Vote: Who should be SBLive’s Iowa high school athlete of the week? (9/18/2023)
Here are the candidates for SBLive’s Iowa high school athlete of the week for Sept. 11-17. Read through the nominees and cast your vote. Voting will conclude Sunday at 11:59 p.m. If you would like to make a nomination in a future week, email nate@scorebooklive.com.
Editor’s Note: Our Athlete of the Week feature and corresponding poll is intended to be fun, and we do not set limits on how many times a fan can vote during the competition. However, we do not allow votes that are generated by script, macro or other automated means. Athletes who receive votes generated by script, macro or other automated means will be disqualified.
Blake Aalbers, MOC-Floyd Valley football
The junior passed for 171 yards and two touchdowns and added a rushing touchdown as the Dutchmen handed Class 4A fourth-ranked Le Mars its first loss, 18-13.
Will Arkfeld, Harlan football
Arkfeld completed 14 of 21 passes for 298 yards and 3 touchdowns for the seventh-ranked and defending Class 3A state champion Cyclones in a 42-6 victory over Sergeant Bluff-Luton.
Kayden Anderson, Glenwood football
Anderson passed for 199 yards and a touchdown as the Rams bested Denison-Schleswig 28-14. Glenwood is 3-1 with its loss to defending 3A state champion Harlan, 17-14, last week.
Graham Beckman, Iowa City Liberty football
The junior QB completed 25 of 37 passes for 201 yards and two TDs and also ran five yards for a score in a 35-19 loss to Cedar Falls.
MaKade Bloker, Clarksville football
The senior rushed for 167 yards and five touchdowns on just eight carries as the unbeaten Indians stormed past Tripoli, 68-14, in an 8-player contest. Bloker ranks third in the state with 806 rushing yards.
Cameron Cantonwine, Ames football
The sophomore running back ran for 230 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries as the Little Cyclones cruised to their first win of the season, 34-14, over Des Moines Roosevelt at Drake Stadium.
Ben Casey, Treynor football
The junior passed for 238 yards and two touchdowns and also ran for two scores in the Cardinals’ 47-6 win over Red Oak.
Kellen Cockrell, Williamsburg football
The senior completed 8 of 12 passes for 196 yards and four touchdowns, leading Class 3A top-ranked Williamsburg to 48-14 win over Fort Madison. Two of the scoring passes went to Braylon Wetjen, who had three catches for 123 yards.
Titus Cram, Bondurant-Farrar football
The senior got it done on both sides of the football, running for 106 yards and two touchdowns and picking off two passes and having 11.5 tackles in the Bluejays’ 36-26 upset win over Lewis Central
Canaan Dunham, Pella boys’ cross country
Dunham claimed the championship in the Ballard Invitational with a winning time of 16:00.4, winning a race with 151 runners.
Aiden Flora, ADM (Adel) football
With star running back Brevin Doll sidelined with an injury, the Tigers’ senior QB continues to put up huge numbers. He completed 11 of 13 passes for 160 yards and four touchdowns and also scampered for 174 yards and two TDs in ADM’s impressive 47-14 win over Norwalk. He leads Class 4A with 18 touchdowns and 12 rushing TDs.
Gracie Foster, Indianola girls’ cross country
Foster claimed the title at the Ballard Invitational with a winning time of 19:25.1 in a race of 135 runners.
Grant Gammell, Waukee football
The junior had 109 rushing yards on 21 carries with two touchdowns and caught two passes for 73 yards as Class 5A No. 8 Waukee kept West Des Moines Valley winless with a 37-15 triumph.
Riley Getzel, Sibley-Ocheyedan football
Getzel hauled in a scoring touchdown, returned an interception 55 yards for a touchdown and recorded seven tackles and a sack for the Generals in a 42-6 victory over Alta-Aurelia.
Grant Glausser, Western Dubuque football
Glausser ran for 389 yards and four touchdowns for the Class 4A No. 5 Bobcats in a 31-24 victory over No. 1-ranked North Scott. Glausser rushed for over 1,500 yards last season and has tallied 906 through four games, on 95 carries.
Ben Gordon, Van Meter football
The senior finished with 160 rushing yards on 19 totes, scoring three touchdowns in a 56-22 win over Clarinda. The Class 2A No. 1-ranked Bulldogs, who won the 1A title last season, improved to 4-0.
Colin Gordon, Grundy Center football
The senior was 10-for-11 for 171 passing yards and three touchdowns as the Class 1A top-ranked Spartans rolled to a 49-0 win over East Marshall.
Micah Grier, Denver football
Grier tallied 213 rushing yards on 11 carries in the Cyclones’ 42-6 win over Central Springs. Class 1A fifth-ranked Denver improved to 4-0, scoring three times in the second quarter to take a 28-point halftime lead.
Kaiden Griffith, Marion football
The senior had 114 receiving yards on just three catches, leading Marion past Maquoketa 34-7. Griffith caught touchdown passes of 29 and 70 yards from Kaleb Diers.
Willa Hage, Waukee girls’ swimming
The junior has the fastest time in the state in both the 100 breaststroke (1:04.82) and 200 individual medley (2:06.79).
