Bombers appreciate bye week, shift into forward drive

No. 5-ranked and District 6 champ Adair-Casey hosts Ankeny Christian

By Drew Herron - NT Sports Editor / Oct. 18, 2013

ADAIR – Adair-Casey, ranked No. 5 by the Associated Press and having locked up another District (6) championship, returns to action after a bye week that left them free to rest up and heal its ouches, so to speak.

Also, Friday night marks the final regular season home game for a decorated group of Bomber seniors.

Now, the Bombers are 7-0, healthy and eager to take flight.

“It helped a lot,” Bombers’ head coach Wade Anderson says. “The bye week came at a good time, and it’s given us time to focus on fixing some things during practice, and giving the guys a couple days off as well. Everyone came back to work Monday, fired up and ready to go.”

AC’s opponent this week is Ankeny Christian Academy, a squad that has struggled through 2013 and carries a 0-7 record into Week 8. The Eagles have failed to secure a victory, having come their closest in Week 4 to Grandview Park in a 38-31 loss.

Ankeny Christian is averaging just 13 points-per-game, while allowing 57 to the opponents, and they’ve thrice surrendered at least 60 points. The Eagles are most recently coming off an 81-13 loss at Lamoni, which marked a season-high for points allowed.

As impressive as the Adair-Casey offense has been, it’s a mismatch on paper. But coach Anderson says the Eagles have been pesky for four quarters in all the games he’s seen of them on film, and agrees the Bombers carry a target on their back.

Nobody in black-and-gold expect Ankeny Christian Academy to roll over for them.

“They’re a team that will try to spread us out, it’s a little bit of a different look…it’s an adjustment we will have to make,” Anderson says of the Eagles’ offense. “But (ACA) is a team that plays hard, regardless of the score is, and I figure they will give us their top effort.”

On the home front, the Bombers Offense continues to work on its line play up front. AC now has a formidable front five on the offensive line, but coach Anderson says it’s still a work in progress.

“We’ve still got areas to get better at,” coach Anderson says. “Our linemen have improved every single week, because we work on it. And we will continue to work on it. But, we always need to be strong in our blocking assignments, and know each other’s jobs.”

Another area of desired development is the passing attack. The Bombers aren’t bad when throwing the ball, hitting at 60 percent (33-of-55) for 836 yards and a tidy 15 touchdowns to 1 interception ratio. It’s just a matter of doing what works, and AC has always found success with its run first.

Plowman owns and continues to re-write the state’s 8-Man record book when it comes to rushing yardage, and the Bombers have used others as well to put up big points every week.

Already, Plowman has 132 carries for 1,190 yards and 22 touchdowns. Moreover, Traeton Jensen, Charlie Terry and Emmitt Wheatley all have equally efficient yard-per-carries on the ground.

But if the Bombers are to reach the UNI-Dome eventually, they will inevitably be put in passing situations. Developing that now becomes desirable.

“We have to continue to add pieces and develop that part of our offense so that we become a more balanced team,” coach Andersons says. “We will always be a rushing team, but having some balance never hurts.”

Getting healthy has been another point of emphasis for the Bombers. For the first time in a few weeks, the squad is at full strength after the Bombers had to do without the services of Plowman and junior Cole Reha against Grandview Park Baptist. Everyone is on board this week, and Adair-Casey is eager to get back on the field and start moving its power chess pieces.

There’s a focus on playing Bombers Football and not play down to the level of a lesser opponent and in this case, a winless team. It’s something the team talks about often, and nothing will change this week.

“We never want to look or think about the record of our opponents,” coach Anderson says. “We want to focus on what makes Adair-Casey a better football team. For us to do that, we need to start the game Friday with great intensity, and focused in on what my task is, and what my brother’s task is.”

The District 6 championship ensures the Bombers will host at least the first playoff game, scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 30.

But Friday will be the final regular season home game for eight players who Anderson hopes can savor everything Friday nights at Bombers Field has to offer.

“High School Football is fleeting, it’s a short span,” coach Anderson says for the seniors. 

“You need to take advantage of every Friday night you get. And our guys relish putting the equipment on and taking the field to see what they can do together as a team, as a band of brothers. That’s what we are, we’re a family, and we love to spend time together on the field on Friday nights.”

