Ames • Ballard
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C-M • Colo-NESCO • Gilbert
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Nevada • Roland-Story
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South Hamilton
Spreading it out Spread offenses continue to be the rage at all levels of football, from high school to the NFL. Page 3
Ames Tribune
Thursday, August 24, 2017
Ames quarterback Joe Evans
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HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW | Thursday, August 24, 2017
PACE AND SPACE HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW | Thursday, August 24, 2017
Table of contents
AMES: The Little Cyclones have questions, but not at quarterback. Page 4 BALLARD: Bombers’ hope high-octane offense leads to postseason. Page 6 GILBERT: Tigers reload to take another run at playoffs. Page 7 NEVADA: Cubs look to build off of last season’s growth. Page 8 COLO-NESCO: Royals will be more balanced offensively. Page 10 COLLINS-MAXWELL: The Spartans era begins with a challenging first season. Page 14 ROLAND-STORY: Norsemen looking to sustain recent success. Page 12 SOUTH HAMILTON: The pieces may be in place for the Hawks to have a successful season. Page 14
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Spread offenses continue to take the football world by storm By Ian Murphy
Staff Writer imurphy@amestrib.com
The Ames football team likes to get up and down the field in practice. The offense, led by senior quarterback Joe Evans, runs at a quick pace as it reps its plays on air or on the defense. Evans compared the practices to a conditioning session for the speed at which Ames has to operate. “I really like how we go up tempo. I think that gives us an advantage,” Evans said. “ I think that gives us an advantage just going down the field and being able to look over to the sideline and get the play down fast.” Ames, like many teams in Iowa high school football, runs a spread offense, popularized at the college level and adopted all throughout the game. • • • Ames coach Bruce Vertanen points to Marshalltown and Mason City in the first decade of the 2000s as predecessors for the spread at the 4A level. The Bobcats spread the field, and with still a primarily rushing
attack and a slower pace, enjoyed a great deal of success, Vertanen said. The Little Cyclones pivoted to the uptempo offense in 2009 and 2010 with all-state quarterback Kyle Anderson at the helm. The Little Cyclones ran their offense but also employed a twominute blitz to close out the half. “We had this two-minute offense, this ‘fast o’ part of our offense, and it was really producing,” Vertanen said. “So instead of waiting for the last two minutes of the half, (assistant coach) Kyle Van Winkle said, ‘Why don’t we run this thing from the start?’ Well, that was a pretty good idea. “Started playing faster.” Vertanen said the Little Cyclones had the upper hand when they made that initial push. In 2010, Ames finished ninth in Class 4A with 3,911 total offensive yards and compiled a 9-2 record with Anderson at the helm. In 2013, with Sam Straub at quarterback, the Little Cyclones went 11-1 and compiled 6,767 yards of offense to lead the state, almost 1,100 yards more than West Des Moines Dowling, the next-best offensive team in Class 4A. Straub, now in line to be the starting quarterback at Southern
Illinois, threw for 3,221 yards and 31 touchdowns while running back Clifford Kwaw-Mensah ran for 2,806 yards and 36 touchdowns. The Little Cyclones pride themselves on staying ahead of the offensive curve, and they certainly were in 2013, when they ran the run-pass option, a system in which both a run and pass are in play at each snap of the ball. “2013, we probably RPO’ed better than anybody,” Vertanen said. “Then other teams adapted. Defenses adapted. It’s always a game of cat and mouse.” • • • The spread offense lends itself to adaptation. The Little Cyclones modify the offense to fit their personnel in any given season. Straub and Kwaw-Mensah were a lethal combination in 2013, while Evans, who threw for 1,580 yards last season, was the Little Cyclones’ leading rusher as well. At Ames’ district foe Ankeny Centennial, the Jaguars, under legendary coach Jerry Pezzetti, spread the field and snap out of the shotgun, but are, at heart, a triple-option offense. Quarterback Chance Gibbons
threw for 1,433 yards last season, but the Jaguars, a Class 4A favorite this season, had one back rush for more than 1,000 yards and two others with more than 600 apiece. Dowling, another Ames district rival and winners of 52 of its last 54 games and the top team in the state, has mixed its offensive schemes in recent seasons, often using a brutally physical running game, but has always had a spread package. The Maroons employed it effectively with quarterback Ryan Boyle in 2015, the second year of Dowling’s current four-year reign as state champions. The spread forced defenses out of their comfort zone. No-huddle offenses meant defenses had no chance to huddle, and the options on any given play made for defensive headaches. Vertanen, a strong believer that any offense can be successful, however, said defenses have caught up to the offense. “Defenses don’t huddle anymore, nobody does,” he said. • • • The spread has permeated all See SPREAD on page 16
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW | Thursday, August 24, 2017
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Senior Joe Evans will be Ames’ starting quarterback for the thirdstraight season this fall, putting him in some elite company. Players such as Fred Hoiberg, Austen Arnaud and Sam Straub also have been three-year starters for the Little Cyclones. In his first two seasons, Evans has accounted for 3,909 yards and 45 touchdowns.
