Linn-Mar Coach Bob Forsyth has no idea how Monday night's playoff game against Cedar Rapids Washington will turn out, but he's pretty sure of one thing.

It probably won't be 56-7 again.

That's how badly the second-ranked Lions walloped the Warriors on Oct. 7 in the seventh game of the regular season.

There have been two major changes since then.

Number 1, Linn-Mar tailback Mitch Wantock broke his right ankle Oct. 21 and was lost for the playoffs, robbing the club of 1,109 yards and nine touchdowns (not to mention his good work on defense).

Number 2, Washington tailback Will Griffin is getting close to 100 percent after missing the first five games due to ankle surgery. Griffin played against Linn-Mar in the first meeting, but was still wobbly and contributed only 30 yards on 16 carries.

Griffin has been on a roll since then. He carried 15 times for 181 yards and four touchdowns against Iowa City West, carried 28 times for 172 yards and three TDs against Waterloo West, and rushed 20 times for 97 yards and two TDs in the playoff opener against Davenport Assumption.

Griffin has averaged 150 yards and three touchdowns in Washington's last three games, and it's probably no coincidence the Warriors won all three of them.

Forsyth knows Washington is a different team with a healthy Griffin at tailback.

"They do a lot of good things," Forsyth said. "I think he's back and ready to go. They did some nice things against Assumption.

"So yeah, they'll be ready to play. We'll have to do our best to counter whatever they do."

Monday night's game is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. at Linn-Mar Stadium. The winner will face Cedar Falls or Iowa City High in the quarterfinals Friday night at a site to be determined.

Linn-Mar (10-0) blitzed Clinton, 47-0, in the first round of the 4A playoffs last Wednesday. Washington (7-3) trimmed Davenport Assumption, 38-35, in a come-from-behind victory that night.

Brandon Ophoff and Ross Lembeck subbed for Wantock at tailback for the Lions against Clinton. Ophoff, the No. 2 tailback all season, started and carried the ball 13 times for 58 yards. Lembeck, who was promoted from the sophomore team for the playoffs, rushed nine times for 89 yards and a touchdown.

"They both ran hard. I thought they both did a nice job," Forsyth said. "They got snapped in pretty quick to what we needed to do."

Linn-Mar quarterback Mark Atwater has enjoyed an outstanding season for the Lions. He's completed 92 of 140 passes (65.7 percent) for 1,602 yards and 24 touchdowns. He's also carried the ball 100 times for 668 yards and 10 TDs.

Atwater's favorite target is Andy Henry, who has caught 48 passes for 967 yards and 18 touchdowns. Henry has broken Mississippi Valley Conference records for receiving yards and touchdown receptions. He's also scored twice on kick returns.

Washington has a potent passing attack of its own. Quarterback Braedon Tovey has thrown for 1,332 yards and 10 touchdowns, and Flynn Heald has caught 54 passes for 855 yards and four TDs.

The Warriors can throw the ball, but they've tilted toward the running game in recent weeks with Mitch Bredeson (152 carries for 808 yards), David Tann (71 carries for 575 yards) and Griffin (98 carries for 531 yards) all capable of having big games.

Bredeson, Tann and Griffin have combined for 25 touchdowns. Walter Short has contributed 348 yards and four touchdowns to the rushing attack.

Washington uses a variety of formations and shifts Heald to quarterback for option running plays. The Warriors also can throw from a spread formation and executed a perfect two-minute drill for a touchdown against Iowa City High at the end of the first half.

"It's a challenge, especially with a short turnaround," Forsyth said. "Basically what we have to do is just try to stay in the structure of our defense, no matter what they do.

"Everybody has a responsibility and a job and a gap and those kind of things. If we just take care of that, no matter what they do, we feel like we'll be all right."

Forsyth is not counting on 56-7 again.

"I think we all understand it's a completely different game," he said. "We'll have to earn everything that we get this game, and nothing really translates over from the last game."