#iahsfb    #acbombers

Having secured a spot in the playoffs, Cougars enter bye week on an upswing

CAM has won three straight and improve mark to 4-2 in District 8

By Drew Herron - NT Sports Editor / Oct. 18, 2013

ANITA – The Cougars will take the weekend off, but wander into next week’s game in a familiar place. That is, fighting for playoff position and perhaps a home seeding against a talented Sidney team.

Just how Cumberland-Anita-Massena gets there was a bit off script for the Cougars riding a string of playoff appearances that stretches back a half-decade.

CAM did its part last week to sew up a playoff berth, knocking off Stanton 48-32 and carving out an impressive 4-2 record in District 8. Fremont-Mills sits atop the standings at 5-0, and will have to defeat Southwest Valley (4-1) this weekend to clinch first place. If the Knights lose, things get a bit muddier, with Sidney (4-1) and Southwest Valley sitting right there, along with 4-2 CAM.

The Cougars will take this week as an opportunity to heal and to grow.

“The bye week has been great,” said CAM head coach Joe Wollum. “It’s a chance to heal some guys up, and a chance to clean up some little things, and put a few new things in as well.  We have also had some fun as a team doing some competitive drills.”  

Last week, CAM got it done at Stanton on the ground. Senior tailback Dylan Amdor amassed 144 yards and three touchdowns on just 17 carries. Brady Runyan got the ball just twice, but one of those touches was for a 59-yard touchdown, and quarterback Trace Ticknor got 38 yards on 10 carries.

The Cougars did get the passing game going a bit as well. Ticknor connected with Amdor and Michael Holste four times each for 140 yards and three scores.

“As for running the ball, that has always been our goal, we have to continue to get better there too, and more consistent in the passing game,” coach Wollum says.

On defense, four different CAM players notched double-digit tackle statistics. Trace Ticknor recorded a team-high 12 tackles (5 solo and 1 for loss), while three others; Runyan, Drew Ticknor and Austin Williamson, each tallied 10 for the game. Moreover, Drew Ticknor ripped off three interceptions, and Runyan recorded one of three fumble recoveries for the Cougars. Senior Cole McAfee scooped up the other two.

Those takeaways have been an encouraging sign for the Cougars.

“That’s been great,” coach Wollum says. “The defense has taken some big strides the last few weeks.  We have created 17 turnovers the last 3 weeks as opposed to 9 the previous 5 weeks. That means guys being in the right spot, improved pass coverage and improved tackling causing those turnovers.”  

For the Cougars, much is left to be decided for the 2013 season. A lot will be sorted out next Friday night in Anita, when Sidney comes to town for a much-anticipated matchup. Until then, CAM will take a Friday night off, and let everyone else in District 8 beat on each other.

“Yes, we had a rough start, but give our guys credit for coming to practice everyday with a great attitude and an eagerness to improve,” coach Wollum says. “They have put us in a position to play our best football at the end of the year, and have a great deal of confidence heading into the playoffs.” 

#iahsfb   #camcougars

No. 1-ranked Spartans smash Southwest Valley

Exira-EHK moves to 7-0 with 68-13 victory, Spartans need little more than a quarter to activate continuous clock

By Drew Herron - NT Sports Editor / October 12, 2013

CORNING – The top-ranked Spartans have now been through a stretch of schedule as tough or tougher than any other 8-Man team in the state has been forced to endure.

Heading into Friday night’s Week 7 game at Southwest Valley, Exira-EHK has faced in consecutive weeks three teams with a combined 15-1 record.

And for the third straight week, the mighty Spartans made a statement, hammering Southwest Valley on its home field in Corning with a 68-13 final that ought to go down as the most impressive performance to date from this Exira-EHK team.

The Spartans activated the continuous clock less than four minutes into the second quarter, and held a 48-0 lead at the halftime break. There was never a moment in which Exira-EHK wasn’t in control Friday night in Corning.

“I thought overall that was the best half of football we’ve played this year in every single phase of the game,” Spartans head coach Tom Petersen said afterwards. “That’s the best 24 minutes we’ve seen, and we did some good things in the second half as well.”

The 68 points is a season high, and is all the more impressive considering the Spartans’ first-string offense took a seat after the opening drive of the second half.

Spartans’ senior Trey Sander finished with five touchdowns on the night. Three of them he carried in off the rush, and the other two came on punt returns as Exira-EHK used its offense, defense, and special teams to dominate a worthy opponent with a near-perfect record.