Little Cyclones have question marks, but quarterback is not one of them Evans gives Ames experience at most important position By Ian Murphy
Staff Writer imurphy@amestrib.com
There isn’t one unit of the Ames football team that stands out to Ames coach Bruce Vertanen. The Little Cyclones return two players on the offensive line, one mainstay running back and a handful of receivers. Defensively, the Little Cyclones’ outlook is the same, with players at various positions coming back. With 14 starters total returning, the Little Cyclones are poised to improve on their 5-4 finish last season. “Our experience is kind of spotted around; it’s not like a whole unit back,” Vertanen said. “Chris Fowles and Peter Woodruff on the (offensive) line, Cal Wild
coming back on the (defensive) line, Brandon Cable and there’s others, but it’s kind of like a senior or two per position, so our experience is spread out.” But there is no decision to be made at quarterback, the all-important position on any football team. Senior Joe Evans is entering his third year as a starter, and after leading Ames to a 9-7 record in his two seasons, is in command of the offense and is as confident as he’s ever been. He feels no added pressure entering his third season. “I’ve been practicing with this group of guys my whole life,” he said. “It’s my buddies, the guys, I hang out with the whole team. “I have my goals that
PHOTO BY NIRMALENDU MAJUMDAR/AMES TRIBUN
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HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW | Thursday, August 24, 2017
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AMES: ‘He can run the football, and he can throw it. I like that.’ Continued from page 4
I want to accomplish as a team, to get to the playoffs. Of course, I’m going to have pressure that way, but other than that, no.” Evans, who was thrust into the job as a sophomore after season-ending injuries to Ames’ first- and secondstring quarterbacks, joins a line of third-year starting quarterbacks, including Fred Hoiberg, Austen Arnaud and Sam Straub. Arnaud and Straub found success under Vertanen, who hopes Evans can be similar. Hoiberg played for Kirk Daddow. “Any of these threeyear quarterbacks we’ve had, we’ve been blessed to have a few of them, all of them have been fine quarterbacks,” Vertanen said. “The game just slows down, you’ve heard that term before in all different sports and he sees it. He sees it. “Sophomore year, it looks like (everyone is) moving around 100 miles an hour and now, it’s very simple. It’s a lot simpler for a senior quarterback that’s been there for three years. See an open man, hit ‘em.” It’s likely that open man will be senior wide receiver Tyler Doyle, Evans’ favorite target last season. Doyle pulled in 30 passes for 510 yards and six touchdowns last season and, along with Colton Iiams, will be looked to as a leader for an otherwise young receiving corps that figures to be a key piece of the Ames offense. “I kind of definitely look at all these guys as peers,” Doyle said. “And I kind of look at all of them as just as good as me, if not better.” Ames will go as far as its skill positions can take it, but the Little Cyclones have holes to fill on defense, both on the field and in leadership, vacated by
Ames Aug. 25 at Marshalltown Sept. 1 Cedar Falls Sept. 8 Iowa City High Sept. 15 at Fort Dodge Sept. 22 C.B. Lincoln Sept. 29 at S.C. West Oct. 6 at Ankeny Centennial Oct. 13 DM Lincoln Oct. 20 at Dowling Catholic
The Ames football team will need its offensive linemen, from left, Sam Stuve, Caleb Donovan, Chris Fowles, Zach Clendenen, and Peter Woodruff, to play well in order to lead the Little Cyclones back to the playoffs after missing out on the postseason last season. PHOTO BY NIRMALENDU MAJUMDAR/AMES TRIBUNE
Carter Mumm and Marcus Coleman, who led Ames in tackles last year. They also must replace four-year place kicker and punter Adam Rademacher. Most importantly, they’ll have to fill in for three-year starter Colin Newell, an allstate left tackle and now an Iowa State lineman, an unenviable spot to put any new player in. When broken down, the mix of experience and youth is evident and makes prognosticating about the Little Cyclones a challenge. Vertanen does not decide starters in camp, leaving many positions open to competition. But there will be no competition at quarterback. It’s Evans’ job, and he’s in a position to succeed. “He’s a classic dualthreat,” Vertanen said.
“Everybody wants a quality quarterback, everybody would like to have a dualthreat. You can’t beat that. He can run the football, and he can throw it. I like that. He gives us a lot of options.” Those options led to 1,580 passing yards, 614
rushing yards and 23 total touchdowns (13 passing, 10 rushing). But Evans is one of three three-year mainstays in the district, joined by Des Moines Lincoln’s Will McElvain and Ankeny Centennial’s Chance Gibbons.
The Little Cyclones beat the Railsplitters but were downed by the Jaguars last season and both will be tough competition in the district this year. Three other district schools, Fort Dodge, Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln and
Sioux City West, also return their top quarterback. Never mind four-time defending state champion Dowling also awaits the Little Cyclones to close out district play and the regular season, a tall task when a win could mean the difference between moving on or packing up. Whatever the Little Cyclones do on the field, offensively at least, it starts and ends with Evans, and his experience has given the Little Cyclones confidence. “It’s great, because he knows us all really well, what our tendencies are, we know what his are,” junior wide receiver Will Krapfl said. “We’ve known each other for a long time so the relationships are really strong, so it’s good to have that in your quarterback.”
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW | Thursday, August 24, 2017
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Ballard hopes high-octane offense leads to playoffs By Joe Randleman Staff Writer
A talented, deep and experienced offense has the Ballard football team aiming for the playoffs in 2017. The Bombers return 1,500-yard rusher Hunter Wright and four experienced players on the offensive line off a team that finished 6-3 overall and tied for fourth in Class 3A District 2 with a 4-3 mark last fall. They are hoping that strength in the running game will give new quarterback Isaac Schafbuch and a young defense time to develop in order to make a run at the district title and a spot at state. “Love the start of a new season and getting the chance to work with a new group of young men,” Ballard head football coach Al Christian said. “We believe that getting back to the playoffs is a good goal for us.” Ballard will continue operating out of a spread formation on offense. The Bombers averaged 32.8 points and 406.9 yards per game last fall. Wright will be the the engine that drives the Bomber attack, especially early in the season. He was 3A’s third-leading rusher last year as a junior, piling up 1,566 yards and 20 touchdowns on an impressive 8.2 yards per carry. A battle-tested line will open plenty of holes for Wright. Back up front for Ballard are seniors Cody Knutson, Colin Anderson, Grant VanZee and Tyler Maire. Senior Jess Hugee will be called on to fill in at the other spot on the line. Schafbuch takes over for Max Stoltz as the Ballard signal caller. Schafbuch did gain quality playing time as a backup last See BALLARD on page 18
All-state running back Hunter Wright, front, and a talented and experienced offensive line of, from left, Jess Hugee, Tyler Marie, Grant VanZee, Colin Anderson and Cody Knutson, will anchor a potent returning offense for the Ballard football team in 2017. PHOTO BY JOE RANDLEMAN/SPECIAL TO THE AMES TRIBUNE
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW | Thursday, August 24, 2017 7
Gilberts senior football players hope to lead the Tigers back to the postseason this fall.
