Panthers host Carroll Friday

Creston’s final non-district game is at home Friday as the Panthers hope to break into the win column against the Carroll Tigers.

Creston coach Brian Morrison said the Panthers have been working on shoring up the defense’s pass coverage and containment of the edges in the run game after Ballard amassed 502 yards of offense in last week’s 55-28 victory.

In scoring a season-high 28 points, the Panther offense showed some positive signs with 302 yards rushing, accumulated mostly by senior running back Weston Trapp with 295 yards on 31 carries.

In taking on 2-1 Carroll Friday, Morrison said his team has to sustain offensive possessions and create better field position. That’s been unfavorable in all three losses to Class 4A schools Winterset (now 2-1), Lewis Central (3-0) and Ballard (1-2).

“We have to clean up some things and put drives together,” Morrison said. “We’ve been giving teams short fields to score, and then we get backed up and have to drive 80 yards.”

The Panther coach said Monday’s lopsided JV victory over Ballard was a positive sign that players are improving.

“Kids are getting better,” Morrison said. “On the varsity level we just have to execute better. In our next six games I don’t think we will see another team like Lewis Central or another team like Ballard. Ballard was a preseason top 10 team and I can see why. They looked better in person than on tape. Their schedule is like ours, their losses were to very good teams in Pella and Humboldt, who are both 3-0.”

Carroll started the season with a 34-21 victory over Green County before suffering its only loss to Gilbert, 36-18. The Tigers bounced back last week in a dominant 45-3 triumph over Denison-Schleswig.

Carroll offense

Senior quarterback Carter Essick returns from last year’s 3-6 team that lost to Creston 50-21. While the Carroll offense relies heavy on the run game — only 28 total passes in three games — Essick has been capable with two touchdown strikes to Owen Klocke last week and a total of 375 yards for the season.

Running back Taidyn Peterson has been the workhorse, carrying 34 times for 393 yards and three touchdowns. He ran for 163 yards and two TDs last week.

“He’s a good one,” Morrison said. “He’s like the backs we’ve seen in the first three weeks, good speed and a physical kid.”

Flanker Reece Ziegmann has been a rushing and receiving threat with 157 yards on the ground and five catches for 143 yards. Klocke has a team-high 186 receiving yards on six catches.

“They run some wing counters and a jet sweep with their receivers, and the quarterback has some designed runs on powers and counters,” Morrison said. “They have some kids back from last year up front and they’re athletic.”

Trapp leads offense

Creston’s Trapp is the leading rusher in the game with 424 yards on 64 carries and two touchdowns. Tanner Ray has completed 36 of 67 passes for 352 yards with two TDs and six interceptions.

Seniors Casen Dryden (124 yards on 11 receptions) and Xander Drake (eight catches for 136 yards) have been the receiving leaders. Drake also returned a kickoff for an 85-yard touchdown against Ballard and threw a touchdown pass to Dryden.

Linebacker Lucas Travis leads the defense with 22 tackles, including three for losses. Lane Travis (15), Kal Barber (13) Davin Wallace (12) and Jake Hoyt (9.5) are other leading tacklers. Hoyt has the team’s lone interception.

Varsity kickoff is 7 p.m. Friday at Panther Field after the 4:15 p.m. freshman game.

The Panthers open district play next week at Harlan (2-1), which travels to 3-0 Sergeant Bluff-Luton on Friday.

Creston (0-3 , 0-0)

OFFENSE

T Brayden Schoon 6-3 235 Sr.

G Garrick Clausen 5-11 225 Jr.

C Mattias Schultes, 5-11 200 Sr.

G Gunner Martwick 6-1 230 Jr.

T Eli Schaffer 6-3 320 Sr.

WR Casen Dryden 5-7 140 Sr.

WR Xander Drake 5-8 155 Sr.

TE Josh Schaefer 6-1 180 Sr.

QB Tanner Ray 5-10 145 So.

RB Weston Trapp 5-11 185 Sr.

TE Ethan Holliday 6-2 200 Jr.

K Joaquin Flores 5-10 140 So.

DEFENSE

DL Tom Mikkelsen 6-0 220 So.

DL Jayden Myers 5-11 195 Sr.

DL Brayden Schoon 6-3 235 Sr. or Mattias Schultes 5-11 200 Sr.

OLB Jackson Pettegrew 5-10 170 Jr.

ILB Aiden Snodgrass 6-0 175 Sr.

ILB Lucas Travis 5-11 195 Sr.

OLB Kal Barber 5-9 165 Jr. or Tyson Looney 5-10 165 Sr.

CB Jake Hoyt 6-2 165 Sr.

CB Tyler Riley 5-5 140 Sr.

S Lane Travis 5-8 150 Jr.

S Davin Wallace 5-10 145 So.

P Weston Trapp 5-11 185 Sr. or Tanner Ray 5-10 145 So.