By Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

West Branch

Head coach: Butch Pedersen (35th season, 287-73)

Assistant coaches: John Hierseman, Kevin Crosthwaite, Tyler Bailey, Cole Kelly, Jack Rummells.

Last season: 6-4 (Class 1A First Round)

Returning Starters: Jacob Barnhart, Sr., OT/DT; Jacob Graves, Sr., WR/DB; Billy Friis, Sr., DE; Beau Cornwell, Jr., QB; Drake Bloem, Jr., OT/DT; Ben Thompson, Sr., WR/DB; Tanner Lukavsky, Soph., LB; Andrew Black, Sr., OL; Brett Schiele, Sr., DB.

Other returning letterwinners: Javier Zamudio, Jr., K; Luca Passeri, Sr., WR/DB; Marcus Gould, Sr., OL; Derek Sparks, Jr., DE.

Newcomers to watch: Dalyn Pederson, Soph., OL/DL; Cameron Howsare, Soph., LB; Brady Lukavsky, Jr., DB/WR; Levi Kleinmeyer, Jr., LB; John Hatfield, Jr., LB; Jaden Hierseman, Jr., C; Evan O’Neil, Jr., S/WR; Elliott Martin, Jr., LB/RB; Peter Espensen, Soph., TE/DE; Wyatt Goodale, Soph., DB/RB; Jeff Bowie, Fr., OL/LB; Dakota Kaalberg, Soph., DB; Matt Paulsen, Soph., TE/DE.

Playoff history: 24 appearances (1988-1996, 1998, 2000, 2002-2005, 2008-2016). West Branch won Class 1A titles in 1989, 1991 and 1992.

District: Class 1A, District 3

District favorites: West Branch, Bellevue, Tipton, Clayton Ridge

Circle the date: August 25 vs. West Liberty. Long-time rivals kick off the season in what figures to be a much closer contest than the 40-20 West Branch win in West Liberty last year.

Headliner: At 6-foot-6, 295-pounds senior lineman Jacob Barnhart is one of the most physically imposing players in Class 1A. A three-year starter Barnhart is more than just a big body, he’s one of the top lineman in the state and drawing Division I interest.

Unsung hero: Sophomore Tanner Lukavsky ranked third on the team with 39.5 tackles last season as a freshman and will take on a bigger role on both sides of the ball this fall. 

Keep an eye on: Junior Beau Cornwell had his first season as the Bears’ starting quarterback limited to a little more than one game, suffering a broken collar bone in week two. Cornwell is ready for a breakthrough season as a junior and will be important as the Bears attempt to remake their offense after the graduation of all-time leading rusher Luke Lenoch.

Biggest question: What does the offensive look like in the post Luke Lenoch era? Lenoch rushed for more than 6,000 yards in his career and was among the top backs in 1A the past three seasons. The Bears break in a new offensive scheme under first-year offensive coordinator John Hierseman this season. 

Quotable: “I think any decent coach at all has to take the kids that he has that year and adjust your offense to what you have. We don’t know what we have for sure yet but we feel like we will be a 50-50 type of run and pass team,” West Branch coach Butch Pedersen.

Schedule

Aug. 25: West Liberty

Sept. 1: @ West Burlington

Sept. 8: Jesup*

Sept. 15: @ Maquoketa Valley*

Sept. 22: Bellevue*

Sept: 29: @ Durant*

Oct. 6: @ North Cedar*

Oct. 13: Tipton*

Oct. 20: @ Clayton Ridge*