PHOTO BY NIRMALENDU MAJUMDAR/AMES TRIBUNE
Gilbert attempts to reload to avenge season cut short By Luke Manderfeld
Special to the Ames Tribune
Gilbert football will be on a tour to get back to the playoffs in 2017. After making threestraight postseason appearances, the Tigers just missed the playoffs in 2016 after falling to Dallas Center-Grimes 30-29 in their final game. They finished 6-3 in one of the toughest districts in the state, with five teams above .500. “It didn’t end the way we wanted to,” coach Scott Auderer said. “We had a talented team, but we were also in the hardest
district in the state. They know what they’re getting into, and they know what’s in front of them. “Every year is a new year and maybe some of the mistakes, some of what happened last year, that can’t happen if you want to reach your goals.” Auderer and his staff have a tough task ahead of them if they want to return to a playoff position. Eight starters on offense from last season graduated. The defense, already young and unsettled, took a huge blow when senior Garrison Hulk lost his season
Gilbert Aug. 25 Roland-Story Sept. 1 at Carlisle Sept. 8 at Webster City Sept. 15 Iowa Falls-Alden Sept. 22 at Boone Sept. 29 Perry Oct. 6 Greene County Oct. 13 at Ballard Oct. 20 Dallas Center-Grimes
because of a separated shoulder he suffered at a summer camp. Now the Tigers are left
finding solutions to positions all over the field, but Auderer has been encouraged by his team’s preseason. “We lost eight offensive players, which isn’t usual for high school,” Auderer said. ““It’s been challenging as far as fighting some early on injuries. Their effort and attitude has been great, and we just have a lot of battling for a lot of spots that we’ve got to decide on.” Auderer and his coaching staff have attempted to combat the losses by focusing on one-way players. Instead of players taking snaps on both
sides of the ball, the staff pushed players to their most effective position. That way, newer players can pour all their effort into one spot. Perhaps the most prominent position up for grabs is at quarterback, where Steven Lawrence, who was the team’s leading passer and rusher last season, graduated. The battle to take the starting position is between senior Seth Breyfogle and junior Matt Barragy, who both offer similar skill sets, good speed and good arms. “Both of us have a lot to bring to the table and
both of us fit into our offense a lot,” Breyfogle said. “It comes down to a battle of consistency. It matters who can be the most consistent and who can bring it every day.” In the backfield, Gilbert lost Cody Dvorak, who rushed for 1,055 yards on 166 carries last season, and plan to replace him with Ajay Reed, who spent last season in the slot receiver spot. “Ajay has everything that you’d want as a tailback except for size, which is OK because of See GILBERT on page 18
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW | Thursday, August 24, 2017
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Nevada’s football team is hoping for big seasons this fall from, from left, Matt Chitty, Om’Unique Wilkerson, Trent Stahl and L uke Merfeld. PHOTO BY NIRMALENDU MAJUMDAR/AMES TRIBUNE
Cubs optimistic heading into 2017 Nevada looks to build off of last season’s growth
By Joe Randleman Staff Writer
Last season saw the Nevada football program take a big step in the right direction, and the Cubs are looking to keep that momentum going in
the 2017 season. Nevada went 3-6 last season under first-year coach Andrew Kleeman, but more importantly, the Cubs won two Class 3A district games for the first time in several seasons.
Kleeman has some big shoes to fill off that team, but he is optimistic the team can raise the bar in 2017. “We have extremely high expectations for this season,” said Kleeman, whose team beat West Marshall in their season opener on Aug. 18. “This group of seniors has played a lot of varsity football dating back to when they were freshman. “We also have a nice
group of underclassmen that are competing hard. We have goals we expect to reach. “We believe we have the right pieces to make a strong run. The keys will be staying healthy and focused each week.” Kleeman said the players’ attitude will go a long way on how successful the Cubs will be this season. “We need to keep focusing on being a more
physical team,” Kleeman said. “We also need to better develop our identity as a football program. “We expect to be a disciplined team who plays with toughness and class. We look forward to watching our kids demonstrate those qualities throughout the season.” On offense, Nevada must account for the loss of See CUBS on page 15
Nevada Aug. 18 at West Marshall W, 14-13 (2OT) Sept. 1 Perry Sept. 8 Carlisle Sept. 15 at Knoxville Sept. 22 North Polk Sept. 29 at Bondurant-Farrar Oct. 6 Grinnell Oct. 13 at Norwalk Oct. 20 at Pella
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HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW | Thursday, August 24, 2017
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Better balance has Royals eyeing playoffs Colo-NESCO is looking to advance to the playoffs for the fourth time in six seasons, and the Royals are counting on, from left, Mason Lytle, Garrett Packer Sean Cutler, Philip Bower and Bryce Niemeyer, to lead them there. PHOTO
By Joe Randleman Staff Writer
The Colo-NESCO football program will need some young players to step up in 2017 as it looks to produce its third-straight winning season. The Royals are coming off a 5-4 season after reaching the state quarterfinals in eight-man two seasons ago. Colo-NESCO has to replace some talented weapons off last year’s squad that finished just short of returning to the playoffs after taking third in eight-man District 5 with a 5-2 record. But Royals’ coach Josh Nessa said his 2017 team has the ingredients necessary to get back to the playoffs. “Many of our players have been dedicated in the weight room and running speed and agility workouts,” Nessa said. “I believe as a team we will be stronger and faster than last year. “We have also been working hard installing plays after weights. Most of our seasoned players will know their plays going into the preseason. This should let us be able to work more on our fundamentals.” It won’t be easy to make it back to state. Standing in the Royals’ way in their district are defending champion Twin Cedars and runner-up HLV. Colo-NESCO will also have to do it without standout Garret Tiarks, who ran for 1,412 yards and 29 touchdowns and threw for 581 yards and 10 scores on offense and made 76.5 tackles and four interceptions on defense. “Garret will be the hardest player to replace,” Nessa said. “He was a two-way starter for three seasons and a four-year letter winner. He was also a two-time all-state player for us.” But the Royal coach is confident other players can pick up the slack. “This year, I believe we will have to have more of a balanced approach and may to use several players to fill the role (Tiarks) is leaving,” Nessa said. “We are very deep at quarterback this year and
