Collins-Maxwell/Baxter’s football team will have a new starting quarterback when the postseason begins at 7 p.m. Wednesday.
Junior Hunter McWhirter returns to the lineup for the Raiders, but CMB will still be a bit short-handed when it travel to No. 4 and undefeated Anamosa.
Toren Schultheis also returns to the starting lineup at center. CMB coach Rob Luther said the Raiders will not have tailbacks Blake Coughenour or Dalton Birchmier, wide receiver Brad Ritter, linebacker Charles Robertson or safety Tucker Maxwell.
“It’ll be tough to play without some of our best players, but we’re glad we get to play another game,” Luther said. “We won’t be full strength, but that’s been our story all year.”
Fourth-seeded CMB (6-3) has had just three starters play all nine regular season games this year.
Robertson will miss Wednesday’s game after getting ejected in last week’s game, while Maxwell suffered from appendicitis last weekend.
Anamosa (9-0) has beaten five playoff teams in 2015 and is just two years removed from the end of a 25-game losing streak that reached all or part of three seasons in 2011-2013.
The Blue Raiders are led by Kolin Schulte, who has thrown for 757 yards, rushed for 650 yards and scored 28 total touchdowns.
The Anamosa defense has 19 interceptions this year, including four by Schulte and three by Kyle Shepanski.