Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

City High

Head coach: Dan Sabers (18th season, 134-54)

Assistant coaches: Joe Wilcox, Dennis Knoop, Tim Casey, Greg Brown, James Piper, Narada Poole, Mark Mitchell

Last season: 2-7

Returning Starters: Jack Bacon, Sr., OL/DL; Garrett Rosenow, Sr., OL/DL; Jacob Murry, Sr., OL/DL; Liam McComas, Sr., OL/OLB; Malik Kimber, Sr., WR/OLB; Max DePrenger, Sr., TB/OLB; Kyle Hefley, Sr., FB/LB; Quincy Wells, Sr., QB/FS 

Newcomers to watch: Tonka Hickman, Jr., TB/OLB; Evan Gunder, Sr., TE/DE

Playoff history: 27 appearances (1986, 1988-1990, 1992-2001, 2003-2013, 2015-2016). City High won 4A state titles in 1993, 1994, 1996 and 2009.

District: Class 4A, District 4

District favorites: West High and Pleasant Valley are the teams in District four to win more than three games last season and figure to battle for the district crown.  

Circle the date: August 24 and October 19. Matchups with cross-town opponents bookend the City High schedule as the Little Hawks open with Liberty High and close the regular season at West High.

Headliner: After leading the Little Hawks with 64.5 tackles last season senior Max DePrenger will again be a big part of the City High defense but will also seen an increased role on offense after rushing for 104 yards on 18 carries as a junior.

Unsung hero: For City High to take a big step forward it will need to be better up front and that starts with senior Jacob Murry (6-2, 265).  

Keep an eye on: Senior linebacker/defensive end Liam McComas has slimmed down in an effort to be more explosive and has impressed City High coaches throughout fall camp.

Biggest question: How will the Little Hawks bounce back from a disappointing finish to 2017? City High hasn’t experienced many seasons like last year when it lost eight of its last nine games and missed the playoffs for just the second time since 2002. The quicker the Little Hawks can put last season behind them the better.

Quotable: “We brought in coach Mark Mitchell to take over the defense. I fired myself, I wasn’t getting the job done and he’s done a great job of organization and getting everybody going 9-12 on similar things. I feel good about our defense.” City High coach Dan Sabers

2018 Schedule

Aug. 24: Liberty High

Aug. 31: @Cedar Falls

Sept. 7: Ames

Sept. 14: Dubuque Hempstead

Sept. 21: @Muscatine*

Sept. 28: Davenport North*

Oct. 5: Pleasant Valley*

Oct. 12: @Linn-Mar*

Oct. 19: @West High*

*- District Game