EEHK rolled up 333 yards rushing at the half, more than 10 times the sum of Southwest Valley’s 31 yards after two quarters. In all, Exira-EHK totaled 439 yards of total offense to Southwest Valley’s 121.

And of course there were those big plays that every opponent of EEHK tries to keep a lid on. Sander finished with touchdown runs of 60, 23 and 15 yards on the ground, not to mention the two punt returns for touchdowns that came from 60 and 70 yards out.

Spartans’ quarterback Drew Peppers added touchdown runs of 50 and 41 yards, and he also returned an interception 40 yards for a touchdown that drove Exira-EHK ahead 42-0 midway through the third quarter.

Big plays break out when preparation meets opportunity.

“That’s assignment football, and I thought our kids did an excellent job with that once again,” coach Petersen says. “And our offensive line continues to grow week-by-week, so we are going to continue to move forward with what we are doing. I like the way we are playing football right now, but of course there are always a number of things we need to work on.”

Drew Peppers finished the game with 166 yards on 13 carries, and Sander had 211 yards on just eight touches.

“In 8-Man Football, if you carry out assignments, then there is usually one man to beat,” coach Petersen says.  “We’ve got some players who can make others miss, and our guys up front are doing a heck of a job when it comes to blocking.”

The Spartans defense also took a step forward in Week 7. 

Following last week’s 49-12 victory over Coon Rapid-Bayard, the Spartans coaching staff was satisfied on the whole, except for two big plays allowed by the defense that yielded CRB’s two scores.

Coach Petersen challenged the defense during practice this week, and was satisfied with the response against Southwest Valley.

“We spend a lot of time on it,” coach Petersen says of the defense. “The way were are playing right now, I like where we are at. We are not real big, but we’ve got a lot of kids between 185 and 200 (pounds) that like to hit. We are a physical football team, and we need to continue to do so.”

#iahsfb  #iowaprep   #exira-ehkspartans

Top-ranked Spartans smash previously unbeaten CRB

Exira-EHK returns from one-hour weather delay and pounds CRB into submission with big 49-12 victory

By Drew Herron - NT Sports Editor / Oct. 5, 2013

EXIRA – The Spartans’ Homecoming game Friday night delivered a lot of the unexpected.

For starters, kickoff was moved up an hour in an attempt to complete the game ahead of moving pockets of severe weather blanketing Southwest Iowa. That didn’t completely work as nearby lightning strikes at the end of the third quarter delayed the start of the fourth by more than an hour.

And once play resumed on a wet field 65 minutes later, perhaps the most surprising thing unfolded…Coon Rapids-Bayard figuratively failed to show up and Exira-EHK completely spanked them, turning a game that once teetered on a razor’s edge into a continuous clock blowout. 

So, another unbeaten and Top 10 ranked team bites the dust at the hands of Exira-EHK, this time the Spartans prevailing 49-12 over No. 7-ranked CRB.

“I don’t know what happened, but when they came out of the weight room (after the delay), they were a different team,” Exira-EHK head coach Tom Petersen said. “The eyes were different. I thought before the game, the kids were lethargic and not ready to go, and it carried over into the first half. But coming out of that room, there was something different about them, they sure were ready to go in the fourth quarter.”

At the end of three, Exira-EHK seemed to have the upper hand, holding a 35-12 lead before the weather delay kicked in.

But once play resumed, CRB carried a defeated demeanor, and Exira-EHK kept the pressure on in what amounted to a lopsided final score.

The Spartans defense forced back-to-back turnovers on downs at the beginning of the fourth quarter, and both led quickly to Exira-EHK touchdowns.

In the first half, CRB was able to keep a leash on Exira-EHK, and matched their physicality. As the game wore on, the Crusaders wore down, and the Spartans’ hits kept coming.

“We always try to emphasize physicality for four quarters, and our kids were physical for the most part,” coach Petersen says. “It was a physical game, but that is how it has to be if we are to be successful.”

Spartans’ junior quarterback Drew Peppers scored touchdowns on runs of 46, 15, 24, 43 and five yards to finish with five total scores, and racked up 232 yards rushing on 24 carries.

Trey Sander carried the ball 11 times for 94 yards and two touchdowns as well for the Spartans.

