Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

IOWA CITY – The list of returning starters at West High lacks some of the skill position shine of the past two seasons.

Unlike each of the previous two seasons that have each ended with a Class 4A runner-up finish there is no all-state quarterback or record setting receivers to monopolize headlines

The lack of flashy stat lines or preseason accolades is just fine with West High as the Trojans attempt to make school history with a third consecutive title game appearance.

This group of Trojans embrace their no frills identity.

“We don’t have those guys with the stats coming back and I’m perfectly fine with that,” Senior defensive tackle Landon Green said. “You don’t have to be popular to be good so I’m fine with the type of guys we have coming back.”

Plenty of talent returns from last year’s team that went 12-1 and lost to West Des Moines Dowling 35-21in the 4A title game.  

West High brings back 11 starters, six on defense and five on offense, but few play positions that draw preseason praise.

Of the six returning starters only senior linebacker Cole Mabry had more than 30 tackles a year ago.

On offense senior receiver Jalen Gaudet (42 receptions, 634 yards) is the only player with a statistical resume.

“I do feel like this year a lot of the guys that are back are your interior kind of pipeline guys, not as flashy, and I like it,” Mabry said. “We definitely have those guys but the most notable of our players are linebackers and lineman and I like that.”

After back-to-back seasons loaded with experienced skill position players this year’s West High team is built up front.

Three players with starting experience are back on both the offensive and defensive lines.

Ian Gluesing, Marshall Blatz and Joe Westemeyer all return after starting games on the offensive line last season.

Along with Gaudet the other two non-lineman with starting experience are senior tight end Noah Breitbach and senior fullback Owen McAreavy.

Those two had a combined 23 touches for 137 yards a year ago.

“We are just scrappy and we get things done, I like that about this team,” McAreavy said. “I think that kind of sets the tone for the whole game and how we want to play football is physical so having those guys returning on the lines contributes to that.”

The backbone for the Trojans this season figures to be a stout defense that returns six starters from a unit that held opponents to 13.8 points and 252 yards per game a year ago.

Seniors Jason Strunk, Josh Halverson and Green return on the defensive line to give West High an experienced and imposing front four.

“We have a lot of potential and it’s exciting to see at practice,” Mabry said. “The depth is there and I’m really excited about our defense especially the line.”

Green and Strunk combined for 21 tackles for loss and seven sacks from their defensive tackle spots a year ago.

Halverson had 12.5 tackles for loss and three sacks of his own for his end spot.

“You never try to make a current team like a past team,” West High coach Garrett Hartwig said. “Every team has strengths and this team certainly has strengths and one of them is they are tough and they hold each other accountable.”

West High must replace three starting linebackers that all ranked in the top four on the team in tackles a year ago but have a capable trio waiting to fill those shoes led by Mabry.

The Army recruit is a two-year starter coming off a junior season in which he made 56.5 tackles.

Brendan Mott returns after missing the final nine games with an injury along with McAreavy who had 22 tackles a year ago.

“Our linebacking corps is kind of the next man in mentality,” McAreavy said. “We have to replace some guys but I think we can be really good this year.”

There are other notable spots that need to be filled.

Mainly at quarterback where seniors Joey Kuehn and Noah Aanestad and sophomore Marcus Morgan will battle to replace departed senior all-stater Evan Flitz who rewrote the West High passing record book as a senior.

West High also must replace all its running back production and all but one of its top seven receivers.

The makeup of the team may have shifted but the goals have changed for West High which is seeking to reach the state title game three straight years for the first time in program history.

“We have the goal in mind of what we are going to do and we have a lot of work to do but we are confident that we are going to get there,” Green said. “We know what we are capable of.”