Football Capsule: Taking a Quick Look at Clear Creek Amana
Ryan Murken
Your Prep Sports
Clear Creek Amana
Head coach: Lance Pedersen (3rd season, 159-70)
Assistant coaches: Matt Casebolt; Vaughn Costello; Kyle Stoner; Aaron Bohr; Chris Voss; Jason Iske; Evan Schulte; Brandon Clubb; Nick Daniel; Drew Wagner
Last season: 4-5
Returning starters: Texton Bollers, Jr., QB; Aidan Gross, Sr., K; Tay Seals, Sr., WR/DB; Avery Sorenson, Sr., TE/DE; Ian Kelley, Sr., DT/RB; Silas Cobb, Sr., LB; Noah Collis, Sr., RB/LB; Brady Hilsman, Sr., DB/WR; Joe Vaske, Sr., DE; Nolan Dao, Jr. LB; Garrett Plathe, Jr. OL
Other returning letterwinners: Sam Haughe, Soph., OL; Eli Smith, Soph., OL; Jonah Drake, JR., WR/DB
Playoff history: Nine appearances (2008-2010, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2024).
Circle the date: September 11 against Cedar Rapids Xavier. How’s this for an early season measuring stick game? The Clippers host defending, unbeaten 4A state champion Cedar Rapids Xavier after going 1-1 against the Saints the previous two seasons.
District: Class 4A, District 4 (Grinnell, Marion, Newton, Oskaloosa, Pella).
District favorite: A Class 4A semifinalist last season, Newton is the slightest of favorites over defending 4A runner-up Pella in what should be another tight District 4 title race.
Headliner: Junior middle linebacker Nolan Dao (6-1, 195) is ready to take over as the leader of the Clipper defense after ranking second on the team in tackles last season as a sophomore. Dao had 34 tackles including 4.5 for loss and two sacks last season.
Ready for a breakthrough: Junior quarterback Texton Bollers (6-2, 180) got a taste of varsity action last season passing for 461 yards and two touchdowns and rushing for 259 yards and three scores following an injury to starter Conlan Poynton. With that experience look for the multi-talented Bollers to enjoy a breakthrough season this fall.
Unsung hero: Like linemen, special teamers are easily overlooked but it’s tough to ignore what senior Aiden Gross (6-4, 174) did last season when he established himself as one of the most reliable place kickers in Class 4A. Gross made 6-of-8 field goal attempts a year ago with a long of 35 and converted 34-of-36 PATs.
Keep an eye on: It is always advantageous, for fans, opponents and anyone else to keep an eye on senior Tay Seals (5-10, 145) regardless of where he is lined up on the field. Last season the speedster had a team-high 27 receptions for 335 yards and three touchdowns on offense, made 21 tackles and recovered a fumble on defense and averaged 39.7 yards per kick off return with two touchdowns and added 14.8 yards per punt return on special teams.
Remember the name: The strength of the Clear Creek Amana defense figures to be up the middle this season but look for a big season from senior defensive end Joe Vaske (6-2, 196). Vaske ranked sixth on the team with 24 tackles including 3.5 for loss last season and should see those numbers rise this fall.
Biggest strength: The defensive front seven. Clear Creek Amana must replace a key piece of its front seven in graduated senior linebacker Aidan Schrock who led the Clippers in tackles last season but brings back three key players up front and have talented depth at the linebacker spot ready to step in. Dao returns at inside linebacker after a strong debut season and seniors Noah Collis (5-8, 175) and Silas Cobb (6-3, 190) are back at linebacker after combining for 27 tackles last season. Up front senior Ian Kelley (5-8, 195) is back at defensive tackle and Vaske and senior Avery Sorensen (6-4, 226) are both back at defensive end after making a combined 39.5 tackles and 7.5 tackles for loss last fall.
Biggest question: How will the Clippers navigate one of the most challenging schedules in Class 4A? There is no way around it, the schedule is loaded. Clear Creek Amana faces five Class 4A playoff teams, all that posted winning records last season, including three 4A semifinalist finalists last season highlighted by a week-three home game against unbeaten defending state champion Cedar Rapids Xavier (13-0). Toss in a non-district game at North Scott (6-4), and a loaded district slate that includes Grinnell (4-5), semifinalist Newton (10-2) and defending runner-up Pella (11-2) and there isn’t a much tougher schedule in Class 4A. A strong start is key with back-to-back games against Davenport West and Davenport North before the Clippers embark on a six-week gauntlet that includes Cedar Rapids Xavier, North Scott, Grinnell, Marion (2-7), Newton and Pella.
Quotable: “The attention to detail, doing things right all the time and the little things catch up to you,” Clear Creek Amana coach Lance Pedersen said. “It’s that jump in the first quarter that takes you out of a first down situation that people forget about at the end but is critical in the whole scheme of things. That’s the biggest thing is just continuing to focus on doing every single thing that you possibly can right. We all know that adversity is going to strike in a game, we all know that something bad is going to happen in a game now the question is how do we overcome that and how do we continue to move forward in a positive direction.”
2026 Schedule
Date/Opponent/Record in 2025
August 28: at Davenport West (0-9)
September 4: Davenport North (6-4)
September 11: Cedar Rapids Xavier (13-0)
September 18: at North Scott (6-4)
September 25: Grinnell (4-5)
October 2: at Marion (2-7)
October 9: at Newton (10-2)
October 16: Pella (11-2)
October 23: at Oskaloosa (0-9)
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