LAST MEETING — Mount Ayr emerged with a 28-14 win in a game plagued by turnovers from both teams. The Raiders ran for 246 yards and had a kick return touchdown, and although the Hawks ran for 188 yards and threw for 124 they could not overcome giving the ball away four times.
ABOUT THE HAWKS — W-G stomped winless Des Moines Christian, 35-0, last Friday, and will have four starters return to the lineup after the quartet set out two-game suspensions.
Brendan Bird is 19-43-4 for 333 yards and two TDs through the air, with J.P. Nixon (12-175, 1 TD) and Josh Saak (6-99, 3 TDs) the top receivers.
Payton Tague (102-612, 8 TDs), Austin Scharlau (65-393, 4 TDs) and Saak (37-209, 4 TDs) lead the ground attack, with Bird adding 182 yards and a score on 20 carries.
Scharlau has 45 tackles and Cole Carmen 36 to lead the defense, with the former making nine stops behind the line of scrimmage and the latter seven. Bryce Achenbach has 35.5 denials and Gabe Yingst 34 for a unit that has fallen on seven fumbles and picked off four passes.
ABOUT THE RAIDERS — Mount Ayr played well in a 33-20 loss to No. 5 Pleasantville last week. Second-ranked Pella Christian topped the Raiders, 56-14, in earlier action. Mount Ayr and W-G have played two shared foes, with each defeating Woodward Academy (W-G won, 62-14 and Mount Ayr 48-32) while W-G blanked Central Decatur, 42-0. The Cardinals were 34-22 winners over the Raiders.
Mount Ayr has used a two quarterback rotation in each game this year. Dawson Frost is 24-55-2 for 265 yards and three TDs and Myles Greene 15-35-5 for 174 yards and one score.
Bradley Wurster (9-102, 2 TDs), Brad Phelps (7-99, 1 TD) and Hunter Arends (7-65) lead the receiving corps.
Zach Murphy (71-525, 5 TDs), Phelps (44-316, 4 TDs) and Frost (39-143, 2 TDs), along with Brayden Swank (25-159) lead the ground charge.
John Shields (43, 13 for loss), Murphy (39) and Phelps (34) are the top tacklers. The team has six interceptions and four fumble recoveries.
Arends and Hunter Haveman (who had the kick return TD last year) have each scored on kick returns this season.
OUTLOOK — Mount Ayr has faced the more challenging schedule. The team are very similar statistically, with the Raiders passing for 459 yards and the Hawks 414 — both have four aerial TDs. W-G (259-1,539 19 TDs) holds a slight edge (268-1,524, 18 TDs) on the ground.
A fast start carried the Raiders last year, and the Hawks will have to hope the reinsertion of the four starters will go smoothly from the beginning. If the Hawks can move the ball on the ground they odds should tip in their favor.
DISTRICT 5
| District | Overall | Point Diff Avg |
|||||
| Win | Loss | Tie | Win | Loss | Tie | ||
| Pella Christian | 4 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 17.00 |
| Pleasantville | 4 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 16.00 |
| Woodward-Granger | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 9.25 |
| Interstate 35 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 0 | -0.75 |
| Central Decatur | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 0 | -1.25 |
| Mount Ayr | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0 | -6.50 |
| Woodward Academy | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | -16.75 |
| Des Moines Christian | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | -17.00 |
Friday’s Games
Mount Ayr at Woodward-Granger
Interstate 35 at Des Moines Christian
No. 2 Pella Christian at No. 5 Pleasantville
Woodward Academy at Central Decatur
Oct. 13 Games
Woodward-Granger at No. 5 Pleasantville
Central Decatur at No. 2 Pella Christian
Des Moines Christian at Mount Ayr
Interstate 35 at Woodward Academy
Oct. 20 Games
(End regular season)
No. 2 Pella Christian at Woodward-Granger
Mount Ayr at Interstate 35
No. 5 Pleasantville at Central Decatur
Woodward Academy at Des Moines Christian
