Game On - Fall 2025: The official media guide of the Gilbert Community School District for its fall activities during the fall season of 2025.
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By Troy B ! ning
IS LEGENDARY TIGER TRIO
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Jacob Tallman, Carson Squiers, and Logan Bleich are all two-time all-state cross country runners. Tallman placed fourth, Bleich fifth, and Squiers sixth at the Class 3A state meet a season ago.
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T he sun is just beginning to peak its head out on this Tuesday morning in early August, but what is most noticeable is the lack of humidity. It’s actually a bit chilly at 62 de- grees, not the norm in a state that is known for summer air so thick that it feels like a sharp knife is needed to cut through it. The conditions are optimal for a long run, which is exactly what got Gilbert cross country student-athletes Carson Squiers, Logan Bleich, and Jacob Tallman out of bed so early. This is what they do. This is who they are. And this is why they are so good. They start what will end up being a seven- mile trek with a light jog (by their standards) down the bike path going south on what the kids refer to as the “Gilbert Speedway.” All along the trail, they chat about this and that like they’re sitting at an outside cafe sipping a morning latte. The more than a mile they quickly cover doesn’t appear to effect them at all. At this pace, just how far could they go? “I don’t know, maybe 20 miles?” Bleich says, and the others don’t disagree. If they wanted, could they run a marathon? “Yeah, we could,” Bleich says and, again, Squiers and Tallman don’t disagree. “I’m not saying it would be fast by any means, but we could do that.” We’re now nearing the end of mile No. 2 at this point and their breathing still isn’t labored. We’re back toward the town of Gilbert now, and this light jogging pace (again, this is by THEIR standards) is about to be left in the rearview mirror.
• It’s not a secret and it’s not an opinion. It’s simply a fact. Squiers, Bleich, and Tallman are among the best cross country runners in Iowa. Together, they give the two-time defend- ing Class 3A state champion Tigers what is arguably the best trio the state has to offer. Tallman placed fourth, Bleich was fifth, and Squiers took sixth at state a season ago when Gilbert set an all-time state-meet scoring record en route to the program’s fifth cham- pionship overall. They’re all two-time all-state performers. The résumés are impressive, there’s no doubt. But how did they get started? And when did they know that, yeah, we’re good? Bleich, who could be known as the me- chanic with how in tune he is with his training and performance, says it actually began on the playground at Gilbert Intermediate. “Mileage Club, that was my thing,” Bleich, a junior, said. “Then during COVID, I was bored so I ran because there wasn’t anything else to do.” Squiers, the elder statesmen of the bunch as a senior, doesn’t remember a time when running wasn’t his thing. He also vividly re- members competing against Bleich during a track and field day when they both attended Gilbert Intermediate. “My parents always told me I was a runner, and I remember running the mile against Logan at track and field day, that was hype. I kind of got away from it in middle school, but then I locked in again in high school.”
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Tallman, also a junior, has no problem admitting that he did not jive with the sport of running when he was younger. He was a soccer player. Period. The only thing he needed running for was to get him in shape for soccer. Perhaps unfortunately for Tallman, he quickly realized that running liked him more than he liked it. “I honestly hated running, but Logan loved it and he en- couraged me to do cross country (in middle school) be- cause it would make be better at soccer,” Tallman said. “When we got to high school, it was so much more fun be- cause it wasn’t just me and Logan running together, it was a bunch of people. We started racing and it was actually really fun.” The freshman year of Bleich and Tallman began this la- test Renaissance period for Gilbert cross country. They led
the Tigers throughout the campaign, highlighted by an eighth-place finish for Bleich and a ninth-place result for Tallman at state. Squiers made the podium as well in 12th, as they powered Gilbert to somewhat of an upset over Pella in the team standings. A year later, it wasn’t considered an upset when the same trio guided Gilbert to an unbeaten season and caped it by scoring a paltry 33 points at state to win by 35 points over runner-up Des Moines Christian. And just like that, the legend grew. • Headed down the back bike trail on the south side of Gil- bert, the pace picks up significantly for the trio as this morning run surges past three miles. The playful banter
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has stopped. Sweat is noticeable on the backs of Tallman and Squiers; Bleich is wearing all back, so it’s not as noticeable, but the breathing has intensified for all three. The strides are different, but equally effective as they re- main in stride. Tall and lanky, Squiers and Bleich take longer graceful strides. The shortest of the bunch, Tallman
utilizes a more punchy stride and he needs more steps to keep up, but it’s never bothered him before and it doesn’t bother him now. They’re in the zone now. It’s just them, the trail, and the next stride. The energy they’re burning must be immense, and yet they are at peace. This is their happy place. This is what they know.
