11 Your Prep Sports Area Football Players Poised for Breakthrough Seasons
Ryan Murken
Your Prep Sports
The wait for football is almost over.
In a little more than a week football fields across the state will be lit up again on Friday nights with the first full night of the season set for August 28.
Last week Your Prep Sports highlighted some of the top talent that will be on display in the area this season.
In an area that features so many talented players there are far more than just those 11 players that were list in last week’s story that will shine on Friday nights.
Today Your Prep Sports looks at 11 area players ready to take their games to the next level with breakthrough seasons this fall.
Cael Fiderlein
Senior, West Branch
A big senior season for Fiderlein won’t be much of a surprise after he led the Bears in tackles last season and was automatic in the kicking game.
However, an offseason dedicated to the weight room has a considerably bigger and stronger Fiderlein prepped to build on a junior year that featured 55.5 tackles including 11 for loss and three interceptions.
Fiderlein is among the most consistent place kickers in 1A making all seven field goal attempts and going 44-of-45 on PATs.
Alex Figueroa
Senior, Clear Creek Amana
Figueroa has been a mainstay in the Clear Creek Amana backfield for the past two seasons, rushing for 1,240 yards and 10 touchdowns while averaging nearly five yards per carry.
Now a senior, Figueroa will look to take his game to the next level.
The 5-foot-8, 175-pounder had his best season last year rushing for 681 yards and six touchdowns while averaging 5.6 yards per carry and catching five passes for 80 yards and another score.
Nick Wagner
Senior, Regina
The breakthrough candidate of all breakout candidates, Wagner has the ability to be one of the best in Class A when healthy.
A force on both sides of the ball, the 6-foot-3, 245-pound Wagner has missed each of the past two seasons with injury but is healthy and poised for a huge senior season.
Wagner caught five passes for 41 yards and a TD and made 14 tackles, including 13 solos and had a sack as a freshman in 2017.
Mason Applegate
Junior, West High
Applegate is expected to be a cornerstone piece of what should be a stiff West High defense this season after emerging as a disruptive force on the defensive line in his varsity debut season.
The 5-foot-11, 180-pound Applegate led West High with 8.5 tackles for loss last season and added 1.5 sacks.
An explosive athlete with a non-stop motor Applegate ranked third on the team with 40.5 tackles last season.
Kelby Telander
Senior, Liberty High
An impressive combination of size and speed Telander is a prime candidate for a big-time breakthrough this season.
The 6-foot-4, 200-pound Telander ranked eighth on the team with 29.5 tackles last season as a junior and tied for the team lead with a pair of interceptions from his defensive back spot.
Telander had a limited offensive role a year ago catching one pass for 32 yards and a score but should see his production on both sides of the ball climb this fall.
Kolby Kucera
Senior, City High
Kucera made big strides during his first season varsity season finishing second on the team in tackles and leading the Little Hawks with five tackles for loss.
With a year of varsity experience the 6-foot-4, 200-pound outside linebacker is primed to become a leader on what expects to be a much-improved City High defense.
Kucera had 31.5 tackles, with 23 solo stops and a sack a year ago and with his size and athleticism provides a valuable hybrid athlete on the edge or in coverage.
Lucas TePoel
Senior, Solon
After doing a little bit of everything during Solon’s run to the Class 3A title game a year ago TePoel will be asked to do even more this season as the Spartans look to reload for another postseason run.
TePoel ranked third on the team in tackles and picked off a pass and also caught eight passes for 123 yards and a score and rushed three times for 35 yards as a junior.
The 5-foot-10, 175-pounder was at his best at outside linebacker where he made 40 tackles including 20 solo stops.
Darius Willis-Newell
Junior, Liberty High
Willis-Newell came on strong late in his sophomore season and will look to turn that momentum into a stellar junior season.
The speedy Willis-Newell ranked third on the team with 48.5 tackles last season from his linebacker spot and led the Lightning with 12.5 stops, including two for loss in a 14-7 postseason loss to Solon.
A 5-foot-9, 180-pounder with the nose for the ball Willis-Newell should see his tackle totals climb this season.
Colton Hoffman
Senior, Solon
The junior season stats don’t pop off the page but make no mistake Hoffman is ready to step into a much bigger role for the Spartans this fall.
The 6-foot-2, 210-pound linebacker will be a focal piece for a Solon defense that must replace nine of its top 11 tacklers from a year ago.
A Minnesota Mankato recruit, Hoffman had 10.5 tackles and a sack a year ago but is poised for a big final season.
Darren Richardson
Junior, City High
Richardson turned heads in limited action last season averaging better than 10 yards per carry from his fullback spot during an abbreviated sophomore season.
With the departure of its leading rusher from the last two seasons there will be carries to be had in the City High backfield and Richardson is capable of handling a bigger load.
The 5-foot-11, 197-pounder showed some explosion a year ago while rushing for 218 yards in four games.
Ian McAreavy
Senior, West High
McAreavy will try to pick up to where he left off last season when he racked up 30 of his team-high 49 tackles during the Trojans three-game win streak to close the season.
The 5-foot-11, 190-pound linebacker led West High in tackles twice in the final three games including a career-high 14 stops in a road win at Muscatine.
McAreavy finished with 30 solo stops including 2.5 tackles for loss and should see those numbers climb this fall.
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