The Score Football Preview- Iowa Big Schools

■ Camille has joined us and we're gonna talk Iowa high school football. And I always like to think it's the Mac. It's not the Mac. It hasn't been the Mac for a number of years, but I always think it is the Mac and it's easy. A lot of it's always gonna be the Mac test. So let's start with one of the teams that was one of the best in state of Iowa last year, ranked number one at one point. That was Pleasant Valley. Yeah, special season for the Spartans last year. They go undefeated and then thet that home playoff game in the ft round and they fall in the first round. Kind of surprising. But when you have a school like West Des Moines, Dowling come i, it's a school that people maybe the record wasn't great, but it's one of those schools that is always a really good football t. They came in, surprised in Pleasant Valley and they lost a special senior class. They lost a lot of guys that are going to be playing football on Sundays at either Division One level, division two level, all that kind of stuff. So they have a lot to replace. But Rusty's excited about that , how good they can be. Hoy Kipper got some time at quarterback. He's got to replace McDermott from last year, but has a great knowledge of the systems in it for a while. Joey Van Wetzinga. They lose. Rusty's rusty Junior, but not really junior, but well, Rusty. And Joey's just absolutely blow. He's been fantastic. He's going to the University of Iowa as well. I think he's going to have a special season. They got athletes in the backfi. The Lion boys are back in the backfield, so it should be a good season. They have a really tough schedu. They will be battle tested when it comes to the postseason this year because they're ready for anybo. Their best shot when it comes to the season. So but their first game is, is an interesting one because it's over at Bettendorf. So I don't think in my 22 years doing this and that they've ever had a weak opening game between. I can't think of Bettendorf and Pleasant Valley and you visited Bettendorf this week. Not making the playoffs isn't acceptable over at Bettendorf and that's what happened last year. Yeah, absolutely. I went over there last week. Coach Aaron Wiley honestly was super blunt and he was like last year was unacceptable. He's very, I mean, I think I asked him so how did you think last year when he was like, oh, it was terrible. I mean, you know, he, he didn't sugarcoat it. They know three and six isn't the standard of Edendorf. But good news for them. They returned. Charlie Zimmerman, he's now a senior. When I talked to him, he did talk a lot about Elijah Mendoza was his number one guy last yea. So he's still kind of trying to find his number one guy this ye. But he did say he feels like compared to last year, they had a lot of depth of the e receiver and running back posit, so that could potentially hopefully help them make the playoffs. This year you got North Scott when it comes to those power hos in the Iowa side of the river ad North Scott reloads once again. Yeah, and Kevin Tippin, when he took over the job a number of years ago, he said. We want to be one of those teams that they talk about every year in the state. And they have been. I mean, they made it to the Domr a second time in the past three years. Didn't win that game against Xa, but played a pretty good game. They won the game against Waver, Shell Rock. To get there was kind of surpri, Not themselves, but a lot of pee outside state or outside the ar. One thing that they have is Kyler Girardi. He's back. He's he's a Division One commit to North North Dakota State brings with him 2800 yards from last year over 30 touchdowns. It's a great starting place on the offense. Their problem is they lost a lot of their skill guys. They lost their running back. So they're trying to figure some of those things out right . And on the defensive side of the ball, when you when you lose a Borched you lose a J Peterson and againe guys that they're trying to figure out, but the one thing they have is that they have a lot of those juniors that were backup roles. They're ready to fulfill those spots this year, Coach Tippa sa. Don't be surprised if they won a district this year. I went to visit Assumption and t was another talk about another not acceptable, like they didn't make the postseason last year. And you look at the big picture, you're kind of surprised because it's a tough district that they play in now, but they haven't made the postseason 3 the last five years. And so, but this is a group that they're rey excited about, familiar names. Timmons is back. Angelo Jackson's back as well. Bauer Caspers is back. So they have those talented kids they've been kind of pointing to for this year. It should be a good season for Assumption. I'm excited about the nights. I think they're going to have ad season. They'll be back in the postseason and just see how good they can . Maybe one of the best players in the conference is down in Musca. I know you went down there. Ty Kozad is going to get all the headlines, absolutely and deservedly so. He was the leading rusher in Class 5A. He was the person who had the mt yards from scrimmage last year as well and everybody knew he was going to get the ball and he still did what s able to do and he's starting tot some Division One scholarship offers. I think he's he's up to 30 right now. He's starting to fill things ou. But they're going to start with starting to end with Tyco's AT. We each visited a Davenport public school. I'll start with you at West because a special season, but a lot of change since last . Absolutely. They're winning a sn in program history, right. Seven wins. But they have a new head coach. I mean Dominic Young. None, excuse me, was an assista. I think he said two or three ye. So a lot of the kids talked about the transition. They said it's the transition's really been great. And a good thing for them is they're not having a guy that came from maybe a rival school, but they're having someone that was already on the staff. So the transition's been pretty smooth. One thing Coach really talked about is, yes, last season was great, but let's create our own identity this year. So I think that's something they're really focusing on. They lose Brady Hansen, a senior quarterback last year that I think had 23 touchdowns. I mean a lot. But they have a senior quarterbk this year too. Luke who they're expecting a lot from as well. I know we're down Port N obviously they lose. Nolan Moser 3 year starter there went onto the division two leve. They're trying to figure out quarterback right now but they e 24 seniors and Adam Hyde is very excited about this group and thr schedule is very favorable this year. Davenport Central, A big coachig staff of familiar names and I tk they said up to 15 assistant cos Alex Berg took over last year. They only won a game. But it's kind of that formula where a lot of young kids played a lot of football last year. They expect to take that next step this year and maybe another step after that. So we'll see what they can do this year. But I know they're expecting toe a step forward when it comes tow they can do in district play and then maybe in the postseason as well. So a couple teams we didn't talk a lot about central to what made the postseason last year. Expect them to be good once aga. We have a preview of them on our website wqd.com and also Clinton as wel. I know you went up to Clinton, another team looking to build after a slow season last year. That one you can find on our wee wqd.com as well. So we've hit halftime. So ahead we're gonna talk some l school football on the Illinois side. That's coming up next on The Score Sunday.