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to
They’re not immune to their surrounds though. On such a nice morning, there are plenty of people walking along the bike trail, or sitting on their deck enjoying a cup of coffee. There are also other kids on the bike path that weaves its way around Gilbert Elementary and the construction of the new building. Almost all of the onlookers smile at the trio, and many of them wave or offer some encouraging words. Squiers, Bleich, and Tallman are not strangers to these paths and these streets. They’re always running, and com- munity members find comfort in seeing them enjoying and excelling at their craft. The boys are equally warm. They offer their own waves and their own greetings to those they pass. Their obvious appreciation tells you plenty about them as people. Everyone knows them. And, yeah, they’re not ashamed
admit they enjoy that. “It’s a privilege to be in the position we are,” Bleich said when asked about it post-run. “Cross country is a sport that isn’t the most recognized, but we’ve been able to help bring some bright lights to it around here. The fact we have great coaches and great support from our families and community, that’s just awesome.” • That notoriety only intensifies when the three hit the com- petitive circuit. It was that way a season ago and that spot- light will only be brighter this fall. Bleich, the only Gilbert runner ever to finish a 5K in under 15 minutes (14:58 is his school record), has had great ex- pectations — perhaps sometimes excessive expectations — placed on him since he dominated in the seventh and
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eighth grades and capped it with a middle school individual state title. Always right behind him in middle school was Tallman, and the duo proved quickly as freshmen that the 1-2 punch was going to be quite effective on the varsity stage as well. Bleich is now a two-time Raccoon River Conference indi- vidual champion. Tallman has the best state-meet finish. Squiers was the individual champion at last year’s 3A State Qualifying Meet. It’s no fluke. And everyone around the state knows it. Part of what makes them so good is the competition they face on a daily basis in practice, which ramps up even more on meet day. “We push each other in workouts,” Squiers said. “I want to do better than these two and these two want to do better than me, and the same goes for meets.” “We’re all best friends, but we’re all competitive, too,” Bleich explained. “It stinks sometimes that these guys are my competition, but sometimes you have to turn that thing off in your brain.” All three would love to win an individual state crown this fall, but all three quickly put that in perspective. For starters, the team race will always be the No. 1 focus. And, secondly, they are all quite aware of the fact that two 3A gold medalists — Western Dubuque’s Quentin Nauman and Pella’s Canaan Dunham — also return. Nauman un- seated Dunham a year ago, and in the spring Nauman be- came a household name nationally with his performances over 800, 1,600, and 3,200 meters. Nauman makes Western Dubuque good, and Pella will be a formidable foe this fall as well. But neither team has a trio quite like Gilbert. There isn’t a team in 3A that even comes close. And everyone knows it. “There aren’t any other teams where there’s three of us,”
Squiers said. ‘When you put three people in front of another team’s No. 1, I feel like the race is kind of over.” “All three of us look at this like it’s a great opportunity,” Tallman said. “I don’t say it’s going to be stressful. We’re just going to do the best we can and it will turn out great.” Pulling of the 3A state three-peat won’t be easy, but it will be expected from the outside world. The good news is the Tigers don’t pay much attention to the noise. They didn’t last year and it served them well. They also won’t be scour- ing the Internet to find results and times of their potential state competitors. “We didn’t follow teams last year and it worked out pretty well,” Squiers said. “The only time that really matters is at state and Coach (Aaron) Thomas breaks everything down so well. We’ll know exactly what we need to do.” • They’ve now hit the backstreets of Gilbert as mile No. 6 comes and goes in the blink of an eye. Grimacing ever so slightly, Bleich begins to shake his arms out due to the buildup of lactic acid, but it’s to no avail. As they reach the final half-mile, Squiers and Tallman take off from their teammate without saying a word. Your average non-runner would look at them and say they took off at a sprint — not exactly normal after six-plus miles al- ready covered, and yet there they go. Bleich, meanwhile, maintains his even pace and accepts the fact that today just isn’t his day in this inside competi- tion. And he’s more than fine with that. Don’t you see? This is exactly what makes this trio so for- midable on the statewide landscape. Is it usually Bleich that leads the way? Yep. But is it even a small surprise if it’s Tallman or Squiers
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who gets the better of his teammates on any given day? Not. At. All. • In a nutshell, that is why Gilbert is such a heavy favorite to hoist the hardware yet again this fall. An off day for Bleich, Tallman, or Squiers usually means they lose to their re- spective teammates, but that’s it. Barring in- jury, they’ll be at or near the front of the field, and it doesn’t matter if the meet is the sea- son-opening Webster City Invite or the sea- son-ending state meet. “We have so much respect for each other and we all know we’re fast,” Bleich said. “It’s not like one of us is so much better than the other guys. Yeah, I like beating these guys, but that’s not my priority.” Squiers and Tallman agree. When they cross the finish line at Lakeside Golf Course in Fort Dodge, the site of the state meet, they’re not looking to see where they finished for individual glory. They’re immediately at- tempting to decipher how much they helped the team. “At state, I do not care who places where,” Squiers said. “I’m only thinking about what we did for the team.” That team-first mentality has been the Tigers’ calling card during Thomas’s tenure. This season, the Tigers also return Emrick Ryan and Preston Stensland from last year’s title team. There is plenty of competition for the varsity roster’s other two spots as well. “There are only seven spots on the varsity roster and if you want to make it you’ve got to
put in the work,” Bleich said. “Everyone wants to be in one of those spots,” Squiers said. “We trust our training, we trust our coaches, and we trust everything we’ve been doing. It’s worked so far.” Yes, yes it has. • Seven miles in a smidge over 45 minutes. Squiers and Tallman are still hunched over catching their breaths when Bleich reaches the end, but they’re quick to meet their team- mate and offer a high-five and encouraging words. That’s what good teammates do. That’s what family does. It may not be by blood, but this is definitely a family. This type of workout, they do it five or six days a week during the offseason with very lit- tle time off. In their eyes, this is what it takes to make them great. They don’t need coaches or their families to tell them to train; they do it because they love it and because they know it’s what is needed. These are the faces of Gilbert cross country. These are three of the faces of cross country in the state of Iowa. The program and the cross country scene statewide are in very capable hands.
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READY FOR AN ENCORE ENCORE ENCORE By Troy B ! ning
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Returning starting offensive linemen Mason Griffin, Kyler Grooters, Trent Wesselmann, and Easton Van Cleave will look to lead the Gilbert football team back to the playoffs in 2025.
