Will Ames upset Waukee Northwest? Our Week 9 Ames-area Iowa high school football predictions
The Ames football team saw its Class 5A playoff hopes dashed last week with a 35-28 loss to Sioux City East.
But the Little Cyclones (3-5) still have a lot to play for this Friday when they host No. 5 Waukee Northwest (6-2). They want to finish the 2023 season earning an elusive win over a ranked team from the CIML Conference.
"This week was one that stung," said Ames coach Brian Sauser. "But the kids rebounded quickly and recognized this is a good football team and (that we can) end the season with a win. "
Northwest is led by versatile quarterback Sam Johnson.
Johnson has thrown for 1,159 yards and 11 touchdowns with nine interceptions. He is also the Wolves' leading rusher with 671 yards and 10 scores on the ground.
"Everything runs through their quarterback," Sauser said. "They do a good job at running the football with him."
Caleb James has 346 yards and six touchdowns and Ryan Woodruff 314 and four as the other top rushing threats for Northwest. Maverick Inman has 31 catches for 578 yards and seven touchdowns and Will Retz has 16 receptions for 214 yards and a score as the Wolves' top receiving threats.
On defense, Northwest linebacker Harry Leinen has 42 tackles, three sacks, three interceptions, one fumble recovery and two defensive touchdowns. Linebacker Chase Lamb leads the team in tackles with 43.5 and he also has a sack.
But as good as Leinen and Lamb are, Sauser said it is up front where Northwest presents the most problems.
Ames will try and move the ball on the stout Northwest defense with quarterback Cameron Cantonwine and running back Jamison Poe. Cantonwine had 211 yards passing and 160 yards rushing with two touchdowns in the loss to Sioux City East and Poe ran for 160 yards and two scores and added 95 yards receiving.
For the season, Cantonwine has thrown for 857 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 756 yards and 11 scores. Poe has 710 yards and nine scores on the ground and 257 yards and two touchdowns on 19 receptions.
Sophomore receiver Jeffrey Roberts and senior tight end Lane Kenny are also weapons for Ames. Roberts has 23 catches for 475 yards and five touchdowns and Kenny's posted six catches for 193 yards and has found the end zone once.
Sauser said that in order to win on Friday his team must come out playing with confidence and hold its own in the trenches for four quarters.
"We've got to be able to survive the early part of the football game," Sauser said. "Our run game has progressed and that is going to be the name of the game. It's surviving one quarter at a time — survive the first and go from there."
Ames vs. Waukee Northwest prediction
Ames will need to play a perfect game to pull off the upset Friday.
The Little Cyclones will play at their highest level on the line of scrimmage all season and give the Wolves a scare. But in the end, Northwest has too much talent and discipline to overcome. Waukee Northwest 35, Ames 14
Other Week 9 predictions from Ames area teams
Class 2A playoffs: Clarke (4-4) at No. 9 Roland-Story (6-2)
Roland-Story has been on a roll since losing its 2A District 8 opener to Kuemper Catholic.
The Norsemen have won four straight. Their last three victories came by an average margin of 36 points.
Hesston Johnson has rushed for 780 yards and 12 touchdowns, Jonovan Wilkinson has 369 yards and five scores on the ground, plus 260 yards and four more scores receiving, and freshman Fiston Carlson has come on to rush for 286 yards and five touchdowns on just 22 carries for Roland-Story. Quarterback Sam Knoll has thrown for 653 yards and five touchdowns.
Charlie Watts (57 tackles), Johnson (54 stops and one interception) and defensive back Cody Long (54.5 tackles and two interceptions) lead Roland-Story on defense. Carlson has three sacks and two fumble recoveries and Christian Chelsvig's posted 3.5 sacks up front for the Norsemen.
More: How freshman Fiston Carlson is a game changer for Roland-Story football
Clarke enters Friday with back-to-back victories. Clarke edged Chariton in a 21-18 battle last week and they blanked Interstate 35 two weeks ago by a 34-0 score.
