Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

IOWA CITY – The specific role on the field has varied from week to week for West High two-way standout Campbell Janis.

A 1,000-yard rusher Janis has had weeks this season where he was a focal point on offense for the Trojans.

Like last week when he rushed for 168 yards and three touchdowns on a career-high 34 carries in a 38-31 win over Cedar Falls in the opening round of the Class 5A playoffs.

Other weeks, the 5-foot-9, 175-pound Janis has been a defensive stalwart from his linebacker spot.

Like when he made 13 tackles against Liberty High or when he had 9.5 stops and a sack in a win at Pleasant Valley.

Offense or defense anything is fine with Janis who has rushed for a team-high 1,296 yards and 15 touchdowns and ranks fourth on the team with 36 tackles while helping West High to a 8-2 and a spot in the 5A quarterfinals.

“They want me to focus more on offense right now and I’ll take any opportunity I have on the field,” Janis said. “I just love it so any time I can get on the field, any opportunity, I’ll take it.”

The on field focus has changed for Janis but he has two roles that haven’t budged this season.

First as a leader for a West High team that has already posted its highest win total since 2018 and is a making a second consecutive quarterfinal appearance on Friday against West Des Moines Dowling (9-1) at 7 p.m. at Mediacom Field in Des Moines.

“I think more than anything he holds guys accountable and that’s the type of guy he is but the thing is he doesn’t just talk the talk he walks the walk,” West High coach Garrett Hartwig said. “He’s one of the toughest guys we’ve had come through the program and he leads by example first and foremost. That’s why he’s easy to follow.”

The second role Janis fills is the energy guy.

On offense or defense when Janis hits the field he’s takes it upon himself to be a spark.

So far this season he’s filled that role perfectly.

“I feel like if I am inspired then we are all inspired as a team,” Janis said. “If I am fired up, we are all fired up.”

Janis has rushed for 100 yards in seven of 10 games this season and has scored two or more touchdowns five times.

He has been at his best late in the season.

Janis has run for at least 140 yards and a touchdown in each of the past three games, raking up 576 yards and six touchdowns in the last three games against Cedar Rapids Prairie, Linn-Mar and Cedar Falls.

He has three receptions for 41 yards and 5.5 tackles with a tackle for loss in that stretch.

“I am just working on getting better every day,” Janis said. “I’m trying to do anything I can to improve.”

West High has leaned on Janis in the running game down the stretch.

He had a career-high 268 yards and two touchdowns in a win over Linn-Mar in the regular season finale and ran for 168 yards and three scores in the road win over Cedar Falls last Friday.

“We have to protect him because he is so valuable offense and he’s banged up like a lot of guys this time of year,” Hartwig said. “He’s one of a lot of guys on this team that’s a fighter.”

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