One hundred ninety-two teams take to the field for high school football’s expanded post-season this evening with the sub-state round. In eight-man, ninth ranked Lenox returns to the post-season and will be at home against Harmony of Farmington.
The Tigers are 8-1 and coach Allen Dukes feels his team is peaking at the right time. They lost in week 4 to Lamoni and he says that seemed to wake the team up and they’ve been playing some of their best football. year
Dukes says the team seems to be taking things more serious since the loss and are playing well, are more attentive, and have the goal of making it back to the UNI-Dome. Dukes says many of the players have been part of successful tournament runs in football and baseball. He hopes that big game experience is a plus.
It is a three and a half hour trip from Calmar to Emmetsburg, one way, but the South Winneshiek football team does not mind. The Warriors make their first appearance in the post season since 2003 when they visit the fourth rated E-Hawks in class 1A.
Coach Jason Ohrt says the team is excited to be a part of it and he says it’s good for football as it is a good way to find out the best teams. It will be South Winneshiek’s spread offense against a physical E-Hawk defense. Ohrt says he likes their chances, and it will come down to the line and blocking.
The offense is averaging just under 32 points per game, as the offense has been a good test for the kids. He says the test now is running the spread in the cold weather against a good playoff team. Ohrt says the players have been thrilled with the opportunity to extend their season.
Ohrt says they practiced in the snow with temperatures in the 20’s and 30 mile an hour winds Sunday, and he says he asked the kids if they’d rather be inside, and they said "no."
Union of LaPorte City is in the post season for the first time since 1992 as the Knights visit Crestwood in class 3A. Union coach Joe Hadachek says they got off to a good start and that was key. He says they’ve had some injuries, but the backups have risen up and played better. The Knights are 7-2, and lost to DeWitt Central and Marion.
Hadachek says his team has played well on the road this season, including the season ending win at Maquoketa. He says they expect a lot of fans to make the two-hour trip.
In eight-man, seventh rated Janesville is at home against Dunkerton Janesville coach Jason Sullivan says Dunkerton is a fast paced team with a big tall quarterback that likes to strike quick. He says they also give up a lot of points, so it might be a track meet.
Sullivan expects a great atmosphere as Dunkerton is a conference rival in other sports, so the kids have played each other before.