Football Capsules: Taking a Quick Look at City High
Ryan Murken
Your Prep Sports
City High
Head coach: Mitchell Moore (5th season)
Assistant coaches: Dan Sales; Ben Evans; Jordan Hanrahan; Greg Brown; Jack Harlow; Demetrius Harper; Bryce Merges; Emilio Ames; Carter Seaton; Chris Smith; Ja’Korey Walker; Trey Radocha; Holden Clay; Brett Bordewick; Joey Titus; Kieran Judge; Tim Casey; Jakie Uthe; Kenardo Rodney; Jeff Schebler; Quinton Tran; Tim Dwight; Jim Poynton
Last season: 6-4 (Class 5A first round)
Returning starters: Jack Lampe, Sr., WR; Kane Willey, Sr., OL/DL; Raphael Etuma, Sr., OL/DL; Preston Mensah, Jr., OL/DL; Chayse Newton, Jr., WR; Adan Carbajal, Sr.; WR/DB; Blaine Heick, Sr., TE/LB; Owen Raefield, Sr., TE/DL; Marshall Sheldon, Soph., RB/LB; Iyon Harris, Sr., WR/DB; Christopher Davis, Sr., DB
Other returning letterwinners: Abe Bidannis, Jr., WR/DB; Shepard Stanton, Jr., WR
Newcomers to watch: Lucas Goodrich, Soph., OL/DL; Lawrence Jones, Soph. OL/DL; Damari Lacy, Sr., WR/DB; Coden Kurtz, Soph., QB; Chris Kabaiza a, Soph., QB
Playoff history: 32 appearances (1986, 1988-1990, 1992-2001, 2003-2013, 2015, 2016, 2020-2024). City High won 4A state titles in 1993, 1994, 1996 and 2009.
Circle the date: October 17 at Liberty High. The Battle for Zeus returns to North Liberty after Liberty High won 49-20 last season at Bates Field. Liberty High has won three in a row in the series and is averaging 42 points per game in those three wins.
Headliner: Sophomore standout Marshall Sheldon (6-0, 173) will look to build on an impressive freshman season in which he led City High with 69 tackles including 6.5 tackles for loss and two sacks from his inside linebacker spot. Look for Sheldon to be a big piece of the offensive game plan for City High in his second varsity season.
Ready for a breakthrough: Senior linebacker/tight end Blaine Heick (6-2, 190) was excellent last season ranking second on the team with 64 tackles with 3.5 tackles for loss but should be even better this season on both sides of the ball.
Unsung hero: In his first season in the lineup senior Kane Willey (6-0, 220) was a defensive stalwart ranking fifth on the team with 33 tackles with nine tackles for loss and two sacks. This season Willey will be a two-year starter as he takes over at offensive guard as well as his work on the defensive line.
Keep an eye on: Senior two-way lineman Raphael Etuma (6-2, 220) is poised for a huge senior season after an impressive year last fall in which he led the Little Hawks in tackles for loss and sacks. Etuma had 11 tackles for loss and three sacks among his 29 tackles last season.
Remember the name: The next in line as excellent receivers at City High is junior Chayse Newton (5-8, 146) who is coming off a debut season in which he caught a team-high 36 passes for 426 yards and three touchdowns.
Biggest strength: The defense. City High returns seven players with starting experience from a defense that allowed 333 total yards and 33.1 points per game last season. Sheldon and Heick return at linebacker after ranking first and second on the team in tackles and Willey and Etuma give the Little Hawks a strong tandem on the defensive line.
Biggest question: How quickly can the young City High quarterbacks settle in? City High will turn to a pair of sophomores in Coden Kurtz and Chris Kabaiza at quarterback to replace the graduate Bobby Bacon who passed for more than 4,200 yards and 36 touchdowns the past two seasons. How quickly the duo of Kabaiza and Kurtz settle into their new roles leading the offense will be key for City High.
Quotable: “It helps us how we don’t have to lead the entire team with all those guys that return at the skill positions,” City High sophomore quarterback Coden Kurtz said. “It takes a little stress off of our backs as they help lead with us.”
2025 Schedule
Date/Opponent/Record in 2024
August 29: West High (6-5)
September 5: at Bettendorf (8-2)
September 12: Waukee Northwest (4-5)
September 19: at Cedar Falls (5-5)
September 26: Norwalk (6-4)
October 3: Southeast Polk (9-4)
October 10: at Des Moines East (3-6)
October 17: at Liberty High (10-2)
October 24: Ottumwa (7-2)
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