Friday night’s victory is the third time this season and second time in as many weeks Exira-EHK has faced an unbeaten and ranked opponent. In all three contests, the Spartans have distinctly prevailed as they’ve now sewn up a third straight district title.

“It’s a good win for us, but it’s not going to get any easier,” coach Petersen says. “We’re going next week to 6-1 Southwest Valley, so I told the guys they can enjoy this one until midnight and then…see you on Sunday.”

#iahsfb   #iowaprep   #exiraehkspartans

CAM FOOTBALL: Ticknor tallies 10 touchdowns as CAM stuns Lenox 80-58

Turnovers kill Lenox, Ticknor rolls up 500 yards of offense

By Drew Herron - NT Sports Editor / Oct. 5, 2013

LENOX – CAM junior quarterback Trace Ticknor passed for eight touchdowns and ran in for a pair to score an astounding 10 touchdowns Friday night.

It helped the Cougars stun Lenox with an 80-58 victory that shakes up the District 8 landscape and breathes new life into CAM’s 2013 season.

“This was a great team win for us, something we really needed,” CAM head coach Joe Wollum said afterwards.

Ticknor completed 13-of-19 pass attempts for 394 yards and eight touchdowns with his arm. Moreover, he carried the ball 20 times for 110 yards and two scores to rack up more than 500 yards of offense on his own.

A tightly contested bout in the first quarter broke loose in the second quarter, then snowballed CAM’s way in the third as the Cougars showed in deed that they are not about to bow out of playoff contention. With this victory that improves CAM to 3-4 overall and 3-2 in District 8, the Cougars have now likely earned a spot in the postseason.

Lenox led 22-16 after the first quarter before CAM turned the tables in the second to take a 44-36 lead into the half.  With one second remaining before halftime, CAM connected on a 32-yard touchdown pass from Trace Ticknor to Cole Johnson, and delivered a blow that lingered with Lenox.

The Tigers would not get back up, and imploded in the third quarter, surrendering 36 points in that frame alone that allowed CAM to reach 80 points.  Five turnovers spoiled Lenox’s mojo and fed the Cougars.

After halftimes, everything started rolling CAM’s way. The Cougars forced four fumbles, and capitalized on all four of them with touchdowns to pull away.

“The third quarter was a huge momentum swing for us,” coach Wollum says. “They put the ball on the ground four times, and we were able to take advantage of those opportunities.”

When the public address announcement came in the fourth quarter that across the district, Fremont-Mills had defeated front-runner Sidney, it sent more shockwaves across 8-Man Football in Southwest Iowa. 

Fremont-Mills now sits on top (4-0), though Sidney (3-1), Southwest Valley (4-1), CAM (3-2) and Lenox (3-3) all remain in the mix. CAM is set to meet Sidney in the season finale on Oct. 25, with a bye week prior. Before that, CAM will travel to Stanton, needing a victory over the 2-4 Vikings if they want the Sidney game to carry as much meaning.

Wollum says CAM won’t get caught looking ahead.

“Yea, you can throw our hat in the ring a little bit, but it all hinges on us beating Stanton (next week),” he says. “That’s where our focus needs to be now.”

#iahsfb   #camcougars   #iowaprep

CAM FOOTBALL: CAM carries playoff like stakes to field in Lenox Friday

Another crucial week in District 8 pits CAM and Lenox in what might amount to elimination game 

By Drew Herron - NT Sports Editor / October 4, 2013

ANITA – Last Friday, at the end of CAM’s Homecoming week, the Cougars picked up a 30-point victory that generated a number of positive things for the blue-and-silver.

Firstly, it was a win on Homecoming to scribe into the yearbook. Secondly, the Cougars think they might have found a permanent solution to their woes on the offensive line. And third, Cumberland-Anita-Massena kept its likelihood of reaching the playoffs alive for at least another week.

With three games left for the 2-4 Cougars (2-2 in District 8), every remaining week becomes a must-win, and thusly, a playoff-like mentality of do-or-die.

The urgency is not lost on this group at Cumberland-Anita-Massena.

“We’re approaching it like a playoff game,” head coach Joe Wollum says of Friday night’s game at Lenox (4-2/3-2).

“If we win this one, we’re going to be in a good position. If we don’t, then we are going to need to ask for a lot of help from some other teams. And you never want it to come down to that, you want to take care of your own destiny, and this is a game we need to win.”

The Cougars broke through for their second victory of the season last week, with a 66-36 win over Essex/South Page.

