Iowa's best high school football players: Meet the state's top specialists

Over the next few weeks, we will be taking a position-by-position look at some of the top players in Iowa high school football. This list focuses on specialists. 

There are hundreds of standout football players in Iowa and these lists are not intended to be comprehensive. Let us know about any other specialists worthy of fans’ attention in 2023.

Kayden Anderson, 6-1, 190, Sr., Glenwood

Anderson was a second team Class 4A all-state pick at punter as a junior. He averaged 40 yards on 27 punts last season and with one regular season game left this fall, has produced touchbacks on 13 kickoffs and averages 36.1 yards per punt.

Nathan Behne, 6-2, 185, Sr., Greene County

Behne was a returning second team Class 2A all-state kicker and led all of Class 2A with seven made field goals last season, producing a successful percentage of 63.6 percent. He booted a long of 37 yards, which was tied for the sixth-longest in the state. Behne connected on 33 extra points (12th) only missing one all season long. Behne’s 23 touchbacks on kick-offs were the third-most in the state. Behne kicked a Jefferson-based program record 49-yard field goal early this season, made all 25 of his PAT kicks and six of nine field goals.

Isaac Bruns, 6-2, 185, Jr., Sigourney-Keota

Bruns has brought back three kickoffs for touchdowns for an 8-1 squad that rolled to a win in its first Class 1A playoff game. An All-Southeast Iowa Cedar League basketball player as a sophomore, Bruns has rushed for 534 yards and eight touchdowns and returned a fumble for a score.

Caden Buhr, Jr., Bettendorf

Buhr booted a school-record 52-yard field in a game against Dubuque Hempstead earlier this season. That kick followed a 47-yarder on the previous series. According to those within the program, that boot was the longest in school history, breaking the 51-yarder that Justin Langan kicked in the 1998 season before he went to etch his name in the Western Illinois University record book. Buhr has boomed 39 of his 48 kickoffs into the end zone for touchbacks, has made six of eight field goals and 32 of 35 extra point attempts heading into the final game of the regular season.

Hunter Chanthaphon, 5-7, 150, Sr., Southeast Polk

The kicker and punter for power Southeast Polk, Chanthaphon is enjoying a stellar senior campaign, with six field goals in seven attempts and 37 of 38 PATs, and a 43-yard field goal to his credit. Last season, as the backup kicker for the 5A state champs, he made all 14 of his point-after attempts.

Hudson Clark, 5-10, 156, Soph., Gladbrook-Reinbeck

Clark has been a big weapon for the Rebels, one of the top-ranked 8-player teams in the state. The sophomore has three kickoff returns for touchdowns, a team-high 23 receptions for 416 yards and seven touchdowns, 54.5 tackles, five interceptions with three returned for touchdowns and two punt returns for scores during the regular season.

Breckin Clatt, 5-7, 145, Jr., Colo-Nesco

Clatt made the 8-player all-state second team as a return specialist as a sophomore, averaging 30.6 yards per kickoff return with three touchdowns and was among the state leaders in all-purpose yards. This season, he is the Royals’ quarterback with 904 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns to go along with seven TD passes during the regular season. Clatt returned two punts for touchdowns.

Kiean Crile, 5-11, 171, Jr., Hudson

Crile averaged 25.5 yards per punt return during the regular season, bringing back two for scores. He was the teams’ leading rusher and averaged over 18 yards per kickoff return.

Kanen Decker, 5-8, 172, Jr., Wapsie Valley

Decker is the starting quarterback for a Warriors’ team that won a first-round Class A playoff game. Not only has he passed for 357 yards (three touchdowns) and rushed for 429 yards (eight touchdowns), but Decker has returned three punts for touchdowns – in one game.

Scott Dickson, 6-3, 195, Sr., Sergeant Bluff-Luton

Dickson’s seven field goals (in eight games) is tied for second most in the state. He has converted 16 of 18 PAT kicks and half of his kickoffs have resulted in touchbacks and Dickson averages 37.5 yards per punt.

Mason Duritza, 6-0, 190, Sr., Camanche

A Class 2A second team all-state and punter of year in District 5, Duritza averaged 38.7 yards on his 34 punts last season and was also the Storm’s second-leading tackler. Heading into this year’s playoffs, he is averaging 34.4 yards per punt.

Jude Gibson, 5-10, 170, Soph., Ballard

Gibson was a unanimous All-Raccoon River Conference basketball honoree as a freshman, averaging 16 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals at point guard. He is one of the top kickoff returners in the state, averaging 43.4 yards on seven returns in games through Oct. 13, with two touchdowns.

Ryan Harrington, 6-3, 153, Jr., Ankeny

The lanky Harrington has connected on six of nine field goals in games through Oct. 13, including a 42-yarder. He has made 24 of 27 PAT kicks and produced 13 kickoff touchbacks.

