Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

The weather says it is still summer but the calendar says that football season is here.

Prep football season opened around the state with the first official day of practice on Monday and all seven teams in the Your Prep Sports area will kick off the season in a little more than three weeks.

In the weeks leading up to the start of the season Your Prep Sports will have plenty of coverage of area teams.

That coverage of the 2022 season begins with an initial look at 11 players in the Your Prep Sports area that are work watching this fall when things are kicked off in 2022.

Ben Kueter

Senior, City High

One of the top football players and best overall athletes in the state Kueter emerged as a dominant force on the gridiron during a massive junior season in which he led Class 5A in total tackles, sacks and tackles for loss.

An Iowa recruit in both football and wrestling, the 6-foot-3, 220-pound Kueter had 101 tackles including 41 for loss and 11.5 sacks last season.

On offense Kueter caught 24 passes for 369 yards and a team-high nine touchdowns and also rushed for a touchdown.

Blake Timmons

Senior, Solon

A three-year starter at quarterback Timmons is one of the top dual-threat quarterbacks in the state accounting for more than 4,000 yards of total offense and 51 touchdowns in his first two seasons under center.

The 5-foot-10, 190-pound Timmons was a third-team Class 3A all-state pick a year ago after passing for 1,553 yards and 19 touchdowns while also rushing for 888 yards and 10 scores.

Christian Barney

Senior, Liberty High

The top returning tackler and pass catcher for the Lightning this season Barney will look to build on an impressive debut season in which he emerged as a difference maker on both sides of the ball.

As a defensive lineman the 6-foot-2, 205 Barney ranked second on the team with 57.5 tackles and 7.5 tackles for loss and led the Lightning with 2.5 sacks a year ago.

On offense the versatile Barney caught 15 passes for 290 yards and a team-leading three touchdowns averaging a team-best 19.3 yards per reception.

Andy Henson

Senior, West Branch

A 1,000-yard rusher a season ago Henson did some of his best work on defense earning third team all-state honors as a linebacker.

The Minnesota State recruit is a force on both sides of the ball rushing for 1,320 yards and 16 touchdowns while averaging 7 yards per carry while making 42.5 tackles including 11 for loss with two sacks.

Henson (6-2, 205) also caught 12 passes for 161 yards, recovered two fumbles and averaged 36.2 yards per punt.

Jack Wallace

Sophomore, West High

Wallace flashed his high-end upside last season as a rare freshman starter when he passed for 829 yards and five touchdowns in eight games.

At 6-foot-2, 215 pounds Wallace has the size and has already demonstrated the arm strength to become a standout and with a year of experience under his belt should improve on his 43 percent completion rate from a year ago when he completed 68 of 159 attempts.

Brody Clubb

Sophomore, Clear Creek Amana

A rising star in the Clear Creek Amana program Clubb made an immediate impact during his debut season a year ago ranking fourth on the team in total tackles as a freshman.

The 6-foot-4, 225-pound Clubb had 30 solo stops, 3.5 tackles for loss and a sack among his 39.5 tackles from his defensive end spot and also caught five passes for 49 yards and a touchdown as a tight end.

Levi Daniel

Senior, Regina

A two-way standout for Regina last season Daniel should be in line for a big senior season after leading the Regals in rushing and ranking fifth on the team in tackles a year ago.

Daniel (6-2, 185) rushed for 1,033 yards and 14 touchdowns while averaging 6.2 yards per carry and made 29.5 tackles with two coming for loss including a sack from his linebacker spot.

Sean Stahle

Senior, Solon

In his first season as a starter Stahle emerged as one of the most productive backs in the state ranking second in Class 3A with 2,026 all-purpose yards while racking up 1,443 yards from scrimmage and scoring 23 total touchdowns.

Stahle (5-10, 170) ranked sixth in 3A in rushing with 1,138 yards, caught 12 passes for 305 yards and three touchdowns, returned a kickoff 80 yards for a score and averaged 15.4 yards per punt returning with a pair of touchdown returns.

Ryne Vander Leest

Senior, West High

As a junior Vander Leest showed a nose for the football leading the Trojans in tackles from his linebacker spot.

Look for a bigger, stronger Vander Leest (5-11, 195) to make another jump this season after making 67 tackles in eight games a year ago highlighted by 40 solo stops and 2.5 tackles for loss.

Wyatt Williams

Senior, Liberty High

A leader in the Liberty High secondary last season Williams returns to anchor the defensive from his safety spot after recording five takeaways as a junior.

Williams (6-1, 185) tied for the team lead with three interceptions last season and also recovered a pair of fumbles while ranking fifth on the team with 26 tackles including 20 solo stops.

Jack Tierney

Senior, Regina

Tierney did a little bit of everything while shuffling around the Regina lineup last season.

The 6-foot-1, 175-pound Tierney completed 62-of-117 passes for 937 yards with nine touchdowns and two interceptions and rushed for 563 yards and five scores and also caught three passes for 21 yards.

Tierney also made 17 tackles, intercepted two passes and averaged 28.5 yards per punt on 19 punts.

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