The high school football season is quickly approaching its end. Iowa just concluded its state championships in Cedar Falls, though no Hawkeye commits participated.
The story of the week for Iowa commits was running backs. One had another starring performance to help his team advance in the playoffs. Another helped his team earn another trip to the state title game. Here's how they and a few others did in Week 13 and final season stats for commits whose seasons have ended:
Player of the Week
It's hard to understand how Arkansas State was McNeil's only other offer apart from Iowa. Each week, he has at least a handful of runs that defy belief.
This week was no different. McNeil rushed for 203 yards and three touchdowns in Wiregrass Ranch's 38-7 victory over Largo in the Florida Class 6A playoffs.
On McNeil's first TD run, he ran right, broke through six! tackles, and finished the 23-yard run in the end zone.
His second was comparatively easier, but he still broke multiple tackles on an 11-yard score.
Finally McNeil got an easy one-yard TD run to close out his trifecta.
Highlights of McNeil's touchdowns are in the Tweet below. More extensive highlights are here.
Iowa's Other Commits
Loyola trailed 16-13 at halftime, but came back in the second half to earn a 27-24 victory over Lincoln-Way East to advance to the state championship game.
MacPherson's biggest contribution came late. Loyola got the ball up 20-16 in the fourth quarter with a chance to put the game away. MacPherson and Iowa preferred walk-on Ryan Fitzgerald alternated runs on a seven minute drive that ended with MacPherson scoring a 15-yard touchdown. The touchdown gave Loyola a 27-16 lead with 2:57 left and effectively sealed the victory.
The Woodlands defeated Cy Ranch 38-21 in Round 2 of the Texas Class 6A Division 1 playoffs. Starzyk was perfect on his extra points and hit a 27-yard field goal in the victory.
MIDCS destroyed Fort Zumwalt West 49-3 in the quarterfinals of the Missouri Class 5 playoffs. Highlights from the game are here.
St. Thomas More closed out its season with a 49-0 victory over PSA.
Commits Whose Seasons Are Over
Iowa City West fell to Southeast Polk 42-15 in the second round of the Iowa Class 5A playoffs to finish the year 6-5.
For the season, Woods finished with 54 receptions for 1,057 yards and 12 touchdowns. He rushed five times for 48 yards. He also completed a pass for 26 yards.
Defensively, Woods had 24 tackles, one tackle for loss, and an interception. Woods also returned a kick 87 yards for a touchdown.
Carroll fell to Crown Point 38-21 in the Regional Championship of the Indiana playoffs. Carroll finished the season 9-3.
For the season, Sullivan was 143-of-230 passing (62.2%) for 2,001 yards. He had 24 touchdown passes and five interceptions. Sullivan also led Carroll in rushing, running 142 times for 718 yards and ten touchdowns.
If you didn't catch Eliot's feature about Sullivan from early October, it's worth your time.
Bishops fell 47-14 to Mater Dei in the second round of the playoffs. Bishops finished its season 7-4.
Herrera finished the season 141-of-226 passing (62.4%) for 2,033 yards. He had 24 passing touchdowns and just five interceptions. He also rushed for 334 yards and eight touchdowns.
West Aurora fell to Maine South 41-6 in the second round of the Illinois Class 8A playoffs to finish 10-1.
Smith played in only eight of the 11 games, but finished his season with: 28 receptions for 331 yards and eight touchdowns. He also had an interception on defense.
Clear Lake fell to Humboldt 13-10 in the first round of the Class 3A playoffs to finish 6-4.
For the year, Meyer finished with 31 receptions for 512 yards and nine touchdowns. He had 34 tackles, 20.5 tackles for loss, and five sacks defensively.
Sycamore fell to St. Francis 10-0 in the quarterfinals of the Illinois Class 5A playoffs. The Spartans finished the season 11-1.
Prior to the final game, Gautcher had passed for 1,661 yards and 17 touchdowns with just one interception. He completed 65.9% of his passes. He also rushed for 229 yards and eight touchdowns.
River Falls finished the year 3-6 and did not make the playoffs.
Johnson's season stats: 40 receptions, 579 yards, 6 touchdowns, 43 tackles, 4.5 sacks
Edwardsville fell to York 37-7 in the first round of the Illinois Class 8A playoffs to finish the season 6-4.
Epenesa finished the season with 51 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, and seven sacks. Offensively, he had 4 receptions for 30 yards and a touchdown.
Oswego fell to York 35-17 in the second round of the Illinois Class 8A playoffs to finish the season 10-1. Unfortunately, Cooney missed the York game due to injury.
Cooney's season highlights are here.
Pleasant Valley fell to Southeast Polk 24-21 in the first round of the Class 5A playoffs to finish 7-3.
VanWetzinga finished the season with 34.5 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, and 4.5 sacks. Offensively, he rushed 17 times for 55 yards and four touchdowns.
VanWetzinga's season highlights are here.
Waterloo West fell 49-14 to Johnston in the first round of the 5A playoffs. West finished the season 6-4.
West finished the year with 1,672 rushing yards and 1,035 passing yards behind Nielsen and the o-line.
Marist fell to Loyola Academy 24-20 in the second round of the Illinois Class 8A playoffs to end its season 9-2.
