Iowa

12 Iowa high school football games to watch in Week 9

Published

2 months ago

October 20, 2024

12 Iowa high school football games to watch in Week 9

As you prepare to head out the door this week to catch some Iowa high school football action, keep an eye on these 12 games – many of which include opening round playoff games in 8-Man, Class 1A, 2A and 3A. After reading about these great matchups, click on the links for more details on each game and to vote for the teams you believe will win in our Pick’Em Challenge.

All of these games are scheduled to be played Friday, Oct. 25:

Can Pella secure another unbeaten season and district title, or will Will Hawthorne and Gilbert pull the upset? The Tigers will need Hawthorne, an Iowa State commit, to be at his best – and he has been all year, running for over 1,700 yards and 24 touchdowns. The Dutch counter with Collin Kerndt, Emmanuel Diers and Tyson Barnes.

Bettendorf has the chance to enter the playoffs perfect after surviving a scare last week in overtime. Iowa City High is also comfortably in the postseason but could really make a statement with a win over the Bulldogs. Expect to see plenty of Bobby Bacon for the Little Hawks against an active Bettendorf defense.

These two might be the biggest surprises of the 5A season, as both are sitting at 6-2 overall. Sioux City East has won three straight while Johnston owns wins over Southeast Polk and Ankeny since late last month. The Dragons lead the all-time series 7-1 including a 48-13 victory last season.

This could be the game of the week, as ADM looks to knock North Polk from the ranks of the unbeatens. Last year, the Comets won, 28-17, after the Tigers won both meetings in 2022 including a 68-42 playoff triumph. It will also be a battle of dual-threat QBS as ADM is led by Hudson Shull while North Polk counters with Nathan Feldmann.

Depending how things shake out, this could be a play-in game. Last week, Iowa City West was 14th in the RPI while Cedar Rapids Prairie was 16th. Prairie nearly upset Bettendorf while West knocked off Pleasant Valley.

Another 4A game that could cause plenty of confusion in the district race with an upset. Fort Dodge has shown plenty despite the loss of all-stater Dreshaun Ross, but the Dodgers will need to be on their game against a rock-solid Spencer squad led by seniors Miles Robbins, Cael Bruning, Ryan Matthiesen and Jack Berends.

Will Pleasant Valley be able to rebound following a loss to Iowa City West? Or will Linn-Mar send them to the back of the pack with a second straight defeat? The Spartans have won six of eight since 2010 in the series including six in a row.

A No. 2 vs. No. 3 playoff matchup in 1A, Sumner-Fredericksburg will lean on Tatum Nuss and Noah Henderson. Nuss and Henderson both have over 500 yards rushing while Nuss has 804 in the air with 18 total TDs. Dyersville Beckman’s Isaac Burlage is closing in on 1,000 yards rushing.

One of the top Class A playoff matchups will see district runner-up Riverside welcome in perennial state qualifier Lynnville-Sully. The Hawks went 5-3 this year after winning 27 games the three previous years combined. Riverside’s six wins are the most since going 8-2 in 2020.

Two district runner-ups square off for the first time ever. St. Edmond relied on its defense to best Glidden-Ralston last week while Janesville has scored over 60 six times.

Bedford is one of the top rushing attacks in the state, recording almost 2,000 yards with 48 TDs on the ground. Belle Plaine shocked Iowa Valley last week as Ty Alcott had 212 yards and three touchdowns on the ground.

Meet Mr. Matthew Klostermann of Central City, as the senior has 1,846 yards rushing with 32 TDs while recording 57.5 tackles and five sacks. He also has thrown a TD and caught one while adding both a kickoff and punt return for a score.

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A vote for Tim Winter is a vote for Iowa Democrats’ self-determination

Published

3 hours ago

January 3, 2025

Press Room

A vote for Tim Winter is a vote for Iowa Democrats’ self-determination

Julie Russell-Steuart served two terms as chair of the Iowa Democratic Party’s Disability Caucus (2020-2024) and is a disability rights advocate, rural organizer, and artist creating community and power through creativity. Founder of Power of the Press Iowa printing workshops. IGs @Caveworks and @PowerofthePress

Organizing, as I define it, is the practice of bringing people together in solidarity for mutual benefit. The Iowa Democratic Party’s current chair, Rita Hart, recognized in her action plan that this is the keyword going forward for Democratic success: “The first goal for all organizing in 2025 should be more people doing more things—rural, urban, suburban—everywhere.”

