Game On - Fall 2024. The fall media guide for high school sports at Gilbert Schools in Gilbert, Iowa.
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MEMBERS OF THE 2024 GILBERT BOYS CROSS COUNTRY TEAM include (front row, left to right) Judson Hatfield, John Artz, Emrick Ryan, Adrian Wallace, Aldo Schwartz, Jacob Tallman, Liam Trampel. Wyatt Jones, Sam Kuennen, Jace Tickle, (middle) Will Soupir, Nick Staudt, Andrew Soupir, Grant Johnson, Matt Melody, Logan Bleich, Cam Zehr, Elijah Dahlstrom, (back) Emmett Barber, Carson Squiers, Landon Lucht, Jordan Martinek, Coach Troy Staudt, Coach Aaron Thomas, Emerson Congdon, Cole Kaptur, Zeke Hatfield, and Charlie Mortimer. Team members not pictured include Preston Stensland, Charlie Reich, Clark Savage, Benji Lenz, Jack McCaughey, Daniel May, and Manager Lucas Anderson.
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F or Aaron Thomas, it’s a one for the thumb kind of fall. Oh, you better believe even saying that out loud in his presence would cause the longtime Gilbert boys cross country coach to turn crimson in the face, and there’s a better chance he’d stand and scream “I’M GOING TO DISNEY WORLD!” in a crowded gymna- sium than there would be of him ever mentioning the thumb pos- sibility. Fixating on past successes and talking about them just isn’t his style. Never has been, never will be. But it’s impossible to deny the potential for his program this fall. With four previous state championships under his belt, Thomas has the talent at his disposal to chase a fifth crown in 2024. A fifth championship ring. This one for the thumb, just in case you were confused earlier. He knows it. His athletes know it. The entire cross coun-
try community across the state knows it. So it may as well be acknowledged. “Obviously, (the goal) is to re- peat,” Thomas, who guided the Tigers to their fourth-ever state title a season ago, said. “The guys are going to say that and, realistically, that should be the goal when you bring five of seven guys back.” The hunter versus the hunted — there is a difference. At this time in 2023, Gilbert was the hunter, looking to chase down behemoth Pella, which entered the campaign as the clear fa- vorite to win a second consecu- tive 3A championship. As the season progressed though, Gil- bert showed it had the moxie and talent to stare down the Dutch. And when the state meet rolled around, well, it was a duel that will be talked about for years. Gilbert put two runners in the top 10, three in the top 12, and four in the top 15. Pella coun- tered with the individual gold
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and bronze medalists, and three in the top 11. It was undoubtedly the top 3A showdown since the state moved to four classes earlier this century. And when all of the calculations were made, the Tigers prevailed by only six points, 57-63. Third-place Council Bluffs Lewis Central was well back with 100 points. More than nine months later, Thomas is still somewhat speechless when he’s asked about that memorable chilly day at Lakeside Golf Course in Fort Doge. For Pella to compile only 63 points and not win? That’s a stunner. But that’s how good the Tigers were. “The craziness is we had four kids in the top 15 and still only won by six points,” Thomas said. “It was definitely a special day of the kids putting it to- gether. I’m not sure I have the words for it, honestly.” And the two teams are poised to potentially put on a similar show in 2024, although now the roles are reversed. Pella is undoubtedly the hunter. And it’s Gilbert who will be at the top of every team’s scouting report. Thomas says it’s similar to the 2018 season when the Tigers were looking to defend the title they won the previous season. They accom-
plished their goal, but it wasn’t easy and it wasn’t always fun. He looks to learn from that as he navigates his student-ath- letes through the next few months. “In 2018, we knew we won it in 2017 and returned a lot of kids, but I think we almost fix- ated on that,” he said. “We won it (in 2018), but it wasn’t as much of a celebration as it was an exhale. So this year, we haven’t really discussed it. In- stead, as we get into the official start of the season, we’re really putting the focus on how can we get better and what can we do, and less about what other teams are doing.” Enough with the preamble. Let’s get into exactly what Gil- bert has because — oh, baby — it’s a lot. Look no further than the triple threat the Tigers have at the top of the lineup — arguably the best in 3A. After magical freshman sea- sons in which they both placed in the top 10 at the state meet, sophomores Logan Bleich and Jacob Tallman are focused on taking that next step to contend with the best individuals the state has to offer. And right on their heels is junior Carson Squiers, who Thomas says con- tinues to close that gap be- tween his teammates. Bleich, who entered his high
school career a season ago with great expectations from the outside and yet somehow lived up to every single one of them, will again be the catalyst. The 2023 Raccoon River Confer- ence and 3A State Qualifying Meet individual champion will look to continue his quest to- ward the top of the statewide leaderboard. His 15:55.60 was good enough for eighth at state a season ago and it’s the sixth- fastest 5K time ever run by a Gilbert boy. Bleich carries many goals in his back pocket. He wants to be an individual state champion. He’d like to someday chase down Thomas Pollard’s school record time of 15:04. But in the present, he’s focused on simply being a leader for a team that has visions of repeating. “He’s excited and he likes to be challenged,” Thomas said of Bleich. “He has a lot better feel this year for what the goal is each day.” Bleich will get his chance to chase down the state’s best early in the season too. Gilbert will go head-to-head with Pella twice in a nine-day span in Sep- tember, which means he’ll see defending 3A champion Canaan Dunham twice as well. “Logan is someone who will be excited knowing he gets to race Dunham twice in the first three meets,” Thomas said. “He likes that, he doesn’t shy away
THE RECORDS Gilbert Boys Cross Country
State Qualifying Teams (29) Years and Place •1981: 13th •2005: 14th •1982: 2nd •2007: 12th •1983: 16th •2010: 8th •1986: 16th •2011: 2nd •1987: 9th •2012: 3rd •1989: 12th •2013: 2nd •1990: 15th • 2014: 1st •1991: 8th •2015: 7th •1992: 5th •2016: 4th •1993: 2nd • 2017: 1st •1994: 8th • 2018: 1st •1995: 14th •2019: 6th •1996: 14th •2022: 7th •1999: 15th • 2023: 1st •2003: 13th State Champions (Individual) •2014: Thomas Pollard Individual All-Time Best Times 5K