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L et’s go ahead and address the ele- phant in the room right away, and it stands about 6 feet, 2 inches tall, and tips the scales at approximately 225 pounds. The elephant has a name, too: Will Haw- thorne. Perhaps it rings a bell? Hit pause for a moment. Yes, this season is about these players and these coaches, and we’ll cover that in great detail in just a few short paragraphs. But to know where you’re going, you also must first know where you’ve pre- viously been. Gilbert head football coach Graham Lundt gets it. He knows he’ll be asked about the de- parture of Hawthorne to graduation ad nau- seam prior to the opening kickoff of the 2025 season against Carroll on Friday, Aug. 29. When you previously coached the Gatorade Player of the Year and a four-star recruit who now plays collegiately at Iowa State, it goes with the territory. Hawthorne was special. Generational. And his former teammates are proud of the things they all accomplished together, namely last season’s Class 4A district title, journey to the state playoffs quarterfinals, and a 9-2 overall record. “The guys all know that Will is special, and they also know that people are going to ask the question about this year without him,” Lundt said. “But this year’s senior class, having con- versations with that group gives me a whole lot of confidence in our team, our program, and those guys as leaders. “Everybody wants to know how we’re going to do it without Will? Well, we’re going to put 11 players on the field, we’re going to play, and
we’re going to work our butts off. And we’re not going to worry about the noise on the outside of the room, only the noise on the inside. And the guys all also know that Will might be the person most excited for the success of this group. He led well and brought others along, and genuinely wants to see the success in others.” Hawthorne’s ability to dominate on both sides of the ball was on display throughout the 2024 season when he rushed for 2,263 yards and 28 touchdowns, and also amassed 44 tackles, in- cluding 10 for loss. He was a consensus first- team all-state player, as well as a Navy All-American Bowl participant and finalist for the organization’s National Player of the Year award. He was the guys. The alpha. It’s as simple as that. And who will be the Tigers’ alpha in 2025? Ah, and now we’ve switched gears. “The success we’ve had these last two years happened because of a lot of different pieces,” Lundt, who enters his sixth year as the pro- gram’s leader, said. “But each year the culture has to be reset. Last year, Will was the tip of that spear. I can’t tell you who that one person is going to be this year, but that’s the fun part. Trying to find out what is the best recipe for success is fun.” After a stretch in which it went 1-17 during the 2021 and 2022 seasons, Gilbert resur- rected itself by going 15-5 over the past two seasons. Lundt is proud of the turnaround, but he’s also well aware of how razor thin that mar- gin for error has been. If you subtract winless Des Moines Hoover from the equation over the past two campaigns, the Tigers have played 18 games and 16 of them have hovered around a
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one-score game entering the fourth quarter. Gilbert is 12-4 in those games. That record could just as easily be 4-12. “That thin margin of error is why you have to show up in the weight room, in workouts, checking in with teammates, in our spring leadership class, and then every (Friday night in the fall),” Lundt said. “All of those little things matter be- cause in those games a play could go one way or another.” Entering the 2025 season, Lundt is well aware of the ques- tions that surround his program. Last fall’s 9-2 campaign was one of the most successful in the school’s history, but that’s where the coach and his players prefer to leave it — in the past.
Lundt isn’t about to put burdensome expectations on his players, and he’ll never give predictions on what may or may not happen. For him, it’s all about the process and the work the players and coaches put in on a daily basis. Do things the right way and the results will speak for themselves. “The beauty of 2025 is people move on really quickly,” Lundt said. “I know this team will compete in every single game this year and that’s all you can ask for. But the truth is we’re going to lose a game. I don’t want to, but it just happens because teams are too good and coaches are too good. I mean, look at last year, we had a tremendous year and we still lost two games.” While there are some significant holes to fill, there is plenty of returning talent that is reason for optimism inside the locker room. A number of starters on both sides of the ball
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are back and there should be increased depth as well. Lundt is excited that, for the first time, the program has close to 100 players in all. “The numbers are great, but there’s also a responsibility that comes with that because if they’re choosing to play foot- ball, we want them to be a part of something where every- body has a role. What’s great about the numbers is it provides depth, not only in games, but also in practices.” Gilbert led 4A in rushing attempts (567) and yards (3,719), and was second in rushing touchdowns (45) a season ago. Controlling the ball and time of possession have become calling cards of the Tigers over the past two seasons and that’s not about to change. Succeeding on the ground will start with the veteran and extremely talented offensive line — Big Skills, as they’re known in the locker room — that is anchored by all-state senior guard Mason Griffin, senior center Kyler Grooters, Di- vision I prospect Trent Wesselmann, a junior right tackle, and senior Easton Van Cleave at left guard. The Tigers’ offense will go as far as this group takes them this fall. “The offensive line is where games are won and lost,” Lundt said. “All of our guys move really well and they bring continuity, so that’s awesome.” Griffin is the anchor, a three-year starter and captain who knows the ins and outs of the game better than most. And at 6-6, 290 pounds, Wesselmann has college coaches salivat- ing at his potential at the next level. “Mason is that glue guy and he embraces being an offen- sive lineman. He makes the offensive line be cool,” Lundt said. “Trent can be as good as he wants to be. He needs to be an earth mover for us because he can run.” A year go, Hawthorne carried the ball on 58 percent of the Tigers’ rushing attempts. It goes without saying that Gilbert plans to be significantly more balanced this fall with a stable of ball carriers.
