Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

Clear Creek Amana

Head coach: Matt Haddy (1st season)

Assistant coaches: Matt Trosky, Jackson Litterer, Matt Casebolt, Mikkel Brown, Kyle Stoner, Bob Broghammer, Trevor Bollers, Brandon Clubb, Evan Schulte, Logan Broghammer, Mike DeWaard, Sean Keller, Todd Mosier

Last season: 4-4 (Class 3A opening round)

Returning starters: Harrison Rosenberg, Sr., WR/DB; Gage Freeman, Sr., RB/LB; Tommy Morlan, Sr., OL/DL; Ben Swails, Sr., QB/DB; Kalvin Mendieta, Sr., OL/DL

Newcomers to watch: Bryce Mougin, Sr., H/LB; Reece Hoffman, Jr., WR/DB; Will Haughey, Sr., OL/DL; Caleb Allan, Jr., OL/DL; Ethan Pegump, Sr., RB/LB; Gunter Sandersfield, Sr., LB; Blaine Stockman, Sr., WR/DB; Andrew Schlemme, Jr., WR; Asher Roehler, Jr., DB; Marcus Lang, Jr., WR/DB; Jack Downes, Jr., OL/DL; Tyler Steines, Sr., OL; Sam Lund, Sr., OL/DL; Brock Sherman, Jr., RB/LB; Nick Johnson, Jr., LB

Playoff history: 7 appearances (2008-2010, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2020)

District: Class 4A, District 4

District favorite: Cedar Rapids Xavier. The perennial power Saints are coming off a 10-1 season that featured another trip to the UNI-Dome and ended with a 17-10 loss to eventual 3A champion North Scott in the semifinals.

Circle the date: August 27 at Marion. Head coach Matt Haddy makes his Clear Creek Amana debut as the Clippers open the season against a Marion team that ended their season a year ago with a 18-14 upset in the Class 3A playoffs.

Headliner: Senior Gage Freeman played a key role for the Clippers last season ranking third on the team in both tackles and rushing yards but will be an even bigger piece of the puzzle this fall.

The 6-foot, 185-pound Freeman rushed for 253 yards and two touchdowns while averaging seven yards per carry and racked up 37.5 tackles including 29 solo stops from his linebacker spot a year ago and both of those totals should climb this season.

Unsung hero: A solid two-way lineman for the Clippers senior Kalvin Mendieta is seeking a breakthrough final season after a solid junior campaign in which he ranked seventh on the team with 16.5 tackles, including three for loss and a sack in eight games.

Keep an eye on: Senior Ben Swails has been among the most athletic players on the roster the past two seasons and has mostly flashed his playmaking ability on defense. Swails had a team-high six interceptions in eight games last season. After lining up all over the field on offense last season Swails will get his chance to be a full-time playmaker on offense taking over the quarterback duties.

Biggest question: How quickly do the Clippers adjust to a new coaching staff? Clear Creek Amana has some explosive talent returning at the skill positions including a dynamic dual threat quarterback in Swails and proven producers in Freeman and Rosenberg. The key will be for the Clippers to get on the same page with Haddy and his new staff quickly especially with a challenged district schedule waiting.

Quotable: “For us it’s now a mentality where we are not just happy to be .500 or we just aren’t happy to make the playoffs,” Haddy said. “Now it’s what do we have to do to compete for district titles? To compete to not only get into the postseason but then win games in the postseason? Our goal is we want to play meaningful football games in October. If we are playing meaningful football games in October, if week seven and week eight and week nine have ramifications for us then we are doing something right.”

2021 Schedule

August 27: at Marion

September 3: Independence

September 10: Washington

September 17: at Liberty High

September 24: Oskaloosa*

September 30: at Cedar Rapids Washington*

October 8: at Cedar Rapids Xavier*

October 15: Pella*

October 22: at Newton*

*– District Game

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