Name
Year
Time 15:04 15:20 15:26 15:36 15:37 15:43 15:46 15:50 15:52 15:52
Thomas Pollard 2014 Thomas Pollard 2013 Thomas Pollard 2012 Thomas Pollard 2012 Thomas Pollard 2014 Thomas Pollard 2014
Wesley Greder Logan Bleich
2012 2023
William Wadsley 2022
Mason Powers
2011
from it.” Besides, Bleich gets chal- lenged plenty every day in prac- tice by Tallman, who also broke 16 minutes en route to a ninth- place finish at state in 2023. Quiet by nature, Tallman pos- Other Numbers •Conference Titles (Team): 15 •Conference Titles (Individual): 12 •District/SQM Titles (Team): 14 •District/SQM Titles (Individual): 8 •All-State (Individual): 21 •State Qualifiers (Individual): 74 •4-Time State Participants (Indiv): 11
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sesses a massive talent that could make him one of the best in 3A as well. “Seeing him this summer, there are certain workouts that he did last year that were really good, but now those same things just look a lot easier,” Thomas said of Tallman. “He’s primed to take that leap just like Logan.” Two front-runners would make any coach smile, and yet Gilbert has three of them with Squiers. He was just 10 seconds behind Tallman in the 12th position at state, and he could very well give the Tigers three runners that can break 16 minutes. “He doesn’t always say a lot, but when we’re doing workouts, he’s smart and quick to under- stand the goal and attacking it,” Thomas said of Squiers. “I kind of envision those three running together. There isn’t too much of a gap.” And now let’s talk about Em- mett Barber, a senior who was the surprise of the 2023 state meet. Regularly the team’s No. 5 or 6 a season ago, Barber put it all together over those 5,000 meters to devour his previous best time. His clocking of 16:18.50 put him in the top 15 and on the medal podium. Quite honestly, it was his performance that allowed the Tigers to get by Pella. Thomas says Barber wasn’t a
one-hit wonder either. He’s proven that in workouts leading up to the 2024 season. “At the state meet, something clicked for him and he’s all- state,” Thomas said. “For Em- mett, that unlocked what he can do and he’s taken a step up.” Also returning is junior Pres- ton Stensland, a varsity stalwart over each of the past two sea- sons who was 45th at state a season ago. And don’t forget Emrick Ryan, a junior who was on the Tigers’ roster that won the 2023 Raccoon River Con- ference championship by 18 points. Thomas thinks sophomore Liam Trampel and senior John Artz could push for varsity time as well. If you’re wondering what all of this means, it’s this — Gilbert is going to be good again. Very good. Very, very good. Hey, don’t believe us. Believe Thomas. “I think, potentially, we can be better than last year just from a standpoint of our top three last year were two freshmen and a sophomore,” he said. “From a physical maturation, they’re going to be better. There’s the potential to really put something special together.” Winning a second straight conference championship will
Seniors Aldo Schwartz, Nick Staudt, John Artz, An- drew Sou- pir, Emmett Barber, Tristan Limoges, Zeke Hatfield, and Charlie Mor- timer.
be a goal, but it’s a meet the Tigers have always looked at more from a strategic stand- point. It’s more about preparing for the postseason than it is to celebrate. But that takes us to the post- season. If healthy, Gilbert could very well be the team to beat in 3A. Led by Dunham, Pella brings back five of its seven runners from a season ago as well. However, the Dutch did lose 2023 third-place finisher to Nathan VanderWaal to gradu- ation. Thomas also sees Mount Ver- non-Lisbon as a team that could potentially make noise. It was eighth a season ago and re- turns its entire lineup. The coach also thinks Des Moines Christian will be formidable. The Lions bump up a class after winning back-to-back 2A
crowns in 2022 and 2023, but they saw three runners depart, two of whom were in the top 10 at state. Which brings us back to Gil- bert and Pella, Pella and Gil- bert. Will we see another showdown later this fall? “I know (Pella head coach) Doug (Cutler) well and have a ton of respect for him,” Thomas said. “I’m sure he’s looking at his group and trying to figure out where they can make up that gap and what they can do to get back to that top spot. So it should be fun.” Understated to perfection, Coach Thomas.
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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3: WEBSTER CITY INVITE Information: At Webster City Links Golf Course, 5 p.m.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3: GILBERT INVITE Information: At Iowa State University XC Course, 5 p.m.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21: HEARTLAND CLASSIC Information: At Central College XC Course, Pella, 9 a.m.
Name
Gr.
Name
Gr.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26: INDIANOLA INVITE Information: At Pickard Park, 4:30 p.m.
John Artz
Sr Sr Sr Sr Sr Sr Sr Sr
Liam Trampel Adrian Wallace Elijah Dahlstrom Judson Hatfield Jack McCaughey Cam Zehr
So So So
Emmett Barber Zeke Hatfield Tristan Limoges Charlie Mortimer Aldo Schwartz Andrew Soupir Nicholas Staudt Emerson Congdon
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 30: NEVADA INVITE Information: At Hickory Grove Park, 5 p.m.
Fr Fr Fr Fr Fr
Matt Melody Clark Savage
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 5: STEVE JOHNSON INVITE Information: At Wartburg College XC Course, Waverly, 10 a.m.
Jr Jr Jr Jr Jr Jr Jr Jr
Cole Kaptur Landon Lucht Daniel May Emrick Ryan
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10: AT BOONE INVITE Information: At Cedar Pointe Golf Course, 5 p.m.
William Soupir Carson Squiers Preston Stensland Lucas Anderson Logan Bleich Grant Johnson Wyatt Jones Sam Kuennen Benjamin Lenz Jordan Martinek Charlie Reich Jacob Tallman
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15: RACCOON RIVER CONFERENCE MEET Information: At Ballard Golf and Country Club, Huxley, 5 p.m.
So So So So So So So So So So
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23: CLASS 3A STATE QUALIFYING MEET Information: At TBA, 4 p.m.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1: STATE MEET Information: At Lakeside Golf Course, Fort Dodge, 10:30 a.m.
DID YOU KNOW? Thomas Pollard owns the three fastest times ever run by a Gilbert XC member at the state meet.
—Emmett Barber was 1 of 4 all- state runners for Gilbert in 2023.
