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So not understanding the logic here? If Harlan doesn't match up to Pella then Pella vs Solon/Xavier is a lock for the East? Even though Pella played them both last year.....Xavier returned 2 people and Solon has roughly the same returners as Pella. I think one of the teams in the East isn't as good as people are giving them credit for. But I will certainly be watching both games.Solon/Xavier is what I’m excited to watch, but I think I know what those two teams are. I’m probably more interested in seeing how Harlan does against Pella.
If Harlan can win by matching up with Pella’s athletes and proving they are physical on the line then I will be very interested in the championship on the 16th. If not, then I think the winner of Solon/Xavier is the eventual champion.
I agree that Solon is probably the team to beat this year, but I don't think it will be as easy as you state. You played Pella the first game of the year and this is not the same Pella team you played. Just ask a very good DCG team. Pella still has to Harlan, which will not be easy!Solon will easily win it all. They will win by at least 17 points in their last two games. Having played against Pella, Solon, and Xavier this year I would rank Solon first and Pella second. Solon's front seven have the physicality of a college team and they just beat you up. It will be a Pella/Solon final.
see what happens....harlan is huge on the offensive line, have you seen there starting lineup...bigger than some college programs..harlan beat sbl not with foss so much since there were keying on him, the pass, fullback and qb rand some too...the defense for harlan is the key all year...really good ...cyclone coach was impressed with pella, should be a good one....is there video on this game, live..i want to watch it?????Both games are very interesting. Never know what will happen in the dome.
Doubt if Harlan has played a team (other then LC) as physical as Pella. Pella has improved immensely over the year as they were awfully inexperienced at the beginning of the season. Saw both DCG games and they were night and day different. Pella is so much more physical now. DCG is very good, big, and physical. But, Pella controlled the line of scrimmage including rushing for over 200 yards, even when DCG knew they were going to run it to milk the clock. Pella rushed for 15 yards the first time they played.
Doubt if Harlan can just line up and run the ball down Pella’s throat. Webster City and DCG had trouble getting first downs, let alone TD’s.
See what happens Thursday. Will be watching live stream of game. Since I live in phoenix.....on one site i watched sbl vs glenwood, and also watch lewis central vs valley....valley took that loss hard, but lewis central was really good this yearI have no doubt that they are big. Big doesn’t mean a lot to me in high school football though as their are lots of 250 to 300 lb guys out there who really aren’t all that good. I’m not saying that is the case with Harlan at all. I haven’t seen any film of Harlan, but they have to be a very good team to make it to the dome.
Pella actually runs quite a lot of wildcat formation, sometimes with a power back and sometimes with Van Zee, who is very fast. Has been very effective, especially in the second half of games when the other team’s D is getting wore down, such as at DCG last Friday. The Pella offense gives the other team’s D a lot to prepare for. They should give Harlan’s D a decent challenge.
Good semi-final matchups. All four teams won convincingly so right teams are in.
I like Solon over Xavier in a thriller.
Pella over Harlan in a defensive battle thriller.
Over the last couple of years the East side teams have had a different level of athleticism and talent, outside of Heelan 4 years ago.
I don't think Solon has faced a great passing team. I still have questions on how good West Del really was. So if the Oline can buy Schulte some time, I think they could have some success. Pass defense was definitely the weak spot for Solon last year. Xavier running the ball will be a challenge. They have some good athletes in the backfield, but they don't have a back like Wilson this year, not sure their fullback is as talented either, if they are still running that formation. Quarterback is a good athlete, but does not have the experience his brother had to keep his cool under pressure. Could be a flashback to the 2014 semi against Pella when Bryce Schulte was a sophomore and Pella's defense was stout like Solon's this year.I'm not sure Xavier fans' blood pressure could survive losing another semifinal thriller after last year.
Considering both Solon and Xavier are playing pretty salty defense, you might expect a total of 10 points scored in that game. Which naturally means it'll turn into a 45-42 shootout instead ...
Agreed, Hockenson also broke records for receiving at Chariton but wouldn't of called them a great passing team, just a team that could only pass. Schulte passing completion 62% versus Drew's 52%. Way more attempts at MV, but not sure I would say MV playing same level of competition. I know you are in love with Solon, but I am sure they have some weaknesses.Solon shut out Mt. Vernon and Drew Adams. Adams has thrown the most touchdowns in the history of Iowa High School Football.
I'm not saying the pass defense is a strength, and I completely agree with your points about Adams throwing more devaluing his TD stats. I also agree that they certainly have to have some weaknesses. I'm simply just trying to throw out an example of a passing team, for discussion, that Solon has faced this year. You said they haven't faced a great passing team, so I looked to either support that or give an alternative angle. Solon's linebackers and the Iowa comitt impress me, not quite in love , but certainly were very good when I watched. Xavier impressed me Friday with how complete they are in all parts of the game. Their kids play harder for 4 quarters than I've seen any team play this year and their defense is relentless. I expect Xavier's defene to win that side of the ball.
I don't think Schulte will pass a ton on Solon, but only because they're too well coached to do something they don't do routinely. Xavier will do what they always do and I think they are coached well enough to have some real success running the ball. They have a lot of options as far as which gap they want to attack so I won't be surprised if they give Solon some big issues. Solon plays downhill in your face; but I think Xavier will use that to their advantage with misdirection, play action, and Schulte running the ball off of reads and fakes.
I'm kind of torn about this game. The experience of playing in the Dome and the hunger that has to come with coming short last year makes me lean Xavier's way right now. So I'm partial to some of Solon's defensive front, but in a complete picture I would lean towards the experience.
harlan played pella in the past...i thought it was a championship game..i have the dvd, ,,,going to find it and seeThis is an interesting point. Hasn't Pella been bracketed on the East side the past three years? I know for a fact they were in 2014 and 2016 (beating Xavier in both those semifinals). Having Pella go West this year just essentially means this year's semifinal has three recent historically East teams ... and Harlan.
Pella-Xavier or Pella-Solon sounds a lot like a semifinal matchup, not a championship game. Just going by the past three years, anyway.
I'm not saying the pass defense is a strength, and I completely agree with your points about Adams throwing more devaluing his TD stats. I also agree that they certainly have to have some weaknesses. I'm simply just trying to throw out an example of a passing team, for discussion, that Solon has faced this year. You said they haven't faced a great passing team, so I looked to either support that or give an alternative angle. Solon's linebackers and the Iowa comitt impress me, not quite in love , but certainly were very good when I watched. Xavier impressed me Friday with how complete they are in all parts of the game. Their kids play harder for 4 quarters than I've seen any team play this year and their defense is relentless. I expect Xavier's defene to win that side of the ball.
I don't think Schulte will pass a ton on Solon, but only because they're too well coached to do something they don't do routinely. Xavier will do what they always do and I think they are coached well enough to have some real success running the ball. They have a lot of options as far as which gap they want to attack so I won't be surprised if they give Solon some big issues. Solon plays downhill in your face; but I think Xavier will use that to their advantage with misdirection, play action, and Schulte running the ball off of reads and fakes.
I'm kind of torn about this game. The experience of playing in the Dome and the hunger that has to come with coming short last year makes me lean Xavier's way right now. So I'm partial to some of Solon's defensive front, but in a complete picture I would lean towards the experience.