Panthers travel to Atlantic

Creston’s football team may be riding the high of last week’s 25-22 win over defending state champion Harlan, ranked first in southwest Iowa by KMA Radio and second on statewide polls in Class 3A, but there shouldn’t be an incentive issue for Friday’s trip to Atlantic.

At the end of the 2022 season, the Trojans not only spoiled Creston’s senior night and the chance for a 7-2 regular season record, but nearly knocked the Panthers out of the playoffs with a 26-21 road win. Creston quarterback Kyle Strider was tackled just 2 yards from the Atlantic goal line on the final play of the game.

When the RPI figures were calculated, Creston’s 4-0 non-district start in a 6-3 season proved to be enough to maintain a playoff berth, despite Atlantic nudging the Panthers for third place in the district. (State semifinal opponents Harlan and ADM placed first and second.)

Trojans start 2-3

With more than 20 seniors graduated from that Atlantic team, the young Trojans are off to a 2-3 start. The wins were 47-33 in week one over Clarke and a district victory at Knoxville last week, 20-17. Losses were to Glenwood (47-6), Greene County (41-6) and Winterset (21-0).

“They are a young football team that has been getting better every week,” Creston coach Brian Morrison said. “They also had a tough schedule and came out of it 2-3. They return an all-state receiver in Colton Rasmussen and their running back (Dante Hedrington) is back. They rely a lot on their sophomore and junior classes up front.”

In last year’s win at Creston, senior quarterback Caden Anderson completed 16 of 26 passes for 239 yards and three touchdowns, all to senior receiver Carter Pellett. Rasmussen had six catches for 63 yards in that game, finishing the season with 38 catches for 762 yards and 12 touchdowns. He averaged 20.1 yards per catch.

Atlantic’s defense last year held 1,300-yard rusher Brennan Hayes to 72 hard-fought yards in 19 carries.

The new Trojan quarterback is sophomore Zayden Parker. He has completed 39 of 71 passes for 547 yards with eight touchdowns and nine interceptions. Rasmussen has 13 catches for 175 yards with five touchdowns. Hedrington has carried 59 times for 299 yards and three TDs, while sharing the rushing load with sophomore Gavin McLaren, who has 330 yards on 42 carries.

The Trojan defense returns one of its leading tacklers from last year in senior Colton Becker with 28.5 tackles and four for losses this season. McLaren has five tackles for losses.

“They like to establish their run game with their powers, counters and tosses,” Morrison said. “The quarterback looks to have preset reads and he has good targets. Our secondary has played well against good receivers this season and they will have to continue that on Friday night. Rasmussen is a good one.”

The Panther defense bent late last Friday but didn’t break. On Harlan’s final fourth-down play, linebackers Lucas Travis and Lincoln Keeler slowed receiver Jozef Reisz before safety McCoy Haines shoved him out of bounds less than 2 yards from the first down at Creston’s 16-yard line.

Harlan preceded that final drive with a 97-yard march that tied the game, 22-22. The Panthers, with two interceptions in the game, established a 22-14 halftime lead.

“Our kids were resilient,” Morrison said. “When they tied it at 22, it took guts to get downfield for a field goal against one of the best defenses in the state. Then the defense responded with a stop when we had to have it. We did some good things, but there are things we can be more consistent with. We’re so close to being really good, and the kids see that on film.”

Improved preparation

One of the factors noted in a feature article on the new offensive look this week is the increased practice time each week in the platoon system, where players are playing only offense or defense. Practices are constructed to allow each unit extra time focusing on the upcoming opponent.

“In the past, on Tuesday and Wednesday one day was primarily focused on defense, and one on offense, besides the individual work,” Morrison said. “Now we have time to work on things every day. Our goal by the end of Thursday’s practice is for our (defensive) kids to have seen every pass route they run, their entire run scheme and every formation they have run in the first five weeks. It’s been really helpful on both sides of the ball.”

Projected starters

OFFENSE

WR — Brandon Briley, Sr., 150

WR — Tyler Riley, Jr., 125

TE — Carson Rieck, Sr., 160

TE — Josh Schaefer, Jr., 170

OT — Quinten Fuller, Sr., 230

G — Gunner Martwick, So., 220

C — Jagger Luther, Sr., 205

G — Tucker Rohrig, Sr., 225

OT — Brayden Schoon, Jr., 200

QB — Cael Turner, Jr., 165

RB — Brennan Hayes, Sr., 195

PK — Hayes

DEFENSE

DE — Max Chapman, Sr., 260

NT — Tom Mikkelsen, Fr., 210

DE — Jackson Kerr, Sr., 205

OLB — Milo Staver, Sr. 175

ILB — Will Bolinger, Sr., 175

ILB — Luke Travis, Jr., 180

OLB — Austin Evans, Sr., 160

CB — Dylan Calvin, Sr., 165

CB — Jack Walter, Sr., 170

S — Dillon Starlin, Sr., 125

S — McCoy Haines, Sr., 155

P — Turner