Live updates, observations and analysis from Week 4

Greetings from Week 4 of the high school football season. I’m posted up in Pleasant Hill tonight to watch No. 1 Southeast Polk and No. 3 West Des Moines Valley, and this one should be a doozy.

© Brian Powers/The Register
Ankeny Centennial takes the field for their football game at Ankeny Stadium on Friday, Sept. 11, 2020 in Ankeny. Waukee takes a 14-7 lead over Ankeny Centennial into halftime.

There’s a lot to like about this matchup. The Rams enter at 3-0 and are riding high. I’m excited to finally watch these guys in action — cerebral quarterback Jaxon Dailey, speedy running back Titus Christiansen, do-it-all star Xavier Nwankpa, countless other weapons, and a ton of beef up front that sets the whole operation in motion.

And then there’s Valley, back after a bye week, which followed a 22-0 loss to crosstown rival Dowling Catholic. These Tigers are loaded, too, with quarterback Jake Rubley behind center, running back Jayden Williams in the backfield, Princeton recruit Matthew Mahoney at receiver, and tons of other skilled players all over the field.

In the lead-up to the 2020 election, all eyes are on Iowa. Get updates of all things Iowa politics delivered to your inbox.

This might very well be the game of the night throughout the state, and there’s plenty worth watching for. Which set of skill players are better? Which quarterback? Can Valley’s offensive line protect Rubley enough to let the offense find a groove? How much of an impact with Nwankpa have?

The lights will shine bright here tonight, and it’s expected to be a fun one. So be sure to check back for updates not only from this game, but from others around the state, too.

No. 5 Dowling Catholic is hosting No. 7 Waukee at Valley Stadium tonight, and our own Tommy Birch is on hand to cover it. Our buddy Dargan Southard is keeping tabs on the matchup between Clear Creek-Amana and Benton out in Eastern Iowa.

There’s also: Urbandale-Indianola, Ankeny-Council Bluffs Thomas Jefferson, Johnston-Centennial, Fort Dodge-Marshalltown, Mason City-Boone, Cedar Falls-Hempstead, Bettendorf-Davenport North, Gilbert-Ballard, Webster City-Humboldt, and so many other intriguing games worth watching tonight.

If you see anything worthwhile, let me know — @codygoodwin — and we’ll do our best to weave it in here. 

Thanks for reading and for following along. Let’s have some fun tonight.

End of 3: Southeast Polk 27, Valley 7. Rams blew this one open in that third quarter.

SEP’s offense found a mean groove in that frame. After forcing Valley into a three-and-out to start the third, Rams marched right down the field. Jaxon Dailey hit Isaiah Emanuel again for a 63-yard catch-and-run to the Valley 10. Xavier Nwankpa scored on a zone run to the right on the very next play to put the Rams up 21-7.

Another Valley three-and-out, then a bad punt put Southeast Polk on Valley’s 3-yard line. Two plays later, Dailey hit big Caleb Daniels in the corner of the end zone, dropping a b-e-a-uuuuutiful pass right into the far pylon, then Daniels made an even better catch for the touchdown while fending off mean coverage from the Valley DB.

Rams are cruising right now. Valley, meanwhile, has gone 3-and-out five times tonight, and fumbled another possession away. Rams are threatening again as we enter the fourth quarter. Stay tuned.

This was the Dailey-to-Daniels touchdown pass. Unbelievable throw, dropping it right in the corner of the end zone, and then an even better catch in coverage. Incredible play. #iahsfb pic.twitter.com/PDhomXub74

— Cody Goodwin (@codygoodwin) September 19, 2020

Looks like Tommy is covering a good one in WDM. Dowling within 6 against Waukee.

Dowling Catholic goes for it on 4th-and-7 from the Waukee 37-yard line and converts. Louie Brooks hauls in a 37-yard touchdown pass to make it a 27-21 Waukee lead in the 3rd. #iahsfb https://t.co/vQncFcVyal

— Tommy Birch (@TommyBirch) September 19, 2020

Centennial is hanging around against Johnston, only down one score late in the third.

Because we need more weirdness this season, right?

Keegan Andriano with the blocked kick!! 14-7 @JCSD__Athletics 3:29 left in third! pic.twitter.com/i9sCoVU5HF

— Jaguars AD (@Jaguars_AD) September 19, 2020

On this episode of weirdness in the CIML: Urbandale’s trailing Indianola in the second half, and Waukee housed the second-half kickoff to extend its lead over Dowling.

Wild!

11:28 left in Q3. Urbandale trails 21-12 after an Indianola TD pass to start the half.

— Urbandale J-Hawks (@UrbandaleJHawks) September 19, 2020

These are the first 14 points Interstate 35 has given up all year. Which is crazy to think about considering it’s Week 4. They were the only team in the state to play each of the first three weeks and pitch three shutouts.

Halftime score:

Pella Christian – 14

#9 Interstate 35 – 6 pic.twitter.com/TV5ljBdEso

— Pella Christian AD (@PCEaglesAD) September 19, 2020

Halftime: Southeast Polk 14, W.D.M. Valley 7. That was a lot of fun.

