The Eagle Grove Eagles football team will take the field one more time in 2023 on Thursday night as they welcome in the Cardinals of Garner-Hayfield-Ventura to Gene Hinrichsen Field at Eagle Grove Elementary School. Eagle Grove will enter Thursday’s game with a record of 0-8 and 0-5 in the district, while GHV enters at 1-7 and 0-5 in Class 2A, District 2.
GHV enters with an offense that has had a very up and down season, led by senior quarterback Aiden Hawe. Hawe has thrown for just 355 yards and 3 touchdowns, while completing just 35.2% of his passes and 7 interceptions on the year. Hawe has split his targets between junior receiver Nicholas Zrostlik, who has 12 receptions for 146 yards, and running back Lucas Kral, who has 11 receptions for 116 yards and a touchdown. Kral has gotten it done in the ground game as well, rushing for 506 yards and 6 touchdowns on the season.
Defensively, the Cardinals are led by a salty linebacker core, spearheaded by junior linebacker Parker Moritz. Moritz has tallied 59 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and 3 sacks on the season for GHV. Fellow linebacker Gage Konz leads the Cardinals in tackles with 60 tackles and just a .5 tackle for loss, while Parker Stearns has 31 tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss as well, and Andrew Hook added 32 tackles and 6 tackles for loss. The defensive line has been led by junior defensive end Logan Kudej, who has a unit-high 22 tackles with 3 tackles for loss on the season, while Mick Formanek has 14.5 tackles and 3 tackles for loss as well. Nicholas Zrostlik highlights the secondary with the unit’s lone interception, as well as 21 tackles, Karter Datema leads the secondary in tackles with 24.5.
Eagle Grove will look to send out their seniors as winners in their Week 9 contest, especially after a close contest with Pocahontas Area in Week 8. Drake Canavan continues to lead by example for the Eagles with 779 yards and 6 touchdowns on the ground, as well as 28.5 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss and 5 sacks defensively. Connor Christopher nearly cracked the 100-yard mark against Pocahontas Area, and the Eagles leading tackler will look to end his career the right way on Friday night.
Kickoff is slated for 7 PM on Thursday night at Gene Hinrichsen Field at Eagle Grove Elementary School.