Top in-state playoff games to watch Iowa Hawkeyes

As we head into the third round of the Iowa state high school playoffs, we take a look at the top in-state matchups and where all of the Iowa commits and top targets are playing this week.

Game of the Week

Cedar Falls at Ankeny

Why: With the addition of Arland Bruce to the lineup, the Ankeny offense continues to dominate and put up video game type numbers. This included a 70-0 drubbing over Council Bluffs Thomas Jefferson in the second round of the playoffs. The trio of Bruce, Brody Brecht, and Jase Bauer will continue to take the Hawks to another level and are hopeful that they can continue their run to the UNI-Dome. Bauer, who landed a preferred walk-on opportunity with the Hawkeye coaches earlier this month, has completed 66% of his passes for 1,421 yards, 22 touchdowns, and just four interceptions. Brecht and Bruce have been showcased in a wide variety of ways with their skills catching, running, and returning kicks and punts. Slowing down this group will be a challenge for the entire Class 4A playoff field.

On the other sidelines is a Cedar Falls squad that has won three straight games and is hopeful that they are coming together at just the right time. While they enter the game as the underdog, senior running back Ryan Ostrich recently went over the 1,200-yard rushing mark and has some stellar linemen up front blocking for him. The leader of that group is Northern Illinois commit Drew Hoth, who committed to the Huskies in August.

Another Featured Game

Valley at Urbandale

Why: Even with 3-4 Valley traveling to 6-1 Urbandale, this has a chance to be a tight postseason battle with the talent on both sides of the field. The Tigers, whose four losses have come against top ten rated teams in Dowling, Southeast Polk, Ankeny, and Waukee, have battled through a wide range of adversity to get to this point. With Division I talent still laced up and down their roster, the time is now for Valley to make a run when it matters most. Their junior tight end, Eli Raridon, remains squarely on the radar of the Iowa coaches as he boasts scholarships from eight schools and interest from a number of others.

On the Urbandale sidelines, the committed duo of Max Llewellyn and Jaden Harrell continue to shine for the J-Hawks in what will likely be all state seasons for both playmakers. They combined to help hold their second round playoff foe, Marshalltown, to just a single touchdown. Now the goal is to knock off one of the top programs in the state and live another day in the postseason.

Honorable Mention

Western Christian at OABCIG

Prairie, Cedar Rapids at Cedar Rapids, Kennedy

Assumption at North Scott

Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley at Spencer

Independence at Solon

MFL MarMac at Edgewood-Colesburg

Newell-Fonda at Audubon

South Central Calhoun at South Hamilton

South Winneshiek at Saint Ansgar

West Lyon at Spirit Lake

The Commitments

Name: Cooper DeJean

High School: OABCIG

Class of: 2021

Matchup: Western Christian at OABCIG

Name: Brody Brecht

High School: Ankeny

Class of: 2021

Matchup: Cedar Falls at Ankeny

Name: Arland Bruce

High School: Ankeny

Class of: 2021

Matchup: Cedar Falls at Ankeny

Name: Max Llewellyn

High School: Urbandale

Class of: 2021

Matchup: Valley at Urbandale

Name: Jaden Harrell

High School: Urbandale

Class of: 2021

Matchup: Valley at Urbandale

Name: Griffin Liddle

High School: Bettendorf

Class of: 2021

Matchup: Bettendorf at Pleasant Valley

Name: Connor Colby

High School: Cedar Rapids Kennedy

Class of: 2021

Matchup: Cedar Rapids Prairie at Cedar Rapids Kennedy

Name: Aaron Graves

High School: Southeast Valley

Class of: 2022

Matchup: Denver at Southeast Valley

Name: Jeff Bowie

High School: West Branch

Class of: 2021

Recap: Bowie and the Bears lost in the second round of the playoffs to Mediapolis, 20-13. This senior finished his final year of prep football with 20.5 stops, 11 tackles for loss, four sacks, and one recovered fumble.

Name: Zach Twedt

High School: Roland Story

Class of: 2021

Recap: A shoulder injury in the third game sidelined Twedt for the rest of the season. He finished his senior year with 29 rushes for 103 yards, 14 total tackles, 8 solo tackles, and 1 interception. His team finished the fall at 0-7.

The Offers

Name: Xavier Nwankpa

High School: Southeast Polk

Class of: 2022

Matchup: Ankeny Centennial at Southeast Polk

Name: Hunter Deyo

High School: Lewis Central

Class of: 2022

Matchup: Ballard at Lewis Central

Name: Eli Raridon

High School: Valley

Class of: 2022