Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

Sustaining a broken thumb in the second game of the season prevented City High senior Drew Larson from having the type of senior season he imagined.

The injury wouldn’t keep Larson off the field and it wouldn’t stop him from putting together another impressive season worthy of all-state recognition.

After the thumb injury forced Larson from switch from starting quarterback to full-time safety the senior put together a strong season and on Tuesday earned all-state honors as a defensive back from the Iowa Print Sports Writers Association for the second consecutive season.

Larson joined teammate Miles Parlet on the IPSWA Class 5A all-state team.

The 6-foot-1, 185-pound Larson was among the most productive quarterbacks in the state the past two seasons throwing for more than 3,500 yards and 38 touchdowns.

After breaking his thumb in a week two loss to Liberty High Larson made the full-time move to safety where he played a key role in helping the Little Hawks win six of their final seven games to reach the 5A playoffs for the third consecutive season.

A second-team all-state pick as a defensive back last season as a junior Larson was named to the Class 5A first team as a defensive back this season after making 9.5 tackles, recovering a fumble and intercepting two passes.

Parlet was a second-team selection as a running back after leading the Little Hawks with 1,388 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns.

The 5-foot-9, 185-pound Parlet rushed for 100 yards in six of the final eight games of the season and averaged 6.3 yards per carry.

Parlet also caught 18 passes for 168 yards and a touchdown.

2023 Iowa Print Sports Writers Association All-State Football Teams

Class 5A

First team

Offense

Quarterback – Connor Moberly, Sr., Southeast Polk

Running back/fullback – Damon Head, Sr., West Des Moines Valley; Ra’Shawd Davis, Jr., West Des Moines Dowling; Elijah Porter, Sr., Ankeny Centennial

Tight end/wide receiver – Cyrus Courtney, Sr., Cedar Rapids Kennedy; Chase Shutty, Sr., Ankeny Centennial; Sam Zelenovich, Jr., Southeast Polk; Devon Akers, Sr., Ankeny

Linemen – Derek Ellens, Jr., West Des Moines Valley; Kyle Rakers, Sr., West Des Moines Dowling; Jake Peters, Sr., Cedar Falls; Brayden Harmon, Sr., Southeast Polk; Lucas Beroth, Sr., Ankeny

Kicker – Caden Buhr, Jr., Bettendorf

Utility – Sam Johnson, Sr., Waukee Northwest; Javon Sanders, Jr., Des Moines Lincoln

Defense

Linemen – Axel Ramazani, Jr., Urbandale; Drew Campbell, Sr., Cedar Falls; Joey VanWetzinga, Jr., Pleasant Valley; Draven Woods, Sr., Southeast Polk

Linebacker – Harry Leinen, Sr., Waukee Northwest; Calvin White, Sr., Cedar Rapids Kennedy; Caleb Chebuhar, Sr., Southeast Polk; Connor Kaiser, Sr., Ankeny

Defensive back – Isaiah Pinks, Sr., West Des Moines Valley; Matthew Hanten, Sr., West Des Moines Dowling; Drew Larson, Sr., City High; Mason Brooks, Sr., Waukee

Punter – Jacob Borrall, Jr., Sioux City East

Returner – Carson Robbins, Sr., Southeast Polk

Utility – Jackson Laver, Jr., Bettendorf; Dylan Doughtery, Sr., Ankeny

Second team

Offense

Quarterback – Trenton Smith, Sr., Ankeny Centennial

Running back/fullback – Miles Parlet, Sr., City High; CJ Phillip, Sr., Southeast Polk; Caden Hankes, Sr., Ankeny

Tight end/wide receiver – Jacob Simpson, Sr., Johnston; Richard Stewart, Sr., Sioux City East; Jake Schulz, Sr., Bettendorf; Apollo Payne, Sr., Cedar Rapids Prairie

Linemen – Landen Kuennen, Sr., Waukee Northwest; Logan Johnson, Sr., Cedar Rapids Kennedy; Mason Breen, Sr., Pleasant Valley; Jimmie Ware, Sr., Waukee; Carson Campisi, Sr., Southeast Polk

Kicker – Austin Bullock, Sr., Pleasant Valley

Utility – Coy Kipper, Sr., Pleasant Valley; Luke Vander Weide, Sr., Sioux City East

Defense

Linemen – Ramez Naba, Sr., West Des Moines Valley; Aiden Lee, Sr., Bettendorf; Cooper Martinson, Jr., Southeast Polk; Sam Watts, Sr., Linn-Mar

Linebacker – Theron Castle, Sr., West Des Moines Valley; Chase Lamb, Sr., Waukee Northwest; Dylan Manning, Jr., West Des Moines Dowling; Mason Van Der Brink, Sr., Southeast Polk

Defensive back – Connor Welsch, Sr., Ankeny Centennial; Elijah Hoyt, Jr., Urbandale; Taye Proctor, Sr., Johnston; Jacob Mohrfeld, Sr., Ankeny

Punter – Will Safris, Sr., Johnston

Returner – Logan Wroe, Sr., Cedar Falls

Utility – Drew Gerdes, Sr., Cedar Falls; Carter Pesek, Sr., Southeast Polk

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