District breakdowns

Class 3A District 4 - ... the rubber has to meet the road sooner or later with three 6-0 teams still in the league. The picture starts to settle in La Porte City, just south of Waterloo, Friday night when unbeaten Union Community hosts unbeaten Marion. Meanwhile, the third 6-0 group in the mix, Maquoketa, should have a much easier time moving to 7-0 with a road date at Mt. Vernon, the Cardinals having already largely qualified for the playoffs. But the Cardinals will end the season with Marion and Union Community, and both of those games are on the road. Right now, Central DeWitt is on the outside looking in at the playoffs, standing in a tie for fifth in the district at 1-3 (3-3 overall). Both DeWitt and Benton Community (fourth in the district at 2-2) have two winnable games in the final three weeks - including this week - but the Sabers are going to need to leapfrog Benton in order to qualify for the playoffs, as a tie won't do with Benton having won the head-to-head matchup earlier in the year. 6-3 might not be enough for DeWitt to make it in this year, at least not without help.

Class 2A District 5 - What's established is that Solon and Iowa City Regina have been the class of the district so far, with both teams undefeated and qualified for the playoffs. Those two teams will meet in Week 8. Center Point-Urbana is the solid third team to make it out of the district and into the postseason, but it's not a sure thing yet. Right now, Wilton and West Liberty are tied for fourth overall, but Wilton - by virtue of a 31-7 victory in Week 6 - holds the upper hand at the moment. The Beavers could make that hand even more solid with a win at home this week against Center Point-Urbana, while West Liberty - already at 2-4 and fighting for its playoff life - will have to travel to Iowa City and face unbeaten Regina. North Cedar (1-3, 2-4) is in a must-win situation Friday night with its home game against Tipton.

Class 2A District 6 - Locals Louisa-Muscatine and Columbus are not in the best of places with three weeks to go. Columbus might already have been eliminated at 0-4, 1-5, while L&M (1-3, 2-4) has a must-win game Friday night on the road at West Burlington/Notre Dame (4-2, 3-1 district).

Class 1A District 4 - After a big loss to Clayton Ridge in Week 4, Northeast has rallied to move back to a 3-1 record in the district. The Rebels could just about clinch a berth in the playoffs with a win Friday night at Bellevue and could move into second place alone with a win against Starmont next week. Meanwhile the Comets - after losses to Starmont in Week 4 and Clayton Ridge last week - have to right the ship with a win at home, and even that won't necessarily get them in to the postseason, with both North Linn and Maquoketa Valley also at 2-2. However, those two teams do have tougher matches, with North Linn hosting Starmont and Maquoketa Valley hosting Clayton Ridge.

Class 1A District 5 - Surprising Wapello would in all likelihood punch its ticket to the 1A postseason with a win on the road Friday night at Belle Plaine. Belle Plaine (tied with Pekin for fourth in the district at 2-2, 3-3 overall) will be fighting for its playoff life, but a Wapello win puts the Indians at 6-1, 4-1, and more than likely moving on. Durant-Bennett fell to 2-4 (1-3 in the district) with Friday night's 20-14 to Wapello probably knocked the Wildcats all but out of the playoffs. D-B can probably stave off elimination this week, with winless Van Buren coming to visit this week, but unbeaten West Branch looms as a Week 8 opponent, and a loss is not an option for the Wildcats.

8-man District 4 - Preston's 23-22 win over West Central puts the Trojans in the driver's seat in the district race. Winless Olin shouldn't provide too much of a threat this week, sending Preston to 7-0 and the Week 8 showdown with Kee High of Lansing, also unbeaten in the district but with a loss on the season. That game will determine the conference champion. East Central's struggles are likely to continue, but if there's a winnable game other than Olin on the schedule for the Raiders, it would be Springville (1-4), who visits Miles this week.