Football Capsules: Taking a Quick Look at Clear Creek Amana
Clear Creek Amana
Head coach: Lance Pedersen (1st season)
Assistant coaches: Matt Casebolt; Mikkel Brown; Vaughn Costello; Bob Broghammer; Kyle Stoner; Drew Wagner; Evan Schulte; Brandon Clubb; Sean Keller; Aaron Bohr; Kole Tupa
Last season: 3-6
Returning starters: Brody Clubb, Sr., OL/DL; Vinnie Keller, Sr., OL/DL; Cole Smith, Sr., OL/DL; Justin Jiras, Sr., OL/DL; Kevin Howe, Sr., OL/DL; Jacek Waters, Sr., OL/DL; Cale Berry, Sr., WR/FS; Owen Rosenberg, Sr., WR/CB; Ben Haughey, Sr., RB/LB; Trace Robertson, Sr., RB/LB; Nolan Howell, Sr., WR/DB; Aren Schlemme, Jr., WR/FS; Ethan Vice, Jr., RB/CB
Newcomers to watch: Conlan Poynton, Jr., QB; Wyatt Key, Jr., QB; Cale Nash, Sr., WR/DB; Aidan Schrock, Jr., LB; Dylan Schrock, Jr., LB; Nick Daniel, Jr., WR/DB; Joey Dains, Sr., RB/LB; Carter Cooper, Sr., RB/LB
Playoff history: Eight appearances (2008-2010, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2020, 2021).
District: Class 4A, District 3 (Burlington, North Scott, Cedar Rapids Xavier, Oskaloosa, Clinton)
District favorite: Cedar Rapids Xavier is the defending district 3 champion after winning five district games by a combined score of 197-34 on its way to an 8-3 record last season that ended in the state quarterfinals.
Circle the date: August 30 at Marion. The Lance Pedersen era opens at Clear Creek Amana with a road test against a Marion squad that returns its starting quarterback and top tackler from a team that went 6-3 last season.
Headliner: Senior two-way lineman Brody Clubb (6-4, 255) is a North Dakota State commit and one of the top defensive linemen in the state. A four-year starter Clubb has 99.5 career tackles with 15.5 for loss despite having his junior season cut short by injury. Clubb is fully healthy and ready for a big senior season.
Ready for a breakthrough: Junior Aren Schlemme (6-1, 160) made an impact on both sides of the ball last season but should be in for an expanded role this fall at both free safety and receiver after making 20 tackles and catching two passes for 82 yards as a sophomore.
Unsung hero: Senior Jacek Wauters (6-3, 210) is a three-year varsity player coming off a solid junior season in which he made14 tackles including three for loss with two sacks. Wauters should see those numbers spike this season as he is in line for a strong final season.
Keep an eye on: Senior two-way lineman Vinnie Keller (6-0, 270) is a four-year starter that has emerged as difference maker on both lines. Keller had a career-high 31.5 tackles with six tackles for loss last season from his defensive tackle spot and is a physical anchor on the offensive line.
Remember the name: Senior linebacker Ben Haughey (5-10, 175) was a first-team all-district pick last season after leading the Clippers in tackles with 56 tackles including four for loss and should be right in the middle of the action again this season. Expect Clear Creek Amana to be better on defense this season and Haughey will be a big reason for the improvement.
Biggest strength: The offensive line. Clear Creek Amana will be breaking in a new quarterback this season with the graduation of senior Quinton Tran but will have the luxury of returning six players with starting experience up front. Four-year starters Brody Clubb and Vinnie Keller headline an experienced all-senior front that includes Cole Smith (6-1, 270), Justin Jiras (6-1, 240), Kevin Howe (6-0, 210) and Jacek Wauters.
Biggest question: How well will the Clippers navigate a challenging schedule? With 13 starters returning Clear Creek Amana will be better in 2024. The question is how much will that improvement show up in the win column with a schedule that features six games against teams that had a winning record last season including 3A champion Williamsburg, 3A quarterfinalist Solon and 4A quarterfinalists Cedar Rapids Xavier and North Scott.
Quotable: “It starts with the players gaining the trust of the coaching staff and a lot of that is just putting in the time and working with them and building relationships and letting them know a new era is happening here,” Clear Creek Amana coach Lance Pedersen said. “We are going to do stuff right, we are going to do stuff long term, we aren’t going to be a flash in the pan program we want to be sustained for a long period of time. We are going to have a great football program and we are going to do things first class.”
2024 Schedule
Date/Opponent/Record in 2023
August 30: at Marion (6-3)
September 6: Solon (10-2)
September 13: Williamsburg (12-1)
September 20: at Benton Community (5-4)
September 27: at Oskaloosa (3-6)
October 4: Burlington (4-5)
October 11: North Scott (8-3)
October 18: at Cedar Rapids Xavier (8-3)
October 25: Clinton (0-9)
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