District title still possible

Creston’s football team finds itself in an unusual all-or-nothing situation Friday in hosting Perry on senior night.

The possible outcomes are district champion, or playoff non-qualifier. And, either could be true even if the Panthers (3-5) defeat Perry (2-6) in the regular-season finale.

The only possible path to the playoffs is for Creston to improve to 4-1 in district play, and Atlantic (6-3, 2-2 district) winning at Nevada (6-2, 3-1) to give the Cubs their second district loss. Harlan (5-3, 3-1), the only district team to beat Nevada, closes its season at Knoxville (4-4, 1-3).

If Atlantic and Harlan win, Creston and Harlan would be the only teams with one district defeat, and Creston would be district champion (and automatic playoff qualifier) because of the head-to-head win over the Cyclones. If Atlantic and Knoxville win, Creston will be outright champ as the only one-loss team.

Point system rankings

However, if Nevada, Harlan and Creston all win to create a three-way tie at the top at 4-1, Creston is the team left out based on the plus-minus tiebreaker point average in district play. With 17 positive or negative points as the maximum for any one game, Creston is currently at a 0.75 point average.

Nevada (12.0) and Harlan (9.0) have clinched an advantage over Creston on the point system and only two teams from one district automatically qualify. All other teams are subject to the state’s Ratings Percentage Index (RPI), and Creston is not in position to get an at-large berth with the 22nd-ranked RPI in Class 3A through eight games.

That system is based on season record, record of opponents and record of opponents’ opponents. While Creston has a strong opponents’ schedule of 43-30, the non-district record of 0-4 is too much to overcome on that scale.

Creston coach Brian Morrison realizes that some qualifying circumstances are out of his team’s control, but he has been pleased about being in this position of vying for a district title in the final two weeks.

“We knew this (non-district) schedule would be a challenge in the second year,” Morrison said. “Even if we could have gone 2-2 in non-district, we’d be in at 6-3. The perseverance of the kids, with so many new faces on both sides of the ball, has been impressive. Even if we win and don’t get in, we end up 4-1 in the district and if you would have told me we’d be 4-1 before the season started, I would have been alright with that.”

Two early wins

Perry got both of its victories within the first three weeks of the season, opening with a 35-21 win over Des Moines Hoover and topping Ogden 26-3 two weeks later.

The losses have been lopsided, including 36-7 to Greene County, 32-7 to Storm Lake, 55-0 to Nevada, 49-7 to Harlan, 35-14 to Atlantic and 35-6 to Knoxville last week.

“Knoxville had those (suspended) kids back last week,” Morrison said, referring to Knoxville’s shorthanded status a week earlier in a 70-0 loss to Creston. “Their Atlantic game was 21-14 at half. They do some good things. They have better numbers and they are much improved from last year.”

Senior quarterback Geren Kenney accounts for much of the Bluejay offense through eight games, with a team-high 454 rushing yards while also completing 45 of 98 (45.9%) of his passes for 542 yards and two touchdowns, with seven interceptions. Sophomore Nadir Quahbi has gained 191 yards with one touchdown.

“They want to run the football,” Morrison said. “The quarterback will do a good job of taking off and scrambling if people aren’t open downfield. We have to contain him. He’s a fast kid and a good athlete.”

3A rushing leader

Morrison expects Creston’s offense, featuring Class 3A rushing leader Weston Trapp (1,602 yards and 18 touchdowns) to have success on the ground Friday, which could open up opportunities in the passing game. Trapp had 193 yards rushing and two TDs last week, but the passing game was limited to 46 yards on five completions in the 49-28 loss to Nevada.

“Perry has some deficiencies up front and we’d like to think we can be successful moving the football,” Morrison said. “We have to be better covering kicks. Win special teams and field position. We just have to show up and beat Perry and see what happens.”

Creston (3-5, 3-1)

OFFENSE

T Brayden Schoon 6-3 235 Sr.

G Garrick Clausen 5-11 225 Jr.

C Chasse Downing 6-3 270 Jr.

G Gunner Martwick 6-1 230 Jr.

T Eli Schaffer 6-3 320 Sr.

WR Casen Dryden 5-7 140 Sr.

WR Xander Drake 5-8 155 Sr.

TE Josh Schaefer 6-1 180 Sr.

QB Tanner Ray 5-10 145 So.

RB Weston Trapp 5-11 185 Sr.

TE Ethan Holliday 6-2 200 Jr.

K Joaquin Flores 5-10 140 So.

DEFENSE

DT Tom Mikkelsen 6-0 220 So.

DE Jayden Myers 5-11 195 Sr.

DE Mattias Schultes 5-11 200 Sr.

OLB Jackson Pettegrew 5-10 170 Jr.

ILB Aiden Snodgrass 6-0 175 Sr.

ILB Lucas Travis 5-11 195 Sr.

OLB Tyson Looney 5-10 165 Sr.

CB Jake Hoyt 6-2 165 Sr.

CB Tyler Riley 5-5 140 Sr.

S Lane Travis 5-8 150 Jr.

S Davin Wallace 5-10 145 So.

P Weston Trapp 5-11 185 Sr.