Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

No reporter likes coach speak.

The string of seemingly endless sports cliches that many coaches use often during interviews.

That’s why every sports reporter would enjoy Garrett Hartwig.

The ninth-year West High head coach is as straightforward of a coach as there is.

Hartwig is a no-nonsense guy so when you ask a question you usually get an answer that is exactly what is on his mind.

So, when I read the postgame quotes from Hartwig in the story Your Prep Sports ran following the Trojans’ 40-15 win over Dubuque Hempstead I took notice.

Hartwig isn’t a fan of hyperbole so when he tells you a guy can plan you take notice.

Friday night Hartwig praised the seniors on his roster, which isn’t surprising considering Hartwig places a premium on loyalty within his West High program.

What caught my attention was how Hartwig complimented his seniors, calling the group the right seniors for this team.

I asked Hartwig why  this senior class is the right group for this year’s team.

As always, I got a direct answer.

“They are steady,” Hartwig said without hesitation. “All of them have been in the program for four years, they’ve had teammates come and go but this group has been steady and with that they have seen the highest of the highs with an undefeated regular season all the way to the quarterfinals and seasons where they didn’t win as much as they wanted to. They first-hand saw some of the tweaks that we made to our offseason understanding that it was intended to be for the better. They are just a steady group.”

Steady is good.

Steady builds a program like the one Hartwig has crafted at West High.

Steady is what can flip a two-win season like the Trojan’s had last year into a winner as West High is attempting to do this season.

Steady is senior linebacker Ryne Vander Leest who at 195 pounds, gives up pounds to blockers but doesn’t give an inch.

Steady is Christian Janis who catches touchdown passes than plays special teams.

Steady is Mitch Frey and Braden Gladwin and Ryan Goodman and Seth Overton and Bryan Torres. The list goes on and on and on.

“We have 14 seniors out of 70 on the varsity but the seniors we have are impact players,” Hartwig said. “Ryne Vander Leest on the defensive side, Janis on the offensive side and we have three senior linemen making big impacts. It’s the right group.”

Most of those seniors watched as West High reached the 4A quarterfinals in 2020 and then took lumps last fall during a 2-7 season.

West High lost games by 49, 36 and 21 points down the stretch last season.

Those seniors came back this season to leave a proud West High program in a better place than they found it.

They have a chance to do just that.

The Trojans are 2-1 with a season-opening loss to 5A fourth-ranked Cedar Rapids Kennedy the only blemish.

West High continues a key stretch of its schedule on Thursday traveling to Davenport North (0-3).

Last season West High started 1-1 before going 1-3 in games against Dubuque Hempstead, Davenport North, City High and Davenport Central.

The Trojans were 1-1 to start this season and started that same four-game stretch with a win over Hempstead.

After its Thursday night trip to Davenport North the Trojans host No. 10 City High (2-1) and travel to Davenport Central (1-2) in a stretch that could determine their playoff fate.

“I say this to our players every week, winning a 5A football game is hard,” Hartwig said. “There are always dudes on the field no matter what the record is. Muscatine had a kid run for almost 400 yards last night against Bettendorf. There are always guys on the field that can play in 5A football.”

Before the season I pegged West High as a 5A playoff team.

After watching the Trojans this season I believe that even more and the seniors Hartwig singled out are a big reason why.

Did you enjoy this subscription free article? Help keep Your Prep Sports free by donating.