Metro Sports Report

Scotty U's football preview

Four Metro football teams have qualified for the 2011 IHSAA football playoffs.

Prairie still has an outside chance of becoming the fifth team, but would have to pull off a big upset against Iowa City High and get some help (a Clinton loss) Friday night when the final games of the regular season are played.

Here's my assessment of the four teams, in alphabetical order, that already have qualified for the playoffs and their chances for postseason success.

Schulte: 'No apologies' if Xavier goes 3A

The odds are pretty good that Xavier High School will play its final regular-season football game as a Class 4A school Friday night before dropping to Class 3A next year.

If so, Xavier has a lollapalooza on its hands with the powerful Linn-Mar Lions invading Saints Field.

The Saints have already lost to No. 1 Cedar Falls, and they lost to Iowa City High when the Little Hawks were undefeated and ranked No. 2. Now here comes Linn-Mar, ranked No. 3 in the state.

"Yeah, 1-2-3," Xavier Coach Duane Schulte mused Tuesday before practice. "They're all great teams."

Lizarraga blossoms as Kennedy's quiet QB

Chico Lizarraga is an unsual athlete at Kennedy High School.

During the spring and summer, he catches balls that are thrown his way. During the fall, he throws them.

He was the starting catcher for Kennedy in the Class 4A state baseball tournament last summer, and he's the starting quarterback for a football team that's headed for the Class 4A playoffs.

Healthy Warriors hoping for playoff run

Think back with the Cedar Rapids Washington football team to this past August.

A.J. Puk, the starting quarterback, quits the team to concentrate on his promising baseball career.

Will Griffin, the heir apparent as the next star tailback at Tailback High, hurts his ankle and needs surgery. He'll miss five games before limping back.

Ryan Cain, a top defensive back and receiver, breaks his collarbone and will miss four games.