BY NIRMALENDU MAJUMDAR/AMES TRIBUNE
Colo-NESCO Aug. 25 AGWSR Sept. 1 Coon Rapids-Bayard Sept. 8 at Meskwaki Sept. 15 Melcher-Dallas Sept. 22 at Twin Cedars Sept. 29 Seymour Oct. 6 at HLV Oct. 13 Moravia Oct. 20 at Tri-County
may have to use all three to get the same results Tiarks gave us last year.” On offense, Colo-NESCO will run out of the I-formation as well as spread and twins formations. The Royals averaged 51.3 points and 333.4 yards per game in 2016. Seniors Philip Bower and Sean Cutler will battle for time at quarterback. Senior Garrett Packer will also see time behind center in the Wildcat formation. Last season, Bower completed
4 of 12 passes for 95 yards and two touchdowns, ran for 109 yards and three scores and caught eight passes for 110 yards and two touchdowns. Cutler completed two passes for 23 yards and ran for 31 yards and one score. Packer will serve most of his time at running back this season. Last fall, he ran for 372 yards and seven touchdowns and added 67 yards and one score receiving. Senior Mason Lytle and sophomore Francis Bower will also see time at running back. Lytle caught four passes for 28 yards and a touchdown and Francis Bower added 44 yards and one score on the ground in 2016. Lytle and senior Jacob Clatt will occupy the end positions for the Royals. Clatt made four receptions for 152 yards and two touchdowns last season. On the offensive line, ColoNESCO will have seniors Bryce Niemeyer and Connor Clark and juniors Colin Hall and Adam Texeira.
Defensively, Colo-NESCO will run both a 3-4 and 4-2. Niemeyer, Hall, Texeira, Clatt and Clark will be the main contributors on the defensive line. In 2016, Niemeyer made 58 tackles, five sacks and two fumble recoveries, Clatt 23 tackles and two sacks, Texeira 11 tackles, Clark 5.5 stops and Hall 4.5 tackles plus two sacks. Niemeyer may also help at linebacker. Packer, Lytle and two two Bower boys will also compete at linebacker. Packer recorded 70 tackles, Lytle 40 tackles, two interceptions and one fumble recovery, Philip Bower 28 tackles, five interceptions, two fumble recoveries and two defensive touchdowns and Francis Bower 21 tackles. Philip Bower’s primary position on defense will be in the defensive backfield. He will be joined by Cutler, who made 15 tackles, three fumble recoveries, one interception and one sack in 2016.
Other returning letterwinners for Colo-NESCO in 2017 are juniors Kelly Gray and Zach McWherter. “Having gone through some growing pains last year, especially in the beginning of the season, it would be great to continue pushing for a playoff spot,” Nessa said. “Qualifying for the playoffs for the fourth time in six years since moving to eight-man is a great goal. I also look forward to seeing my players mature and do things the Royal way on and off the field.” Colo-NESCO will open the season with non-district home games against AGWSR and Coon Rapids-Bayard. Both teams knocked off the Royals last year. “Our first two games versus AGWSR and CRB will be tough and set the tone for our season,” Nessa said. “Both teams lose some very good players so it will be interesting to see how we match up this year.”
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW | Thursday, August 24, 2017
11 Offensive linemen, from left, Zach Martinez, Cody Haugen, Cody Galbraith and Michael Hartgers, will be the primary strength of the CollinsMaxwell football program in 2017. The Spartans are in their first season as a program and will compete in eight-man football. PHOTO BY JOE RANDLEMAN/ NEVADA JOURNAL
Spartan era begins: Collins-Maxwell faces challenging first season By Joe Randleman Staff Writer
When the Collins-Maxwell football team takes the field against Moravia on Aug. 25, it will mark not just the beginning of a new era but a whole new program. The season opener against Moravia, which was 5-4 last season, in Maxwell marks the first sporting event for Collins-Maxwell Spartan athletics. The sportssharing agreement between Collins-Maxwell and Baxter officially came to an end at the end of the 2017 summer sports season, sending both schools their separate ways. The Spartans will face some big challenges in 2017. The former Collins-MaxwellBaxter players on the team are going from regular 11-man football in Class 2A to eight-man this fall. With redistricting not taking place until next season, CollinsMaxwell wasn’t allowed to join a district this season, and the Spartans are thus ineligible for the the playoffs. “I know as a coaching staff
and as a team, we are very grateful that we have been granted a full schedule,” Collins-Maxwell coach Cory Crnkovich said. “The Iowa High School Athletic Association could have told us we can’t allow that and made us practice for a whole year with no games. It would have hurt our program a lot.” “There are some seniors who are going to contribute to our Spartan program that may not have had a chance if the state would not have given us a shot to play games this fall. I believe that it will benefit us this year and help us grow as a program to see what the eight-man game is all about. It is upsetting that the senior class will not be postseason eligible, but they will be the first Spartan senior class to come through Collins-Maxwell football program.” Collins-Maxwell will play eight total games. “The biggest game that sticks out to me is Moravia,” Crnkovich said. “They are the first game of our Spartan era, and they are also our next game. My head coach at Grand View — Mike Woodley
Collins-Maxwell Aug. 25 Moravia Sept. 1 Clarinda Academy Sept. 8 at Ar-We-Va Sept. 15 at Boyer Valley Sept. 22 at Coon Rapids-Bayard Sept. 29 at Glidden-Ralston Oct. 6 Wayne Oct. 13 at Audubon Oct. 20 Newell-Fonda
— always told us the most important game is the next game. Every game we have is important, but whichever our next opponent is, that is the most important one. The Spartans host Clarinda Academy on Sept. 1, then play four-consecutive road games against Ar-We-Va, Boyer Valley, Coon Rapids-Bayard and GliddenRalston. On Oct. 6, Collins-Maxwell hosts Wayne and the Spartans end the season the following week at Audubon. Inexperience will be an issue for Collins-Maxwell.
