Top stars, best Iowa high school football semifinal performances

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By Barry Poe | Photo by Matthew Putney

Here are some stars from high school semifinal football playoff games across Iowa.

If you know of a top performance that we should include, please let us know.

Simeon Reichenbach, WACO

The senior had 17 carries for 90 yards and two touchdowns and scored two field goals in the Warriors’ 29-21 win over Newell-Fonda in an 8-man semifinal. Reichenbach scored on runs of 23 and 19 yards and connected on field goals of 28 and 21 yards.

Isaac Oswald, WACO

The senior quarterback completed 15 of 27 passes for 197 yards and a touchdown in a 29-21 8-man semifinal win over Newell-Fonda. WACO (13-0) will face Remsen St. Mary’s for the state title on Thursday.

Mason Dicks, Newell Fonda

The senior quarterback passed for 251 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 93 yards on 17 carries in the semifinal backhand against WACO. Ryan Greenfield had nine catches for 155 yards for the Mustangs, who went 10-2.

Cael Ortmann, Remsen St. Mary’s

The senior quarterback was 10-for-17 for 220 passing yards and three touchdowns in the Hawks’ 42-20 8-man semifinal win over Lenox. Alex Schroeder was St. Mary’s leading rusher with 116 yards.

Ryan Willman, Remsen St. Mary’s

The senior had all three of Ortmann’s killer assists in the semi-final triumph over Lenox, finishing with five catches for 163 yards. St. Mary’s (13-0) takes on WACO for the 8-man title.

Gabe Funk, Lenox

The second rushed for 154 yards and two touchdowns and passed for 134 yards and a score in a losing cause against Remsen St. Mary’s. Lenox closed its season with an 11-1 record.

Mitchell Smith, West Hancock

The junior rushed for 123 yards and a touchdown, leading the Eagles past Lynnville-Sully 22-14 in the Class A semifinals. West Hancock (12-0) will face the Grundy Center in a rematch of the game for the title last year and the Eagles are in their ninth league game in school history.

Lannon Montgomery, Lynnville-Sully

The second had 151 yards and two touchdowns in the semifinal backhand against West Hancock. Lynnville-Sully (11-1) played in the UNI-Dome for the first time since 1986.

Colin Gordon, Grundy Center

Gordon, a junior, completed 16 of 23 passes for 249 yards and five touchdowns in the Spartans’ 49-20 win over Woodbury Central in the Class A semifinals. Grundy Center (12-0) advanced to the state title game for the fourth straight season.

Justin Knaack, Grundy Center

The junior rushed for a team-record 112 yards and two touchdowns, helping the Spartans beat Woodbury Central and advance to the Class A Championship Game. Grundy Center takes on West Hancock in a rematch of the game for last year’s title, won by West Hancock, 19-12.

Drew Kluender, Woodbury Central

The strong-armed junior threw for 314 yards and two touchdowns in the Class A semifinal backhand against Grundy Center. The Wildcats finished their season with an 11-1 record.

Ben Gilliland, Van Meter

The Van Meter senior quarterback threw just seven passes but completed six for 183 yards and two touchdowns in a 48-17 Class 1A semifinal win over West Branch. The Bulldogs (10-1) return to the championship game against West Sioux.

Ben Gordon, Van Meter

The junior rushed for 190 yards on 23 carries, scoring twice, and also had 63 receiving yards and another touchdown in the Bulldogs’ Semifinal 1A win over West Branch. Van Meter and West Sioux will face off in Friday’s championship game at the UNI-Dome.

Tye Hughes, West Branch

Hughes passed for 212 yards and a touchdown and ran for another score in the Semifinal 1A loss to Van Meter. West Branch suffered their only loss of the season.

Dylan Wiggins, West Sioux

The Falcons senior quarterback completed 21 of 23 passes for 231 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 62 yards and two more scores in a 47-7 Class 1A semifinal win over Underwood. West Sioux advanced to the title game for the second straight season.

Brady Lynott, West Sioux

The senior had 106 receiving yards and a touchdown along with 78 rushing yards and two more scores for the Falcons in the semifinal win over Underwood. West Sioux will face Van Meter for the state championship on Friday.

Braylon Kamrad, Lewis Central

Kammrad had 285 passing yards and three touchdowns (two to Curtis Witte) in the Titans’ 42-21 Class 4A semifinal win over Carlisle. The senior finished 21 of 28, introducing Lewis Central into the title match against Cedar Rapids Xavier.

Ronan Thomas, Cedar Rapids Xavier

The junior flagger rushed for three touchdowns, threw another and threw for a career-best 249 yards in the Saints’ 38-10 Class 4A semifinal win over North Scott. Xavier (12-0) returns to the league game for the second consecutive season against Council Bluffs Lewis Central.

Michael Provenza, West Des Moines Valley

The Valley senior quarterback was 18 for 26 for 179 passing yards and a touchdown in the Tigers’ 22-21 Class 5A semifinal win over top-ranked West Des Moines Dowling. Valley avenged a 35-3 loss to Dowling and will face defending champion Southeast Polk in the title match.

Ayden Price, WDM Valley

The senior had eight catches for 108 yards and ran for the game-winning touchdown with 30 seconds left in the Tigers’ behind-the-scenes win over Dowling in Semi-Final 5A.

Jaxon Smolik, WDM Dowling

Future Penn State Nittany Lion passed for 206 yards and a touchdown in the semifinal loss to Valley. Dowling lost his first game since a season-opening loss to Southeast Polk.

Abu Sama, Southeast Polk

The Iowa State rookie scored three touchdowns in the Rams’ Class 5A semifinal triumph 35-13 over Johnston. Sama finished with 87 yards on 14 carries and now has six touchdowns in three postseason games, in which the Rams outscored opponents 125-17.

Carson Huedepohl, Williamsburg

The senior quarterback completed 10 of 13 passes for 207 yards and a touchdown and added 89 rushing yards in the Raiders’ 31-7 win over Dubuque Wahlert in the Class 3A semifinals. Williamsburg moved on to the state title game against Central Lyon/George-Little Rock.

Derek WeisskopfWilliamsburg

The University of Iowa senior commitment had eight catches for 164 yards and two touchdowns in the semifinal win over Wahlert. Huedepohl and Weisskopf teamed up for TD plays from 16 and 30 yards, helping the Raiders 12-0 to advance to the Class 2A state title game against Central Lyon/George-Little Rock.

Zach Lutmer, Central Lyon/George-Little Rock

Lutmer, another future Iowa Hawkeye, exploded for 269 yards rushing and 98 through the air in the Lions’ 37-14 Class 2A semifinal win over OABCIG. Central Lyon/George-Little Rock and Williamsburg will play for the state championship on Friday.

Aidan Hall, Harlan

The senior and yet another player who signed up for Iowa scored five touchdowns in the Cyclones’ 49-35 Class 3A semifinal win over ADM. Hall rushed for 238 yards and four touchdowns and had seven receptions for 74 yards and another score as Harlan passed for a chance to defend his state championship.

Aiden Flora, ADM

The junior quarterback put on an outstanding performance in a 49-35 Class 3A semi-final loss to Harlan. Flora carried 29 times for 238 yards and three touchdowns and passed for 149 yards and two touchdowns.

Joey Rhomberg, Mount Vernon

The junior passed for 148 yards and a touchdown while adding 36 rushing yards and another score in the Mustangs’ 14-6 victory over Humboldt in the Class 3A semifinals. Mount Vernon advanced to play defending state champion Harlan in the Frida title match at the UNI-Dome.

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