Jace Tickle
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MEMBERS OF THE 2024 GILBERT VARSITY FOOTBALL TEAM include (front row, left to right) Isaac Holtan, Gabe Hicks, Cooper Mitchell, Parker Cox-Struble, Hudson Stephens, Landon Witek, Drew Chapman, Estan Buttery, Jakoby Cesler, John Beards- ley, Gabe Angus, Logan Nelson, (second row) Teddy Pistilli, Cooper Arkovich, Coach Joe Drzycimski, Coach Cale Jensen, Coach Jeff Cesler, Coach Jeff South, Coach Graham Lundt, Coach Jake Hanson, Coach Everett Charlson, Coach Randy Sniezek, Gabe Charlson, Korbin Cesler, (third row) Sam Hallson, Holden Hibbs, Coach Greg Hawthorne, Coach Bear Green, Coach Mike Kruse, Coach Nate Graham, Coach Jared Gescheidler, Coach Caleb Van Cleave, Coach Andy Moore, Connor Castro, Micah Leyva, Ethan Rash, (fourth row) Brandon Terry, Ethan Wilcox, Wyatt Pink, Nolan Zehr, Mason Griffin, Cody Puck, Holden Boshart, Tate Larson, Tayshawn Gillen, Aidan Rash, Braeden Nees, (fifth row) Jaxon Lewis, John Hales, Bo Kruse, Zach Noe, Evan Goetz, Tyler Beach, Josh Baldwin, Danny Buss, Paul Marpe, Ean Eldred, Gabe Fierce, Blake Bell, (back row) Connor Rash, Owen Mattson, Davis Cowan, Connor Mattson, Will Hawthorne, Trent Wessellman, Kyler Grooters, Mylze Peterson, Ayden Folk- erts, Marcus Jacob, Easton VanCleave, and Alden Short.
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T he difference between decided by less than one inch gained on fourth down, or one pass into the end zone off the wide receiver’s fingertips and into the arms of the defensive back, or one shoestring that slips out of a linebacker’s fingers that turns a run for no gain into a long-distance touch- down. You could go on and on with the examples. winning and losing can of- tentimes be razor thin. On the football field, it can be Gilbert’s 1-8 season in 2022 and 6-3 season in 2023 fit into that razor thin category when you sit down and dissect things. There was the 26-point fourth- quarter outburst by Creston, the late long-distance field goal into the wind and rain by Nevada, and the overtime tussle against Algona in 2022 — all three losses. On the flip side, there was the goal-line fumble recov- ery in the final moments against Dallas Center-Grimes, another late-game fumble latched onto against Carroll, and the mighty exhale of a field goal by Owen Mattson at the end of regulation against Carlisle in 2023 — all wins. And maybe now you under- stand why Gilbert head coach Graham Lundt very rarely fix- ates on the final score, not at this point in his career anyway. Now in his fifth year in charge of the Tigers and his eighth overall
John Hales, Ethan Wilcox, Nolan Zehr, Cooper Arkovich, Braeden Nees, Wyatt Pink, Danny Buss, Evan Goetz, Zach Noe, Connor Rash, Mylze Peterson, Will Hawthorne, Alden Short, Owen Mattson, and Bowen Kruse.
as a head coach, Lundt instead focuses on the process. What can his student-athletes do on a daily basis to become better players? What can they do on a daily basis to become better leaders? What can they do on a daily basis to become better human beings? It all matters — in the micro and the macro. “Truly, I think about how do we do everything we can to focus on everything other than the final score?” Lundt asked rhetorically. “What I understand now, and you truly can’t under- stand this until you have kids of your own, is that I’m entrusted
with 90 boys that are the prized possessions of their moms and dads, so how do we continue to give opportunities for our young men to grow into becoming better football players, better servers, better leaders? Yes, I want to win and I would love to hang banners. But the more im- portant piece is how am I treat- ing them and how am I helping them handle adversity?” Lundt has experienced plenty of ups and downs in the last few seasons. Seventeen losses in 18 games during the 2021 and 2022 seasons, followed by last fall’s resurgence that included a 6-0 start to the season. It. All. Matters.
“The greatest thing to happen in my coaching career is going 0-9, and the second-best thing was going 1-8,” Lundt said. “Be- cause you learn a lot more from losing than winning. Going into last season, we stuck our foot in the ground and said we’re going to do everything we can to com- pete.” It’s that type of mentality that earns trust from players and makes them want to run through a brick wall for you. And a season ago, the Tigers ran through a number of metaphori- cal brick walls during their first season in Class 4A. Some of those same brick walls remain firmly in place for
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RETURNING LEADERS Gilbert Football
Rushing
Name Att Yds YPC TD Will Hawthorne 131 774 5.9 7 Connor Rash* 95 327 3.4 6 Tayshawn Gillen 40 189 4.7 1 Wyatt Pink 31 148 4.8 1 Gabe Fierce 12 91 7.6 0 Blake Bell 6 46 7.7 0 Ethan Wilcox 2 16 8.0 1 Holden Boshart 2 12 6.0 0
Passing
Name
ComAtt Yds. TD
Connor Rash* 43 100 756
9
Receiving
Name Rec Yds YPC TD Will Hawthorne 12 320 26.7 4 Ean Eldred 20 268 13.4 3 Alden Short 4 77 19.3 1 Gabe Fierce 4 55 13.8 1 Wyatt Pink 3 36 12.0 0 Name Tot So TFL Sks Will Hawthorne 63 46 10 4 1 ⁄ 2 Bown Kruse 40 25 7 1 ⁄ 2 4 1 ⁄ 2 Alden Short 31 18 2 1 ⁄ 2 0 Tayshawn Gillen 29 22 12 1 ⁄ 2 8 Braeden Nees 25 1 ⁄ 2 17 3 0 Easton VanCleave 10 5 4 1 ⁄ 2 1 1 ⁄ 2 Blake Bell 7 1 ⁄ 2 5 0 0 Mason Griffin 7 1 ⁄ 2 4 3 1 ⁄ 2 0 Gabe Fierce 5 5 0 0 Connor Rash* 2 2 0 0 Nolan Zehr 2 2 1 0 Ethan Wilcox 2 1 0 0 Owen Mattson 1 1 ⁄ 2 1 0 0 Connor Castro 1 1 ⁄ 2 1 1 0 Jet Berger 1 0 1 ⁄ 2 1 ⁄ 2 Danny Buss 1 1 1 1 Tate Larson 1 1 0 0 Noah Burger 1 ⁄ 2 0 0 0 Kyler Grooters 1 ⁄ 2 0 1 ⁄ 2 1 ⁄ 2 Tackles
Nate Graham, Joe Drzycimski, Jeff South, Jeff Cesler, Graham Lundt, Jake Hanson, Cale Jensen, Randy Sniezek, Jared Gescheidler, Andy Moore, Ron Green, Everett Charlson, Greg Hawthorne, Caleb VanCleave, and Mike Kruse.
the 2024 season, and Gilbert will attempt to knock them down again. The difference this sea- son is it won’t come as a sur- prise to anyone if it happens. Lundt might not to talk a great deal about wins and losses, but the simple truth is the Tigers have the experience and talent to generate quite a bit of suc- cess over the next few months. Will that translate into a trip to the state playoffs, the program’s first in a non-COVID year since 2015? Lundt’s not about to make any promises, or even talk about the potential for that matter.