Clarke is a prolific passing team. Quarterback Jack Cooley has thrown for 1,806 yards and 17 touchdowns and Brock Watson is his top target with 56 catches for 773 yards and eight scores.
Clarke will hit Roland-Story for a couple of big plays through the air and put a few touchdowns on the board as a result. But the Norsemen will control the line of scrimmage and eventually pull away to advance to the quarterfinals. Roland-Story 35, Clarke 14
Pella (5-3, 3-1) at 4A No. 8 Gilbert (6-2, 2-2)
This game has huge playoff implications in 4A.
Pella is fresh off an impressive 40-13 victory over then-No. 1 Bondurant-Farrar last Friday. The Little Dutch are in a three-way tie with the Bluejays and Newton atop 4A District 4, with all three teams posting identical 3-1 district marks.
Gilbert is 2-2 in the district. The Tigers have lost their last two games to Bondurant-Farrar (38-7) and Newton (21-2) after getting off to a 6-0 start.
With Gilbert ranked 12th in the 4A RPI rankings and Pella 14th, the winner should secure a playoff berth. The loser could potentially get left out.
Gilbert will lean on a defense led by linebacker Will Hawthorne (53 tackles, 3.5 sacks). Defensive lineman Tayshawn Gillen (seven sacks and one fumble recovery), Bowen Kruse (37.5 tackles, 4.5 sacks) and defensive backs Camden Stephens (19 tackles, one interception) and Nash Hanson (25 tackles, one interception) are also big playmakers.
More: How a struggling Gilbert football program turned things around. Tigers are 5-0 in 2023
On offense, Hawthorne has 664 yards rushing, 301 receiving and nine total touchdowns. Connor Rash has thrown for 687 yards and nine touchdowns with just one interception.
Pella quarterback Luke Hardman has thrown for 1,592 yards and 16 touchdowns. He has also rushed for 477 yards and eight scores.
Colin Kerndt has 29 catches for 608 yards and seven touchdowns and Tyson Barnes has 46 receptions for 575 yards and four touchdowns as the other top offensive threats for the Little Dutch. On defense, Noah Parsons has 3.5 sacks and a fumble recovery, Nathaniel Warner has 48.5 tackles and two sacks and Lake Cowman has posted 18 tackles, two interceptions and a fumble recovery.
Gilbert will give a great effort on its home field Friday. But Pella has too much momentum going for it right now. Pella 33, Gilbert 17
Boone (3-5, 0-4) at Ballard (4-4, 2-2)
Ballard is looking to close out the regular season on a high note by finishing with a winning record.
The Bombers are much better than their .500 record indicates. They are one of two teams to knock off 4A No. 1 North Polk and they also took No. 5 Adel-Desoto-Minburn, Indianola and 3A power Humboldt to the wire.
Ballard is coming off a 55-6 dismantling of Des Moines North during its homecoming game last week. Expect more of the same this week against a Boone team that has not won a game in district play this season.
Eli Rouse has 1,197 yards and 14 touchdowns rushing, Mason Gatchel has 836 yards and 10 scores passing and Chance Lande has posted 364 yards and five scores receiving. On defense, Jackson Wacha has 90 tackles, 4.5 sacks and a fumble recovery; Brody Sampson has 53 stops, 11 sacks and two fumble recoveries; Jack Nelson has racked up 59.5 tackles, 4.5 sacks and a fumble recovery and Lande's hauled in three interceptions.
More: How Ballard's Jackson Wacha burst onto the scene at linebacker in 2023
Boone running back Christian Ingram has 692 yards and seven touchdowns rushing. Tyson Shivers leads the Toreadors defensively with 35 tackles, 9.5 stops behind the line and three sacks.
Ballard enters this game as ranked No. 17 in the 4A RPI. The Bombers will dominate this game from start to finish to give themselves a shot at the playoffs. Ballard 54, Boone 7
Nevada (6-2, 3-1) at Atlantic (3-5, 2-2)
Nevada will be hungry to end the regular season on a high note after falling to a Creston team, now ranked No. 1 in 3A by the Des Moines Register, last week on the road by a 42-28 score.