On offense, Collins-Maxwell will have sophomore Simon McKinney and freshman Mason Markley as the lead candidates at quarterback and senior Brock Staudt could also help out. Junior Caleb Fullerton and sophomore Kadin Bennett will be at running back, with freshman Hunter Clair also in the mix to get carries. Tackles Michael Hartgers and Zach Martinez and center Cody Galbraith will anchor the offensive line. Hartgers and Galbraith are seniors and Martinez a sophomore. Staudt will be at the tight end/ H-back position, and senior Cody Haugen could also help out at tight end and on the line. “Our strong points for our football team is our offensive line,” Crnkovich said. “We have a solid line that has a very competitive edge. We threw a lot of material at them so far and they just keep improving.” Bennett, sophomores Brett Livesay and Jordan Barrett and freshmen A.J. Smith and Mitchell Bienfang also will help out on
offense at the end/slot positions. On defense, the Spartans will be led by Galbraith and McKinney up front. Staudt, Haugen and sophomore Bubba Henry will also help on on the defensive line. At linebacker, Hartgers will be in the middle and Bennett and Fullerton on the strong side. McKinney can also help out at weakside linebacker. Smith and senior Tate Ewing will be at the cornerback positions and Livesay at safety. Barrett, Markley and Clair will also be vying for time in the defensive backfield. Without a district title or the playoffs to shoot for, the 2017 season will allow Collins-Maxwell to put all its focus on fundamentals and getting used to eight-man football before getting back into the fray in 2018. “The areas we need to improve on is just the concepts of eight-man football,” Crnkovich said. “All of these kids have played 11-man forever. Now it’s a change, and we will have to adapt a little bit.”
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW | Thursday, August 24, 2017
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Roland-Story football players, from left, Nathan Bell, Landon Greiner, Austin Hobb, Hougland Matt, Garek Hurd and Ben Chelsvig plan to lead the Norsemen back to the playoffs this fall. PHOTO BY NIRMALENDU MAJUMDAR/AMES TRIBUNE
Roland-Story prepares to sustain success By Luke Manderfeld
Special to the Ames Tribune
Roland-Story
Behind Roland-Story’s elementary school in Story City, on the north side of the field and underneath the goal post, a banner hangs above the Roland-Story football team as it prepares for a new season. It reads: “All eyes on us.” The message is perhaps fitting considering the recent history of Norsemen football. After a 1-8 record in 2014, Roland-Story won three games in 2015. In 2016, the team leapt to a 7-3 record a playoff appearance. No longer is Roland-Story an underdog. It now has a target on its back. “We’re a little bit more of a cocky team, which is not a bad thing, we are just confident in how we play and what we do,” senior defensive end Garek Hurd said. “That motto of all eyes on us and that everyone is watching is because we went from nothing last year to this huge jump.” Hurd is the only returning all-state player out of a group of
Aug. 18 at North Polk L 14-6 Aug. 25 at Gilbert Sept. 1 South Hamilton Sept. 15 East Marshall Sept. 22 at Saydel Sept. 29 at Aplington-Parkersburg Oct. 6 Dike-New Hartford Oct. 13 at South Hardin Oct. 20 West Marshall
five all-state players last year — Calvin Bright, Caleb Schlatter, Dylan Rivers and Brett Staton. The Norsemen did return six first-team all-district players, but a large chunk of last year’s team is gone. That’s why coach Aaron Stensland, who has been integral in the program’s rise in his three seasons at the helm, doesn’t necessarily believe his team has kicked the underdog tag just yet. “We’re still kind of an unknown,” said Stensland, last
season’s district coach of the year. “They don’t know what we’re going to be with a lot of guys not coming back. “I feel like because of who we lost, we’re still an underdog, which I think is good because I think they’ve been chippy since the season started. We’ve told them, ‘We’ve still got to earn that respect.’” Staton, who threw all but one pass for the Norsemen last season, leaves a hole at the key quarterback position. Senior Tyler Risdal and junior Carter Greenfield were locked in a battle in camp to take the reins. Risdal threw all nine passes the Norse attempted in a seasonopening 14-6 loss to North Polk on Aug. 18, but no worries for Greenfield. Stensland described him as an all-district receiver. “Tyler probably has a step up because he’s a senior, and he wants it,” Stensland said. “He wants to be the guy. He’s probably a leg up there, but the good thing is, Carter is probably an all-district-type receiver, so he’ll be on the field at all times right now.”