Valley finally strung together a couple of big plays. Tigers’ first first down came at the 8:05 mark of the second quarter. Jake Rubley then hit Matthew Mahoney for 28 years down the far sideline, then, in the face of a blitz, hit Jayden Williams on a screen pass that he took 55 yards to the house. Tremendous execution. That tied it at 7-7.

Southeast Polk came right back with an impressive drive of its own. Jaxon Dailey hit Isaiah Emanuel for a 34-yard gain to reach midfield, then hit Emanuel again on third down in the red zone for an 11-yard touchdown off a middle screen. Another wonderfully-executed play that put the Rams back out in front.

That was a fun quarter. Perhaps we’ll see more of that in the second half. I hope we do.

Here’s the Rubley-to-Williams touchdown:

Here’s the Jayden Williams touchdown. Rubley gets it off in the face of a blitz, Williams snags it and does the rest. Tremendous execution. #iahsfb pic.twitter.com/O0NS4B9riD

— Cody Goodwin (@codygoodwin) September 19, 2020

And here’s the Dailey-to-Emanuel touchdown:

The Dailey-to-Emanuel touchdown. Great stuff. Love the play-calling in this game. #iahsfb pic.twitter.com/44AHWElqwm

— Cody Goodwin (@codygoodwin) September 19, 2020

Other halftime scores I’m seeing:

– Marshalltown 14, Fort Dodge 7

– Bettendorf 0, Davenport North 0, late second quarter

– Cedar Falls 10, Hempstead 7, still in the first half

– Indianola 14, Urbandale 12

– Waukee 21, Dowling 14

– Johnston 14, Centennial 7

Ankeny is cruising out west. As expected.

Hawks extend their lead with a Bauer ➡️ Brecht TD.

Hawks 28, Yellowjackets 0

— Ankeny Hawk Football (@AnkenyHawkFB) September 19, 2020

OK, might be time to really start following the Urbandale-Indianola game. Indians up 14-6 on the second-ranked J-Hawks.

8:26 remains in Q2. Following an Indianola TD Pass Urbandale trails 14-6.

— Urbandale J-Hawks (@UrbandaleJHawks) September 19, 2020

End of 1: Southeast Polk 7, W.D.M. Valley 0. All Rams so far.

Titus Christiansen has the lone touchdown, a 3-yard run on a 4th-and-2. It was set up after Valley punted backwards — seriously, it was a -8 yard punt that put the Rams on Valley’s 11-yard line. Four plays later, boom.

Southeast Polk is getting tons of push up front. That offensive line is very impressive. Valley’s offense has gone three-and-out twice, and the second punt put SEP on its own 2-yard line.

The Rams proceeded to drive out toward midfield, but a fumble gave the ball back to the Tigers right at the 50. Valley faces a 3rd-and-11 when we return … and the pass fell incomplete to start the second. SEP ball at Valley’s 32.

Here’s video of Christiansen’s touchdown run. Well-executed.

Titus Christiansen punches it in from 3 yards and the Rams are on the board first.@sep_football – 7@vhstigers – 0

Watch live on https://t.co/Xy717f5689! https://t.co/ziDcAxXsFn#iahsfb pic.twitter.com/sPR1HemZa2

— CISNtv (@CISNtv) September 19, 2020

Indianola has an early lead over No. 2 Urbandale, 7-6 in the first quarter. Emphasis on early, but also worth monitoring.

Because, yanno, it’s 2020, and anything could happen.

2:27 remains in Q1. Urbandale trails 7-6 after an Indian touchdown.

— Urbandale J-Hawks (@UrbandaleJHawks) September 19, 2020

This seems like an ideal way to start a football game. 

Wow. Van Meter is up 21-0 before they even ran a play! Defensive TD, punt return TD, defensive TD. pic.twitter.com/3IANQwCSmE

— Scott Reister (@scottreister) September 19, 2020

Marshalltown and Dowling strike first in their games. Bobcats up 7-0 on Fort Dodge midway through the first. Dowling drove 70 yards and ended with a 1-yard touchdown by Zach Schwager to lead Waukee 7-0.

5-yard touchdown run for Patrick Landeros! Marshalltown leads Fort Dodge 7-0 with 7:20 remaining in the 1st. #iahsfb

— MHS Bobcat Sports (@MHSBobcats) September 19, 2020

We normally reserve this space for football updates, and this inadvertently seems like one. Could we see the DMPS schools back in action before the postseason? This update at least offers hope.

Details are still being finalized, the district said. However, it will include two choices: an in-person option that would provide instruction 50% or more of the time in school, or a voluntary all-virtual option.https://t.co/cmcKyYWfhL

— Des Moines Register (@DMRegister) September 18, 2020

Cody Goodwin covers wrestling and high school sports for the Des Moines Register. Follow him on Twitter at @codygoodwin.

Your subscription makes work like this possible. Subscribe today at DesMoinesRegister.com/Deal

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa high school football: Live updates, observations and analysis from Week 4