By Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

West High

Head coach: Garrett Hartwig (4th season, 21-15)

Assistant coaches: Andrew Durham, Tyler Meade, Kyle Posey, Jeff Kean, Travis Meade, Chad Geary, Josh Flammang, Joe Mott, Paul Breitbach, John Gluesing.

Last season: 10-3 (Class 4A runner-up)

Returning Starters: Evan Flitz, Sr., QB; Dillon Doyle, Sr., LB/TE; Dillon Shephard, Sr., DE; Caden Fedeler, Sr., LB; Traevis Buchanon, Sr., WR.

Other returning letterwinners: Jonathan Gannon, Sr., OL; Cole Mabry, Jr., SS; Andre White, Sr., RB; Lucas Karwal, Sr., K.

Newcomers to watch: Nick Biancuzzo, Jr., CB/WR; Marshall Blatz, Jr., OL; Josh Halverson, Jr., DL.

Playoff history: 15 appearances (1994-1999, 2002-2003, 2009, 2011-2016). West High won Class 4A titles in 1995, 1998 and 1999.

District: Class 4A, District 8

District favorites: For the second year in a row West High, Cedar Rapids Prairie and Cedar Rapids Kennedy should battle for the two playoff spots though expect Linn-Mar to be much improved under first-year head coach Paul James.   

Circle the date: Sept. 22 vs. Cedar Rapids Prairie. The district opener is the third meeting between the two teams in two seasons and could end up determining the district title.

Headliner: Iowa recruit Dillon Doyle (6-2, 215) expects to be among the top defenders in the state as a senior after making 54 tackles including 8.5 for loss as a junior.

Unsung hero: Senior kicker Lucas Karwal emerged as a real weapon for the Trojans last season connecting on 8-of-10 field goals and 45-of-48 PAT attempts while posting 10 touchbacks on kick offs.

Keep an eye on: Junior safety Cole Mabry made a splash last season when he became the first sophomore in program history with 100 tackles (27 solo, 73 assists).

Biggest question: Can the Trojans get back to the UNI Dome? With the talent returning from last year’s 4A runner-up squad the expectations within the program are for another push toward the UNI-Dome.

Quotable: “I don’t know how good we can be, I like what we have on paper but paper doesn’t cross that sideline and play for us.” West High coach Garrett Hartwig.

Schedule

Aug. 25: @ Southeast Polk

Sept. 1: Muscatine

Sept. 8: @ Cedar Falls

Sept. 15: @ City High

Sept. 22: Cedar Rapids Prairie*

Sept: 29: @ Burlington*

Oct. 6: Cedar Rapids Kennedy*

Oct. 13: Linn-Mar*

Oct. 20:  @ Ottumwa*  

*-District Game