Tayton Warg and Cameron Cantonwine are expected to platoon in the backfield. Warg rushed for 127 yards in spot duty behind Hawthorne a season ago. Cantonwine was the starting quarterback at Ames High in 2024 where he ac- counted for 2,434 yards of total offense (1,819 passing and 615 rushing) and 25 touchdowns. Gabe Fierce will be back at one wing spot where he aver- aged 7.8 yards per carry a season ago. Aidan Rash will move from a wideout spot to a wing, and Micah Leyva will also factor into the backfield equation. “We’re definitely going to have more balance from our three running back positions,” Lundt said. “Going into a game, teams aren’t going to be able to stop just one per- son.” Cantonwine is an intriguing prospect in terms of his abil- ities. While he will be used primarily as a ball carrier, he ob- viously has skills throwing the ball as well. “He’s tough, he’s quick, and he’s a very good runner,” Lundt said of Cantonwine. “Tayton is also bigger, faster, and stronger, and he’s looked really good.” Ethan Rash returns at quarterback. In his first season as a starter in 2024, he passed for 136 yards and rushed for 404 more, which was second on the team behind Hawthorne. “There are some things Ethan has added to his skill set that give me confidence,” Lundt said. “But we still want to
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control the ball and limit possessions, and then throw the ball when we need to.” Gilbert averaged 32 points per game a sea- son ago and went over the 40-point threshold three times. The Tigers hope to blend a methodical of- fense with a bend, but don’t break defense that surrendered fewer than 23 points in nine of its 11 outings last fall. Hawthorne and fellow standout linebacker Bowen Kruse leave holes on that side of the ball as well, and Gilbert will need to retool its secondary against the number of aerial attacks it will face. Wesselmann, Griffin, Grooters, Van Cleave, Holden Boshart, and Rowan Sents will all see time up front. Blake Bell was the team’s lead- ing tackler a season ago (53 1 ⁄ 2 stops) and he’ll return at a linebacker position. Warg, Canton- wine, and Tate Larson will all see time in the middle of the field as well. On the back end, Fierce, Aidan Rash, Leyva, Larson, Ean El- dred, Landon Witek, and a host of others could get looks at containing opposing teams’ pass- ing attacks. “This is a defense that will probably have some rough patches here and there, but I think they can be really good,” Lundt said. ‘But if we can control the ball on offense, it puts less stress on this group.” Lundt is also hopeful players will step up and provide depth. The fewer players that have to play significant snaps on both sides of the ball, the better. A member of 4A District 5 for the next two seasons, Gilbert faces a new schedule in 2025 that includes non-district clashes with Carroll, Mason City, Boone, and Webster City. The dis- trict is a mini Raccoon River Conference with
the Tigers, Bondurant-Farrar, Carlisle, Bal- lard, and North Polk. Des Moines North rounds out the district. “With the district being a lot of schools we commonly know, it’s just going to up the in- tensity,” Lundt said. Gilbert’s nine opponents went a combined 38-49 a season ago. North Polk, the Tigers’ Week 9 opponent, went 13-0 and claimed the 4A state championship. Ballard (5-5 in 2024) and Carroll (6-4 in 2024) were also playoff teams. “If you look at our district, North Polk as the returning state champion has to be the favorite,” Lundt said. “Until they get knocked off, they have to be. But I honestly think it’s wide open. “We’re familiar with all of our non-district opponents as well. Mason City has their quarterback back, Boone is going to be pretty good this year, and you always know what Webster City is going to do (with its single wing offense).” The schedule is formidable, but there’s also plenty of reason for optimism. It all goes back to that thin margin for error. It served the Tigers well a season ago, and with the vet- eran leadership and skill they have in place, it could be a similar situation in 2025. “We have to be undefeated at everything we can control,” Lundt said. “We have talent, but you also have to rely on your discipline and your hard work ethic when you get in tough situations. That’s a small detail that will be sig- nificant in close games.” Will the season be perfect? Of course not. But will it be exciting? You better believe it.
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WEEK 1 (ND) FRIDAY, AUGUST 29
WEEK 2 (ND) FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 5
WEEK 3 (ND) FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12
WEEK 4 (ND) FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 19
Carroll at Gilbert
Gilbert at Mason City
Boone at Gilbert
Gilbert at Webster City
Kickoff Time: 7 p.m. Where: Tiger Stadium, Gilbert. Last Meeting: Gilbert prevailed, 36-18, on September 6, 2024. About Carroll: The Tigers went 6-4 a season ago and reached the Class 3A state playoffs. They fell to Mount Vernon in the opening round, 42-6 ...Carroll gradu- ated its quarterback, top three rushers, and top two receivers off of last year’s team. Leading tackler Quinten Polking returns.
Kickoff Time: 7:30 p.m. Where: Riverhawk Stadium, Mason City. Last Meeting: Gilbert cruised to a 42-22 victory on September 13, 2024. About Mason City: The Riverhawks put together a 3-6 record in 2024 with wins over Marshalltown, Charles City, and Mar- ion ... Junior quarterback Jameer Falls completed 22 of 39 passes for 290 yards in last season’s loss to Gilbert. He threw for 1,599 yards on the season.
Kickoff Time: 7 p.m. Where: Tiger Stadium, Gilbert. Last Meeting: Gilbert knocked off Boone, 35-21, on September 20, 2024. About Boone: After winning only three games over a four-year stretch from 2019- 2023, the Toreadors have won seven games over the past two seasons. They went 4-5 a year ago and started 3-0. QB Jude Baumgardner returns after throwing for 1,327 yards and 15 TDs in 2024.
Kickoff Time: 7:30 p.m. Where: Lynx Stadium, Webster City. Last Meeting: Webster City rolled to a 54-13 win on October 2, 2020. About Webster City: After playing 11 straight times from 2010-2020, Gilbert and Webster City will meet for the first time in nearly five years ... The Lynx went 3-6 a year ago under then first-year head coach Andy Brim ... Webster City continues to run the single-wing offense.
