Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

IOWA CITY – Three weeks into the season Raph Hamilton’s head was spinning.

The City High sophomore quarterback spent the first third of the season getting acclimated to the bright lights of varsity football.

“It was a lot to take in,” Hamilton said. “The game is faster, guys are bigger and there are so many more reads.”  

City High fans watched Hamilton grow up a lot on Friday.

Hamilton completed 9-of-12 passes for 187 yards and a touchdown Friday in a 23-22 come-from-behind win over Dubuque Hempstead.

“He’s made great improvement,” City High senior Max DePrenger said of Hamilton. “Being a sophomore playing up at varsity as the starting quarterback that’s heavy stuff and I know it’s tough for him but he’s gotten so much better over the last few weeks and he knows he can do it.”

The City High passing attack was stuck in neutral for the first three games.

City High didn’t complete a pass in the season-opener against Liberty High and had two completions for 41 yards in a week three loss to Ames.

As a team the Little Hawks were 10-of-42 for 125 with five interceptions and no touchdowns through three games.

Hamilton gave the passing attack a boost early on Friday completing his first six passes for 135 yards and a touchdown.

“It was huge for me,” Hamilton said. “We came out passing early and I got those first few completions and I just feel like I am really developing as a quarterback.”

The 6-foot-3, 202-pound Hamilton was 6-of-26 for 84 yards with three interceptions in his first three varsity games.

On Friday he exceeded all of those numbers by halftime.

Hamilton completed passes of 23 yards to Max DePrenger and seven yards to Liam McComas on the first two plays of the game.

His first career touchdown pass, a 63-yard touch pass down the sideline to Malik Kimber, put City High up 10-7 early in the second quarter.

“I think it was huge, we’ve kind of struggled in the pass game early this season but I felt like I was throwing with a lot more confidence,” Hamilton said. “Our receivers were just really running great consistent routes and guys just stepped up and made plays.”  

Hamilton credited senior quarterback Quincy Wells with helping his development the past few weeks.

Hamilton and Wells have split snaps throughout the season.

“I feel like our older guys have really helped me step into this role,” Hamilton said. “I feel like I have really improved the past couple of weeks.”

City High coach Dan Sabers reiterated the importance that Wells, a senior captain, has played in all facets for the Little Hawks this season including in Friday’s win.

“Raph looked great and I want to compliment Quincy Wells,” Sabers said. “He battles, he works, he’s out there helping us. He is cheering. What a tremendous young man.

Cam Gets Back on Track: Cam Miller had a very un-Cam Miller like game in a 7-0 overtime win over West Liberty in week two.

The Solon junior quarterback was 11-for-21 passing for 73 yards with two interceptions in the win.

It snapped a string of 12 straight games with a touchdown pass for Miller and was just the second time in 14 career starts he had more interceptions that touchdown passes.

Since that game Miller has looked a lot more like himself.

Miller threw a career-high five-touchdown passes in a 47-7 win over Davenport Assumption on Thursday and has eight touchdowns with one interception in his past two games.

In wins over Marion and Assumption the last two weeks Miller is 24-of-37 passing for 375 yards with touchdown passes to six different receivers.

Mr. Efficient: Following a standout junior season a year ago West Branch quarterback Beau Cornwell said he wanted to be a more efficient passer.

So far so good for the Bears’ offensive leader.

Through four games Cornwell is completing a career-high 67.5 percent of his passes for 851 yards with 10 touchdowns and no interceptions.

Cornwell is one of only two players in the state to throw for more than 800 yards without an interception this season and only one player with better than 800 yards has a higher completion percentage.

3-point Threat: Ben Steve is used to using his leg to put points on the board.

The City High senior scored 13 goals last season for the City High soccer team.

This fall Steve has given the Little Hawks’ kicking game a boost.

Steve hit three field goals including a 41-yarder in a 23-22 win over Dubuque Hempstead on Friday.

City High was 1-of-3 on field goal attempts all of last season.

Steve has solidified the City High place kicker game, connecting on 4-of-6 field goals with a long of 44 and all seven of his extra point attempts.

Offensive Performer of the week: Kaleb Williams had the best game of his career on Friday night and the Liberty High junior running back was at his best when his team needed him most.

Williams had 109 of his 206 yards and both of his touchdowns in the second half as Liberty High rallied for a 27-22 win over Mid-Prairie.

Williams scored on a pair of 2-yard touchdown runs in the second half and finished with a career-high 32 carries.

The best of the rest: West Branch junior running back Tanner Lukavsky rushed for 127 yards and three touchdowns on 11 carries and caught three passes for 53 yards and a touchdown in a 56-13 win over Tipton.

West High senior receiver Jalen Gaudet caught five passes for 121 yards and had touchdown grabs of 40 and 32 yards in a 48-14 win over Dubuque Senior.

Clear Creek Amana senior quarterback Andrew Rohret rushed for 213 yards and a touchdown and threw for 66 yards and a score in a 17-15 win over Marion.

Defensive performer of the week: Clear Creek Amana has had plenty of defenders make big plays during its 4-0 start. This week senior Mitch Evans was one of the Clippers to come up the biggest.

Evans had five solo stops and a tackle for loss among his six tackles and stopped a Marion scoring opportunity with an interception in the end zone.

Best of the rest: Liberty High linebacker Max Tafolla had a team-high 14 tackles including one for loss in a 27-22 win over Mid-Prairie.

West Branch junior Dalyn Pedersen had six tackles, including two for loss in a 56-13 win over Tipton.

West High junior Grant Henderson returned a fumble 12 yards for a touchdown in a 48-14 win over Dubuque Senior.

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