This is a belated goal, honestly. The IDP had no dedicated, paid organizers on the ground in the last election cycle, and it was a consequential decision on resources. I got emails from the party asking for donations of $2.00, $1 per targeted race and every time I thought, “Why can’t we ask for four bucks to send the second and fourth Congressional districts a dollar each too? Why is my state party laser focused on complying with national Democrats’ goals, instead of Iowa Democrats’ actual organizing needs?”

I don’t know about you, but I found those emails disappointing. They represented lost opportunity and misplaced loyalty.

(more…)

Iowa

Preview: Wisconsin Restarts Big Ten Play Hosting Iowa

Published

14 hours ago

January 3, 2025

Press Room

Preview: Wisconsin Restarts Big Ten Play Hosting Iowa

Iowa (10-3, 1-1 Big Ten) vs. Wisconsin (10-3, 0-2 Big Ten)

Date/Time – Friday, January 3, 6 p.m.

Arena – Kohl Center (16,838)

Watch – FS1 (Connor Onion and LaPhonso Ellis)

Radio – Badgers Radio Network (Matt Lepay and Brian Butch), Sirius 106 or 195, stream online on iHeartRadio.

Series – Wisconsin leads 89-86 (Wisconsin leads 56-30 in Madison)

Last Meeting – Iowa won, 88-86, in overtime on February 17, 2024, in Iowa City

Follow Online: The Badgers’ Den

Twitter: @Badger_Blitz

Betting line: Wisconsin -5.5

Projected Starting Five (Wisconsin)

Player to Watch: Despite struggling offensively, shooting a career-worst 32.5 percent from the floor, Klesmit leads Wisconsin with 38 assists and has a 2.4 assist-to-turnover ratio, the second-best mark on the team.

Projected Starting Five (Iowa)

Player to watch: Dix is averaging 15 points and 4.6 rebounds, shooting 56.6 percent from the field (43-of-76) with 13 3-point field goals over his last seven games. Dix scored 17 points on 8-for-11 shooting in last February’s win over Wisconsin.

Series Notes

Wisconsin had its four-game winning streak in the series snapped in last February’s overtime loss in Iowa City.

The Badgers have won the last three meetings in Madison. The Hawkeyes have won three games in Madison during the McCaffery era (2011-12, 2016-17, 2020-21).

Crowl scored 22 points in the last meeting against Iowa, registering career-bests in field goals (13) and field goal attempts (15). In five career games against Iowa, the senior averages 13.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game, all while shooting 64.3% from the field.

Wisconsin Notes

The Badgers finished the nonconference schedule 10-1, losing only at No.5 Marquette. The 10 wins were the most for Wisconsin out of conference since going 11-2 in 2016-17. UW beat four Power-Five conference teams in the nonconference (Arizona, Butler, Pittsburgh, and UCF), its most since 2018-19.

Wisconsin leads the NCAA in free-throw shooting at 85.1 percent, well ahead of the Big Ten record of 81.8 percent that Wisconsin set in 2010-11.

The Badgers are averaging 15.0 assists per game, their most since 1993-94. With UW ranking 18th nationally in turnovers (9.6), the program has never had a season averaging over 15 assists with fewer than 10 turnovers per game.

UW is taking 27 three-point shots per game and making 8.8 three-pointers per game, the most in both categories for the Badgers since the inception of the three-point line in 1986-87.

With a career record of 104-72, Greg Gard is one of 23 Big Ten coaches to register 100 conference wins. He’s the sixth-fastest Big Ten coach to 100 wins in the last 50 years. Gard’s overall record is 196-110 (.641).

Iowa Notes

Friday’s game at Wisconsin is just Iowa’s second true road game of the season. The Hawkeyes had a look at the buzzer in an 85-83 loss at Michigan on Dec. 7. Iowa is 2-1 in three neutral site games this season.

The Hawkeyes have shot better than 50 percent from the floor in three straight contests and in seven games this season. Iowa shot a season-high 62.7 percent in its victory over New Orleans. Iowa is unbeaten this season when shooting at least 50 percent from the field.

The Hawkeyes have made at least eight 3-point field goals in 12 games, including 10+ in seven contests. Iowa made 18 in the win over Southern — the most since 2022 — and 14 against New Orleans. Iowa is second in the Big Ten (23rd nationally), averaging 10.5 per game.

Iowa is leading the Big Ten in assists (20.2, second in NCAA) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.98, fourth in NCAA). The team has had 20+ assists in six games.

Iowa has held 11 of its 13 opponents under 50 percent shooting (and two under 40 percent), has forced at least 18 turnovers in six games, and has held four opponents under 70 points.

