With just one game left in the 2009 regular season, here's how the Eastern Iowa teams, all the way from 3A's Maquoketa to 8-player's Preston, are shaping up for the coveted substate assignments.

Maquoketa (5-1): at Union (4-2). Maquoketa is licking its wounds from a shocking 14-13 loss at Marion last week, dropping any chance at an outright conference title. But the Cardinals are into the postseason, and get a very nice test against Union to complete a fine regular season.

Central DeWitt (3-3): at Vinton-Shellsburg (2-4). Right now, Central DeWitt is on the outside looking in, tied with Benton since the Bobcats beat the Sabers. But still, Kurt Kreiter's group is in a good place. If DeWitt takes care of business against V-S, and then either undefeated Marion beats Benton OR Maquoketa upsets Union, the Sabers will have somehow fought their way back into the postseason.

Wilton (3-3) at North Cedar (3-3). One team wins, goes on to the postseason. The other team loses, goes home until 2010. This, uh...this game's kind of big.

West Liberty (2-4): at Solon (6-0). Matching up with powerhouse Solon is just for kicks; the Comets can't catch both Wilton and North Cedar, since they play each other.

Tipton (0-6) at Camanche (0-6). The winner goes out on a winning note for the first time this season.

Louisa-Muscatine (1-5): vs. Mediapolis (3-3). The Falcons have won two more games than a winless 2008 produced, but they are out of postseason contention.

Columbus (0-6): at Central Lee (1-5). The winner avoids last place.

Northeast (5-1): vs. Maquoketa Valley (2-4). Pretty much a meaningless battle, just a tune-up for the playoffs since the Rebels are locked into second place.

Bellevue (3-3): at Alburnett (0-6). A date with a winless opponent is just what the Comets needed. Since Bellevue is tied with North Linn for fourth place, that 14-6 Comets win in the two teams' conference opener looms large. If Bellevue wins, it's in.

Wapello (3-3): at Iowa Valley (1-5). Wapello is in a similar boat as Bellevue. And they are a couple of happy boats. Wapello is 3-3, tied for fourth, but holds the head-to-head tiebreaker with that other team and is playing a weak opponent in Week 9. If the Indians win, they too are in.

Durant-Bennett (2-4): at Pekin (3-3). The only way Durant-Bennett would have a chance would be to beat the Panthers, then have Wapello lose to Iowa Valley, and then, through some quirk in the tiebreaker, sneak in. Don't quote me on this, but it appears the Wildcats are done.

Preston (6-0) at East Central (0-6). Don't you just love rivalry games? The Trojans sure do this week. They've wrapped up a share of the league title, and are simply playing for a perfect season, a top seed in the playoffs, and of course, town pride against the despised Raiders, who are just looking for a win.