The #4 Newton Cardinal football team will take their versatile offense to #2 Gilbert tonight, to play for a spot in the Class 4A State Playoff Semifinals at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls. With a 51-7 win last Friday night over Fort Dodge, the Cardinals won their first playoff game under head coach Andy Swedenhjelm, and the team’s first home playoff game since 2007. Junior running back Isaiah Hansen and senior quarterback Caden Klein have led the Cardinal’s rushing attack this fall, combining for over 1,800 yards Klein has also thrown for over 1,500 yards, and has been involved in 35 of Newton’s 55 touchdowns this season. Senior Finn Martin has hauled in twelve of Klein’s seventeen touchdown passes. The 9-1 Cardinals have won eight straight games, and have scored 31 points or more in all of them.

The #2 Gilbert Tigers are undefeated, but have won four games by less than a touchdown, including last week’s come-from-behind 27-24 win at home over Lewis Central. The Tigers are a ground oriented ball control offense that has only attempted 34 passes this year. In the rushing game, Gilbert has 3,248 yards and 44 touchdowns on 428 carries, while averaging 7.6 yards per carry. Under the Tiger’s Wing-T offense, four players have over 40 carries. Senior Cameron Cantonwine has 148 carries and 1,113 yards. Senior quarterback Ethan Rash has 708 yards on 122 carries. Junior Tayton Wang has 49 carries and 383 yards, while senior Gabe Fierce has 467 yards on 41 carries. Coach Swedenhjelm says the key to stopping the Gilbert run game will be good tackling and making sure each defensive player sticks to their assignment. Like Newton, the Tigers have put up a lot of points this season, scoring 28 points or more in seven of their ten games.

Newton has not made it to a Class 4A semifinals since 1990, and they will look to end that drought with a win at Gilbert tonight. The game can be heard live on the KRLS3 stream at kniakrls.com, beginning with pregame coverage at 6:30 p.m.