Find out what some of the top players in the state are saying about sports now!
Q&A with Janesville offensive guard Kole Haan
How has everything with the football season been going so far?
“It's been pretty good, fun. Obviously it didn't go completely how we wanted with the wins but everyone had a bunch of fun.”
Have you been pleased with how you have played this season?
“I was pleased with my performance this year. I felt that I and the rest of the team never really gave up on games and the season.”
How do you feel your team has played?
“Obviously our team didn't have as many wins as we wanted at the end of the year but I still think we played okay all year. We always had fights and even if we were getting blown out we didn't give up.”
What do you feel your team can improve on?
“I feel like something our team and especially me can improve on is communicating with each other better. I felt like at times our communication with each other was very lackluster, I didn't do anything to help that, but I think that's something we could improve on in the future.”
What are the keys for your team being successful going forward?
“We just have to keep working hard in the off-season, keep staying active, play other sports, lift weights.”
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Q&A with Johnston athlete Jacob Simpson
How has everything with the football season been going so far?
“The season has gone well, we are currently 6-3 and a win in our last game vs Ames gives us a home playoff game. I am proud of how our team has progressed through the year and excited about our postseason potential.”
Have you been pleased with how you have played this season?
“I always see areas in which I can improve but overall I feel that I have had a very productive season. I feel my route running, blocking, and speed have improved from last year. I see a lot of double and triple teams and my size and athleticism has allowed me to still go up and get the ball even with that type of coverage.”
How do you feel your team has played? I
“I feel like our team has played extremely well, especially at home. We were one of the more silent killing teams. People didn’t expect us to be as productive as we are. We used that as a big motivator. We ended up undefeated at home which was great. I think we still have room for improvement and I feel like we still haven’t played our best complete game yet.”
What do you feel your team can improve on?
“I think we can improve on every part of our game. I just feel like we can be more consistent in our play. We need to be able to put four quarters together and be able to string drives together.”
What are the keys for your team being successful going forward?
“Our defense has played great all season and keeps improving. In our last game the defense generated a lot of turnovers which allowed us to get a quick start and control the game basically from beginning to end. I would also like us to be a little bit more productive in the run game.”
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Q&A with Waukee wide receiver Malachi Curvey
How has everything with the football season been going so far?
“Everything with this season went good honestly, whether we made the playoffs or not this team has made huge improvements throughout the season. We went 4-5 but I feel like this team can do great things.”
Have you been pleased with how you have played this season?
“I am okay with how I played as a sophomore but I didn’t meet the standard I put myself at. Coming into week 4 I broke a bone in the base of my thumb and it kind of impacted me for the rest of the season. With having a cast on I wasn’t able to play receiver or play at my best on defense so I feel like I definitely would have benefited my team more than I did but I will come better than ever next year.”
How do you feel your team has played?
“My team played well this season, although our record isn’t the best I feel like this team has great potential and can do spectacular things for the coming years.”
What do you feel your team can improve on?
“I feel that our team overall can improve on confidence as a whole and continue to find our identity.”
What are the keys for your team being successful going forward?
“The key to being successful going forward is again, finding an identity. We have the talent, the players, if we get an identity we can be dangerous.”
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Q&A with BGM linebacker Tate Martin
How has everything with the football season been going so far?
“Football season went pretty good, [we] had a great group of seniors that were fun to play with and overall be around. Sadly [we] didn’t go as deep into the playoffs as we were capable of and lost in the first round.”
Have you been pleased with how you have played this season?
“I was pretty pleased with how I played this season, tied for first on the team in tackles and did my fair share on the offensive side, also was top five in my district after not having a week 0 game like some of the other teams.”
How do you feel your team has played?
“I think that we played pretty good this year. We ended 3rd in our district, losing to the top 2 by only a combined 6 points. We all knew that we had the talent to make a run in the playoffs but just came up short against Easton Valley in the first round.”
What do you feel your team can improve on?
“During the season our main issue was how we mentally showed up. When we played our game and played to our full potential we could play with any team. Sometimes during games we would lose focus and then we would let some teams score or make a play on us, but when we came ready we were a very good team.”
What are the keys for your team being successful going forward?
“One of the things that made us successful throughout the year was our offense. If a team would score on us, we all knew that our offense with Jake Maurer would find a way to put points up on the board. We were able to throw the ball when we needed to, but a lot of the time we were able to run the ball on teams.”
