The Iowa Falls-Alden football team will look for a needed victory when it hosts Independence Friday. At 18th in the RPI, the Cadets would almost certainly be eliminated from playoff contention with a loss.
The Cadets (3-4, 1-2 3A-2) will look to bounce back from last week’s 56-0 loss at #1 (3A) Clear Lake, where the running clock rule was in effect before halftime. Despite the struggles in that game, Head Coach Eric Walkingstick says the team has made strides throughout the season, having surpassed last year’s win total.
“I don’t think our kids necessarily realized that until the RPI came out and that we’re in a great place,” Walkingstick says. “And so again, reaffirming to our guys where they’re at, and the thing is, we’re getting better and we’re doing some really good things and there’s some good things for us to work on. Our junior group is our strength right now, and they’re doing such a great job. So for us, it’s the continued movement forward, realizing we’re playing a game of football, which a lot of people don’t get to. God is good, we’re working out, we’re having fun, we’re playing football on a Friday night.”
Independence (4-3, 0-3 3A-2) will go for its first district win, having lost three straight. Last week, they fell 34-28 in overtime to Benton, squandering a one-score lead after three quarters. Quarterback Christopher Meyer has been an x-factor for the Mustangs, and is the only quarterback in Iowa with more than 1,000 yards both passing and rushing.
The game will start at 7:30 p.m. at Cadet Field.