The Norsemen still have some weapons on offense. Austin Hobbs, an all-district selection in 2016, is entering his senior season. He had 18 receptions for 350 yards and four touchdowns. And junior Kade Faga, a player who was supposed to make an impact last season but sat out with an injury, has been a pleasant surprise, Stensland said. On defense, the Norsemen saw the departure of one of the best defensive ends in 2A football in Calvin Bright, but Hurd is more than capable of taking his spot. Hurd had 45 tackles and seven sacks last season and will move over to the weak defensive end position, where Bright dominated in 2016. “There are a lot of expectations that I’ll be that good or that I can be better,” Hurd said. “I think I can do it. I feel strong about it.” Roland-Story’s season has already been odd, as it started practice earlier than most everyone else. Because a school on their 2017 schedule dissolved, the Norsemen were forced to add
a week zero game against North Polk on Aug. 18. Because of that, Roland-Story has been practicing since late July. After opening against Class 3A opponent North Polk last week, the Norsemen play Gilbert on Aug. 25, before having a bye in week three — the week their scheduled game was canceled. They’ll then start district play against East Marshall on Sept. 15. Now that Roland-Story has seen success, Stensland will have to make sure the team can sustain it. He’s up to the task. “I just don’t ever see myself as a coach that will ever be satisfied with where he’s at or where his team’s at,” Stensland said. “I don’t sleep at night; it keeps me up, just making sure we always have that edge because we’ve told that the easiest part is climbing the hill. “That looks like a big deal to people. It’s not. That’s the easy part. The hardest part is now we have to stay at 7-3 or above. You’ve just got to find that edge every day.”
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HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW | Thursday, August 24, 2017
South Hamilton quarterback Marco Balderas and running back Logan Klemp will play key roles in the Hawks’ success this fall. PHOTO BY NIRMALENDU MAJUMDAR/AMES TRIBUNE
South Hamilton hoping to develop success By Ian Murphy
Staff Writer imurphy@amestrib.com
The South Hamilton football team is breaking in a new quarterback, but he’s no stranger to the football field. Marco Balderas, the successor to Blake Barquist at quarterback, played a limited role on offense for the Hawks in last season’s 4-5 campaign, but had 27 tackles and two interceptions on defense. Balderas knows he’s the go-to guy for leadership now. “I’m ready, I think it’s my turn now,” he said. “Blake passed it down to me, and I’m just ready to take leadership. I’m getting better at it.
“Over the years, I’ve just kind of learned from other quarterbacks, picked up things that can help me and then I just kind of do what I can for the team.” Balderas, who threw only five passes last season, said Barquist gave him pointers on footwork and how to hold the ball. He won’t be asked to do a lion’s share of work on offense, however. The offensive load will be spread out among several returners, notably senior Logan Klemp. Klemp carried the ball 136 times for 889 yards and 10 touchdowns last season on top of 15 receptions for 218 yards and another two touchdowns, leading the Hawks in both categories.
“He’s certainly put in the work to have a huge year,” Hawk coach Corey Klemp said. “But I think probably a bigger thing going with that is we have a lot of kids around him that have really stepped up, too. We’ll be kind of a multi-headed attack.” That attack will feature Balderas and Logan Klemp, but also returning backs Tanner Volkman and Grant Evans, who ran for 328 and 127 yards for the run-heavy Hawks last season, respectively. Volkman was also the Hawks’ second-leading receiver behind Logan Klemp last season. Jared Ullestad, who had three touchdown catches at tight end, figures to have even more an impact for the Hawks as well. All five of the Hawks’ top tacklers from last season return as well. The Hawks make some replacements on the lines, but Corey Klemp said he likes what he’s seen so far from the lines on both side of the ball.
South Hamilton Aug. 25 South Hardin Sept. 1 at Roland-Story Sept. 8 Manson-NW Webster Sept. 15 at Van Meter Sept. 22 Panorama Sept. 29 at Madrid Oct. 6 Ogden Oct. 13 West Central Valley Oct. 20 Eagle Grove
“The guys we’ve plugged in so far are really showing some progress,” he said. The Hawks district includes Class 1A state runner up Van Meter, which finished last year 11-1 and beat the Hawks 42-0 last season. There’s also Madrid on the schedule, which went 9-2 last season with both losses coming to Van Meter. Any path to the playoff for the Hawks includes beating one of those two teams, a tough ask.
South Hamilton went 1-5 in its first six games last season, but ended the year on a three-game winning streak. Balderas, as the quarterback, knows he’s going to play a big role in South Hamilton’s success. “When we run the ball, I’ve just got to be able to carry out fakes, keep the defense on their feet and not knowing who has the ball, and when we go spread, I’ve just got to put the ball on the hands,” he said. Corey Klemp noted he’s seen his team hit another level of effort on the football field so far this season. The pieces are there, he thinks, for the Hawks to have a strong season, and Klemp hopes the effort the Hawks put in can get them there. “I think it’s kind of grown over the last couple years where the kids have kind of bought into the team,” he said. “The whole group aspect, and so this year it kind of has come full circle. We have four grades that are kind of gelled together.”
