Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

WEST BRANCH – Butch Pedersen is approaching four full decades as head football coach at West Branch.

Yet, the veteran football coach has spent time on the basketball bench during his career as well and went to a roundball reference when describing his 2021 West Branch squad.

“What we are going to try to stress is doing things together,” Pedersen explained. “You aren’t going to go out in basketball game and expect 30 out of somebody with this type of group. You are going to hope for 10 from all of them so they can’t really key on one thing.”

When you look at who is gone from a team that went 5-3 last season and scan the list of returners this fall the hoops analogy from Pedersen certainly makes sense.

The loss of current Iowa lineman Jeff Bowie and all-state quarterback Gavin Hierseman from last year’s team left sizeable holes.

Without a player with the career resume of one of those departed all-staters the Bears must embrace ‘the whole is greater than the sum of its parts’ mantra.

“I think we need to focus more on the team aspect of the game,” senior lineman Berry said. “Last year those big names kind of overshadowed everyone and this year there are a lot of new names and a lot of unknown but I think this year we can be better than last year if we focus on playing as a team.”

There is certainly both talent and experience returning for the Bears this season.

West Branch returns eight starters from last season including its top rusher, receiver and three of its top four tacklers.

That list doesn’t include Berry, 6-foot-4, 245-pound two-way starting lineman that holds a pair of Division II offers, that will anchor both the offensive and defensive lines.

“Drake is a stud,” Pedersen said. “He has worked hard in the weight room and he’s added some pounds and they are good pounds. He has two or three offers right now for college scholarships and he will be a two-way player. I really like his development.”

As Pedersen pointed toward with his basketball reference the offensive key for the Bears will be balance.

Junior Carver Boelk (5-10, 165) makes the switch to quarterback after catching 22 passes for 330 yards and four scores last season as a wide receiver.

“One of the keys is going to be the development of our quarterback Carver Boelk,” Pedersen said. “If he comes around and really starts to blossom it will really help our offense immensely. He does right now show the ability to be able to run the ball and also throw it and we have been pleased with his throwing. Right now he has done a nice job.”

Boelk will have weapons at his disposal.

Junior Andy Henson (6-2, 205) returns after rushing for a team-leading 893 yards and eight touchdowns last season while ranking second on the team with 32 receptions for 252 yards.

The Bears top receiver a year ago, senior Peyton Miller (5-8, 170) is back after catching 34 passes for 308 yards a year ago and doubles as a starter in the secondary.

Junior Kinnick Boelk (5-10, 165) also returns after catching 12 passes for 172 yards as does senior Cash Woody (6-4, 180) who had five receptions for 75 yards and a touchdown last year.

“Those guys that played varsity as sophomores that’s huge,” Miller said. “Most people change the most form their sophomore to junior years so now that they have added 20 pounds and are so much more confident it’s going to be fun.”

Henson, Carver Boelk and senior Cole Bailey (5-10, 190) all ranked in the top four on the team in tackles last season.

Bailey and Henson give the Bears a solid pair of linebackers while Boelk, Woody and Miller are key pieces in the secondary.

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