We are getting down to the final weeks of the Iowa high school football season.

Quarterfinal rounds in all seven classes take place this Thursday and Friday, with the state semifinals and championship round games to follow.

It has already been an exciting season full of record-setting performances, shocking victories and memorable moments. And you can bet we are in for several more before the final horn blows inside the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls.

Here are some of the top players set for action in the Iowa high school state football quarterfinals starting Thursday with the four games in eight-player. Class 5A, Class 4A, Class 3A, Class 2A, Class 1A and Class A all compete on Friday night.

Iowa High School Football Playoffs: Top Players To Watch

Class 3A

Algona at Sioux City Bishop Heelan

As long as Nathan Manske is on the field, Algona has a shot. The senior, and brother of Penn State’s Alex Manske, is coming off an incredible performance that saw him carry the ball 33 times in a win over Carroll. Manske has battled injuries this year, rushing for 447 and nine scores with 451 passing yards.

In his first season as the starter for Sioux City Bishop Heelan, Elijah Mielke has been incredible. He is 102-for-182 for 1,854 yards and 16 touchdowns, adding six rushing scores to his totals.

Mount Vernon at Clear Lake

Jaxson McIntire has led Clear Lake to back-to-back unbeaten regular seasons. The South Dakota commit has thrown for 2,184 yards and 28 touchdowns while rushing for another 449 and 10 scores. Mount Vernon will try to slow him down by keeping the ball away from the Lions offense and into the hands of Jakob Yock, a senior with 1,153 rushing yards and seven scores on the year.

Mount Pleasant at Des Moines Christian

You might not have heard of Grayson Walker, but that doesn’t mean the senior isn’t ready to show out. The Mount Pleasant quarterback has completed 109 of 165 for 1,645 yards and 25 touchdowns, adding a pair of rushing scores. Des Moines Christian leans heavily on senior running back Davis Tokheim, as he has 1,331 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns this year.

West Delaware at Solon

One year after being an all-state wide receiver, Maddox Kelley is looking at an all-state season at quarterback. He is 91-for-128 passing for 1,531 yards and 22 touchdowns, rushing 84 times for 1,006 yards and 24 more scores. Paul Beswick is also a dual-threat at the QB position for West Delaware, rushing for 1,167 yards and 20 touchdowns while throwing for almost 900 and 10 more TDs.

Class 4A

Pella at Carlisle

There are so many standouts on both sides of the ball for Pella, but Gage Branderhorst is a disruptor. The senior has 53 tackles on defense with 11.5 tackles for loss and five sacks. Carlisle will look to Hayden Schulte to cause issues for the Dutch, as the senior has 34 receptions for 838 yards and 11 receiving touchdowns.

Glenwood at Sergeant Bluff-Luton

Justin Ehlers has taken it upon himself to get the job done this fall for Sergeant Bluff-Luton. Ehlers, a junior, has thrown for 1,226 yards and 14 touchdowns, with another 409 yards and six scores coming on the ground. For Glenwood, Evan Kinney is a monster along the offensive line. The senior has 70 recorded pancake blocks this year.

Waverly-Shell Rock at Western Dubuque

One of the top athletes in Iowa, Jayden Stephens is just a junior, but he has attracted the attention of several major programs. Stephens has 49 receptions for 890 yards and nine TDs with 29.5 tackles on defense and five interceptions. Iowa State commit Drew Bergfeld has battles injuries to produce 851 rushing yards and 11 TDs on just 66 carries this year.

Newton at Cedar Rapids Xavier

Isaiah Hansen burst on the scene last year, committing to Iowa State after a breakout season. This year, he has 1,251 rushing yards and 10 scores for Newton. Cedar Rapids Xavier won it all last year, going unbeaten behind the guidance of Cash Parks. The senior quarterback is 82-for-122 for 1,360 yards and 13 touchdowns, running in 13 more scores.

Class 5A

Valley at Johnston

Johnston has a number of future college football players. But the most important one for the Dragons right now is quarterback Trevin Helming. He has thrown for over 2,000 yards and 27 touchdowns this year. Valley’s Blake Dorenkamp continues to grow into the running back position. He has 1,385 rushing yards and 15 scores this season.

Cedar Falls at Dowling Catholic

Baylor Petrie stepped right in as the starting quarterback for Cedar Falls, and the offense has not skipped a beat. He has almost 2,000 passing yards and 17 touchdowns on 114 of 197, adding almost 200 rushing yards and five more scores. For Dowling Catholic, Beau Williams looks like a future star. The sophomore has built on his freshman campaign, catching 37 passes for 725 yards with 10 TDs.

Iowa City Liberty at Ankeny

Pryor Reiners is a threat each time he touches the ball. The Iowa City Liberty senior has 71 receptions for 1,060 yards and 12 touchdowns while making 22 tackles on defense with three interceptions. It has been a memorable season for Ankeny’s Mason Machan, as the senior is up to 1,618 passing yards with 24 touchdowns while completing 71 percent.

Cedar Rapids Prairie at Southeast Polk

Pick a position group at Cedar Rapids Prairie and a star can be found. Jayden Stumpff is one of those, as the junior has recorded 66.5 tackles with 19 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks. He also has a pair of turnovers for a defense with multiple shutouts. Southeast Polk is just as talented and deep, led by senior running back Stanley Cooper. On the year, Cooper has 1,490 rushing yards and 25 touchdowns, averaging over eight yards per carry.