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CUBS: ‘Every team in our district is returning key players’ Continued from page 8
quarterback Macade Matuska, running back A.J. Strottman and four starters on the offensive line off a team that averaged 17.6 points and 306.6 yards per game. The 2017 Cub offense will run out of the I-formation and mix in some spread formations. Nevada will be led by four experienced playmakers in seniors Trent Stahl, Om’Unique Wilkerson and Preston Cattanach and junior Jakob Strottman. Stahl was a versatile weapon for Nevada in 2016. He ran for 420 yards and seven touchdowns, caught 26 passes for 327 yards and four scores and completed one pass for 42 yards and a touchdown. Wilkerson caught 18 passes for a teamhigh 341 receiving yards and two touchdowns last season. He also ran for 80 yards on nine carries. Cattanach picked up 60 yards and one touchdown rushing and he also had 60 yards receiving in 2016. Jakob Strottman picked up 150 yards and one touchdown rushing a year ago. The addition of senior Brendan Sellberg in the slot gives Nevada a huge boost on offense. Sellberg didn’t compete last season after running for 346 yards and six touchdowns and adding 446 yards and six touchdowns receiving in 2015. Senior Emilio Saldana and junior Sam Abraham will compete for the other slot position. At tight end, Nevada will have senior Jack Higgins leading the way. Junior Anthony Ellis will also vie for playing time. On the line, Nevada brings back senior tackle Luke Merfeld, and senior Matt Chitty is moving from tight end to the other tackle spot. The interior of the offensive line will be filled in by senior Bronzon Mason at center and senior Luke Durkop and juniors Ethan Wild and Jack Cahill will battle for the two guard positions. Senior Cam Shill will take over at quarterback for Nevada. In 2016 as a backup Shill completed 7 of 19 passes for 82 yards and also ran for 12 yards. Defensively, Nevada will run out of a 4-3. Up front, the Cubs will have Chitty and Merfeld at ends and Mason in the middle. Chitty made 29.5 tackles and 2.5 sacks,
Merfeld had 27.5 tackles and one tackle for loss and Mason registered 14.5 tackles and three sacks in 2016. Durkop, Wild and junior Aidan Anderson are fighting for time at the other defensive tackle spot. At linebacker, Nevada must replace leading tackler Matthew Fortmann. The Cubs return Higgins and are moving Cattanach to linebacker from cornerback. In 2016 Higgins made 39.5 tackles and one fumble recovery and Cattanach tallied 27 tackles and one interception. Nevada’s linebacker core will be bolstered by the return of all-district performer Luke Fevold. Fevold, a senior, missed all of last season with an injury. Jakob Strottman will also be in the mix at middle linebacker. He had 10.5 tackles and one fumble recovery a year ago. In the defensive backfield Nevada features Stahl and Abraham at safety and Saldana and junior Andrew Saunders at corner. In 2016 Stahl made 41.5 tackles and two interceptions, Abraham 6.5 stops and one fumble recover, Saldana 16.5 tackles and Saunders 26.5 tackles and two interceptions. On special teams, Nevada returns Cahill at kicker, but Fevold and senior Parker Walden will also be in the mix. Cahill made 13 point-after attempts and one field and Walden two PATs last year and Fevold was 19 of 20 on PATs in 2015. Stahl, Fevold and Jakob Strottman are fighting to take over at punter. Nevada’s 3A District 6 schedule won’t be as daunting as last year when Pella and Norwalk entered the 2016 season as the defending 3A state champions and runnersup respectively. But it will still be a tough haul. “Pella has won the last three 3A state championships,” Kleeman said. “They are the favorite until someone proves otherwise. Every team in our district is returning key players. Each week will be an exciting challenge.” Carlisle, North Polk, Bondurant-Farrar, Grinnell and Knoxville make up the rest of the 3A District 6 competition. In non-district play, Nevada faces West Marshall and Perry. The Cubs opened the season with a 14-13 victory in double overtime at West Marshall last week and will face Perry for its home opener on Sept. 1.
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SPREAD: ‘I think it can give coordinators sometimes some gray hair’ Continued from page 3
levels of football, from the NFL to the eight-man level. It is not unique in Iowa at Class 4A. Collins-Maxwell, in its first season as the Spartans after 30 years of sharing with Baxter, will run the spread at the eight-man level. Colo-NESCO, which went 5-4 last season at the eight-man level, has some spread elements in its playbook as well, but it isn’t the Royal’s primary offense. Defensively, the Royals run man coverage, but have instituted zone defense in recent seasons. “If a team really spreads us out and goes into a two-by-two set, we can go zone or we can go man,” Colo-NESCO coach John Nessa said. “Since it’s something that we do anyway, our coaches and kids don’t panic when they see it.” Nessa noticed the spread offense at the eight-man level immediately when the Royals, dropped to eight-man football six years ago, noting faster teams or teams with smaller players typically run it. In his own observation, Nessa said perennial playoff teams don’t run the spread, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t effective. “I think most teams now have that as part of their program; it might not be their bread and butter, but in certain situations, it’s good to have that in your arsenal,” Nessa said. “And kids get excited because it’s what they see on TV and things like that. Our kids have embraced it. “We’ve had twins formations since I started, and now we have kind of a one-by-one look and now we have a two-by-two. We’ve kind of dabbled in all types of spread.” • • • There are still holdouts to the spread offense. “I definitely feel like that’s the trend. People are definitely going to spread, multiple formations, no huddle,” Roland-Story coach Aaron Stensland said. “Same stuff that you’re seeing in the college level. “We’re kind of the opposite.
Running back Clifford Kwaw-Mensah, 5, and quarterback Sam Straub, 4, helped Ames lead the state in total offense with 6,767 yards in the spread offesnse. Straub threw for 3,221 yards and 31 touchdowns while Kwaw-Mensah rushed for 2,806 yards and 36 touchdowns. PHOTO BY NIRMALENDU MAJUMDAR/AMES TRIBUNE
We play with one, two, three tight ends, try to model ourselves after Iowa and Stanford.” The Norsemen, like the Hawkeyes and Cardinal, want to establish the run first. Stensland said he thinks in a few years, the Norsemen will be the tough team to gameplan for as one of the last holdouts of the I formation. The spread, in Stensland’s first season, gave the Norsemen fits. He and his assistants spent hours game planning against the spread. He said the Norsemen, in recent years, have tried to go smaller and faster on defense to match up, and his system on defense defaults to defending the spread over more traditional offenses. He’s also worked to develop
more hybrid defensive position players that allow the Norsemen to mask coverage should they need to adjust without changing personnel. “The defenses were behind when those offenses came out, but we feel like we now we’re in a good spot with what we run defensively,” Stensland said. Offensively, the Norsemen run a heavy, medium and light set and have one tailback and four wide receiver formations in which they can spread the field. The Norsemen can still pass — Brett Staton threw for 1,106 yards and 12 touchdowns last season — but they’re going to be a power football team first. “We want our kids to know that our foundation and our priority is physical, tough football at the line of scrimmage,” Stensland
said. “And I’m not saying you can’t be that way in a spread, but you’re not going to see many of our linemen in a two-point stance.” The Norsemen are coming off a 7-3 season which featured a firstround playoff exit. They know their offensive identity and feel confident defensively as well. Stensland said his team has stopped worrying about what other teams are doing and instead focus on what they do well. “They want you spending time on their stuff all week, and then you’re behind on your own prep,” Stensland said. “If we see a wing-t with two tight ends or if we see five wide, our kids know what the adjustment is.” “We just try to keep it simple with the kids and give them a few reads and a few keys every week.”