During practice leading up to the game with E/SP, CAM tinkered with its offensive line configuration, and Friday, those adjustments made a noticeable difference. Most notably in the running attack where senior tailback Dylan Amdor broke loose for 129 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries.

The Cougars also made some schematic adjustments that had Amdor taking direct snaps from center in a wildcat formation. It’s a quicker way to get the ball into the hands of the Cougars’ fastest player, more expedient than a quarterback handoff out of the shotgun, and CAM is trying to find new ways to move the ball effectively.

With freshman Brandon Flathers plugged in at center and Keegan Hosfelt moved to guard, CAM’s coaching staff feels it now has a more formidable front line, and Amdor’s rushing stats bears evidence to that.

“Dylan pointed it out right after the game, (the 122 yards and 2 TDs) is a credit to the offensive line,” coach Wollum says.

Wollum says the CAM defense took a step forward last week, but still allowed too many big plays that the Cougars will try to shore up moving forward. Also last week, CAM scored on both a punt return and a kick return as special teams units made their mark.

This week’s opponent is expected to bring another healthy ground attack, and addressing that is a priority for the Cougars.

CAM’s defense will be asked to stop the run, because so far, Lenox hasn’t experienced as much success with its passing attack. It makes for the traditional game plan that works to make the offense predictable and tries to drive them into uncomfortable situations.

The majority of the yards Lenox has been able to roll up have been on the back of junior running back Dustyn Rauch (25), who has 547 yards (7.4 YPC) and nine touchdowns this season on the ground.

“He’s a fast and shifty little back, and he can really get going in the open field,” coach Wollum says of Rauch. “He’s definitely one we need to try to sew up.”

Perhaps also on the line Friday at Lenox is the current playoff streak for CAM that dates back five years. It was 2007 the last time the Cougars did not qualify for the postseason, and keeping that string intact has also become a motivating factor for the Cougars.

“We want those banners to keep coming into the gym, and not have a gap on the wall,” coach Wollum says. “That’s been a focal point this week.”

RVC VOLLEYBALL: Spartans roll past CAM as they hope to make October push

By Drew Herron - NT Sports Editor / October 2, 2013

ANITA – The Spartans might just be turning a corner.

Exira-EHK Volleyball head coach Connie Wyatt certainly hopes so.

Exira-EHK rolled past Cumberland-Anita-Massena Tuesday night on the Cougars’ home court, taking the match in a clean sweep 25-10, 25-7 and 25-14.

 The win is the fifth in the last seven matches for Exira-EHK, as it works its way back to .500 after slumping through an eight-game losing streak and a troublesome week.

“I am very pleased with the way the girls are coming together, it’s good to have at this point of the season,” coach Wyatt says. “We’ve certainly had our struggles, but the girls are starting to learn from the mistakes we made earlier, so things are starting to come together right when we need it.”

Exira-EHK senior Adriel Hoflen led the Spartans with 12 kills and 11 digs in a solid all-around match. Moreover, the Spartans’ serving was especially effective in comparison to CAM as Exira-EHK had success on 58 of 60 attempts, led by junior

Brenna Juelsgaard’s 20-for-20 effort and four aces.

At the net, the Spartans exploited a height advantage, and rained down 47 kill attempts to 22 for CAM Tuesday night.

From the onset, Exira-EHK was intent on attacking at the net with its hitters.

“It’s a lot easier to finish a sweep when you aren’t facing a lot of blockers going up against your big hitters,” coach Wyatt says.  “There is no real excuse for not getting a quality hit when you don’t have strong blockers across from you. That’s when you want to take advantage of those opportunities.”

The Spartans also used a lot of misdirection up front, and changing of angles when laying down a kill attempt as well as the changing of the tempo of its offense.

This effort in particular is something coach Wyatt is hoping is part of an upwards trend for an Exira-EHK team that began the season ranked in the Top 15, but now sit with a 10-12 record with five matches remaining before Elk Horn hosts the inaugural Rolling Valley Conference Tournament on Thursday, Oct. 17.

That ought to be plenty of time for the Spartans to jell and peak, if the conditions are right.

“It’s nice to see them playing with a lot more confidence,” Wyatt says. “The whole season starts over once the playoffs start, and I am not real concerned with our wins and losses right now, as much as I am how we are playing when we get there (the playoffs).”