The most interesting prep football story in central Iowa this season is probably Marshalltown, which is having its best year since 1947. The Bobcats finished the regular season 9-0 after a hard-fought 16-10 win Friday against state-ranked Fort Dodge (7-2) and won their first conference title since 1980.
Senior quarterback Chanse Creekmur, a strong contender for elite all-state recognition, completed only 8-of-25 passes for 116 yards but still eclipsed 2,000 yards for the season.
This is the first time Marshalltown will enter the postseason undefeated. It’s only the fifth time the Bobcats have made the playoffs overall since the playoff system was introduced in 1972. Marshalltown drew a home game against Indianola (4-5) in Wednesday’s opening round.
Fort Dodge, a playoff qualifier for just the second time since 1994, will host defending 4A champion West Des Moines Valley (5-4). Two weeks ago, the Dodgers defeated Valley for the first time since 1995. The complete list of playoff pairings can be found here.
Schwenk ties national 8-man mark for TD passes
According to the National High School Sports Record Book, Michael Schwenk of Coon Rapids-Bayard tied the 8-man national record for touchdown passes in a season as the Crusaders routed Walnut, 68-14. Schwenk, a 5-foot-9 junior, had six touchdown throws in the game, raising his season total to 47. During the game, Schwenk also surpassed the state record of 44, set last season by Johnny Schwaller, his predecessor at Coon Rapids-Bayard.
Nebraska football: Most becomes state passing king
As expected, Giltner senior quarterback Nate Most became Nebraska’s all-time leading passer as his Hornets ended the regular season with a 54-14 blowout of previously unbeaten Silver Lake. Most, who broke the state 8-man career record earlier this season, had 304 passing yards – all in the first half – raising his career total to 6,827. He surpassed the previous all-class record of 6,793 set by former University of Nebraska quarterback Scott Frost at Wood River, an 11-man team, from 1989 to 1992.
Top-ranked Patriots end regular season on a high note
Any notion that top-ranked Millard South may look past Millard North with the state playoffs looming must have ended early in the first half of Friday’s season finale. The Patriots spotted their rival an early 7-0 lead then exploded for eight unanswered touchdowns en route to a 56-21 blowout.
Senior quarterback Bronson Marsh had over 100 yards both rushing and passing and accounted for five touchdowns. The Patriots also scored their sixth special-teams touchdown in the last seven games. Millard South is the only undefeated team left in Class A as postseason play begins. Hoping to improve by one game last year’s state runner-up finish, the Patriots open the playoffs Friday against Omaha Benson (4-5).
The complete list of playoff pairings can be found here.
Nebraska: State champions crowed in cross country
Norfolk Catholic picked up its fourth consecutive Class C boys state cross country championship in Kearney. The Knights had four runners place in the top 12, including senior Jarren Heng, who won his second consecutive individual championship in a time of 16:05.5. It was about four seconds faster than his finish at last year’s meet. For the second straight year, Millard West won the Class A team title. Lexington earned the Class B trophy. Hastings St. Cecilia was the Class D champion.
On the girls side, Crofton was the Class D team titlist for the fourth consecutive year. The Lady Warriors had four runners finish among the top 11. Team honors in Class A went to Norfolk for the second straight year. The Panthers had four top-14 finishers led by individual champion Emilee Aschoff, a junior, who finished the Kearney Country Club course in 15:34.0. The Class B and C team champions were Seward and Fort Calhoun, respectively.
Top individual performers
Antaries Daniels (Omaha Northwest, Nebraska, football): The senior broke the Class A single-game record with 410 rushing yards in a 51-33 loss to Omaha Benson.
Trey Ramos (Hemingford, Nebraska, football): The 6-foot-2, 240-pound senior totaled 414 rushing yards and six touchdowns on 34 carries as his team beat Creek Valley, 68-38, in an 8-man game.
Jeff Seybold (Lincoln Southwest, Nebraska, football): The senior propelled the Silver Hawks into the Class A playoffs with a 257-yard rushing effort. Southwest defeated Lincoln East, 35-7, to finish the regular season with a 5-4 record.
Ron Coleman (Omaha North, Nebraska, football): The 6-foot, 250-pound senior amassed 208 yards and three touchdowns on 32 carries in his team’s 35-13 defeat of Bellevue West. Coleman is considered one of the top defensive tackle prospects in the state.
Jevoury Wedderburn (Urbandale, Iowa, football): The senior became the school’s all-time rushing leader while totaling 246 yards and four touchdowns on 28 carries in a 49-28 defeat of Indianola. The J-Hawks (7-2) are playoff-bound for the first time in 10 years.
David Johnson (Clinton, Iowa, football): The senior ran for 144 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries in a 61-14 blowout of North Scott. The River Kings finished the regular season unbeaten for the first time since 1985.
James Morris (Solon, Iowa, football): The senior finished the regular season with 1,344 rushing yards on only 104 carries, good for nearly a 13 yard-per-carry average. In a 70-6 annihilation of West Liberty, the Iowa recruit had 128 yards and two touchdowns on only four carries.
Jamie DeMoney has covered high school sports and recruiting for more than 15 years. He is editor and founder of PrepNation.com. You can reach him at PrepNation@aol.com.
