L-S football tackles undefeated Wapsie Valley in quarterfinal matchup

If the Lynnville-Sully football team wants to return to the Class A state semifinals for the first time since 2022, the No. 10 Hawks must defeat their toughest challenge yet.

Fifth-ranked Wapsie Valley has scored 30 or more points in seven of its 10 games, ranks fifth in the class with 2,849 rushing yards and is tied for second with 26 sacks. The Warriors also rank fifth with 71 tackles for loss.

“Just like every other game, the keys to offense and defense are simple — we have to be great at the fundamentals and the little things,” Lynnville-Sully head football coach Mike Parkinson said. “Blocking and tackling are the most important at this point in the season and they have some great athletes who can run the ball and catch passes so we must be at the top of our game.”

Lynnville-Sully and Wapsie Valley will play in the quarterfinals at 7 p.m. on Friday in Fairbank.

The Hawks are 4-0 on the road this season, but Wapsie Valley (10-0) is outscoring opponents 204-30 in its last five home games.

The Warriors most impressive win was a 42-0 victory over No. 8 North Linn in the regular-season finale on Oct. 17.

Wapsie Valley’s other wins over teams which are above .500 include a 34-7 win over East Marshall (5-4) and a pair of double-digit wins over Maquoketa Valley, which finished 7-3.

The Warriors are led offensively by senior Hunter Curley and junior Cadyn Dana headlines the defense.

Curley ranks third in Class A with 1,868 rushing yards. He’s tied for second with 28 rushing touchdowns and has 12.5 tackles for loss and six sacks on defense.

Dana’s 65 tackles leads Wapsie Valley, and he has 10 tackles for loss. Dana also has gained 451 rushing yards and scored five TDs.

The Warriors are averaging 8.1 yards per carry. Junior Caleb Hogan has thrown for 896 yards, 12 TDs and five interceptions and junior Landen Moulds leads the receivers with 19 catches for 381 yards and six scores.

“We’re really excited about this game — it’s going to be a good one,” Parkinson said. “I think it will be highly competitive, hard hitting and a great defensive battle. Wapsie Valley has had an amazing season so congrats to Coach Foster and his team on their district championship and making it to this place in the postseason.”

Junior Cooper Adair ranks fourth in Class A with eight sacks and has 13 tackles for loss for Wapsie Valley. Senior Carter Kaufman is tied for fifth with 7.5 sacks, and he has 12.5 tackles for loss.

The Warriors rank fourth in the class with 13 fumble recoveries and tied for second with 16 interceptions. Ten different players have at least one pick, and Wapsie Valley has four defensive touchdowns.

“This will be our toughest test yet — and will be for both teams,” Parkinson said. “We look forward to the challenge and the chance to play in the UNI-Dome.”

One advantage in the game for Lynnville-Sully might be in special teams.

The Warriors have not returned a kickoff or a punt for a TD and two different kickers have booted only one field goal and missed 15 PATs. Kaufman has only 10 touchbacks in 63 attempts.

Freshman Jaxson Merten is 2-of-3 in field goals and 22-of-27 in extra points. Senior Wyatt Mathis also has blocked a punt and sophomore Jace Johnson returned a kickoff for a TD earlier this season.

“Special teams has been an important part of our success this year and we look to continue to make plays in that area — it can have a big impact in the game as it did last Friday vs BGM,” Parkinson said.

Lynnville-Sully finished 11-1 in 2022. This year’s seniors were freshmen during that season.

Wapsie Valley is 10-0 for the first time going 12-1 in 2013 and 14-0 in 2012.

This is the first matchup between these two programs since at least 2007.

“This was the goal set by our seniors at the start of the year and now we are one game away — that’s what I love about this team,” Parkinson said. “They have dedicated their season to accomplishing something they experienced as freshmen and what a way to wrap up your high school season by giving your teammates a chance to do that again.”