The Webster City Lynx football team opens up the Class 3A Playoffs on Friday night, as they host the Nevada Cubs in the first round at Lynx Field. The Lynx were selected to host a home playoff game as the 2nd-highest rated 2-seed in the class, based off RPI. Webster City enters Friday with a record of 7-2 and a district mark of 4-1, while Nevada enters at 7-2 and with similar 4-1 record out of District 6.
Nevada enters with one of the most balanced and effective offenses in Class 3A, as the Cubs have rushed for over 1,800 yards, while passing for another 1,500 yards as a team. Junior quarterback Connor King directs the Cubs offense, throwing for 1,466 yards and 20 touchdowns, while rushing for another 117 yards and a touchdown. King has thrown 6 interceptions, but still completes 60% of his passes. King’s top two targets have been seniors Kyle Kingsbury and Jacob Khounsourath, as Kingsbury has caught 35 passes for 707 yards and 11 touchdowns, while Khounsourath has caught 27 balls for 611 yards and 8 touchdowns. Nevada has also been just as efficient on the ground, averaging 207 yards per game rushing. Senior running back Cason Stevenson is the workhorse, rushing for 1,454 yards and 15 touchdowns, averaging 161.5 yards per contest on the ground. Anthony Eaton has spelled him in short yardage situations with 5 touchdowns on the season, and has also been used in a Wildcat package.
Defensively, the heartbeat of this Nevada unit begins and ends with the linebacker core. Junior Jackson Burlage is having an All-State caliber season, ranking in 3rd in Class 3A with 89.5 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks on the season. Anthony Eaton has also put up big numbers, collecting 68.5 tackles with 11 tackles for loss and a half sack, while Austin Waldera rounds out the core with 53 tackles and 6 tackles for loss. The defensive backfield has been a prolific group as well, as Kyle Kingsbury leads the unit with 5 interceptions, while amassing 24.5 tackles. Safety Isaac Williams has put up a monster sophomore season as well, with a unit-high 54.5 tackles and 4 interceptions, while Jacob Khounsourtah has amassed 16 tackles and 3 interceptions. The defensive line has been a steady, yet salty group, as defensive end Will Palmer leads the unit with 27 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks, while fellow defensive end John Nelson has 25.5 tackles, 7 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks.
Webster City will look to challenge this talented Nevada front, as their offensive line has road-graded their last 3 opponents in Charles City, Algona and Humboldt, averaging 423.6 yards per game on the ground in those 3 contests. A challenge for the Cubs will be handling the speed of the Webster City defense, which has made a living in their opponents backfields since the turn of the calendar to October, amassing 7 sacks and 20 tackles for loss as a unit.
Kickoff is slated for 7 PM at Lynx Field at Webster City High School, and the game can be heard on 92.9/1570 KZWC and online at kqradio.com.