Location: Little Rose Bowl

Date: October 7, 2022

Time: 7:00pm CDT

Game Notes

REGINA enters this week hoping to move up the Class 1A, District 5 pecking order. With a win: the Regals would move into a tie for the district lead. With a loss, their chances of district supremacy disappear. THAT in and of itself would be enough to drive them; as if playing West Branch isn't enough. QB Gentry Dumont (619 passing yards, 10 TD) is the field general and the son of head coach Jason Dumont. A steady signal caller, he is not phased in the moment. Look for him to pitch and catch with Jackson Naeve (22 rec, 343 yards, 7TD) early and often. RB Levi Daniel has returned from an early season injury and is in fine form (8.1 yards per carry). He was very strong in the Regal defeat of the Bears in 2021. Hybrid back and outside linebacker Ronan Poynton is a very important piece to the Regal attack. Having also returned from an early season injury, he is raring and ready to battle. He will open holes for Daniel, and be a menace on the defensive side of the football. The Regals are hoping to keep their streak of defeating West Branch in tact. It stretches back to September 16, 2005. 

WEST BRANCH will see its third consecutive top tier team. From Mediapolis, to Durant, and now Regina. The Bears have taken care of business all season. They currently lead all of Class 1A with a 54 ppg scoring average, and the defense is giving up just 9 ppg (third best in 1A). Andy Henson has really turned up the heat on the field. Since district play began in Week 4, the senior RB has amassed 546 rushing yards and a state of Iowa leading 14 TD. His 19 rushing TD (and 21 total TD) are top of the table for the entire state in 11-man football. His backfield mate, QB Tye Hughes, has turned up his play as well. He is completing 73 percent of his passes on the year (54 of 74), which is also leading all of 11-man football in Iowa. Defensively, the Bears have been tremendous of late. Holding the top two rushers in all of Class 1A to less than 70 yards per game and one rushing touchdown. LB Reese Trepanier, Henson, and DT Aiden Dingbaum are keyed up at the right time. They will need to be at top level on Friday night.

KEEP AN EYE ON: Poynton. It will not be difficult to find him. He is 6-4 and 225 pounds.

QUOTABLE: “This is why you sweat and grind on August 1st. You want to be in games like this. Our seniors have worked hard and hopefully will have a large crowd to cheer them on. They deserve that for the Senior Night.” - West Branch head coach Butch Pedersen

WHAT'S AT STAKE: For West Branch, a win and they are the district champion. A loss would put them in a must-win situation against Wilton next week to wear the crown.

Go Bears!

Team Records & Rankings

Regina is 4-2 on the season and is unranked. West Branch is 6-0 and is ranked #1 in AP poll and #3 by the Des Moines Register.

Last Meeting

In 2021, the Regals defeated the Bears 26-8 at Iowa City. View more from that game.

Media & Broadcast Coverage

The BearCast will be on the play-by-play call. If you cannot be at the game, let us bring the game to you on your computer or smartphone. Head to the BearCast page here on the website, or, on iOS and Android devices, download the Mixlr app and search for "West Branch Football."

Tune in to the BearCast at 6:30 for the pregame where Mike Quinlan, Jarod Tylee, and special guest Kip Pedersen will be calling the game live, offering in-game analysis and halftime/postgame interviews.

For print media, the Cedar Rapids Gazette, the West Branch Times, YourPrepSports.com, and WestBranch.Football will be at the the game.

For live TV coverage, KCRG will be broadcasting the game on their 9.2 channel.