There’s a rematch of one of last year’s first round games in Class 1A tonight as Dike-New Hartford makes the 26 mile trip to Gladbrook-Reinbeck. The Wolverines have essentially been in playoff mode since their game against arch-rival Aplington-Parkersburg in Week 6, and coach Don Betts says he can tell his players are primed for the postseason and are playing very well.

The Wolverines have been led by quarterback Josh Rekers all season, but Betts says that his signal caller has really been spreading the ball around over the past couple of games. He says Rekers gives you his best shot every game and is always well prepared.

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Betts says that Gladbrook-Reinbeck has a very similar attack to his team, and says while they are not clones of each other, they are very similar on offense and defense.

Dike-New Hartford won last year’s game against Gladbrook-Reinbeck 33-14 on their way to finishing as the runner-up in Class 1A.

By Jesse Gavin,,KCNZ, Cedar Falls

In class A, Belle Plaine grabbed the fourth a final playoff spot in district six by winning the final two games of the season and the Plainsmen go on the road to take on top ranked and unbeaten Lisbon.

Belle Plaine coach Todd Bohlen says they have improved every week and are playing their best football right now. His team lost to Lisbon 28-0 back in week three. He says they can run power football or spread it out and go shotgun on the offensive side.

Bohlen says to have a chance they will need to use ball control on offense and grind it out without any negative plays. He says to be the best you have to play the best and the gives them a big challenge.

Class A 10th ranked BGM (Brooklyn) is at home against Danville. Danville is 5-4 and BGM coach Jerrod Burns says the Danville offense will provide a challenge. He says they spread things out and like to throw the ball, and their quarterback can also run the ball and use the option.

Burns says the defense will need to be sound in its assignments and focused. He says they will need to get some stops on third down to control the game. Burns says a team cannot afford to have an off night once the playoffs begin. He says you have to execute your gameplan and they know that Danville can score and they can’t be overlooked.

By Chris Varney KGRN Grinnell

In class 3A, The Knights of LaPorte City Union are in the playoffs for the fourth straight season, but have failed to make it as far as the quarterfinals in that stretch. The Knights were upset by Clear Creek-Amana in their playoff opener a year ago, and Union coach Joe Hadachek says that loss has reinforced the importance of the first round game to his squad.

He says they’ve talked about it, but they still have the same expectations of making it to the UNI-Dome, and they can’t do that if they don’t win the first game.

After dropping two of three in the mid-point of the season, Union has run off three straight wins heading into the playoffs and finally have All-State running back Wes Burnside up to full strength after he’d been limited by a hamstring injury. He says Burnside is looking like he did last year and is physically able to play four quarters.

The 7-2 Knights host 5-4 Washington tonight, and Hadachek says that Washington’s record is far from indicative of how good the Demons are.

By Jesse Gavin, KCNZ, Cedar Falls

In class 2A, eighth ranked South Central Calhoun will play host to Sioux Center. South Central Calhoun coach Bryan Case says they will need to find a way to solve the Sioux Center defense. They run a 3-5 and a 3-4 defense and he says they do a good job of disguising what they do.

Case says they will try to take Sioux Center quarterback Micah Lassen out of the game. Lassen has passed for more than 1,200 yards this season and rushed for more than 750. He says other teams have tried to stop him and haven’t been able to, so his team will have to try and get him stopped before he gets started.

Sioux Center coach Tim Van Regenmorter says the Warriors will need to find a way to score points. He says they’ve only given up a couple of touchdowns and he says that means they will have to take care of the ball and keep the defense off the field.

Van Regenmorter says South Central Calhoun will come at them with a powerful ground attack in a power T formation where they try to overload one of the gaps. He says they have to fly to the ball at the point of attack and pursue the ball.

By Doug Broek, KSCJ, Sioux Center