North opens home slate with Ankeny
By Barry Poe, Journal sports writer | Posted: Thursday, September 04, 2008
Mistakes cost the North High football team dearly in a 27-21 season-opening loss at Marshalltown last Friday. But that's to be expected from a team that lost 26 seniors off a Missouri River Activities Conference championship squad.
The Stars fumbled seven times, losing two, and threw an interception at Marshalltown. Still, they led 14-13 heading into the fourth quarter.
"We played pretty well, but we didn't execute and capitalize on their mistakes," said Hanks. "It's a game we should have won and we're not happy with our execution, so that's one of our big concerns.
"But we have a young team, so you will have miscues. It's just a matter of getting everything taught before conference play."
It certainly doesn't get any easier for the Stars this week. Ankeny, last year's Iowa Class 4A state runner-up, pays a visit to Elwood Olsen Stadium tonight for a 7:30 kickoff in North's home opener.
Ankeny, ranked No. 9 in the Associated Press pre-season poll, opened its season with a 27-15 victory over Waukee last Friday.
"Ankeny will be tough, they play football down there," said Hanks, whose team finished 7-3 after a first-round state playoff loss last season. "We've been lucky enough to stay in some games with them, but this is a new year for us with a young, inexperienced group.
"To me, though, this is a good experience for us. Unless you get a chance to play these playoff teams, you don't know what to expect if you get there."
Jared Goforth rushed for 137 yards on 10 carries for Ankeny against Waukee while Ross Naylor scored a pair of touchdowns. The Hawks, like North, lost several talented players to graduation off an 11-2 squad that fell to Bettendorf, 21-16, in the Class 4A state championship game.
Ankeny's Jerry Pezzetti is the sixth winningest coach in the history of Iowa high school football. Now in his 48th season of coaching, Pezzetti has a 317-132-1 overall mark, including a 261-120 record early in his 40th season at Ankeny. Pezzetti, an Iowa Football Coaches Association Hall of Famer, also coached at Melcher-Dallas and Murray.
North was victimized by 328 passing yards from University of Iowa basketball recruit Chanse Creekmur of Marshalltown. The Stars were outgained 486-287 in total yardage and two 80-yard scores accounted for more than half of North's total.
Josh Folchert, a 6-2, 188-pound senior who rushed for 534 yards last season, finished with 123 yards on 16 carries last week. Folchert had an 80-yard touchdown gallop while Danny Rudeen and Kelbey Heider hooked up for an 80-yard score, tying the game at 21-21 with 11:41 remaining. Marshalltown, though, drove 74 yards and scored the winning touchdown with 5:34 left.
"All in all, as a total unit and family, we played well," said Hanks. "We were excited about what we got out of them, not knowing what to expect."
Ironically, after all four Sioux City schools played on the road last Friday, all are home this weekend.
Bishop Heelan, ranked No. 1 in Class 3A, has an early-season showdown at Memorial Field against No. 2 Harlan on Friday while West hosts Indianola. East, a 28-7 winner over Des Moines Roosevelt in its season opener, entertains fifth-ranked Johnston in a 1 o'clock matinee on Saturday.
South Sioux City plays at Vermillion, S.D., Friday.
The Stars fumbled seven times, losing two, and threw an interception at Marshalltown. Still, they led 14-13 heading into the fourth quarter.
"We played pretty well, but we didn't execute and capitalize on their mistakes," said Hanks. "It's a game we should have won and we're not happy with our execution, so that's one of our big concerns.
"But we have a young team, so you will have miscues. It's just a matter of getting everything taught before conference play."
It certainly doesn't get any easier for the Stars this week. Ankeny, last year's Iowa Class 4A state runner-up, pays a visit to Elwood Olsen Stadium tonight for a 7:30 kickoff in North's home opener.
Ankeny, ranked No. 9 in the Associated Press pre-season poll, opened its season with a 27-15 victory over Waukee last Friday.
"Ankeny will be tough, they play football down there," said Hanks, whose team finished 7-3 after a first-round state playoff loss last season. "We've been lucky enough to stay in some games with them, but this is a new year for us with a young, inexperienced group.
"To me, though, this is a good experience for us. Unless you get a chance to play these playoff teams, you don't know what to expect if you get there."
Jared Goforth rushed for 137 yards on 10 carries for Ankeny against Waukee while Ross Naylor scored a pair of touchdowns. The Hawks, like North, lost several talented players to graduation off an 11-2 squad that fell to Bettendorf, 21-16, in the Class 4A state championship game.
Ankeny's Jerry Pezzetti is the sixth winningest coach in the history of Iowa high school football. Now in his 48th season of coaching, Pezzetti has a 317-132-1 overall mark, including a 261-120 record early in his 40th season at Ankeny. Pezzetti, an Iowa Football Coaches Association Hall of Famer, also coached at Melcher-Dallas and Murray.
North was victimized by 328 passing yards from University of Iowa basketball recruit Chanse Creekmur of Marshalltown. The Stars were outgained 486-287 in total yardage and two 80-yard scores accounted for more than half of North's total.
Josh Folchert, a 6-2, 188-pound senior who rushed for 534 yards last season, finished with 123 yards on 16 carries last week. Folchert had an 80-yard touchdown gallop while Danny Rudeen and Kelbey Heider hooked up for an 80-yard score, tying the game at 21-21 with 11:41 remaining. Marshalltown, though, drove 74 yards and scored the winning touchdown with 5:34 left.
"All in all, as a total unit and family, we played well," said Hanks. "We were excited about what we got out of them, not knowing what to expect."
Ironically, after all four Sioux City schools played on the road last Friday, all are home this weekend.
Bishop Heelan, ranked No. 1 in Class 3A, has an early-season showdown at Memorial Field against No. 2 Harlan on Friday while West hosts Indianola. East, a 28-7 winner over Des Moines Roosevelt in its season opener, entertains fifth-ranked Johnston in a 1 o'clock matinee on Saturday.
South Sioux City plays at Vermillion, S.D., Friday.
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