“I don’t think I’ve mentioned the word playoffs to (the players) and I’m not going to,” he said. “Think about this, we already have less than 100 days of promised football. Pick any football program, they can only promise you three months, which is crazy. After those promised days, we’d really like to add seven more days to that. To do that, we know we have to win more than we lose.” The schedule — non-district games against Dallas Center- Grimes, Carroll, Mason City and Boone, followed by district contests against Des Moines Hoover, Carlisle, Bondurant-
Farrar, Newton and Pella — matches last season’s slate. Sure, each of the foes will look different — some for the better and some for the worse — but so will the Tigers. There could and probably will be a number of close games. Execution will matter. Small de- tails will matter. Exactly how it should be. “We could play in eight one- possession games this year, we really could, and we’re probably not going to win them all,” Lundt said. “But there’s a belief, there’s an expectation, and that’s exciting.”
*Will miss the entire 2024 season due to a knee injury sustained in late February
Gilbert’s advantage is that it will return a number of starters on both sides of the ball, players that have only gotten
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better with a year of maturation. How the Tigers’ flexbone of- fense moves the ball and con- trols the clock will depend on a number of moving parts, and the line — the big skills, as Lundt refers to them — will play a major role. Mason Griffin (guard), Danny Buss (tackle), Easton VanCleave (guard), and Gabe Fierce (tight end) all either started or saw minutes a season ago. Trent Wessel- mann, Evan Goetz, and John Hales are all in line for playing time as well. “The offensive line is the cor- nerstone of any program and we are counting on (that group) to lead our team,” Lundt said. “The mentality of that big skills group was the strength of our team last year. That same group will have that same men- tality, and now they’ve got ex- perience and a few more tools in the toolbox to work with.” The big boys opened up run- ning lanes for 1,803 yards a season ago, and 1,622 of them return this fall. Iowa State commit Will Haw- thorne churned out 774 yards and scored seven touchdowns a season ago, and this fall he’s bigger and significantly faster than he was as a junior. Fellow halfback Tayshawn Gillen added 189 yards and a score, and he is poised to have a breakout junior season.
It would be simple for a coach to jump aboard the Hawthorne train and go for a ride, and many would do exactly that, but Lundt says his all-state candi- date will be just one piece of the offensive puzzle. “I’d like to see how we can get Will, at maximum, 75 percent of the offensive snaps because he’s not stepping off the field on defense,” Lundt said. “Will is in- credible, but we think the stable is full behind him. Tayshawn is really good. Blake Bell is really good. Wyatt Pink, Gabe Fierce, Ethan Wilcox ... and we can only play two running backs.” The glaring omission is senior quarterback Connor Rash, who will be sidelined throughout the season following a knee injury in late February. Rash had hoped to return at some point during the season, but Lundt says his boisterous leader will only be able to watch this fall. The 327 yards rushing, 756 yards passing, and 15 com- bined touchdowns he accrued last season will be missed. “My heart breaks that he’s got to go through this,” Lundt said of Rash. “On the positive, he gets to go through this with a great family, a team that cares about him, and a school that cares about him.” Gilbert will rely on another Rash to take the snaps and di- rect the offense in junior quar- terback Ethan Rash. A natural
at running the flexbone, Ethan Rash also has a pretty good player-coach to learn from in his very own cousin. “With his cousin being the guy, that has given Connor a role to connect on to,” Lundt said. “It’s not just a teammate, it’s a family member that is going to be taking the snaps. Ethan is the exact opposite of Connor — he’s steady Eddy — and for what is asked of the po-
sition, Ethan has a skill set to be successful in there.” He’ll have plenty of targets to throw to as well. Hawthorne and Ean Eldred combined for nearly 600 receiving yards and seven TDs a season ago. Fierce, Pink, and Alden Short combined for 11 more catches. Gilbert averaged 22.8 points per game a season ago and this team has the weapons to
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improve upon that in 2024. That would be music to the ears of the defense, which should be equally strong this fall. Hawthorne, who will play linebacker at the next level, is the focal point for a unit that al- lowed 15 points or less in each of its first five games a season ago. He collected 63 total tack- les, including 10 for a loss, and 4 1 ⁄ 2 sacks as a junior. Lundt knows he has one of the best linebackers in the state. And we’re talking all classes. “If he’s not the best line- backer, I’d like to know who’s better,” Lundt said. “Will’s really good and he’s only going to get better this year. And I’ll say this, I think we have one of the best linebacking corps (in 4A).” Bowen Kruse will play along- side Hawthorne again and he’s coming off a 2023 campaign in which he amassed 40 tackles and 4 1 ⁄ 2 sacks. Up front, Gillen will return to cause havoc for opponents from an end position. He made 29 tackles and led the team in both tackles for loss (12 1 ⁄ 2 ) and sacks (eight) a season ago. Griffin, VanCleave, and a pleth- ora of players will mix in on the line. In the secondary, Short and Braeden Nees return to the fold. They made 31 and 25 1 ⁄ 2 tackles,
respectively, last fall. “Our defense did what it was supposed to last year and I think it will do the same thing this year,” Lundt said. “The job of our offense is to not put our defense in a bad position, and the job of our defense is to make (opponents) grind out drives.” Gilbert also returns key pieces on special teams. Fierce aver- aged 33.6 yards per punt, and Mattson went 25 for 25 on PATs and connected on 50 percent of his field goal attempts last sea- son. “Our special teams have the ability to be not only strong, but a big advantage for us,” Lundt said. Gilbert will be tested right away with back-to-back road games at Dallas Center-Grimes and Carroll to open the season. Again, the meat of the district schedule will come over the final four weeks of the season. When Lundt looks at the 4A District 4 landscape, he says its nearly impossible to pick a fron- trunner. “It’s wide open,” he said. Carlisle was much better than its 2-7 record indicated a sea- son ago, and the Wildcats will be improved this fall. Running backs Caleb Nordhagen and Mason Lucas rushed for 1,274
yards and 12 scores while com- bining to average 6.6 yards per tote in 2023. Returning state semifinalist Bondurant-Farrar was hit hard by graduation, but the Bluejays have tradition and the return of quarterback Jordan Rial on their side. Rial completed 106 passes for 1,866 yards and 18 touchdowns last fall. Newton also lost key pieces on the offensive side of the ball, and Pella will have to replace one of the best 4A quarterbacks in Luke Hardman, but they’ll be more than competitive. “Carlisle is going to play tough football,” Lundt said. “Bondurant lost some guys, Newton lost some guys, Pella loses Hard- man, but they’ll have some- body. I seriously think you could pick one of five teams to call the favorite, and Vegas would prob- ably have it all even. “It’s going to be a dog fight. We’ve got to compete every single night because every game is going to be a dog fight.” Lundt knows his team can compete for a district title, but he also knows the crown isn’t going to be handed to the Tigers. They’ll have to play well to compete with and win against each of those teams. And that’s how it should be.