Luke Hardman, Pella football
The senior passed for 306 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 123 yards and another score in the Dutch’s 31-21 conquest of Class 4A third-ranked Cedar Rapids Xavier. All three of Hardman’s TD passes went to junior Colin Kerndt.
B.J. Henry, Cedar Rapids Kennedy football
The senior linebacker had six tackles, 3.5 for loss and one sack in a 45-7 victory over Cedar Rapids Washington. Kennedy hasn’t allowed an offensive touchdown in eight quarters.
Blake Hersma, Sergeant Bluff-Luton boys golf
The sophomore carded an incredible round of 61 at Sun Valley Golf Course in the Sioux City North triangular.
Cal Jepsen, Sioux City East football
The sophomore passed for 251 yards and three touchdowns, completing 21 of 34 in a 26-23 triumph over Sioux City North.
Isaiah Johnson, Central Lyon/George-Little Rock football
The senior defensive back returned an interception 89 yards for a touchdown and also recovered a fumble as the second-ranked and defending Class 2A state champion Lions rolled to their fourth win, 47-14, over Sheldon.
Ishara Kalolero, Cedar Rapids Jefferson
The junior had 20 rushes for 157 yards and four touchdowns in the Class 5A fifth-ranked J-Hawks’ 56-12 rout of winless Des Moines East.
Drew Kluender, Woodbury Central football
The senior was 13 of 22 for 287 passing yards and two touchdowns, helping the Class A fourth-ranked Wildcats beat Le Mars Gehlen Catholic, 43-14. Kluender also rushed for a touchdown for unbeaten Woodbury Central.
Owen Larson, Estherville Lincoln Central
The senior QB threw two touchdown passes and ran for three and 173 yards as the Midgets won 34-23 over Okoboji.
Carson Lullmann, Storm Lake football
The senior passed for 490 yards and six touchdowns, completing 31 of 40 in a 56-31 shootout win over Perry. He also ran for a score for the Tornadoes.
Alex Manske, Algona football
The junior QB passed for 205 yards and four touchdowns and ran for another to lead the Bulldogs to a 53-20 victory over Boyden Hull/Rock Valley.
Maddox Nelson, Underwood football
The senior carried 29 times for 188 yards and two touchdowns, leading the Class 1A No. 9 Eagles to a 28-12 win over No. 6 Avoca AHSTW. Mason Boothby had 95 receiving yards and two interceptions, returning one for a touchdown.
Quinn Olson, Sioux City Heelan football
Olson threw five touchdown passes, leading the Class 3A eighth-ranked Crusaders to a 49-7 win over Sioux City West. Heelan, which won five total games in its previous five seasons, moved to 4-0.
Miles Parlet, Iowa City High football
The senior RB led the Little Hawks to a 23-8 win over rival Iowa City West with 220 yards rushing and two touchdowns.
Conlan Poynton, Solon football
The sophomore rushed for 218 yards on 19 carries and scored three touchdowns, leading the Spartans to a 37-20 victory over Class 3A second-ranked Mount Vernon.
Sophie Sander, Anamosa volleyball
The Blue Raiders went 6-0 in match play last week behind the sophomore, who leads the state with 554 assists. Sander also has a team-high 29 aces serving.
Treyton Schaapherder, Clarinda boys cross country
The senior won the meet at Panorama, crossing the tape in 15:43 – beating the competition by 40 seconds in the 135-runner race.
Jade Spangler, Shenandoah football
The senior QB has the Mustangs playing good football. He threw four touchdowns and 226 yards and ran for 129 yards and a TD in the Mustangs 53-6 win over Missouri Valley.
Chase Spieker, CAM football
The talented junior quarterback passed for 198 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 68 yards and two more scores as the 8-player top-ranked Cougars belted Coon Rapids-Bayard 50-6.
B.J. Tate, North Polk football
Tate, a junior, rushed for 200 yards and three touchdowns in a 34-7 victory over Humboldt. Tate carried 23 times.
Hillary Trainor, Sumner-Fredericksburg girls cross country
The senior claimed the championship at the Starmont Invitational with a time of 18:29.73 – 58 seconds faster than the second place finisher.
Fran Travis, Spirit Lake volleyball
The senior has 220 kills on the season and a state-best 103 blocks.
Cael Turner, Creston football
The senior QB had some big plays as he passed for 431 yards, completing 11 of 12, and five touchdowns and also ran for a score. Teammate Brennan Hayes was his favorite target, catching three passes for 213 yards and two TDs.
Kaden VanRegenmorter, Hull Western Christian football
The junior passed for 171 yards and a touchdown and added a pair of scoring runs for the Class 2A fourth-ranked Wolfpack to a 28-21 victory over No. 6 Cherokee.
Tate Wood, Independence football
The junior linebacker recorded 17.5 tackles as the 3-1 Mustangs handed previously unbeaten and Class 4A No. 6 Decorah its first loss, 21-7.
Brent Yonkovic, West Delaware football
The junior quarterback rushed for 217 yards and three touchdowns and tacked on 87 passing yards in a score as the Hawks handed previously unbeaten and Class 3A fifth-ranked Webster City a 42-13 setback. Jack Smith recorded 11 tackles for the winners.
