Iowa High School Football Week Four Preview

Eight teams from the Cedar Valley and Northeast Iowa remain unbeaten, while 10 others are seeking their first victory of the season heading into this week’s games on Friday night (Sept. 18, 2015).

The second week of district play features a rematch of last year's Class-A state semifinal between Gladbrook-Reinbeck and Denver. The Rebels, ranked No. 3 in this week's Associated Press poll, beat the Cyclones twice in 2014 en route to the state title game. Both teams are 2-1 overall, with their setbacks both coming against a Dike-New Hartford team that's currently ranked No. 2 in Class-2A.

Another marquee match-up is in Class-3A, where 10th-ranked Independence goes on the road for another pivotal District 3 game -- this time against perennial state power Waverly-Shell Rock. The Mustangs are 3-0 for the first time since 1997 following a 36-28 win at Decorah, their first victory over the Vikings in 22 all-time meetings. Waverly-Shell Rock (2-1 overall) dropped its district opener at West Delaware last week, and needs to beat Independence this week to avoid falling two games off the pace in the pursuit for a district crown.

Class-4A teams will play their final non-games this week before they begin the race to determine playoff seedings. Fourth-ranked Cedar Falls (3-0) plays at Urbandale (2-1), while Waterloo East (0-3) have a tough Homecoming opponent in No. 5 Fort Dodge (3-0).

The Trojans are one of nine teams from the Cedar Valley and Northeast Iowa looking for their first victory of the season. The East-Fort Dodge game is one of three involving a winless team looking to upset a rated opponent. The other match-ups are Oelwein hosting No. 7 North Fayette Valley (Class-2A) and Dunkerton playing at 10th-ranked Colo-Nesco (8-Player).

The rest of the teams seeking their first victory of 2015 are AGWSR, Decorah, North Tama, Starmont, and Waterloo Columbus Catholic.

The schedule of games involving Cedar Valley and Northeast Iowa teams is posted below.