In football-crazed states like Iowa and Nebraska, it’s never too early to begin looking ahead to next season. After all, two-a-days begin in less than 100 days. With that in mind, we begin a weekly look at some of the top teams to watch in both states for the upcoming season.
Creighton Prep (Omaha, Neb.)
Coach: Tom Jaworski (336-88, 38 seasons)
Last season: 7-3, lost in first round of Nebraska Class A playoffs
Key players: RB-DB Richard Wynne Jr. (5-9, 180, Sr.); QB-DB Matt McLeay (6-2, 195, Sr.); OL-DL Lucas Mickels (6-0, 285, Sr.); WR-DB Chase Dudzinski (5-11, 180, Sr.); RB-DB Miles Fitzsimmons (5-7, 175, Jr.)
Outlook: No large school in the state of Nebraska boasts as much postseason success as the Junior Jays, who have nine state championships and six runner-up finishes in the last 30 seasons. The 2010 club will have 11 returning starters and should be particularly strong in the trenches. Mickels is a returning two-way starter and a team captain. Prep’s read-option offensive attack could flourish under the controls of McLeay, a crafty dual-threat quarterback who was a part-time starter as a junior. The running back position will be an area of strength, even though two-time 1,000-yard rusher Nick Mizaur is moving on to the college ranks at Brown. Prep coaches tout Wynne’s 4.5 speed and expect him to have a breakout senior season. Fitzsimmons should also be a key contributor after rushing for nearly 2,000 yards on the JV team as a sophomore.
Prediction: The Junior Jays will fight extremely hard for a state championship in this, Jaworski’s 39th and final season as Prep’s head coach. The state’s all-time winningest coach has announced he will retire following the 2010 season.
Fort Dodge (Iowa)
Coach: Matt Miller (25-28, six seasons)
Last season: 7-3, lost in first round of Iowa 4A playoffs
Key players: RB-DB Jontel Clayton (6-0, 195, Sr.); DB-RB Darreus Caston (5-8, 165, Sr.); LB Ethan Bartlett (6-1, 200, Sr.); DB Colin Hendricks (5-11, 170, Sr.); LB Will Kenny (6-1, 190, Sr.)
Outlook: Six offensive and eight defensive starters return for the Dodgers, who look to build on the momentum of only their second playoff trip in 15 years. The strength of the team centers on its explosive rushing attack. Clayton emerged as one of the state’s top running backs as a junior with a school-record 1,608 yards. He needs less than 800 in 2010 to become the Dodgers' all-time leading rusher. Home run threat Caston added more than 600 yards on the ground and is also one of the state’s best defensive backs. Bartlett is the only player on the team to be named first team All-CIML Iowa division both his sophomore and junior seasons.
Prediction: The Dodgers have enough offensive weapons and experience on defense to challenge for the CIML Iowa title alongside perennial favorite West Des Moines Valley and fellow up-and-comers Ames and Waukee.
Iowa: Football coaching moves making the news
The man who ranks fifth all-time in football coaching victories in the state is calling it a career. Tom Stone, who led Pekin (Packwood, Iowa) to 332 victories and three state championships, has announced his retirement after 42 seasons.
Meanwhile, Rick Roberts is also leaving the sidelines. He will become activities director and dean of students at Van Meter (Iowa). Roberts coached at Des Moines East (Iowa) the last five seasons, where the Scarlets won a share of the CIML-Metro championship in 2007 and 2009.
Justin Penner, who guided Carroll Kuemper to four playoff appearances in five seasons on the job, has accepted an offer to become the new head coach at Mason City (Iowa). The Mohawks have reached the postseason only five times since winning the state title under Barry Alvarez in 1978.
Nebraska: Nationally ranked Lincoln East finishes regular season unbeaten
It wasn’t easy, but the state’s top boys soccer team will take a perfect 19-0 record into the week’s District A-1 tournament. It took shootouts for the Spartans to edge state-ranked foes Millard West (Omaha, Neb.) and Millard South (Omaha, Neb.) Saturday at the Lincoln Southeast/Lincoln East Invitational.
Lincoln East (Neb.) was ranked No. 5 nationally in the National Soccer Coaches of America Association’s poll released last week. The Spartans are favored to win their fourth Class A state title since 2002.
Des Moines-based 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.