Prediction

Wisconsin’s home game against Iowa tonight might be the hottest ticket in town for those wanting to see offensive fireworks.

The Badgers and Hawkeyes are both inside the top 20 in KenPom’s adjusted offensive efficiency ratings and ranked outside the top 75 in adjusted defensive efficiency.

Iowa ranks second nationally in scoring (89.7) while KenPom has them ranked in the top 30 in effective field goals percentage (59.0%), offensive turnover percentage (13.6%), 2-point percentage (60.2%) and 3-point percentage (38.3%). A lot of the offense stems from transition offense, another stat where the Hawkeyes are among the national leaders (Iowa’s 17.54 fast-break points per game has them ranked ninth).

Wisconsin’s transition defense has been hit-and-miss. The Badgers allowed double-digit fast-break points to Michigan (19), Arizona (12), and Butler (12) but held Marquette (6) and Illinois (4) in check.

Last February at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, Iowa converted 52.6 percent of its shots, including 26 of 43 inside the arc (60.5 percent) and 24 of 30 (80 percent) from the line.

“Having a first game back that requires (us to be good with transition defense) is a challenge,” Gard said.

There are multiple pieces that make Iowa work. Dix is producing in his starting role by shooting 53.4 percent from the floor and Harding used his experience of backing up Tony Freeman last season to pressure defenses by making smart decisions with Iowa’s transition offense (76 assists, 29 turnovers).

The Hawkeyes are still empowered by Freeman, who leads them in scoring (17.1), rebounds (6.5) and blocks (22). He is the only Hawkeye to reach double figures in every game he has played. McCaffery said Freeman will play tonight after missing Monday’s game against New Hampshire with an ankle injury. The Hawkeyes didn’t appear to miss him, as their 45 field goals against UNH were the most under McCaffery.

“Owen is a great player for them with shooters all around him,” Crowl said. “They play really fast. They play hard. They switch things up on defense … He’s a great player. He runs the floor hard, which makes us as bigs have to run, too. They utilize him in a great way. He’s grown immensely from last year to this year.”

Wisconsin ranks among the bottom four of the Big Ten in field goal percentage (44.9) and 3-point percentage (32.5) but the Badgers have made it work by limiting turnovers and being proficient at the line, especially at home (86.9). If UW can continue tightening its defense, the Badgers should get a needed conference win tonight.

Worgull’s Prediction: Wisconsin by nine

Record: 10-3 (9-4 ATS)

Points off Prediction: 104 (8.0 per game)

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Iowa State Cyclones Transfer Commits to Texas A&M Aggies

Published

22 hours ago

January 3, 2025

Press Room

Iowa State Cyclones Transfer Commits to Texas A&M Aggies

The Texas A&M Aggies are adding to their defensive line via the transfer portal following the conclusion of the 2024 season.

Per On3’s Hayes Fawcett, Texas A&M has landed a commitment from Iowa State Cyclones defensive line transfer Tyler Onyedim. The Richmond, TX native will return to his home state with one year of eligibility left.

This season, Onyedim finished with 33 total tackles (15 solo), one fumble recovery and one pass breakup. He ends his four-year Iowa State career with 90 total tackles (37 solo), three sacks, one pass breakup and one interception.

Tyler Onyedim stands for a photo during Iowa State Football media day at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames, Friday, Aug. 2, 2024. / Zach Boyden-Holmes/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK

Onyedim and the Cyclones put together an impressive season that ended with a loss in the Big 12 Championship to Arizona State and a 42-41 win over the Miami Hurricanes in the Pop-Tarts Bowl. He’ll look to bring veteran experience to an A&M team that was one game away from playing in the SEC Championship.

However, the Aggies have lost some major talent on the defensive line since the end of the season. Defensive linemen Shemar Turner, Nic Scourton, and Shemar Stewart all declared for the 2025 NFL Draft. Onyedim will be asked to make an immediate impact due to the experience he brings to the table.

The Aggies have now landed portal commitments from tight ends Nate Boerkircher (Nebraska) and Micah Riley (Auburn), receivers Micah Hudson (Texas Tech), KC Concepcion (N.C. State) and Mario Craver (Mississippi State), quarterback Jacob Zeno (UAB) and edge rushers T.J. Searcy (Florida), Dayon Hayes (Colorado) and Sam M’Pemba (Georgia).

Texas A&M will look to add more talent to the roster as the program preps for the second season under head coach Mike Elko.

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Ex Texas A&M Aggies Coach Jimbo Fisher Gives Hook’em Horns Signal at Peach Bowl

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