WEEK 5 (D5) FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26
WEEK 6 (D5) FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3
WEEK 7 (D5) FRIDAY, OCTOBER 10
WEEK 8 (D5) FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17
WEEK 9 (D5) FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24
Gilbert at Bon-Farrar Kickoff Time: 7 p.m. Where: Bluejay Stadium, Bondurant. Last Meeting: Bondurant- Farrar upset Gilbert, 31-28, on October 11, 2024. About Bondurant-Farrar: The Bluejays were much better than their 2-7 record indicated a season ago ... QB Jordan Rial’s graduation leaves big shoes to fill.
Carlisle at Gilbert Kickoff Time: 7 p.m. Where: Tiger Stadium, Gil- bert. Last Meeting: Gilbert thumped Carlisle, 41-10, on October 4, 2024. About Carlisle: Carlisle ended its 2024 2-7 campaign with back-to-back wins, includ- ing a 21-14 win over B-F ... QB CJ Haug returns, RB Caleb Nordhagen does not.
Gilbert at Ballard Kickoff Time: 7 p.m. Where: Richard Strouse Field, Huxley. Last Meeting: Ballard blanked Gilbert, 40-0, on Oc- tober 21, 2022. About Ballard: Ballard went 5-5 and reached the playoffs a season ago ... Jackson Wacha, one of the state’s top tacklers a season ago, was lost to graduation.
DM North at Gilbert Kickoff Time: 7 p.m. Where: Tiger Stadium, Gil- bert. Last Meeting: This will be the first meeting all-time be- tween the programs. About Des Moines North: The Polar Bears went 0-9 a season ago and have lost 11 straight games dating back to the 2023 season. Last win: 36- 35 over Boone on Oct. 6, 2023.
North Polk at Gilbert Kickoff Time: 7 p.m. Where: Tiger Stadium, Gil- bert. Last Meeting: North Polk stopped Gilbert, 28-0, on Oc- tober 14, 2022. About North Polk: The Class 4A state champion went 13-0 a season ago, but lost QB Nathan Feldman, RB BJ Tate, its top six receivers, and top eight tacklers to graduation.
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VARSITY/JUNIOR VARSITY No. Name Gr. 1 Aidan Rash Sr. 2 Merek Ritland So. 3 Miles Manatt Jr. 4 Gabe Fierce Sr. 5 Carter Olson So. 6 Charlie Reich Jr. 7 Noah Hinderaker So. 8 Cam Zehr Jr. 9 Ethan Rash Sr. 10 Ean Eldred Sr. 11 Cameron Cantonwine Sr. 12 Landon Witek Jr. 13 Kody Koerner So. 14 Gabe Hicks Sr. 15 Blake Bell Sr. 16 Ethan Dahm So. 17 Brody Soma So. 18 Connor Mattson Jr. 20 William Youngberg So. 21 Andrew Dahm So. 22 Luke Andersen So. 23 Tayton Warg Jr. 24 Hudson Stephens Jr. 25 Jack Dyche Sr.
No.
Name
Gr. So. So. So. Sr. Jr. Jr. Sr. Sr. So. Jr. Sr. So. So. So. Sr. Jr. Sr. Jr. So. So. So. So.
No.
Name
Gr. Jr. Jr. Sr. Jr. So. So. Sr. Jr. Sr. So. So.
No.
Name
Gr. Fr. Fr. Fr.
26 27 28 30 31 33 34 35 36 40 41 42 45 46 47 51 52 54 56 57 58 60 61 62 63
Gauge Brunner Micah Leyva Charles Wadsley Joshua Fink Drew Chapman Cooper Mitchell Davis Cowan Connor Castro Reggie Chittenden Mason Wibholm Holden Boshart
64 66 70 71 72 73 75 76 77 78 80 81 82 85
Logan Nelson Parker Cox-Struble Ayden Folkerts Trent Wesselmann
21 24 26 30 31 32 35 36 39 40 42 55 63 64 65 66 67 72 75 77 78 79 80 81 82
Parker Messmer Landon Brosamle William Bjustrom Jack Chapman Cole Marpe Alex Pyfferoen Tate Samuels Reed Vincent Joe Niegsch Nox Platts Bryson Wiemold Devin Carter Liam Schilling Jaxon Ross Gabe Hudson Connor Gaffey Dominic Saienga Hayden Squiers Ben Smith Aiden Grove Jack Grandgenett Benjamin Spiker Saint Berger
Owen Van Der Linden Fr.
Ayden Shaw Rowan Sents Kyler Grooters Tyler Beach Mason Griffin
Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr.
Kaedan McKernan-Nichols So.
Daniel Lempiainen Joseph Lempiainen Holden Hibbs
Korben Wirth Griffin Brown Bennett Holz Tate Larson
Jr. Jr.
Cody Puck
Joshua Baldwin Easton Van Cleave Gabriel Angus Isaac Shannon Benjamin Randall Johnathan Beardsley Deagan Driggers Charlie Maguire Brock Balik Cael Folkerts
FRESHMAN
No.
Name
Gr. Fr. Fr. Fr.
1 5 8
Landon Dahlberg Charles Fink Xander Henry Nicholas Stupp Owen Mitchell Oakley Walhovd Charlie Patten Blake Jens
Luke Van Der Linden Fr.
11 12 14 17 20
Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr.
Jr. Jr.
So.
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GILBERT GIRLS XC TRUST US By Troy B ! ning IS A CONTENDER
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Seniors Keira Andersen and Kaitlyn Dear are both state champions on the track. Now they hope to guide the Gilbert girls cross country program into an upper-tier finish at the state meet in 2025.