Rayce Heitman, 6-2, 170, Jr., Williamsburg

Heitman accomplished a rare feat in a game against South Tama earlier this season. He returned two punts and two interceptions for touchdowns – in the first quarter. An outstanding linebacker, Heitman posted 64.5 tackles, eight for loss, during the regular season. He also returned a kickoff for a score, recovered a fumble and had four touchdown receptions.

Jovany Kabongo, 5-7, 165, Jr., Le Mars

Kabonga has 36 touchbacks on his kickoffs this season, tied for fourth statewide. He was the first player in Le Mars High School history to make an all-conference soccer team and he kicked a 44 and 45-yard field goal in the same game this season. Kobango has also rushed for 380 yards and four touchdowns and kicked 35 of 36 PATs.

Brody Lee, 6-3, 209, Sr., Mason City

Lee was selected as the Class 4A first team all-state punter last season after averaging 40.9 yards on 30 punts. With one more regular season game remaining in his final prep season, Lee is averaging 39.8 yards per punt and also handles place kicking duties.

Drew Miller, 6-2, 200, Sr., Mediapolis

Ranked as the No. 1 punter in the nation by 247Sports Composite, Miller committed to the University of Georgia’s national championship program in May. He had 55 kickoffs — 51 of which were touchbacks — for 3,401 yards and a long of 43 yards. His 24 punts added up to 1,151 total yards, or an average of 48 yards per punt. Miller even threw one touchdown pass on one attempt last season. This season, 25 of Miller’s 39 kickoffs during the regular season went for touchbacks and he averaged 47.7 yards on 19 punts.

Andrew Mohan, 6-0, 155, Sr. Waverly-Shell Rock

Mohan had made good on six of eight field goals in games through Oct. 13. He was also perfect in 25 PAT kicks and booted a 42-yard field goal earlier this season.

Billy Moore, 6-0, 175, Sr., Davenport Assumption

Miller ranks among the state leaders with six field goals, missing just once in seven attempts. He is 32-for-35 on PAT kicks and his 49 kickoffs have produced 27 touchbacks. A soccer standout, Miller was an all-state pick after his sophomore season.

Gavin Pienkowski, 5-9, 160, Sr., Carlisle

Pienkowski, also a standout soccer player, has booted seven field goals in eight attempts and made all 14 of his PAT kicks in games through Oct. 13.

Eli Robbins, 6-0, 180, Soph., Norwalk

Another talented young and versatile performer, Robbins has not only hauled in 47 receptions for 740 yards and five touchdowns during the regular season, but he has rushed for four scores, charted 24 tackles, averaged 42.3 yards per punt and 25.4 yards per kickoff return.

Logan Rosauer, 6-2, 200, Sr., Union

Rosauer, who doubles as the tight end and punter, has averaged 42.8 yards per punt. He has hauled in five touchdown passes, recorded 31 tackles and intercepted three passes for a team that won its first-round 2A playoff game.

Eli Rouse, 6-1, 205, Sr., Ballard

Rouse came out of nowhere as a sophomore to lead Ballard in rushing and to a playoff berth. He was a second team Class 3A all-state pick as a return specialist last season, averaging 27.6 yards on 16 returns with one touchdown. This season, with a regular season game still remaining, Rouse had 1,197 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns and has averaged 27.5 yards per kickoff return.

Andrew Schumacher, 5-9, 160, Sr., West Des Moines Dowling

Schumacher has made good on seven of nine field goal attempts through games of Oct. 13, his longest a 38-yarder. He is perfect on 29 PAT kicks for the once-beaten Maroons, who have lost only to defending state champion Southeast Polk, 37-34.

Luke Sternberg, 6-1, 185, Jr., AHSTW

Sternberg is the most prolific return man in the state with three kick returns for touchdowns. The multi-talented junior was averaging 46.9 yards per return through the regular season. Sternberg is the Vikings’ leading rusher with 898 yards and 16 touchdowns, has nine catches and returned his only interception 41 yards for a touchdown.

Brock Watson, 6-2, 195, Jr., Clarke

Watson’s four kickoff returns for touchdowns leads the state of Iowa. During the regular season, he averaged 38.4 yards on 13 returns with a long of 95. Watson was Clarke’s leading receiver with 56 catches for 773 yards and eight touchdowns.

Luke Wright, 6-4, 215, Sr., East Sac County

Wright kicked a state-leading 10 field goals in 12 attempts during the regular season, with a long of 46 yards. He has also racked up 33.5 tackles on defense for a Class 2A playoff qualifier.

Photo of Drew Miller courtesy of Dawg Nation