football and do a good job of eliminating your best players. But we had some opportunities in that game where we dropped balls after getting behind them. I’ll be anxious to see how we stack up this time because we’ve improved as a football team since week five. The question is, how much as Harlan improved since then too? Every team has at this point or they wouldn’t be here.”

Key factors

Field position will be the critical factor Friday, Morrison said.

“We have to win special teams,” Morrison said. “I’m not saying we have to score every time we get the football, but we can’t be three and out every time from the 20, punt and give them a short field. Teams like that thrive on that. The worst case scenario is is the snowball effect if you can’t get going and they get the momentum.”

After the first meeting, Harlan coach Todd Bladt said his team had too many penalties and a 2-0 deficit turnovers on interceptions by Creston’s Jack Walter and Dylan Calvin. For the regular season, Calvin is tied for the 3A lead in interceptions (five) with Nevada’s Kyle Kingsbury.

While rain is expected Thursday, Friday’s forecast calls for a high of 63 and some wind, cooling off to a low of 37 at midnight.

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; or Brayden Schoon, Jr., 200

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