Waukon football to clash with upset-minded Williamsburg in Class 2A State Play-Off semifinals this Saturday in the Dome
The top-rated and top-seeded Waukon football team will make its way back to the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls for its third consecutive trip to the Class 2A State Play-Off semifinals this Saturday, November 16 to take on 11th-seeded Williamsburg, the team the Indians defeated, 29-0, to win the program’s first-ever football State Championship just two seasons ago in that very same dome. As the undefeated champion of Class 2A District 6, the Raiders put together just a 6-3 regular season record, but have played the role of giant killer in making their way through the Class 2A State Play-Offs, first knocking off fifth-seeded Waterloo Columbus from Waukon’s own District 4 by a 25-8 result and then upsetting second-seeded Clear Lake this past Friday, November 8, 35-21.
The Raider grid program is no stranger to State Play-Off football as of late, winning at least two play-off games in each of the last eight seasons and making the play-offs 16 of the last 19 seasons, most recently in Class 2A and earlier in Class 3A. During its current streak of eight consecutive State Play-Off appearances, Williamsburg has had its season ended by the eventual State Champion in three of the past seven seasons, including by the Indians in that 2017 Class 2A State Championship game. The Raiders’ three losses this season all came to State Play-Off qualifying teams (two of which are still playing) in non-district play with a combined record of 30-3, including a 48-20 loss to Class 3A second-seeded Western Dubuque, 42-35 to Class 1A 11th-seed Iowa City Regina and 39-33 to Class 1A second-seeded West Branch, which was eliminated by Iowa City Regina just this past Friday in the quarterfinal round.
The Raiders’ 3,194 yards of total offense, averaging 5.8 yards per play, ranks 17th among this year’s 54 Class 2A teams in comparison to Waukon’s top-ranked 4,650 total yards, averaging 8.5 yards per play. Williamsburg averages right around 100 passing yards per game in its 1,101 passing yards that ranks 26th among Class 2A teams, in comparison to the Indians’ nearly 200 yards per game through the air in 2,158 total passing yards that ranks seventh. Led by 1,202 yards and 19 touchdowns racked up by senior Kaden Wetjen, who ranks sixth among Class 2A ballcarriers, the Raiders rely twice as much on their ground game, which averages just over 190 rushing yards per game in 2,093 total yards that rank 14th among Class 2A teams but still trail Waukon’s third-ranked 2,492 total rushing yards that averages out to nearly 227 yards per game. The Raiders have averaged 37.4 points per game in comparison to the Indians’ 43.2 points per game, with Williamsburg having racked up 60 points on returns that include four interceptions, four punts and two kick-offs returned to paydirt.
Williamsburg’s defense is tied with Waukon’s with 17 interceptions each on the season to rank third among Class 2A teams, but has just six fumble recoveries in comparison to 15 such turnovers for the Indians. Williamsburg holds a slight edge with 21.5 quarterback sacks this season in comparison to Waukon’s 16, and also in tackles for loss with 65.5 for the Raiders and 61 for the Indians.
The other half of the remaining Class 2A bracket has third-seeded Algona playing fourth-seeded OABCIG (Odebolt-Arthur-Battle Creek-Ida Grove) in a battle of two other undefeated Class 2A teams (each 11-0) that will take place at 4 p.m. this Saturday, just prior to the Indians’ semifinals match-up with Williamsburg. The two semifinal winners will then advance to the Class 2A State Championship game Friday, November 22 at 1 p.m. in the UNI-Dome.