RETURNING LEADERS Class 4A District 4
Rushing
Name, School Att Yds YPC TD W. Hawthorne GIL 131 774 5.9 7 C.Nordhagen, CAR119 750 6.3 8 M. Lucas, CAR 75 524 7.0 4 C. Rash, GIL* 95 327 3.4 6 E. Diers, PEL 55 326 5.9 3 N. Francois, DMH 53 294 5.5 3 Passing Name, School Com Att Yds. TD J. Rial, B-F 106 180 1,866 18 C. Rash, GIL* 43 100 756 9 S. Zayzay, DMH 29 48 251 1 C. Andrew, NEW 6 14 48 0 Receiving Name, School Rec Yds YPC TD C. Kerndt, PEL 33 644 19.5 7 T. Barnes, PEL 50 604 12.1 4 C. Miller, B-F 31 459 14.8 4 W. Hawthorne, GIL 12 320 26.7 4 E. Eldred, GIL 20 268 13.4 3 Tackles Name, School Tot So TFL Sks N. Noland, CAR 76 1 ⁄ 2 52 4 2 W. Hawthorne, GIL 63 46 10 4 1 ⁄ 2 C. Klein, NEW 60 1 ⁄ 2 55 11 1 ⁄ 2 5 N. Warner, PEL 55 35 3 2 N. Francois, DMH 43 1 ⁄ 2 31 10 0 B. Kruse, GIL 40 25 7 1 ⁄ 2 4 1 ⁄ 2
*May miss a portion or all of the 2024 season due to injury
The good news is that Lundt has a group of players that are hungry. The players got a big taste of success a season ago, and they want more this fall. Which side of that razor thin margin will Gilbert finish on? Stay tuned.
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FRIDAY, AUGUST 31: AT DALLAS CENTER-GRIMES Kickoff: 7 p.m.
Last Season: Gilbert won, 14-12. 2023 Record: 4-5. Record Last 5 Years: 23-21. Last Playoffs Appearance: 2019. FYI: DC-G graduated its key offen- sive players at the skill positions. Dallas Center-Grimes Mustangs Carroll Tigers Last Season: Gilbert won, 21-14. 2023 Record: 2-7. Record Last 5 Years: 21-23. Last Playoffs Appearance: 2018. FYI: QB Carter Essick (1,317 passing yards, 10 TDs) returns. Mason City Riverhawks Last Season: Gilbert won, 27-15. 2023 Record: 2-7. Record Last 5 Years: 14-29. Last Playoffs Appearance: 2018. FYI: A pass-first team, Mason City rushed for just 755 yards in 2023. Boone Toreadors Last Season: Gilbert won, 31-12. 2023 Record: 3-6. Record Last 5 Years: 6-38. Last Playoffs Appearance: 2016. FYI: Boone started 3-0 in 2023 and then dropped its final six games. Des Moines Hoover Huskies Last Season: Gilbert won, 49-0. 2023 Record: 0-9. Record Last 5 Years: 6-31. Last Playoffs Appearance: 2015. FYI: Hoover has lost 15 straight games. Its last win was on Sept. 9, 2022.
Carlisle Wildcats Last Season: Gilbert won, 32-29 (OT). 2023 Record: 2-7. Record Last 5 Years: 30-21. Last Playoffs Appearance: 2022. FYI: Carlisle brings back a pair of tal- ented ball carriers in Caleb Nordhagen (750 yards, 8 TDs) and Mason Lucas (524 yards, 4 TDs). Bondurant-Farrar Bluejays Last Season: B-F won, 38-7. 2023 Record: 9-3. Record Last 5 Years: 36-15. Last Playoffs Appearance: 2023. FYI: QB Jordan Rial is back, but B-F must replace 3,000+ yards from RBs Titus Cram and Caleb Miller, and WR Reed Pfaltzgraff. Newton Cardinals Last Season: Newton won, 21-2. 2023 Record: 6-4. Record Last 5 Years: 21-25. Last Playoffs Appearance: 2023. FYI: QB Caleb Miller (810 yards, 9 TDs) and RB Cody Klein (1,235 yards, 13 TDs) both graduated, but that New- ton defense can be mighty stingy. Pella Dutch Last Season: Pella won, 33-23. 2023 Record: 6-4. Record Last 5 Years: 27-21. Last Playoffs Appearance: 2023. FYI: Graduated QB Luke Hardman did it all in 2023 –– 1,839 passing yards, 736 rushing yards, and a combined 30 TDs. He was also one of the best kickers and punters in Class 4A.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 6: AT CARROLL Kickoff: 7:30 p.m.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13: MASON CITY Kickoff: 7:30 p.m.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20: BOONE (HOMECOMING) Kickoff: 7:30 p.m.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 27: AT DES MOINES HOOVER Kickoff: 7:30 p.m.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 4: AT CARLISLE Kickoff: 7:30 p.m.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11: BONDURANT-FARRAR Kickoff: 7:30 p.m.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18: NEWTON Kickoff: 7:30 p.m.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25: AT PELLA Kickoff: 7:30 p.m.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1: CLASS 4A STATE PLAYOFFS BEGIN Kickoff: 7 p.m.
Playoff appearance information on right does not in- clude the 2020 season when all teams qualified.
OPPONENT INFO
FALL 2024 | GAME ON 19
MEMBERS OF THE 2024 GILBERT FRESHMAN FOOTBALL TEAM include (front row, left to right) Griffin Brown, Ethan Dahm, Gauge Brunner, Isaac Becker, Noah Hinderaker, Layden Verville, Merek Ritland, Andrew Dahm, Isaac Shannon, (second row) Jace Davison, Korben Wirth, Teddy Pistilli, Coach Cale Jensen, Coach Randy Sniezek, Coach Everett Charlson, Gabe Charlson, Danny Lempiainen, Joey Lempiainen, (third row) Kaedan McKernan-Nichols, Josh Fink, Benjamin Randall, Charlie Wadsley, Cael Folkerts, Charlie McGuire, Kody Koerner, Ayden Shaw, (back row) Reggie Chittenden, Brody Soma, Rowan Sents, Cole Crawford, Connor McBeth, Brock Balik, Luke Andersen, Carson Lawson, and Bennett Holz.
20 GAME ON | FALL 2024
VARSITY
No.
Name
Gr.
Pos.
No.
Name
Gr.
Pos.
