In the Class A quarterfinal round top ranked North Tama takes on WACO in the first of two games in the UNI-Dome. The North Tama defense has given up only 18 points all season. WACO coach Chad Edecker says the defense does its job and believes in each other. Edecker says the Warriors will need to be sound on defense.

North Tama coach Brent Thoren says the WACO offense is big up front with a lot of good skill position people and a lot of looks.

Thoren says the Redhawks have gotten great leadership all season.

In the class 2A quarterfinals second ranked Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley visits ninth ranked Western Christians of Hull. These teams met during the regular season with Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley claiming a 31-21 win back in week seven.

Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley coach Cory Brandt says they know from the first game they have to be ready and prepare for any changes. He says the defense will need to contend with Wolpack running back Theo Bartman. He says they hope to keep from giving up the big plays and says that is tough to do.

Western Christian coach Travis Kooima says they will need to avoid the mistakes that hurt them in the first matchup. He says they had break downs in the secondary that gave up big pass plays.

Kooima says the key to Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley’s balanced attack is quarterback Josh Vander Maten, and he says if they can make him scramble and make quicker decisions than he wants, then they might have a chance.

In class A fifth ranked Cedar Falls NU High is on the road to take on sixth ranked Mason City Newman. NU High used a late two point conversion to edge the Knights 22-21 in the first matchup a little more than a month ago.

N-U High coach Kody Asmus says the game will come down to the little things again like turnovers, special teams and field advantage. He say they have to stop the running game. Amussays big plays have been a key for the Panthers, as they use their speed to their advantage and try to execute and take advantage of situations.

Despite winning the district title the Panthers must travel to Mason City for this game but Asmus says his players don’t mind. Asmus says it doesn’t matter if they are on grass, astroturf of cement. He says they are just glad to be able to play another football game. The Panthers are in the playoffs for the first time since 1988.

Asmus says he was six years old the last time N-U High was in the playoffs and says coming back and bringing back excitement to the school was one of the reasons he came back.

Elwin Huffman KOEL Oelwein/Doug Broek KSOU Sioux Center/Elwin Huffman KOEL Oelwein contributed to this story.