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T rust. It’s the word of the season for the Gilbert girls cross country pro- gram as it eyes a fifth consecutive excursion to the Class 3A state meet in Fort Doge as the leaves turn colors and begin to tumble to the ground in the fall. Trust in themselves that each girl has put in the hard work necessary to not only compete, but succeed. Trust in their teammates to be there for each other, through thick and thin, as they celebrate the successes together and commiserate encouragingly during the tough times. And trust in their coaches to be those guiding lights that will lead the Tigers to where they want to go. “That’s really going to be that core principal for our squad this year,” head coach Laura Kautman, who is entering her 18th year with the program, said. “We have a really tight knit senior class leading us forward. We have some experience and talent as well, and we have a lot of girls who are going to be willing to work really hard.” Cross country is not a sport you can fake, anyone who has ever competed in the sport can testify to that fact. Whether a student-ath- lete is the best in the state or No. 35 out of 35 on a particular team at covering the hills and terrain, there’s nowhere to hide. Nearly every- one competes — either in the varsity or junior varsity races — and has to cover the same 5K distance as fans line the course cheering and screaming words of encouragement. Ducking off the course when no one is looking simply isn’t a realistic option. And it never fails, at some point in a race it will be gut check time, and it takes a stable of trustworthy teammates to help push each other along. In some ways, it’s shared suffering. And
what better way is there to build bonds? “Everybody is privy to the same sorts of things in cross country,” Kautman said. “Ev- erybody runs the same practices, everybody runs the same courses, and everybody is in the trenches together.” For Kautman’s program, which has been one of the strongest in the state for the better part of the past two decades, that sisterhood has been key to the Tigers’ successes. In 17 seasons as the head coach, Kautman has engineered 12 appearances in the state meet, and in 2013 Gilbert walked away with the Class 2A state championship. One year later, the Tigers were the 3A state runners-up. Gilbert hasn’t always had the most talent or the deepest roster, and yet year after year it’s seemingly in the thick of things once the post- season rolls around. That’s tradition. And that’s sisterhood. “Cross country is hard, and there are no timeouts,” Kautman said. “Even though it’s really hard, everybody is going through the hard times together and it pulls teams closer. I think that’s something we do really well here at Gilbert. Winning conference titles and mak- ing it to state are obviously important, but we’re also really conscious of creating mem- ories for our athletes and giving those athletes something to look back on fondly.” That’s one of the secret ingredients to Gil- bert’s historical success. Sure, Kautman wants to win another Raccoon River Confer- ence championship this fall — the Tigers did that a season ago — and she’d love nothing more than to take her bunch to Fort Dodge for the 13th time overall since 2008.
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But are those feats more important than the lasting mem- ories the student-athletes will build? Do those goals, written down on a piece of paper, hold more significance than the life lessons the kids will learn through shared hard work?
For Kautman, it’s about accomplishing all of the above. The memories, the lessons, and the success — they’re all equally important. “State qualification is the goal,” she said. “But at the end of the season, if I ask any girl on the roster if I spent
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enough time trying to make them better, I hope they all an- swer yes, and that’s what I think about sometimes. It’s fun to have success, but also what was the experience of every single girl on the roster?” Success this fall could come in various forms for a team that will have some holes to fill in the lineup. Four of last year’s state team members — Sarah Feddersen, Abby Patel, Sophia Bleich, and Mia Kautman — have graduated. Feddersen is the program’s 5K record holder and placed a team-high 23rd at the 2024 state meet. The good news is that three members of last year’s core crop — seniors Keira Andersen, Kaitlyn Dear, and Raya Mueller — return to the fold this fall and they’ll be who Kautman leans on when it comes to on course leadership. Andersen, who has run in three state meets, is coming off a stellar spring season on the track in which she captured the 3A state title in the 800-meter run, and she also ran on Gilbert’s state gold medal-winning 4x800 and distance medley relays. Andersen is extremely talented. And her confidence in her own abilities has never been higher, which could lead to a breakout senior season this fall. “Keira has had a really strong summer of training after having so much success in the spring, and her ability to generate some excitement for running and pulling girls along is huge,” Kautman said. “She also has a super com- petitive fire and that is contagious.” Despite missing the bulk of the 2024 regular season due to injury, Andersen returned last fall to earn all-conference honors in helping Gilbert claim the Raccoon River Confer- ence crown, and she went on to place 56th at state, her best appearance in three races on the layout at Lakeside Golf Course. Running right alongside Andersen on all of the preseason training runs has been fellow senior Kaitlyn Dear, who also made people pay attention with a standout spring track season. She ran on the state championship 4x800 as well,
and now sees this fall as a chance to improve upon last fall when she placed 69th at state. “Kaitlyn had a lot of success in cross country last season and was then pivotal in track,” Kautman said. “She just has a ton of upside, and she’s really determined to have her senior season be her best season.”
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Mueller, as well as fellow seniors Maggie Danilson, Grace Brosamle, and Kate Melody all have a chance to leave their marks on the season as well. Mueller fit into the No. 7 spot in the lineup throughout the 2024 season. Da- nilson was a pivotal member of the 2023 team that placed third at state — she was 45th in the large field — but then missed the entire 2024 campaign while recovering from hip sur- gery. Brosamle also missed a significant chunk of the 2024 season due to injury. “I really do think all of those girls are going to be pivotal members of this varsity mix,” Kautman said. “With Maggie and Grace be- cause of the injuries, we just need to be smart as to how to progress them into the mix.” Juniors Allie Grandgenett and Lucy Kraehling, sophomore Brooklyn Nelson, and freshmen Clare Tallman and Lexie Bleich could all make pushes to compete at the var- sity level for the Tigers as well. Kautman says the full roster will once again hover around 35 student-athletes, a testament to the tradition of the program. The Tigers would like nothing more than to defend the RRC crown they won a season ago, but it won’t be easy. Winterset placed fifth at state a season ago and returns five runners, and North Polk also ran at state and brings back six contributors. Kautman also thinks Boone, led by state runner Emmalyn Thomas, will be a contender. “Boone has some incoming freshmen who are really talented, so I see them being in contention,” she said. “Winterset will be strong again, and all of North Polk’s athletics will be on the rise. I think we’ll be in the mix, too.” Kautman fondly remembers how much her team celebrated its conference title last fall.