51 52 54 55 56 57 58 59 61 62 63 65 66 67 76 77 78 80 81 82 85
Joshua Baldwin
So
OL/DL OL/DE OL/LB OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL TE/DL TE/DL WR/CB TE/CB
1 2 4 5 6 8 9
Connor Rash Ethan Wilcox Braeden Nees Alden Short Paul Marpe Nolan Zehr Ethan Rash Ean Eldred Micah Leyva Landon Witek Gabe Hicks Mylze Peterson Owen Mattson Brandon Terry Gabe Fierce Wyatt Pink Tayton Warg Connor Mattson Alonzo Balderas Tayshawn Gillen Cooper Mitchell Davis Cowan Connor Castro Samuel Hallson Mason Wibholm Blake Bell Aidan Rash Jack Dyche Holden Boshart Bowen Kruse Will Hawthorne Andrew Chapman Hudson Stephens
Sr Sr Sr Sr
QB/LB
Easton Van Cleave Jr
RB/S
Gabriel Angus
So Sr So Sr Sr
WR/DB WR/S RB/LB WR/DB QB/CB
Zach Noe
Estan Buttery Danny Buss John Hales Ayden Folkerts
Jr
Sr
Jr Jr
Jr
10 11 12 14 15 16 17 18 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 32 33 34 35 36 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 50
WR/S QB/S QB/S
Johnathan Beardsley So
So So
Deagan Driggers
So Sr
Evan Goetz Jaxon Lewis
Jr Jr Jr
WR/CB
Jr
QB/S
Parker Cox-Struble So
WR/CB WR/DB
Jakoby Cesler Kyler Grooters Tyler Beach Mason Griffin Ely Doerder Holden Hibbs
So
Sr Sr So Sr So So Jr
Jr
—DE Tayshawn Gillen was a key player on defense for Gilbert in 2023.
K/P
So
RB/CB
Jr
RB/S
Trent Wesselmann So
RB/CB RB/LB WR/CB WR/CB WR/CB RB/DE RB/CB TE/DE
So So So
No.
Name
Gr.
Pos.
32 36 40 47 59 63 64 65 69 71 72 73 75 77 79 80 81 82
Luke Andersen
Fr
RB/LB RB/DL RB/DL WR/CB OL/DL OL/LB OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/LB OL/DL OL/DL WR/CB WR/CB
Cody Puck
Reggie Chittenden Fr
Jr Jr Jr Jr Jr Jr
Korben Wirth Griffin Brown Cael Folkerts Charlie Maguire Benjamin Randall Isaac Shannon Carson Lawson Ayden Shaw Rowan Sents Bennett Holz Brock Balik
Fr Fr Fr Fr Fr Fr Fr Fr Fr Fr Fr
FRESHMAN
No.
Name
Gr.
Pos.
So
1 5 8
Merek Ritland Carter Olson Noah Hinderaker Ethan Dahm Kody Koerner Cole Crawford Brody Soma Jace Davison Andrew Dahm Isaac Becker Gauge Brunner
Fr Fr Fr Fr Fr Fr Fr Fr Fr Fr Fr Fr Fr
WR/CB WR/CB
RB/S
QB/S
WR/CB
11 12 14 17 20 21 24 26 30 31
WR/CB
So
RB/S
QB/S RB/S WR/S RB/S
Jr
RB/LB TE/LB RB/LB RB/LB RB/LB RB/DL RB/CB
Sr Sr
Jr
WR/CB RB/LB
Kaedan Mckernan-Nichols Fr
So So
Connor McBeth
Fr
Logan Nelson Tate Larson Isaac Holtan
RB/S
Daniel Lempiainen Fr Joseph Lempiainen Fr
Jr
Joshua Fink
RB/LB
So
K/P
Layden Verville
RB/S
Charles Wadsley
Fr
WR/S
FALL 2024 | GAME ON 21
MEMBERS OF THE 2024 GILBERT GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY TEAM include (front row, left to right) Brooklyn Nelson, Jane Black, Raya Mueller, Anna Thomas, Bree Iddings, Chloe Lee, Maddie Moore, Sophia Bleich, (middle) Addie Patten, Allie Grandgenett, Bia Dantas, Kaitlyn Dear, Charlotte Johnston, Keira Andersen, Natasha Flower, Kate Melody, Lucy Kraehling, (back) Laurel Mizerak, Kaylei Jacob, Abby Patel, Callie Hales, Coach John Barbier, Coach Laura Kautman, Maggie Danil- son, Mia Kautman, Grace Brosamle, and Gretchen Mizerak. Team members not pictured include Sarah Feddersen and Manager Lydia Hill.
22 GAME ON | FALL 2024
FALL 2024 | GAME ON 23
GILBERT SENIORS SOPHIA BLEICH AND MIA KAUTMAN
GILBERT SENIOR SARAH FEDDERSEN AND JUNIOR KEIRA ANDERSEN
24 GAME ON | FALL 2024
FALL 2024 | GAME ON 25
L egacy — the long-lasting impact of particular events, actions, etc. that took place in the past, or of a person’s life. When you cut to the chase, it’s what we all want deep down. To leave things in a better place than we found them, to be remembered for our achievements, to be someone others look up to and want to emulate. As Laura Kautman sits and chats about the upcoming fall season for her Gilbert girls cross country program, it’s a word she utters more than once. Not her own legacy, which will be vast when she ulti- mately decides to step away (hopefully many years from now), but that of her athletes. The Tigers’ head coach sees the impact these student-ath- letes can have on a yearly basis, and it’s important both in the present and future. “Taking a look at it historically, that’s what’s gotten us here and why we do have the running tra- dition we have here at Gilbert,” Kautman said. “Then it’s also being able to build on that and leave a mark of your own.”
