Week One of the 2021 Iowa high school football season will pit Wright County rivals Clarion-Goldfield-Dows and Eagle Grove against one another in Eagle Grove. In the Quik Stats/Varsity Bound era, the Cowboys have an 8-5 series lead over their western rival, and won last season’s matchup by a score of 76-0. Eagle Grove’s last win came in 2017, by a score of 13-12.
Clarion-Goldfield-Dows will look to begin the Caleb Vogel era on the right note. Vogel, a former assistant for the Cowboys and for his native Linn-Mar Lions, will have some key pieces to replace from 2020, but will have some key returnees as well, in running back Neven Foss, receivers Coady Olson and Jaxon Carpenter, as well as junior Cale Kirstein, and seniors Aiden Harrington and Garrett Seaba. The quarterback battle is currently being waged by Preston Gardner and Ethan Traub.
Eagle Grove will look to score it’s first gridiron win since 2017 against their county rivals in Clarion-Goldfield-Dows. Logan Willard enters year 2 without a victory, but a squad returning some important pieces could break that spell on Friday. The Eagles return sophomore quarterback Jake Jeske, who started every game as a freshman in 2020. Jeske does lose top target Preston Huntley, but returns a good chunk of production that surrounded him in 2020, including Roberto Calles, Blake Morgan, and Tate Richardson. The Eagles only see a pair of linemen graduate, but return new seniors in Isaac Olson and Tyler Hansen.
Kickoff is slated for 7PM on Friday, August 27th in Eagle Grove.