While some teams move to the spread and some hold out, others hold out and try to incorporate both. South Hamilton, which went 4-5 at the 1A level last season, tries to incorporate several offensive styles. “I think it’s based on your own personnel, and fits the kids that you have. That’s kind of how we look at it is we modify year to year what fits the quarterback we have this year or the receiving corp or the line or that sort of thing,” South Hamilton coach Corey Klemp said. “You’ve got to have a system that fits your kids not force your kids into a system.” Klemp said forcing kids into the wrong system can be disastrous offensively, but good for a defense. At the 1A level, as with others, Klemp has noticed the spread pick up in popularity. Klemp echoed other coach’s defensive attitudes as well. “It’s certainly a different week in practice, I think it can give coordinators sometimes some gray hair,” he said. “It’s kind of like anything else, you can game plan and adjust and match up the athletes.” • • • Vertanen believes football will eventually circle back around to other offenses. As the balance shifted for a time to offense, defenses have caught up, and offenses will look to adapt again to take back the balance of power. Ames, Vertanen said, has always tried to match its personnel with its offense, rather than the other way around. Whether an uptempo spread, I formation, or anything in between, a well-run offense will lead to success, believes Vertanen, who in his tenure has run a bit of everything offensively. “You could come up and play two backs, one tight end, I personnel, (football) is still blocking and tackling,” Vertanen said. “I’m a big believer in that. “I have tremendous respect for people who do what they do and do it well.”
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BALLARD: ‘Offense should be explosive’ for Bombers Continued from page 6
year, completing 13 of 24 passes for 147 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions and also rushing for 43 yards. Junior Reece Huen and senior Trey Drummond give Schafbuch two experienced receiving targets. Reece caught 18 passes for 324 yards and five touchdowns, and Drummond made 22 grabs for 194 yards and two scores in 2016. Senior Skyler Noftsger and Kegan Odden will also be counted on to catch passes for Ballard in 2017. “Our offense should be explosive,” Christians said. “Quality skill position players
Ballard Aug. 25 Carlisle Sept. 1 ADM Sept. 8 at Perry Sept. 15 Dallas Center-Grimes Sept. 22 at Webster City Sept. 29 Iowa Falls-Alden Oct. 6 at Boone Oct. 13 Gilbert Oct. 20 at Greene County
will be fun to watch.” On defense, Ballard will run out of a 4-2-5. The Bombers have only two returning starters back and must replace two star linebackers in
Seth Moore and Kade Wilson. “The whole defense will be hard to replace,” Christian said. “(We) lost a lot of experience and leadership.” But Christian is excited about the potential of his defense. “Northwest team camp was big for us,” Christian said. “We got a lot of reps in with many new faces on defense.” The returning starters on defense will be senior defensive lineman Ben Lee and senior defensive back Gannon Manfull. Lee made 72 tackles, seven tackles for loss and two fumble recoveries in 2016. Manfull tallied 30 tackles last fall. Helping out Lee on the
defensive line in 2017 will be senior Josh Detar and juniors Blake Hughes, Sam Andrews and Joe Hofbauer. Taking over at linebacker for Ballard this fall will be senior Gavin Hobbs and freshman Justice Sullivan. Joining Manfull in the defensive backfield are senior Ben Hokel and juniors Jack Luster, Blake Henga and Brooks Fleischmann. On special teams, junior Brenden Vincent will replace Clayton Poots at kicker. Vincent averaged 45.3 yards on 10 kickoffs last season. Seniors Ben Von Arb, Sam Foster, Josh Borg and Dylan Hockey will be counted on as
contributors on special teams for Ballard. The Bombers are still up in the air at the punter position. Ballard will face stiff competition in 3A District 2, led by 2016 Class 3A state runner-up Webster City. “Webster City and Dallas Center-Grimes are the favorites,” Christian said. “But we feel we can play with anyone in 3A every year now.” Boone, Gilbert, Iowa FallsAlden, Greene County and Perry fill out the rest of Ballard’s 3A District 2 schedule. In non-district play, the Bombers face Carlisle and AdelDeSoto-Minburn at home to open the season.
GILBERT: ‘Excited for what we’re seeing right now’ Continued from page 7
his toughness,” Auderer said. “Ajay is a really good ballplayer, really quick feet, jump cuts really well, has great vision. It wasn’t a hard decision.” On defense, eight of Gilbert’s top 10 tacklers from a season ago are gone. Eric Swart, a senior, was fourth on the team with 31 tackles. He played as a defensive
back in 2016, but will move to outside linebacker this season. The other tackler inside the top 10 was Hulk, who will be out for the season. Auderer said the team will rely on some sophomores to fill the gaps in the absence of upperclassmen. Swart, one of the Tigers’ defensive leaders, said despite the inexperience, he’s still excited about what he’s seen so
far in practices. “I’m beyond excited for what we’re seeing right now,” Swart said. “We have tons of new bodies. “Our defense, our whole defense is all sophomores, and we’re having a good time and we’re executing things well. For all of the new players we have, it’s going well. I couldn’t be happier.” There may be no bigger
loss than Hulk, though. His presence on the field will be missed, not only because of his ability, but because of the mental part of his game. “That’s a guy that was a great leader,” Auderer said. “He understood what it took. Kids looked up to him, respected him. He understood defenses and offenses, so he’ll really be missed.” Despite these losses, the
Tigers still have aspirations beyond the regular season. The feeling of a season cut short still hangs in the returning players’ minds. “We’re not big. We’re not anything special, but we’re going to hopefully execute and out-execute every team out there,” Swart said. “And from a standpoint for how we’ll do, I’m pretty confident that we’ll have a successful season this year.”
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HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW | Thursday, August 24, 2017