Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

IOWA CITY – City High has a history of football success that can rival nearly any program in the state.

With four consecutive two-win seasons the recent past hasn’t produced as many victories as City High has grown accustomed to.

A first-year head coach offers a fresh start for City High in 2021 and the Little Hawks are only looking forward rather than back.

“We don’t really focus on the past other than to use that as motivation,” City High senior Jovan Harris said. “We don’t think about the past we are just focused on what we are going to do in the future.”

Mitch Moore took the reins of the storied City High program in November becoming just the fifth head coach for the Little Hawks since 1947.

The hiring of Moore has been a jolt of energy for a City High program that went 2-7 in 2017, 2018 and 2019 before posting a 2-4 mark in a COVID-shortened 2020 season.

The energy every day at practice is really high,” senior Gable Mitchell said. “Every day it’s high intensity and if you aren’t (high intensity) you are going to get yelled at, coached at but it’s positive. Every day you have to bring your best.”

Despite the win-loss records of the past several seasons City High isn’t devoid of talent.

It is exactly the opposite in fact as City High returns 14 starters including four of its top five rushers and receivers and its top three tacklers from last season.

There is plenty for Moore to work with in his first season starting with Mitchell.

A 5-foot-9, 185-pound receiver and defensive back, Mitchell has led the Little Hawks in both tackles and receiving yards each of the past two seasons.

“He has the best IQ I have ever been around for a 17-year old kid for all sports,” Moore said of Mitchell. “His knack for being in the right place, his feel for the game of football and his IQ are off the charts.”

City High must replace three-year starting quarterback Raph Hamilton who also led the Little Hawks in rushing last season.

Sophomores Quinton Tran, Drew Larson and Jake Mitchell have been locked in a competition for the starting job throughout the offseason and into fall camp.

Moore has been impressed with the job that all of the sophomore signal callers have done.

“We have Drew Larson who is just a phenomenal athlete, he is a special, special athlete and we have Quinton Tran who is an all-world leader and a got an all-world work ethic,” Moore said. “We have two sophomores that we feel really good about and then the other guy in there is Jake Mitchell who is little but he’s just a competitor and he’s in that mix.”

Whoever lines up behind center with have weapons to work with at the skill positions and an offensive line that should be a strength.

Multi-year starters Ethan and Avery Goodrich return on the offensive line along with Ostyn Friday.

“I think the biggest thing you look at on the offensive line is who is returning, who has done it, who has played in the trenches,” Moore said. “I really believe we have the best o-line coach in the country in Ryan McKim. He has an answer for everything, he is technician and he has great perspective from the o-line play and you add that to a group that has played a lot of football and has played a lot of football together and they are seniors and you add that all together and you think you could have a pretty good offensive line.”

City High returns Mitchell at receiver who caught 15 passes for 285 yards and three touchdowns last season along with Harris, Will Larson and Moore expects big things from junior Akili Mattox.

In the backfield seniors Joey Bouska, Jamari Newson and Darren Richardson combined to rush for 600 yards and six touchdowns last season.

“The intensity is up and everybody wants to be here,” Harris said. “You don’t here anybody say, ‘I don’t want to go to practice today or I don’t feel like practice today,’ everybody wants to come and everybody loves to be here.”

Defensively City High will rely on a stout linebacker group led by standout junior Ben Kueter who tied with Mitchell for the team lead in tackles a year ago with 41.5.

Senior John Klosterman is back at linebacker after starting as a sophomore and seniors Gabe Orris, Carter Seaton and Aaron Stalkfleet all return after ranking in the top eight on the team in tackles last season.

“Ever since we figured out who was going to be our coach this year we’ve been so excited,” Mitchell said. “Guys that were kind of borderline before are completely bought in and that’s what is helping us right now. The energy level and the attitude is great.”

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