The Cubs will be back on the road this week to take on Atlantic. They will wrap up a fourth-consecutive trip to the playoffs with a victory.
Nevada quarterback Connor King has thrown for 1,279 yards and 16 touchdowns and running back Cason Stevenson has rushed for 1,263 and 13 scores. Jacob Khounsourath has 27 catches for 611 yards and eight touchdowns and Kyle Kingsbury has 29 catches for 564 yards and seven scores as big receiving threats for the Cubs.
The Nevada defense is led by linebackers Jackson Burlage, Anthony Eaton and Austin Waldera. Burlage has 68.5 tackles and 3.5 sacks; Eaton's racked up 58.5 tackles and 11 stops behind the line and Walera has 45 tackles, six tackles for loss and one interception and fumble recovery apiece.
Kingsbury has five interceptions, Will Palmer has 3.5 sacks and three fumble recoveries, Isaac Williams has 46 stops plus two interceptions and Khounsourath has three interceptions.
More: How Nevada football player Kyle Kingsbury delivered a memorable performance against Harlan
Atlantic is coming off a 27-6 loss to Harlan. The Trojans feature a balanced attack, with quarterback Zayden Parker throwing for 771 yards and nine touchdowns and running backs Dante Hedrington and Gavin McLaren combining for 1,002 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground.
Parker has been turnover-prone, with 13 interceptions, and Nevada will take advantage of that on Friday. The Cubs will also establish a strong rushing attack and wear down Atlantic to punch their ticket to the playoffs. Nevada 28, Atlantic 10
Colo-NESCO (5-4) at Dunkerton (4-4)
Colo-NESCO will wrap up its season with a non-district game this week at Dunkerton.
The Royals ended 8-Player District 9 play with back-to-back losses to miss the playoffs. This game gives them a chance to end the season on a high note.
Breckin Clatt has 904 yards and 15 touchdowns rushing and 374 and seven passing for Colo-NESCO. Linebacker Trenton Beard has 107 tackles and defensive ends Ben Ryan and Lucas Frohwein have 11 and nine sacks, respectively.
Frohwein also has 26 catches for 325 yards and five scores. Mark Bower adds 601 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground.
More: How a dynamic Colo-NESCO quartet is stuffing the stat sheets in 8-Player football
Dunkerton is coming off a 30-26 loss at Northwood-Kensett last week. Raiders quarterback Dylan Marquart has 951 yards and 18 touchdowns passing and Dalton Weepie and Cristian Brown have combined for 15 touchdown receptions.
This game will be a fight for four quarters. In the end, Colo-NESCO's stronger ground game will be the difference. Colo-NESCO 46, Dunkerton 41
Twin Cedars (1-8) at Collins-Maxwell (2-6)
Collins-Maxwell also gets a chance to end its season on a positive note this Friday.
The Spartans snapped a six-game losing streak last Friday with a 22-16 home win over East Union. Twin Cedars has dropped four in a row.
Quarterback Cooper Wierson has 1,038 yards passing, 306 rushing and 17 total touchdowns for Collins-Maxwell. Josef Dvorak has 1,040 yards and 10 total touchdowns on offense and 76.5 tackles plus three fumble recoveries and interceptions apiece on defense.
Twin Cedars quarterback Dallas Smith has 646 yards and six touchdowns through the air and 141 yards and two scores on the ground. Brenden Connett and Gavin Clark have combined for 87 tackles and five sacks for the Sabers.
Collins-Maxwell will keep up its strong defensive play from the previous week and get enough balance on offense to get the win and head into the offseason with some positive momentum. Collins-Maxwell 44, Twin Cedars 20
Joe Randleman covers high school sports for the Ames Tribune. Contact him at jrandleman@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JoeRandleman
This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: Week 9 Ames-area Iowa football picks: Roland-Story-Clarke, Gilbert-Pella