“That conference championship was so sweet because every single girl stepped up and did more than they probably should have,” she said. “Talk about an underdog situ- ation. It was awesome.” Individually, Alexis Hergenreter of North Polk was the 2024 conference silver medalist and also the league’s highest finisher at state (11th in 3A). Kautman knows it won’t be easy to return to the state meet. Her team is unproven, and the rest of the state is only going to get better. But neither she nor her student-athletes are intimi- dated. Not even by Pella, which has won three consecutive 3A state team titles and will be the overwhelming favorite to push that streak to four this fall. The Dutch are led by senior Marissa Ferebee, a two-time individual state champion who recently verbally com- mitted to run collegiately at the University of Arkansas. “Pella is just really good,” Kautman said. The Tigers aren’t worried about Pella though. Not yet anyway. The same goes for Winterset, North Polk, Boone, and any other team that will step onto the starting line with them. For now, the focus is on themselves. On building those bonds. On the improvements. On those small forward steps that will hope- fully turn into gigantic leaps come October. Trust. That’s the word of the season. Build it the right way and the sky could be the limit for these Tigers.
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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2 At Webster City (5 p.m.) SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 6 At Pella - Central College (10 a.m.) THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 11 Gilbert Invite - ISU Course (4:45 p.m.) THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18 At Clear Lake (5 p.m.) SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 20 At Roy Griak Invite - U of Minnesota (TBA)
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25 At Indianola (4:30 p.m.)
MONDAY, OCTOBER 6 At North Polk (5 p.m.)
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 9 At South Hamilton - JV Only (5 p.m.) MONDAY, OCTOBER 13 At RRC Meet - Winterset Host (5 p.m.) WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22 At 3A State Qualifier - TBA Host (4 p.m.)
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Name
Gr.
Name
Gr. So. So. So. Fr. Fr. Fr.
Keira Andersen Grace Brosamle Maggie Danilson Bia Dantas Kaitlyn Dear Natasha Flower
Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Jr.
Charlotte Johnston Brooklyn Nelson
Anna Thomas Jayden Barbier Elise Bland Alexis Bleich Charis Chu Laney Dinsdale
Lydia Hill Kaylei Jacob Kate Melody Raya Mueller
Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr.
Ariana Dunbar Claire Ellingson Gracyn Funkhouser
Annika Yoder-Stoulil
Jane Black
Isabel Just Lyla Kruse Addy Lucht
Allie Grandgenett Memphis Iddings Lucy Kraehling Madeleine Moore
Jr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Jr.
Ada McKilligan Elizabeth Soupir Clare Tallman
Addie Patten
Breeonna Iddings
So.
IATC RANKINGS
DID YOU KNOW?
CLASS 3A
1. Pella 2. Mount Vernon-Lisbon 3. Sioux Center 4. Solon 5. Winterset 6. Glenwood 7. Decorah 8. Fort Madison 9. MOC-Floyd Valley 10. North Polk 11. Harlan 12. Des Moines Christian 13. Gilbert 14. Williamsburg 15. Clear Lake
GILBERT GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY The Gilbert girls cross country team has qualified for the Class 3A state meet in each of the past four years ... The Tigers placed 10th at state a sea- son ago, and they were third in 2023 ... Senior Keira Andersen has run in three state meets.
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NEW CO-COACHES NEW POSSIBILITIES YIN AND YANG By Troy B ! ning
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Jen Schnormeier and Staci Sniezek bring their own unique expertises and experiences into their roles as co-head coaches of the Gilbert volleyball team.
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O n the surface, it’s a unique pairing. Co-head coaches. One is a first- time head coach of any sport. The other is a seasoned head coach who is dipping her foot into the deep end of the pool in a new sport. A head-scratcher, right? Well ... All you need to do is watch Jen Schnormeier and Staci Sniezek interact for 30 seconds and — like the click of a light switch — it just makes sense. They trust each other. They believe in each other. And they have no doubt they are taking on their roles for all of the right reasons. They truly are the yin and the yang of Gilbert volleyball — two individuals who compliment each other well and who give the Tigers their best chance of success this fall. “We felt that, together, we could provide these girls with an experience they were look- ing for,” Sniezek, who has 21 years of head coaching experience on the softball diamond, said. “They’re looking for coaches who are going to make them competitive, who are going to let them have fun, and who are going to help them make great memories in high school.” Schnormeier has coached volleyball at the middle school and high school levels, but she’s never been the person in charge. And that’s why it was so important to have Sniezek at her side. Sniezek may not have as much knowledge about the sport of volleyball, but she certainly understands the administrative duties that need to take place to have suc- cess at the varsity level.
“It’s just really helpful that we have similar philosophies about what the high school ex- perience should be like,” Schnormeier said. “We’ve both had high school athletes, we’ve both had highs and lows from the coach and parent side, and we care about more than what happens on the court for these girls. “Staci compliments me so well. She brings the calm ... she’s just very even keel and that’s something I need from her.” Very good friends outside of their coaching duties, that trust they’ve built over years of knowing each other allows them to be honest at all times.
