The Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Cowboys football team is back in action on Friday night, as they travel to Gowrie to take on the (2A) #9 Southeast Valley Jaguars in their non-district finale. The Jaguars jumped into the Radio Iowa poll following their 59-6 win over Eagle Grove, but fell to the Cowboys last year in Gowrie by a score of 24-8, but the Jags still lead the all-time series 4-1.
Southeast Valley made quick work of Eagle Grove a week ago, leading 35-0 at halftime before coming away with their statement 59-6 win. Running back/linebacker Brady Hanson had a monster game with 5 touchdowns (4 rushing, 1 interception return) that helped put the Jaguars over the top. Michael Sweiter’s Jaguars have found their #1 quarterback in junior Cale Vansickle, after he split reps all of last season with senior Dalton Crouse. Vansickle is 16-for-24 with 291 yards and 2 touchdowns, while rushing for another 135 yards on the ground. Southeast Valley’s receiving core has seen an equal spread of wealth so far, with Ross Larson, Andrew Miller and Logan Jaeschke each with 4 receptions. Miller has 107 yards and 2 touchdowns off those 4 receptions, Larson has 99 yards and a touchdown, while Jaeschke has 43 yards. The Jags offensive line has also seen a marked improvement, with many of their starters back from last season.
Defensively, the Southeast Valley unit as a whole has played at a high-level to start the season with 11 different players recording TFL’s in the first two games for the Jaguars. Sophomore linebacker Drew Temple has seen an impressive start to his varsity career, with 9 tackles, a sack and 2 tackles for loss in his first two games. Defensive back Jace Nelson has also made his presence known with 1.5 sacks through the first two games, while Brady Hanson and the aforementioned Temple each have made interceptions, Hanson running his back 52 yards for a touchdown against Eagle Grove last week.
Clarion-Goldfield-Dows comes off a tough 34-7 home loss to a tough 3A foe in Hampton-Dumont-CAL. Carson Nesheim came away as a positive, throwing the football effectively, completing 12-of-23 passes for 183 yards and a touchdown. Colin Kirstein was the big recipient of those passes, catching 7 balls for 138 yards and the Cowboys only touchdown. The big test will be CGD’s offensive line against the Jaguars defensive line, the Cowboys only rushed for 15 yards in their loss to HD-CAL on Friday.
Kickoff is slated for 7 PM from the Southeast Valley Football Field in Gowrie.