Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

NORTH LIBERTY – Pryor Reiners smiled immediately when he heard the question.

The Liberty High senior two-way standout had the type of confident grin that showed he knew the answer before the question was finished.

The question?

How would you describe twin teammates Alex and Eric Strunk?

“They are hammers,” Reiners said. “They are just hammers. Both of them.”

Hammers.

The description fits.

Whether its Eric or Alex. If its on the baseball diamond or the football field.

The label is accurate.

“They are just hammers and we always love seeing them go after each other even on the baseball field,” Reiners said. “Baseball, it’s not even a hitting sport but they got after it in baseball too and it’s fun to watch and they are just good guys.”

Baseball or football the Strunks hit.

It’s just what they do.

“I think the big thing with us is we like to hit, we like to compete,” Eric Strunk said. “That’s what we both like best.”

This summer the Strunks helped Liberty High to a second consecutive state baseball appearance.

Eric batted .392 with 12 extra-base hits and a team-leading 31 RBI and Alex was 5-1 with a 2.90 ERA and 23 strikeouts in 31 1/3 innings.

Hammers.

This fall the Strunks will team up to give Liberty High one of the best returning linebacking groups in Class 5A after combining for 85 tackles, 17.5 tackles for loss and nine sacks while helping the Lightning to an 11-2 record and state runner-up finish last fall.

“I would say football is more fun playing together because we are next to each other all the time,” Alex Strunk said. “I don’t see him as much in baseball, it’s still fun but playing together in football is so fun. And we get to hit people.”

The Strunk twins saw limited action on the gridiron two seasons ago as sophomores, combining for seven tackles as Liberty High went 10-2 and reached the state semifinals for the first time in program history.

Last season the Strunks were at the center of the best season in program history.

Alex ranked second on the team in tackles (52.5) and tackles for loss (10.5) and Eric was right behind, ranking fourth on the team in both categories with 32.5 tackles and seven for loss.

The twin brothers tied for the team lead with 4.5 sacks in a season that ended with a 27-10 loss to West Des Moines Dowling in the 5A title game.

“I think making it to the state championship really just ramped everything up for us,” Eric Strunk said. “We know what we have to do and now we want to come back and do it again.”

At 5-foot-10 and 185 pounds the Strunks aren’t the biggest linebackers around but both pack a punch.

What they lack in size they make up for in just about every other category.

“First and foremost they are just super high-character kids and I think that goes a long way,” first-year Liberty High head coach Mitch Wieland said. “They are competitors, they played together at state baseball this summer, and they are looked at as leaders on this team. Guys really rely on them – and they produce.”

In their first varsity season the Strunks produced at a high level last season.

As the stakes got higher last season the production level from the Strunk twins rose.

In four playoff games the Strunks combined for 43 tackles, seven tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks and a fumble recovery.

“It’s so fun being out there with him all the time,” Alex Strunk said. “If one of makes a big sack it gets the other one going. That might be the best part is just feeding off of one another.”

The competition for the Strunks starts at home.

Anything the two brothers do together they find a way to challenge one another.

That has no doubt led to their on-field success.

“At home we are always doing workouts together and just seeing who can do more,” Alex Strunk said. “It’s great to have someone to push you all the time.”

Along with the competition the brothers share off the field, they also have a special bond when playing together on the field.

Call it a sixth sense.

“I don’t really have to talk to him on the field we know what the other is doing,” Eric Strunk said. “We sort of have that twin telepathy.”

Last season the Strunks helped Liberty High make big gains defensively.

After allowing 331 total yards and 26.6 points per game during its semifinal run in 2024 the Lightning cut those numbers to 267 total yards per game and 19.4 points per game last season.

This year both believe Liberty High can be even better on defense.

“I think we could be even better,” Alex Strunk said. “We have more experience and I think we can be really good. Every year, everyone writes us off but we are still here.”

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