(Central Lyon/George-Little Rock Logo - KIWA Staff Photo)Cedar Falls, Iowa — A trip to the Class 2A state championship is on the line Saturday as unbeaten Central Lyon/George-Little Rock squares off against Roland-Story at 1 p.m. inside the UNI-Dome.
The Lions punched their ticket to the semifinals with a 45-26 home victory over OABCIG, while the Norsemen advanced with a 28-14 road win over Van Meter.
Both teams enter Saturday’s contest with potent rushing attacks and defenses capable of disrupting opposing offenses.
Here’s a closer look at the two semifinalists.
Central Lyon/George-Little Rock Lions
Central Lyon/George-Little Rock enters the matchup with a perfect 11-0 record, powered by an offense that has accumulated 3,813 total yards, including 2,459 on the ground and 1,354 through the air.
Senior running back Michelet Sedam has led the Lions’ rushing attack, recording 1,056 yards and 20 touchdowns while averaging 6.5 yards per carry. His combination of power and breakaway speed has made him a consistent threat, highlighted by an 81-yard run and a season-long touchdown run of 74 yards.
The Lions will turn to Gavin Van Whye under center in place of injured starting quarterback Jayden Daale. Van Whye brings another dimension to the rushing attack, having accumulated 161 yards and three touchdowns on just 16 carries this season. He averages 10.1 yards per attempt and has broken off a touchdown run of 56 yards.
Defensively, senior Tynan Schipper leads the Lions with 71 tackles, including 37 solo stops, 13 tackles for loss, and five sacks. Defensive end Jepthe Raymond has been another disruptive presence, recording a team-high 9.5 sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss.
As a unit, the Lions’ defense has registered 34 sacks this season.
Central Lyon/George-Little Rock also possesses a valuable weapon on special teams in senior kicker Logan Koob. He has connected on 10 of his 13 field goal attempts this season, including a 53-yarder in the opening round of the playoffs.
Roland-Story Norsemen
Roland-Story enters Saturday’s semifinal with a 9-2 record and an offense featuring both a 2,000-yard passer and a 1,000-yard rusher.
Junior quarterback Colin Willis has completed 162-of-270 passes for 2,392 yards and 25 touchdowns, providing the Norsemen with a dangerous aerial attack.
On the ground, senior Fiston Carlson has been equally productive, rushing for 1,391 yards and 22 touchdowns while averaging an impressive 8.3 yards per carry.
Defensively, senior Wyatt Ramus leads Roland-Story with 64 tackles, including 41 solo stops, 6.5 tackles for loss, and three sacks.
Senior Tyler Lambert leads the Norsemen with six sacks, accounting for a significant portion of the team’s 20.5 sacks this season.
One of Roland-Story’s biggest defensive strengths has been its ability to force turnovers through the air. The Norsemen have intercepted 19 passes across nine different players, led by Brody Kistofte with six interceptions, including a 38-yard return for a touchdown.
Keys to the Game
With starting quarterback Jayden Daale sidelined, Central Lyon/George-Little Rock will rely on Gavin Van Whye to lead its offense. Lions head coach Curtis Eben expressed confidence in Van Whye’s ability to step into the starting role.
Preparing for Roland-Story’s balanced offensive attack has also been a point of emphasis for the Lions. The Norsemen present challenges both through the air and on the ground.
On the opposite sideline, Roland-Story head coach Matt Finn has taken notice of the Lions’ well-rounded roster and their ability to make plays in all three phases of the game.
For the Norsemen, establishing the running game could be crucial to their chances of advancing to the championship.
Jon and Justin Hellinga will have the call from the UNI Dome in Cedar Falls on KIWA FM 105.3. Pregame coverage begins at 12:30 p.m., with kickoff scheduled for 1 p.m.
Listen live on the air or stream the game at kiwaradio.com.
