The #10 (1A) (Radio Iowa) Clarion-Goldfield-Dows football team will look to slow down defending state champion and #1 (1A) (Radio Iowa) Grundy Center potent offense as the teams meet in Class 1A District 3 action on Friday. It will also be youth football night for the Cowboys.
Clarion-Goldfield-Dows (3-1, 1-0 1A-3) has won back to back games including a 33-0 shutout at Central Springs in their district opener last week. The Cowboys have run the ball with efficiency with 1,228 rushing yards. Receiving the bulk of the carries has been Joel Meier with 479 yards and Selvin Gonzalez with 451 yards. The two backs have combined for 11 touchdowns. The Cowboys defense after allowing 30 points in week one has settled in, holding opponents to 14 or less in their last three games. Head Coach Caleb Vogel shares how the team is keeping positive energy entering the ranked matchup.
“We know the type of team that they are, the success that they have had in the past. We just gotta treat them like any other opponent and do our stuff to the best of our ability,” says Vogel. “They have lot of good guys. Their quarterback is a stud, is an athlete. If we can kinda contain him a little bit, we might find ourselves in the game. A lot of positive energy this week, preaching to these guys to just clean up those physical mistakes that we had. We have just got to get better every day, continue to grow as a team and let the game play out for itself.”
Grundy Center (4-0, 1-0 1A-3) has won 43 straight games including a 49-7 win at home over Garner-Hayfield-Ventura in their district opener last week. The Spartans offense has marched through opponents, averaging 35 or more points per game with balanced production. Dual threat QB Judd Jirovsky has accounted for 493 passing yards, 167 rushing yards and eight touchdowns. Pete Lebo has punched in six rushing touchdowns. The Spartan defense has boxed in opponents allowing only one touchdown a game in their last three outings. Head Coach Travis Zajac’s scouting report on the Cowboys run game and the road trip.
“Alot of big kids, a couple kids that can run really well. Their offensive scheme is one of kind, the same as Saint Ansgar, Earlham or West Hancock. They have some of that foot to foot, double tight stuff and try to mash you,” says Zajac. “It’ll be a road trip. The kids will be ready with our plan in place for Clarion. A new opponent. Should be a fun road trip for us. We’ll go over there and play well.”
It will be the first ever meeting between the programs.
Kickoff will be at 7:00 p.m. in Clarion.