Gilbert is good at cross coun- try. Why? There are myriad rea- sons, but when you slice it down to the core it’s because success breeds success. The teams of the late 1980s and 1990s pushed those teams in the early 2000s to want to keep the tradition alive. And that cycle of success has continued over the years. The numbers are staggering when you delve into them and let them marinate in the brain for a few minutes. Just stop and think about the historical achievements for a moment: •28 state meet appearances. •10 top-five finishes at the state meet. •Two state championships (1989 and 2013). •Three state runner-up fin- ishes (1990, 1991, 2014). •17 conference champion- ships. •16 district/state qualifying meet titles. We could go on and on ... and on. But you get the picture. Kautman knows all of those numbers, of course. She could
26 GAME ON | FALL 2024
probably recite many of them without needing to look at the printouts for reference. Re- cently, her teams have only added heft to the record book with three consecutive state ap- pearances and a third-place fin- ish in Class 3A a season ago. Can the 2024 crew continue to push the narrative? Kautman stops and thinks about that for a minute. Her gaze shifts to the left as she looks off in the dis- tance while she chooses her words. “I think we can be good be- cause we believe we can be,” Kautman said. “We have a lot of running talent.” That talent, coupled with the team’s top-three finish at the 2023 state meet, will put out-
side expectations on the pro- gram this fall. The Tigers will be ranked, probably pretty highly, to open the season. Defending state champion Pella and 2023 state runner-up Mount Vernon- Lisbon will likely sit atop the rankings, and returning fourth- and fifth-place finishers Sioux Center and Glenwood will be highly regarded as well. But what the rankings say in late August aren’t nearly as im- portant as what happens when the leaves begin to fly off the trees in late October. “I would anticipate going into the season, just having the sea- son we had last year, we’re going to come in and a lot of people are going to look at us as one of the favorites,” Kaut- man said. “But as a coach, I’m
not sure you want your teams to come out of the gate and be the best you can be in August.” Translation: Gilbert may be a work in progress. And that’s more than fine with Kautman. Truthfully, the Tigers have some questions that need to be answered. There are some holes to fill. But Kautman is op- timistic and excited about the possibilities. Replacing someone like re- cent graduate Clare Stahr isn’t easy. Not only did she run on three state teams and finish 21st a season ago, she was the virtual heartbeat of the 2023 team. When a teammate needed a pick me up, she turned to Clare. When the team needed words of encourage- ment, it was Clare who did the talking. Stahr’s talent on the course will need to be replaced. Her talent off the course will need to be duplicated as well. And here comes that word again: Legacy. “Clare Stahr was athletically gifted, but she was also really great at relationships and that’s part of her legacy,” Kautman said. “It is that leadership piece that she gifted to other girls. She set the standard for a lot of them, and I think we have girls that are ready to carry that baton.”
THE RECORDS Gilbert Girls Cross Country
State Qualifying Teams (28) Years and Place •1984: 13th •2004: 14th •1987: 16th •2005: 14th •1988: 7th •2007: 12th • 1989: 1st •2008: 14th •1990: 2nd •2010: 11th •1991: 2nd •2011: 11th •1992: 4th •2012: 5th •1993: 6th • 2013: 1st •1994: 5th •2014: 2nd •1995: 12th •2015: 7th •1997: 9th •2016: 11th •1998: 12th •2021: 13th •1999: 5th •2022: 12th •2003: 11th •2023: 3rd State Champions (Individual) •1990: Sydney Pounds •1992: Sydney Pounds •2011: Sadie Timms •2013: Grace Gibbons •2014: Grace Gibbons Individual All-Time Best Times 5K
Name
Year 2023 2023 2015 2023 2023 2015 2023 2016
Time 19:03 19:13 19:26 19:30 19:33 19:34 19:39 19:42 19:49
Emee Dani Emee Dani Emee Dani Clare Stahr Carly Rahn Clare Stahr Emily Branson Maggie Pollard
Keira Andersen 2023
Maggie Pollard
2015 19:49 *Note: The 5K was introduced in 2015
Gilbert will also need to re- place 10th-place state-meet fin- isher Emee Dani, who is no longer with the program. Mag- gie Danilson, another varsity Other Numbers •Conference Titles (Team): 17 •Conference Titles (Individual): 16 •District/SQM Titles (Team): 16 •District/SQM Titles (Individual): 15 •State Top 10 (Individual): 21 •State Qualifiers (Individual): 60
Gilbert senior Abby Patel at the 2023 state meet in Fort Dodge.
FALL 2024 | GAME ON 27
staple a season ago, will miss the entire season after undergo- ing hip surgery, and she’s someone who was vital to last fall’s success. “Maggie was responsible for other girls running incredibly well because she pulled them along with her,” Kautman said. “That’s the magnetic personality she is; she makes everyone better.” That’s the bad news. Now for the good news, and there’s plenty of it. The cupboard is far from bare. Seniors Abby Patel, Sophia Bleich, and Mia Kautman have combined to run at the state meet six times, junior Keira An- dersen will be in the lineup for the third consecutive season, sophomores Callie Hales and Chloe Lee only add to the depth, and senior Sarah Fed- dersen — one of the state’s premier track and field athletes — rejoins the program with clear and high goals in mind. So fear not, Tiger fans. This is a team that could, and should, make noise in 2024. Andersen and Hales both fin- ished in the top 10 at the 2023 Raccoon River Conference meet and in the top 13 at the state qualifier a week later. And Laura Kautman sees her daughter, along with Patel and Bleich as strong leaders.
and she’s drawn the eyes of a number of high-level college programs. Sure, there are vast differences between an 800 on an oval surface that has zero hills versus a 5K on a golf course with humps and bumps. But talent is talent. Determina- tion is determination. And Fed- dersen has plenty of both. “This is a different type of race for her,” Kautman said. “On the track, she takes it out hard and dares others to stay with her, and what gets her to the (finish) line is this competitiveness that is rare. In cross country, you can’t really run a race in that re- spect. But it’s that competitive- ness and mental toughness that are going to serve her well in cross country and it’s why she’ll have success. It means some- thing to her to represent Gil- bert.” When Kautman looks at her squad’s potential, she sees a cohesive group that lives We, not Me. There aren’t egos and there may not even be a clear front-runner. And that’s just fine with the coach. “I’m not sure we have a front- runner, but I’m confident we’ll have a really good pack,” she said. “Sometimes that can be equally important.” Gilbert will certainly find out about its overall strength early and throughout the season with a beefed up schedule that in- cludes visits to the Heartland
Classic in Pella and the Steve Johnson Invite in Waverly. The Tigers own invite will be stacked as well with Pella and Solon joining the party. When it comes to October, Gilbert will shift its focus to de- fending the Raccoon River Con- ference crown it won for the first time in 2023. While the league meet has never been a “must have,” Kautman says it will serve as an indicator of where her team stands entering the second season a week later. “Conference is going to be pretty important for us this year because that’s going to be the stepping stone that spring- boards us into the champion- ship part of the season,” she said. “Conference has the po- tential to give us momentum going into that qualifier.” Gilbert certainly has the goal of adding a fourth straight and 29th trip overall to state. Taking down Pella and its returning in- dividual state champion Marissa Ferebee might be a mountain simply too tall to climb, but it won’t be for a lack of effort. The outcome will be what it will be. But if her runners per- form to the best of their abilities and compete for each other, Kautman knows the end result will be successful. And that legacy will only con- tinue to grow.
