The Iowa Falls-Alden football team will look to end a two game slide and a secure a spot in Class 2A playoffs as they host #2(2A)PCM on Friday. It will also be the Cadet’s Band-O-Rama.
Iowa Falls-Alden (2-5, 2-2 2A-6) lost 35-6 at Jesup last week. The Cadets will be navigating injuries to multiple starters entering their regular season finale. The Cadets will battle to rebound on both sides of the ball after being limited to 12 points or less in the last two district games and allowing 35+ points to opponents. Cade Olberding has stepped up as dual threat quarterback with 637 passing yards, 459 rushing yards and eight total touchdowns. Trevor Bailey has been a force defensively for the Cadets with 57.5 tackles and 14.5 TFL.
IFA Head Coach Eric Walkingstick on working through adversity to do their best on Friday night.
“We gotta go out there and battle. As coaches, we’re gonna get back to work. We’re gonna do everything we normally do,” says Walkingstick. “It’s like life. It’s what we talk about with kids, pushing through the tough adversities and trying to find a way to win, that’s all we’re gonna do. We’re gonna go back to work, push some things to the test and see what we can do. We’re gonna play a game on Friday night, that’s what we wanna do, it’s what you gotta do. We’re gonna give it everything we got.”
PCM (7-0, 4-0 2A-6) won 49-7 over West Marshall last week. The Mustangs slightly favor the run over the pass with 32 rushing touchdowns (leads 2A) and 1,948 rushing yards (third in 2A). Adrien Robbins has a bulk of the carries with 1,285 yards (second in 2A) and 17 touchdowns (tied for third in 2A). The Mustangs defense has allowed eight points or less in district games.
PCM won last year’s meeting 45-6 in Monroe.
IFA clinches playoff spot with a win or Jesup loss (vs. 0-7 Vinton-Shellsburg). IFA could be 2, 3 or 4 seed. If IFA loses and Jesup wins the Cadets would need West Marshall to beat Union to create a 3-way tie for third, where the point differential would break the tie.
Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. on Friday in Iowa Falls.
