Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

City High

Head coach: Mitchell Moore (1^st season)

Assistant coaches: Ryan McKim, Greg Brown, Jordan Hanrahan, Tim Casey, Dan Achenbach, Gerry Coleman, Ben Slife, Bryce Merges, Ethan Bachinski, Todd Mcghghy, Jordan Harris, Chayse Schultz, Tyler Eads, Jeff Schebler, Evan Hartman, Tom Schnoebelen, Michael Madsen, Mike Moore, Bryan Parker

Last season: 2-4 (Class 4A second round)

Returning starters: Joey Bouska, Sr., RB/LB; Jacob Calix, Sr., OT/DT; Ostyn Friday, Sr., OG/DT; Ethan Goodrich, Sr., OT/DT; Avery Goodrich, Sr., OT/DT; Jovan Harris, Sr., WR/CB; Ben Kueter, Jr., TE/LB; Jamari Newson, Sr., RB/CB; Gabe Orris, Sr., RB/DE; Aaron Stalkfleet, Sr., DL/OL; John Klosterman, Sr., TE/LB; Gable Mitchell, Sr., WR/S; Carter Seaton, Sr., LB; Darren Richardson, Sr., FB.

Other returning letterwinners: Kaleb Turnbough, Sr., WR/CB; Will Larson, Sr., WR/S; TaeShon McDaniels Sr., OT/DE; Michael Etuma, Jr., DL; Jacob Williamson, Sr., TE/DE.

Newcomers to watch: Trey Dervich, Soph.; Alex Knudtson, Jr.; Drew Larson, Soph.; Akili Mattox, Jr.; Ronnie Major, Jr.; Quinton Tran, Soph.

Playoff history: 28 appearances (1986, 1988-1990, 1992-2001, 2003-2013, 2015-2016, 2020). City High won 4A state titles in 1993, 1994, 1996 and 2009.

Circle the date: August 27 at Liberty High. The Mitch Moore era officially opens at City High with a cross-town road trip to Liberty High which has won back-to-back games over the Little Hawks by a combined total of seven points.

Headliner: A three-year, two-way starter at defensive back and wide receiver Gable Mitchell has led City High in both tackles and receiving yards each of the past two seasons. The 5-foot-9, 185-pound senior has caught 35 passes for 534 yards and five touchdowns and made 88.5 tackles and picked off three passes in two seasons.

Unsung hero: Senior offensive linemen Avery and Ethan Goodrich are both multi-year starters who will be the anchors on an experienced City High offensive line that brings back four players with starting experience.

Keep an eye on: Junior linebacker Ben Kueter (6-3, 220) is already a nationally ranked, two-time state champion wrestler and is poised to emerge as one of the state’s best football players this season. Kueter had 31 solo stops among his team-high 41.5 tackles in six games a year ago and also recovered a fumble and had an interception.

Biggest question: How far can the Little Hawks go in season one under Moore? There seems to be no debate that City High will be improved from last season when it fourth consecutive two-win season. The only real question is just how much better will the Little Hawks be in year one under Moore? City High has the returning personnel and experience to be among the most improved teams in the state regardless of class.

Quotable: “I think the desire of this senior class to want to be great is really impressive,” Moore said. “They are a mature group of kids and they just have a great sense of community around them, they have great parents and have had a great parents and coaches around them and they have a great desire to win so I’m not having to fight attitude and effort and really I’m not having to fight want to it’s just more of an attention to detail and doing something new.

2021 Schedule

August 27: at Liberty High

September 3: Cedar Rapids Jefferson

September 10: at Ames

September 17: West Des Moines Dowling

September 24: West High

September 30: at Davenport North

October 8: at Pleasant Valley

October 15: Davenport West

October 21: at Davenport Central

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