With the start of the Iowa high school football season, there will be seven teams from the Ames area competing to reach the IHSAA playoffs in 2024.
Ballard, Nevada and Roland-Story will all be attempting to return to the playoffs. Colo-NESCO and Gilbert just missed a playoff spot in 2023, and Ames and Collins-Maxwell will attempt to turn things around after they each went 3-6 a year ago.
Here are 10 bold predictions for the Ames area high school football teams.
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Ames posts winning record in first season under Tom Crowden
In 2023, the Ames football team had a brutal schedule to start the season.
The Little Cyclones faced off against Waukee, Ankeny Centennial, Iowa City High and Valley in four of their first five games. They started 1-4 as a result and never recovered, finishing 3-6.
The Little Cyclones face the same tough slate in 2024. But this time they have an established dual-threat quarterback in Cameron Cantonwine, a breakout receiver in Jeffery Roberts and some emerging talent in the trenches on both sides of the ball in Colden Bray and Athian Deng.
More: 25 questions we have entering the 2024 Iowa high school football season in the Ames area
Ames will find a way to pull off a major upset against either Waukee, Centennial, City High, Valley or Waukee Northwest. The Little Cyclones will take care of business in their other four games against Des Moines Roosevelt, Ottumwa, Marshalltown and Sioux City East to finish 5-4 and put themselves in position to earn a playoff spot.
Nevada earns its first district title under Andrew Kleeman
Andrew Kleeman has led Nevada to a 37-13 record since 2020.
His teams have not done worse than three losses in that time. But they have never earned a district title.
That will change in 2024.
The Cubs return all five of their starters on the offensive line. Jackson Burlage, Anthony Eaton and Austin Waldera form what might be 3A's best linebacker unit and the Cubs also bring back three other starters on defense.
Combine that with an experienced quarterback in senior Connor King, and Nevada has the balance necessary to earn the 3A District 6 district championship.
Gilbert and Colo-NESCO make the playoffs
Last season Gilbert went from 1-8 to 6-3.
This year, the Tigers return Division I recruit Will Hawthorne at linebacker and running back along with emerging defensive lineman and running back Tayshawn Gillen. The Tigers also return several other key contributors from last year's team. Gilbert will have a target on its back after last season, but the confidence and experience they gained from a year ago will be enough to get them into the playoffs.
Colo-NESCO just missed the 2023 playoffs after going 6-4 in 8-player competition. The Royals bring back one of 8-player football's most dynamic playmakers, Breckin Clatt, along with a pair of talented playmakers with running backs Mark Bower and Landon Gjerde.
The Royals will also have junior Jack Angell take over at quarterback, so Clatt and focus more time at running back. That gives Colo-NESCO enough talent to get over the hump and make the 8-player playoffs.
Jeffrey Roberts has over 1,000 yards receiving
Roberts came out of nowhere as a sophomore to catch 29 passes for 519 yards and five touchdowns for Ames in 2023.
Now a year older and bigger, stronger and faster; Roberts will be one of the top receivers in 5A for the 2024 season. He will get a lot of attention from opposing defenses as a result, but Ames will find plenty of ways to get him the ball and take advantage of his explosive ability.
Jackson Wacha leads 4A in tackles
Ballard linebacker Jackson Wacha had a huge 2023 season as a junior.
Wacha racked up 112 tackles, including 86 solo tackles and 13.5 stops behind the line, helping Ballard reach the playoffs. With sack leader Brody Sampson gone, expect Wacha to play an even bigger role for the Bomber defense in 2024.
Fiston Carlson rushes for 1,500 yards
Roland-Story running back Fiston Carlson came out of nowhere to run for 310 yards and five touchdowns on an average of 11.1 yards per pop as a freshman in 2023.
More: How freshman Fiston Carlson is a game changer for Roland-Story football
Now with extra size and strength, expect Carlson to be even more explosive in 2024. The added year of growth will also give him the endurance to carry a much bigger load for the Norsemen this fall.
Josef Dvorak tops 100 tackles and 2,000 yards rushing and receiving
Collins-Maxwell senior Josef Dvorak was one of the top all-around players in 8-player District 9 during the 2023 season.
Dvorak had 84 tackles at linebacker, and made 46 catches for 621 yards and ran the ball 132 times for 698 yards on offense.
Now a senior, Dvorak is poised to have a big 2024 season that could see him as one of the most productive players on both sides of the ball in 8-player competition.
Collins-Maxwell has a winning record
Collins-Maxwell has not had a winning season since going 6-4 in 2020.
The Spartans finished with three wins in each of the past three seasons. But with Dvorak and dual-threat quarterback Cooper Wierson (1,271 yards passing and 408 rushing) back to lead the way, expect Collins-Maxwell to get over the .500 mark and give itself an opportunity to make the playoffs.
Will Hawthorne makes first-team all-state in Class 4A
If he stays healthy, Hawthorne could be in for a huge season at linebacker for Gilbert this fall.
At 6-foot-2 and 230 pounds, Hawthorne had 63 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks in 2023. Hawthorne has only gotten bigger and better since then, and with a more experienced team around him on defense, expect him to put together an outstanding 2024 season.
Isaac Williams, Cody Long and Tucker Vitzthum will have sneaky good seasons
Isaac Williams, Cody Long and Tucker Vitzthum will be unsung heroes for their respective teams in 2024.
Williams will anchor Nevada's secondary. He played a lot in the shadow of seniors Kyle Kingsbury and Jacob Khounsourath last season, but Williams was a still huge contributor, recording 62.5 tackles and four interceptions as a sophomore.
Long had a breakout 2023 season as a sophomore for Roland-Story, recording 63 tackles and two interceptions. He will look to improve those numbers and make an even bigger impact in 2024.
Vitzthum had a big junior year in the secondary for Ballard in 2023. Vitzthum compiled 39 tackles and two interceptions as an all-district performer, and he will look to be even more productive in 2024.
Joe Randleman covers high school sports for the Ames Tribune. Contact him at jrandleman@gannett.com . Follow him on Twitter at @JoeRandleman
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This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: 10 bold predictions for 2024 Iowa high school football season in Ames area
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