The Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Cowboys football team returns to action on Friday Night, as they welcome in the Okoboji Pioneers for Senior Night, in Class 2A, District 2 action at the Clarion Football Field at CGD Middle School. Clarion-Goldfield-Dows enters at 1-5, while Okoboji enters at 4-2. CGD won last year’s meeting in Okoboji by a score of 55-27, but Okoboji leads the all-time series 3-2 dating back to 2006.
Okoboji enters with a 4-2 record with wins over North Union, Pocahontas Area, Estherville-Lincoln Central and Garner-Hayfield-Ventura, with losses to MOC-Floyd Valley and #1 Spirit Lake. The Pioneers offense is led by senior quarterback Landon Duvall, who’s throw for 1,087 yards, 11 touchdowns and 6 interceptions, along with 314 yards on the ground and 9 touchdowns. Duvall has split most of his completions with 3 different targets, as Caleb Simington leads the team in receptions with 26 for 292 yards and 4 touchdowns. Younger brother Avery Simington has 20 receptions for 261 yards and 2 touchdowns, while sophomore Asa Jacobsen has 23 receptions for 259 yards and 4 touchdowns, while Tyler Netsch has 125 yards and a touchdown on 9 receptions. The elder Simington has also been a weapon in the run game, rushing for 292 yards and 2 touchdowns, while senior Alex Rouse has 129 yards and a touchdown on the ground.
Defensively, the Pioneers linebackers have been a strong point throughout the season, led by senior Nathan Franklin, who leads Okoboji with 31 tackles and 2.5 TFL. Jerron Heller has been a playmaker at linebacker, with 19 tackles, 4 tackles for loss and 3 sacks. James Allen has 24.5 tackles, 3 TFL and an interception, while Landon Duvall has 16.5 tackles, 2.5 TFL and an interception at linebacker as well. Up front, the Pioneers have seen their defensive lineman be productive with the limited tackles made. Junior Sam Bockman leads the unit with 14 tackles and 5 TFL, while RJ Kaslow has 4.5 tackles, 2 TFL and 2 sacks, and junior Aiden Gehrke had 7 tackles, 3.5 TFL and 1 sack. The defensive backfield has a number of big producers in Tyler Netsch, Avery Simington, Caleb Simington and Carson Storey.
Clarion-Goldfield-Dows will look to break their 5-game skid against a much-improved Okoboji team in 2024. Charlie Campbell has shouldered a lot of the load for a struggling offense, as JD Morrical will need to rebound to give the Cowboys a shot at a win.
Kickoff is slated for 7 PM from the Clarion Football Field on Friday Night.