Rushing attacks collide on homecoming

Two potent rushing attacks will be on display Friday in Creston’s homecoming game as the Panthers host 5-1 Atlantic in the second week of district play.

Both teams got off to a 1-0 start in Class 3A District 6 last week as the Trojans defeated Knoxville, 56-21, and Creston gained its first win of the season at Harlan, 43-42.

The Panther offense had its best production of the season in as senior running back Weston Trapp set a school record for single-game rushing yards with 447 yards and six touchdowns on 40 carries. That’s the leading single-game total of the season in Iowa 11-man football, and ranks 10th all-time. It surpasses the previous school record and 13th-ranked Iowa total of 433 yards by Brennan Hayes against Knoxville in 2022.

The state record for 11-man football is 549 yards by Devin Tripp of Sioux Central against Le Mars Gehlen in 2014, just ahead of Tyler Moen’s 523 yards for Atlantic in 2019 against Shenandoah.

Creston coach Brian Morrison said last week’s game was a big step forward for the team’s offensive line, providing an opportunity for Trapp to break out the record-breaking performance. Trapp improved his season rushing total to 915 yards (third in 3A) and eight touchdowns.

“We improved in a lot of areas,” Morrison said. “We were physical up front against what I think is a pretty good defense. Part of it was we got into down and distance of second and short and third and short, not playing second and 15 because of a penalty. Weston’s runs were in between the tackles. He’s a tough runner, he’s explosive, and of those 447 yards, I would think half of those were after contact. We always knew he was a good one, playing as much as he did last year with a really good, experienced team. He was a big key to our success.”

Even with 42 points allowed, Morrison said the defense showed some improvement against Harlan in preparing for Atlantic’s Class 3A-leading rushing attack of 2,106 yards in six games.

“I thought for the most part we stopped the run game, which is their bread and butter,” Morrison said after the Panthers’ third straight win over Harlan. “That was our number one focus and we put them in some situations that were in our favor. The schedule we play in our non-district hopefully pans out for us. Those first four games, the speed and physicality of those games helped us against Harlan.”

Trojan rushing duo

Atlantic has attempted only 35 passes in six games, relying mostly on the duo of tailback Tyson O’Brien (Class 3A-leading 1,049 yards and seven touchdowns) and fullback Gavin McLaren (478 yards, 10 touchdowns).

“Atlantic returns a lot of kids up front,” Morrison said. “The offensive line is probably their best group of core-kids coming back. O’Brien is a good back. He’s a wrestler and a physical kid, more of the edge runner on the powers and sweeps. McLaren runs dives and the traps off the fake tosses as the fullback. He’s a fast kid and he’s 240 pounds so he’s a handful. We have to make sure we keep improving the physicality of the edge. Our outside backers did some good things last week.”

Creston has considerable more passing production this season than the Trojans. Sophomore quarterback Tanner Ray has completed 53 of 93 passes for 513 yards with three touchdowns and eight interceptions. Atlantic’s Tristan Hayes has 383 yards on 18 completions in 35 attempts, with six TDs and three interceptions.

Limiting turnovers was a key to Creston’s victory at Harlan, Morrison noted.

“We improved in a lot of areas, and one of those was not giving the other team good field position,” he said. “Tanner played a clean game and made good decisions. We made (Harlan) drive the field instead of giving it to them at the 40 every time. That wears on a team.”

One of Ray’s weapons in the varsity rotation isn’t available this week. Junior Seth Gordon, a regular wide receiver who has also helped in the secondary, suffered a knee injury last week. Senior Jake Hoyt returns in the secondary and defensive lineman Camden Smith is expected to make his return from a knee injury.

That’s a timely return, because defensive end Jayden Myers, also the team’s long-snapper, is on concussion protocol and unavailable Friday.

Beside’s last week’s win over Knoxville to open district play, the Trojans own victories of 48-30 over Council Bluffs Thomas Jefferson in week zero, 62-7 over Clarke, 35-34 over Glenwood and 21-17 against Greene County.

Common opponent

The lone Atlantic loss was 21-7 to a common opponent, Winterset, in week two. Winterset opened the season with a 31-6 victory over Creston.

“Those were similar games,” Morrison said. “Winterset defensively is a good team, with a shot to be in the (4A) playoffs. I think we are a different team now than in game one, by a long shot. It’s going to come down to two teams trying to get that second district win.”

The freshman teams kick off the homecoming football action at Panther Field at 4:15 p.m.

Creston (1-4, 1-0)

OFFENSE

T Brayden Schoon 6-3 235 Sr.

G Garrick Clausen 5-11 225 Jr.

C Chasse Downing 6-3 270 Jr.

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

DT Tom Mikkelsen 6-0 220 So.

DE Brayden Schoon 6-3 235 Sr

DE 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.