Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

TIFFIN – Early on in his first season at Clear Creek Amana first-year Clipper head coach Matt Haddy laid out the goals for his team.

Haddy wasn’t interested in setting goals for his first season as head coach based on record but rather what leads to wins and losses.

“We have two goals when we come out here every day and it is to compete and improve,” Haddy said. “I am really a big believer that if we do those two things on a regular basis everything else will take care of itself.

That attitude is already spreading through a Clear Creek Amana program that is seeking a fourth consecutive .500 season after going 4-4 a year ago.

“Our three main goals are to be tough, dependable and smart and we live by those every day at practice,” Senior linebacker Bryce Mougin said. “We try to create energy and we know if we do that we will win games.”

Starting with Haddy there will be plenty of new faces for the Clippers this season.

The former Mount Vernon defensive coordinator took over for Gabe Bakker who went 20-16 in four seasons at Clear Creek Amana before taking the head coaching position at Waukee.

Clear Creek Amana returns just five full-time starters and lost 21 seniors from last year’s team that lost to Marion in the opening round of the Class 3A playoffs last season.

The focus early for the Clippers has been on taking care of themselves.

“We have three things that we ask our guys to be every day and that’s tough, smart and dependable,” Haddy said. “If we have a motto or anything that’s it. When we are committed to being those things and committed to competing and improving out here the rest will take care of itself.”

Even with the loss of a large and talented senior class the cupboard is far from bare in Tiffin.

The Clippers return a talented trio at the skill positions in seniors Harrison Rosenberg, Gage Freeman and Ben Swails and Tommy Morlan (5-11, 215) and Kalvin Mendieta (5-11, 200) each returning with starting experience on the offensive line.

“This year I think we are tougher than we have ever been,” Mougin said. “The coaches have really set the bar. There are no gimmies. You do what you do and that is that.”

Senior Ben Swails (6-3, 170) is poised to take over at quarterback after serving as the backup the last two seasons while excelling in the defensive backfield.

The athletic Swails has completed 56 percent of his passes while throwing for 436 yards with five touchdowns and one interception the past two seasons.

Last season as a defensive back Swails had a team-high six interceptions.

“Being a quarterback and then playing DB last year and being successful at it I think it is easier to read the quarterback when you are a quarterback yourself playing defense,” Swails said. “Now this year I have to take that into account playing quarterback myself.”

Freeman (6-0, 185) has rushed for more than 500 yards the past two seasons and is a threat in the receiving game as well catching 14 passes for 178 yards the last two years.

The senior ranked third on the team with 37.5 tackles as a linebacker last season but Freeman will join Swails as a two-way starter this fall.

“I’ve learned from Alex Figueroa who played both sides of the ball early in his career and he said it was really tolling on his body but I am going to work hard at it,” Freeman said. “I’m not looking to play every snap at Marion but by the end of the year I should be playing every snap and I’m going to hold myself accountable with that.”

Rosenberg caught 19 passes for 337 yards and four touchdowns a year ago and leads a young receiving corps that has caught the attention of Swails during practice.

“Harrison is going to be my number one guy and he always has been growing up and I think we have a lot of receivers and a lot of backs that are stepping up,” Swails said. “Coach Haddy knows that those guys are really good and so he is holding them accountable because he knows we have guys that can be really good football players.”

Defensively Freeman, Swails and Rosenberg will all play key rolls along with Mendieta who made 16.5 tackles including three for loss last season.

“My philosophy is I want all three phases of the game to fit in together,” Haddy said. “So, from an offensive, defensive and special teams standpoint I want all three of those to mold together on each Friday night and each Friday night that might look different.”

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