“Keira is a pure running tal- ent,” Kautman said. “She has put a lot of work in this summer because she really wants to go out and prove herself during her junior season. She’s got some lofty goals for herself and we’re going to help her see those through. “The thing about Abby, So- phia, and Mia ... even last year, those three were interchange- able. The just bring a certain amount of consistency where you kind of know what you’re going to get. I would anticipate that those three are going to come through and have a really strong senior season because this is it. It’s kind of a let’s finish what we started mentality.” The wildcard is Feddersen, an elite middle-distance runner on the track who has helped Gil- bert win three relay state titles, Sophomore Callie Hales at the Class 3A State Qualifying Meet in Spencer last October.
28 GAME ON | FALL 2024
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3: WEBSTER CITY INVITE Information: At Webster City Links Golf Course, 5 p.m.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3: GILBERT INVITE Information: At Iowa State University XC Course, 5 p.m.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21: HEARTLAND CLASSIC Information: At Central College XC Course, Pella, 9 a.m.
Name
Gr.
Name
Gr.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26: INDIANOLA INVITE Information: At Pickard Park, 4:30 p.m.
Sophia Bleich Sarah Feddersen Mia Kautman Gretchen Mizerak Laurel Mizerak Keira Andersen Grace Brosamle Ana Dantas Kaitlyn Dear Natasha Flower Abby Patel
Sr Sr Sr Sr Sr Sr
Kate Melody Raya Mueller
Jr Jr
Jane Black
So So So So So So So
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 30: NEVADA INVITE Information: At Hickory Grove Park, 5 p.m.
Allie Grandgenett Callie Hales Lucy Kraehling
Jr Jr Jr Jr Jr
Chloe Lee
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 5: STEVE JOHNSON INVITE Information: At Wartburg College XC Course, Waverly, 10 a.m.
Addie Patten Izzy Terrones
Breeonna Iddings Brooklyn Nelson Anna Thomas
Fr Fr Fr
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10: AT BOONE INVITE Information: At Cedar Pointe Golf Course, 5 p.m.
Seniors Laurel Mizerak, Abby Patel, Mia Kaut- man, So- phia Bleich, and Gretchen Mizerak.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15: RACCOON RIVER CONFERENCE MEET Information: At Ballard Golf and Country Club, Huxley, 5 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23: CLASS 3A STATE QUALIFYING MEET Information: At TBA, 4 p.m.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1: STATE MEET Information: At Lakeside Golf Course, Fort Dodge, 10:30 a.m.
DID YOU KNOW? Grace Gibbons ran the 6 fastest 4K times and 8 of the fastest 11 in Gilbert school history.
FALL 2024 | GAME ON 29
MEMBERS OF THE 2024 GILBERT VARSITY VOLLEYBALL TEAM include (front row, left to right) Evie Christenson, Katie Sniezek, Lila Kruckenberg, Sydney Zeigler, Bergen Roske, (middle) Addie Winter, Anna Saltzman, Abigail Thompson, Taryn Hicks, Kaylin Richards, Lydia Hackett, (back) Coach MacKenzie Bloem, Olivia Latterell, Emma Latterell, Olivia Timmermans, Clara Newton, Sadie Breyfogle, Hannah Becker, and Coach Abbie Haupert.
30 GAME ON | FALL 2024
FALL 2024 | GAME ON 31
STORY AND PHOTOS BY TROY BANNING
GILBERT SENIORS ABIGAIL THOMPSON AND ANNA SALTZMAN
GILBERT JUNIOR LILA KRUCKENBERG
32 GAME ON | FALL 2024
FALL 2024 | GAME ON 33
T here’s an energy in and surrounding volleyball that is unlike any other sport. Nearly every point won is treated like it’s the game-win- ning touchdown in the Super Bowl. Oh sure, a thunderous kill or an in-your-face block bring out the emotions more than a simple error from the other side of the net, but every point is celebrated. Every. Single. Point. Why is that? Gilbert head volleyball coach MacKenzie Bloem chuckles when she’s asked the question. It’s a unique and entertaining aspect of her sport of choice, and her team fully embraces the tradition. Junior defensive specialist Lila Kruckenberg celebrates mightily, much to the delight of the Tigers’ crowd. Senior defen- sive specialist Abigail Thomp- son is equally emphatic, possibly even more so when she dips into a crouch, throws up her fists, pushes her head and shoulders back, and lets out a scream.
And then there’s senior setter and hitter Anna Saltzman. She’s not necessarily as animated on all of the points as her team- mates, but when she lets loose every so often ... well, she’s the winner of the grand prize. It’s fun. It really is. And isn’t that the point of sports? “Volleyball is such a game of momentum and having control of the court,” Bloem said. “That’s where that competitive- ness and positive energy comes into play on every ball because every ball is worth something. Hopefully we can harness it in the best way and really have some fun with it throughout the season.” Entering her ninth season overall with the program and second in a leading role, Bloem is more at ease with her spot at the head of the bench. She has a better grasp on what to ex- pect. She’s more knowledge- able. She understands the voices of her players are impor- tant and she intends to bring them more into the fold through- out the fall campaign.
“This year I feel like I’m just more aware of things, and a big change from year one to year two is giving our athletes more leadership opportunities and being more open to what they want to see in the program,” she said. “Seeing where they would like things to go and where I would like things to go, and getting those things to- gether.” Adversity was something the Tigers dealt with on a daily basis a season ago. Injuries, in- juries, and more injuries played a role even before the season began when Bloem dealt with a leg ailment that kept her in a walking boot. They spread like wildfire; there was a season- ending injury and other multiple injuries that kept key contrib- utors as spectators on the bench in street clothes. Bloem is hopeful that was karma’s way of hazing her as a first-year coach because stay- ing healthy will be paramount to the success of the team during the 2024 season. “I like to have things planned out, so, with so many injuries,
clearly things didn’t quite go ac- cording to plan all of the time,” Bloem said. “But it pushed us to be flexible and we had to have girls play out of position at times. But this year we know we can play different lineups and do different things because we did it before.” Gilbert fought through the constant lineup shuffling to post a 12-19 overall record and a 2-6 mark in the Raccoon River Con- ference, which shared sixth place, a season ago. The Tigers’ ultimate goal is to con- tinue to climb that ladder; easier said than done in the always difficult league landscape. Bloem has a plethora of re- turning talents at her disposal and she plans to use them all. Six players — Saltzman, Kruck- enberg, Thompson, Olivia Tim- mermans, Bergen Roske, and Emma Latterell — all saw time in the staring lineup and they give the Tigers a solid blend to get off and running. “This is a group that really wants to reach some goals and kind of leave a mark on the pro- gram,” Bloem said.
34 GAME ON | FALL 2024
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