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“We’re not afraid of hearing things we need to hear from the other,” Sniezek said. “You need to be able to say, ‘let’s word that different, or let’s approach that in a different way,’ to each other. And we have that relationship.” With Schnormeier taking on the leading role as far as X’s and O’s go, and with Sniezek taking control of the admin- istrative duties, the Gilbert volleyball program is on solid footing. And with a high number of returning varsity contrib- utors, it could be the Tigers turn to take a significant climb up the Raccoon River Conference leaderboard. “We have a lot of senior leaders, and there’s going to be some tough competition to see who cracks that lineup,”
Schnormeier said. “Right now we’re still trying to figure out where all of the puzzle pieces are going to fit because there are so many options." Gilbert returns seven players with varsity experience, led by three-year starter and multiple-time all-conference libero Lila Kruckenberg. Fellow seniors Evie Christenson and Katie Sniezek also received all-conference accolades a season ago, and numerous Tigers fit into the returning leaders categories in the conference. Gilbert put together a 15-18 record in 2024, including a 3- 5 conference mark. Ballard (20-17, 5-3 RRC in 2024) be- gins the year ranked No. 9 in Class 4A by the Iowa Girls
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High School Athletic Union. Bondurant-Farrar (16-19, 4-4 RRC in 2024) sits at No. 12 in the rankings, and defending conference champion ADM (19-8, 8-0 RRC in 2024) is at No. 14. Carlisle (25-10, 7-1 RRC in 2024) was a state qual- ifier a season ago. So what does all of that mean? In the preseason, noth- ing. Every team in the conference has solid returners, and
noticed their will to get better is very impressive. They ac- tually know the areas they need to improve on and they want that feedback." Christenson gives Gilbert’s offense a great place to start, as she will be one of the premier outside hitters in the league. She’s not overly tall, but she packs a powerful
every team also has holes that need to be plugged. In addition to the three all-conference returners, Gilbert will also rely on the experience of seniors Clara Newton, Bergen Roske, and Sydney Zeigler, as well as junior Addie Winter. “We have a lot of athletes,” Sniezek said. “So far we’ve
punch, as her 279 kills from a season ago proves. Only two RRC players — Ballard’s Brenna Baumgardner (361) and Bondurant-Farrar’s Nora Dodson (302) — return with more kills. Christenson also provides a spark with her energy and enthusiasm — both of which are contagious on the volley- ball court.
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“Evie has really high expectations for her- self, and she’s just so well in tune with her own abilities and she wants to be that go-to- girl,” Schnormeier said of Christenson, who also collected 210 digs and 50 service aces in 2024, the most of any returning player in the league. “She puts so much time into this sport, and she can change the game with her serves, too,” Sniezek said. “And Evie also brings us an attitude because she doesn’t make ex- cuses for anything. That’s a culture thing you always want to create.” Newton will also work on the outside. She hammered out 183 kills a season ago, the second-most on the team, and she’ll be a big reason why defenses have to play Gilbert honestly and not put all of the defensive atten- tion on Christenson. Roske (70 kills, 24 blocks in 2024) and Winter (76 kills, 21 blocks in 2024) could play pivotal roles in the middle of the floor, and Zeigler (52 kills) will see action on the right side of the floor in the front row. Katie Sniezek will direct traffic as the team’s setter, and she’s no novice when it comes to leading a team. A multiple-time all-state soft- ball player, she distributed 411 assists last fall. “Katie has got some really high goals for herself as well,” Schnormeier said. “She wants to bring that consistency for all of our hitters." Kruckenberg no doubt gives Gilbert one of the league’s premier back row defenders, and the enthusiasm she plays with is also con- tagious. She recorded a team-best 385 digs a season ago and enters her senior season with 647 digs in her career, which puts her on a
path to potentially reach 1,000 by the end of the campaign. Kruckenberg can get in the heads of oppos- ing attackers with her reading ability. And she gives Gilbert a safety blanket, of sorts, in that back row. “In many ways, she’s going to be our cap- tain on defense, as she should be,” Schnor- meier said of Kruckenberg. “She’s such a great passer, but she’s also going to need to be a vocal leader on the court for us to be successful." Which brings us to the big question — what does success look like for the Tigers in 2025? Is it a winning record? Is it a jump up the con- ference standings? Is it competing for a con- ference title? Is it advancing further in the postseason? The co-head coaches both say they aren’t worried about the big picture at the moment. Rather, they’re concentrating on one oppo- nent at a time, one point, one set, and one match at a time. They want to be prepared for each foe, they want to be as strong mentally as they are physically, and they want to feel like they can compete with any team that lines up on the other side of the net. “We’re not going to be looking at records; we’re going to focus more on scouting and what are the strengths and weaknesses of our opponents,” Sniezek said. “That’s the biggest shift for me,” Schnor- meier said. “In middle school and freshman volleyball, I didn’t care wo was on the other side of the net. But we are both competitive people. We like to win. And we can compete in this conference.”
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SATURDAY, AUGUST 30 At Bondurant-Farrar Tournament (8 a.m.) TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2 At Bondurant-Farrar Tournament (7:15 p.m.)
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 29 At Roland-Story Tournament (4:30 p.m.) TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30 At ADM (7:15 p.m.) TUESDAY, OCTOBER 7 Carroll (7:15 p.m.)
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 4 At ADM Tournament (4:30 p.m.) TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9 Carlisle (7:15 p.m.) TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16 At Boone (7:15 p.m.) TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23 Winterset (7:15 p.m.) THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25 Mason City (7:15 p.m.)
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 9 At North Polk (7:15 p.m.)
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 14 Ballard (7:15 p.m.) THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16 At Southeast Warren (5:30 p.m.) SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18 At Winterset Tournament (9 a.m.)
42 GAME ON | FALL 2025
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