Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

Replacing the all-time leading passer in program history with a first-year starter almost always results in a dramatic drop off in production.

That hasn’t been the case at West Branch this season.

Junior Gavin Hierseman is off to a solid start after taking over the quarterback spot vacated by the graduation of all-state Beau Cornwell.

Hierseman has directed West Branch to a 3-0 start and is coming off the best game of his young career on Friday when he passed for a career-high 243 yards and three touchdowns in a 39-33 win over Williamsburg.

“Stepping into this position I knew it was going to be tough following Beau Cornwell but he helped me a lot to be ready,” Hierseman said. “I know all these guys have got my back and it’s great to get comfortable because I am going to keep progressing each week.”  

Hierseman was solid in his first two starts, throwing for 200 yards and three touchdowns without an interception.

His breakthrough appeared to come on Friday when he completed 12-of-21 passes for 243 yards with touchdown tosses of 19, 22 and 54 yards.

“It doesn’t surprise me at all,” West Branch coach Butch Pedersen said. “I think he’s going to be able to throw the ball even more in the future and it’s going to make our offense even more diversified.”

Hierseman hasn’t looked like a first-year starter through three games, completing 66 percent of his passes and throwing six touchdowns with just one interception.

Part of that is preparation, another part is an understanding of the game that comes with being a coaches’ son.

Hierseman is the son of West Branch offensive coordinator John Hierseman.

“We are giving him more each week and we are going to have to give him some more too,” Pedersen said. “He is gradually getting better, he forced one ball that he probably shouldn’t have thrown but overall I thought he had a good game.”

Hierseman has also rushed for 131 yards and two touchdowns this season after running for 25 yards on Friday.

Behind the play of the junior the Bears are 329 yards and 30.3 points per game this season.

“I’m getting more comfortable every week,” Hierseman said. “Our line has been great and we have receivers that can make plays. I think we are just going to keep making improvements.”

City High Stops Little Cy-Hawk Skid: The Little Cy-Hawk trophy is headed back to Iowa City for the first time since 2015.

City High snapped a three-game losing skid in the series with a 28-25 win over Ames on Friday night in the annual contest on the eve of the Iowa vs. Iowa State game.

The Little Hawks rushed for a season-high 343 yards behind 196 from senior tailback Tonka Hickman and finished with 417 yards of total offense.

Goering Breaks West High Reception Record: West High junior receiver Grahm Goering caught a school-record 13 passes for 186 yards in a 23-21 loss at Southeast Polk on Friday.

The 13 receptions for Goering broke the previous single-game record of 12 held by Oliver Martin.

Junior place kicker Owen Smith tied the school record with three field goals in the loss. Smith connected on field goals of 26, 38 and 37 yards.

Offensive performer of the week: Regina junior receiver Alec Wick caught seven passes for a career-high 227 yards in a 45-13 win at Pella Christian.

The 6-foot-1, 180-pound Wick had touchdown receptions of 44, 61 and 64 yards as Regina improved to 2-1 with its second consecutive win.

Wick has 20 receptions for 407 yards and five touchdowns on the season.

Best of the rest: West High junior quarterback Marcus Morgan completed 29-of-43 passes for 348 yards and also rushed for a touchdown in a 23-21 loss to Southeast Polk.

City High senior running back Tonka Hickman rushed for 196 yards and three touchdowns on 35 carries in a 28-25 win over Ames.

Clear Creek Amana junior quarterback Ryan Navara completed 11-of-22 passes for 193 yards and two touchdowns and also rushed for a touchdown in a 35-13 win over Fort Madison.

Defensive performer of the week: West Branch senior Cameron Howsare had two tackles for loss among his 2.5 tackles and also recovered a fumble in a 39-33 win over Williamsburg.

Howsare helped the Bears limit Williamsburg to 118 total yards and just 15 yards rushing in the win.

Best of the rest: Regina sophomore Aidan Udell had a team-high 10.5 tackles in a 45-13 win at Pella Christian.

West Branch senior Grant Henderson had 7.5 tackles including six solo stops in a 23-21 loss to Southeast Polk.

Solon seniors Jace Andregg and Tyler Locke each had sacks in a 44-0 shutout of Marion.

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