Lynx bring heavy ground attack

It will be a stark contrast in styles when Webster City and Creston clash Friday at Panther Field for a trip to the Class 3A semifinals in the UNI-Dome next week.

Webster City (8-2) is almost exclusively a running team in the single-wing offense coached by Bob Howard, who established that offense during a long stint at Sigourney prior to taking the Webster City position 17 years ago. Creston coach Brian Morrison, the team’s defensive coordinator, coached against that system when Clarinda ran that offense several years ago under a coach with Sigourney ties.

“Number 2 (Keegan Hisler) is the quarterback or spinner back,” Morrison said. “He and number 24 (Jaxson Cherry) are both in the backfield set off the hips of the center. Neither one is directly behind the center and either one of them will get a direct snap. If number 2 gets it, he hands off or fakes a handoff to number 24 and then spins and hands off or fakes to the wingback, number 20 (Cael Nixon). The quarterback also runs the ball either off the direct snap or off the fakes.”

Morrison said defensive players have to be disciplined in reading keys of the blockers and not get lost in the backfield deception. The goal of the offense is to churn out steady, long drives to keep the opposing offense off the field. As a team Webster City has 3,253 yards rushing in 491 attempts for the season, with three ball carriers over 500 yards. Jesse Crutcher is the leading receiver with two catches for 51 yards.

Last week the Lynx defeated District 6 runner-up Nevada 27-7. The first two drives in taking a 14-0 lead covered 66 and 77 yards.

“The number one concern is not letting them churn out the clock, to get them in tough down and distance situations on third down,” Morrison said. “They want to be in third and three or third and four and run the ball. They throw when they have to. We need to make number 24 run laterally because he’s a load when he’s running north and south.”

For the season, Webster City has attempted only 38 passes with 12 completions for 202 yards and two touchdowns. In contrast, Creston quarterback Cael Turner leads Class 3A in passing yards (2,442 yards) and passing touchdowns (29).

Cherry, a 6-2, 225-pound punishing runner who also qualified for the state track meet in the 100 meters, carried the ball 31 times last week for 200 yards and three touchdowns. Hisler added 58 yards rushing.

Cherry leads Class 3A with 1,699 yards rushing this season and is third in all-purpose yards (1,803). Creston senior running back Brennan Hayes is second in rushing with 1,547 yards and is the all-purpose yardage leader at 2,269. He ranks seventh with 722 receiving yards and Creston wideout Brandon Briley is fifth with 730 yards and 10 touchdowns in Creston’s 10-0 season.

Creston, coming off a 35-27 playoff victory over Harlan, will be challenged by a stout Webster City defense that includes Cherry at inside linebacker with 73.5 tackles and 20 for losses. During its current five-game winning streak, the Lynx have allowed just 33 total points, with no opponent scoring over 13.

The two setbacks for Webster City occurred in consecutive weeks in September in a 42-13 loss to Class 3A quarterfinalist West Delaware and a 10-2 defeat against District 2 champion Clear Lake.

Creston is seeking its first trip to the state semifinals since 2014. Alex NIelsen was an all-state quarterback that season for the Panthers and Turner has surpassed Nielsen’s season TD record already with 29 to date. At 2,442 passing yards, Turner is closing in on Nielsen’s school record of 2,868 yards in that 10-3 season in 2014.

While it’s been cold early in the week, weather conditions should be more favorable Friday than a week ago.

“Friday sounds pretty nice with the wind not too bad and a high in the 50s that day,” Morrison said. “You can’t beat that, weather-wise this time of year.”

Friday’s winner will play in the semifinals on Saturday, Nov. 11 in the UNI-Dome at either 4 p.m. or 7 p.m. Other quarterfinal matchups are Bishop Heelan (9-1) vs. Sioux Center (9-1); Mount Vernon (9-1) vs. Williamsburg (9-1); and West Delaware (7-3) vs. Solon (9-1). The Class 3A championship game is 1 p.m. Friday, Nov. 17.

Scott Driskell, Creston activities director, reminds fans that everyone attending Friday’s game must either purchase a ticket in advance or at the gate using credit/debit card. Tickets can be purchased online at https://iahsaa.org/tickets/. All signs, banners and noisemakers are banned from the stadium during the playoffs.

The game will be broadcast on KSIB 101.3 FM and streamed on KSIB’s PantherTV link.

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, Sr., 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