Panthers seek first win at Harlan

Two teams looking for their first district win will collide at Merrill Field in Harlan Friday night.

The host Cyclones (1-4 overall) and Creston Panthers (0-5) opened Class 3A district play with losses. Carroll topped Harlan, 33-28, as Creston fell 29-27 to Atlantic on homecoming after forging a dramatic fourth-quarter comeback to lead 27-23.

One thing the Panthers and Cyclones have in common is being battle-tested by strong non-district opponents. Harlan’s lone victory was 28-0 over an 0-5 Denison-Schleswig team. All three other non-district foes — Underwood (3-2), Glenwood (4-1) and Lewis Central (2-3) have received state ratings votes in their respective classes. (Underwood is in Class 1A, Glenwood and LC in 4A.)

Creston’s opponents have an ever better combined record (17-8) and three have been ranked early this season — Clarinda (4-1) in 2A, Des Moines Christian (4-1) in 3A and Glenwood (4-1) in 4A. The other opponent, Winterset, is 2-3.

Air attack

Harlan returns the district’s passing leader from 2024 at quarterback in senior Gabe Arkfeld, who passed for 1,787 yards and 17 touchdowns for the 6-4 Cyclones a year ago. This year he ranks fifth in Class 3A with 951 yards on 65 completions with nine touchdowns.

Creston junior Tanner Ray, the district’s only other returning starting quarterback, ranks sixth in 3A with 945 passing yards on 83 completions with two touchdowns. While Arkfeld has only run for 88 yards this season, Ray is a dual threat with a team-high 479 yards rushing on 64 carries.

Creston running back Jackson Pettegrew has accumulated 439 rushing yards and nine TDs. Harlan’s leading ground-gainer is senior Ayden Redmon with 194 yards on 39 attempts.

“When you look at their stats, Harlan wants to throw the football,” Creston coach Brian Morrison said. “Arkfeld is the best quarterback we’ll see all year. He’s an all-state type kid.”

The Cyclone receiving corps is deep, as seven targets have five catches or more this season. Wideout Landon Nihsen has a team-high 278 yards and three touchdowns on 13 catches. Tight end Colton Schneider has 18 catches for 226 yards and three TDs. Receiver Cade Nelson has 172 yards and one TD on 12 catches.

“They are scoring off big plays,” Morrison said. “They take some vertical shots for chunk yardage. But they’re still Harlan; they want to win first down and set themselves up in favorable second and third down situations.”

Anthony Donahoo, former Southwest Valley head coach and coach and teacher in Creston, is Harlan’s activities director and has returned to coaching this fall as the team’s running backs coach under head coach Todd Bladt.

Harlan’s scheme is set up to protect Arkfeld in the pocket from extra pressure by the defense.

“Harlan will max protect a ton,” Morrison said. “In their I-formation, you’ll see maybe two (pass) routes and they’ll keep two backs in to block. That’s why it’s always tough to get pressure on them. But we can’t stand flat-footed and let him throw. We have to get pressure on him.”

Middle linebacker Brody Bendorf has been Harlan’s defensive leader to date with 34.0 tackles.

Defensive injuries

Creston’s defense has a couple of injury situations causing some lineup changes. With safety David Sandoval out with a hip ailment, Davin Wallace moves back to safety where he started this season. Junior Zadek Engdahl will get the start at cornerback.

Junior defensive lineman Hayden Levine, who filled in when Ethan Holliday had to miss some action with a leg injury, will be called on again this week as defensive end Blake Hayes suffered a hyper-extended elbow. Hayes is doubtful for this week, Morrison said.

On the positive side, Morrison said the Panthers showed improvement in several areas last week in nearly completing a successful comeback from a 23-13 deficit against Atlantic. The Panthers seized a 27-23 lead until Atlantic’s successful touchdown pass on the game’s final play.

“Everyone looks at the last play, but we were in position there and their receiver made a good play on a ball that was right on the spot by their quarterback,” Morrison said. “There were a lot of what-ifs throughout the game. Atlantic came in and wanted to eat clock and keep our offense off the field. I think once we got on the field and got a taste of the physicality of a game like that, we did a much better job every series of getting the ball back to our offense to give us a chance in the fourth quarter. I thought the Atlantic game was our best game of the season, and we have to continue to get better this week.”

Greene County (4-1, 1-0 district) hosts Carroll (2-3, 1-0) in a key District 6 game this week, and Perry (0-5, 0-1) plays at Atlantic (3-2, 1-0).

Creston (0-5, 0-1)

OFFENSE

T Garrick Clausen 5-10 225 Sr.

G Michael Wofford 6-0 200 Jr.

C Chasse Downing 6-4 270 Sr.

G Gunner Martwick 6-1 250 Sr.

T Layne Sand 6-5 235 Jr.

WR Jace Purdum 6-1 170 Jr.

WR Seth Gordon 5-8 160 Sr.

TE Jameson McDonald 6-1 185 Sr.

TE Rhett Driskell 6-3 190 Jr.

QB Tanner Ray 6-0 155 Jr.

RB Jackson Pettegrew 5-10 180 Sr.

K Joaquin Flores 6-0 160 Jr.

DEFENSE

DT Tom Mikkelsen 6-1 210 Jr.

DE Ethan Holliday 6-2 200 Sr.

DE Hayden Levine 5-11 190 Jr.

OLB Coltyr Frey 5-9 160 Jr.

ILB Colby Brammer 5-6 160 Jr.

ILB Kal Barber 5-8 160 Sr.

OLB Brodrick Phelps 5-11 160 Sr.

CB Zadek Engdahl 5-9 145 So.

CB Casen Scarberry 5-10 160 Jr.

S Lane Travis 5-8 160 Sr.

S Davin Wallace 5-8 170 Jr.

P Joaquin Flores 6-0 160 Jr.