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Q&A with Iowa City West running back Ashton Honore
How has everything with the football season been going so far?
“It was a great football season for me and the team. We could have done better this season.”
Have you been pleased with how you have played this season?
“I am very pleased [with] how I’ve played this season. Still have some things that I need to work on for the next season.”
How do you feel your team has played?
“We had a great season. Coming out with many young guys on the field with them playing at their best abilities.”
What do you feel your team can improve on?
“I could improve on reading coverages.”
What are the keys for your team being successful going forward?
“The biggest key to our team is communication and chemistry.”
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Q&A with Janesville offensive guard Kole Haan
How has everything with the football season been going so far?
“It's been pretty good, fun. Obviously it didn't go completely how we wanted with the wins but everyone had a bunch of fun.”
Have you been pleased with how you have played this season?
“I was pleased with my performance this year. I felt that I and the rest of the team never really gave up on games and the season.”
How do you feel your team has played?
“Obviously our team didn't have as many wins as we wanted at the end of the year but I still think we played okay all year. We always had fights and even if we were getting blown out we didn't give up.”
What do you feel your team can improve on?
“I feel like something our team and especially me can improve on is communicating with each other better. I felt like at times our communication with each other was very lackluster, I didn't do anything to help that, but I think that's something we could improve on in the future.”
What are the keys for your team being successful going forward?
“We just have to keep working hard in the off-season, keep staying active, play other sports, lift weights.”
..............................................
Q&A with Johnston athlete Jacob Simpson
How has everything with the football season been going so far?
“The season has gone well, we are currently 6-3 and a win in our last game vs Ames gives us a home playoff game. I am proud of how our team has progressed through the year and excited about our postseason potential.”
Have you been pleased with how you have played this season?
“I always see areas in which I can improve but overall I feel that I have had a very productive season. I feel my route running, blocking, and speed have improved from last year. I see a lot of double and triple teams and my size and athleticism has allowed me to still go up and get the ball even with that type of coverage.”
How do you feel your team has played? I
“I feel like our team has played extremely well, especially at home. We were one of the more silent killing teams. People didn’t expect us to be as productive as we are. We used that as a big motivator. We ended up undefeated at home which was great. I think we still have room for improvement and I feel like we still haven’t played our best complete game yet.”
What do you feel your team can improve on?
“I think we can improve on every part of our game. I just feel like we can be more consistent in our play. We need to be able to put four quarters together and be able to string drives together.”
What are the keys for your team being successful going forward?
“Our defense has played great all season and keeps improving. In our last game the defense generated a lot of turnovers which allowed us to get a quick start and control the game basically from beginning to end. I would also like us to be a little bit more productive in the run game.”
..............................................
Q&A with Waukee wide receiver Malachi Curvey
How has everything with the football season been going so far?
“Everything with this season went good honestly, whether we made the playoffs or not this team has made huge improvements throughout the season. We went 4-5 but I feel like this team can do great things.”
Have you been pleased with how you have played this season?
“I am okay with how I played as a sophomore but I didn’t meet the standard I put myself at. Coming into week 4 I broke a bone in the base of my thumb and it kind of impacted me for the rest of the season. With having a cast on I wasn’t able to play receiver or play at my best on defense so I feel like I definitely would have benefited my team more than I did but I will come better than ever next year.”
How do you feel your team has played?
“My team played well this season, although our record isn’t the best I feel like this team has great potential and can do spectacular things for the coming years.”
What do you feel your team can improve on?
“I feel that our team overall can improve on confidence as a whole and continue to find our identity.”
What are the keys for your team being successful going forward?
“The key to being successful going forward is again, finding an identity. We have the talent, the players, if we get an identity we can be dangerous.”
..............................................
Q&A with BGM linebacker Tate Martin
How has everything with the football season been going so far?
“Football season went pretty good, [we] had a great group of seniors that were fun to play with and overall be around. Sadly [we] didn’t go as deep into the playoffs as we were capable of and lost in the first round.”
Have you been pleased with how you have played this season?
“I was pretty pleased with how I played this season, tied for first on the team in tackles and did my fair share on the offensive side, also was top five in my district after not having a week 0 game like some of the other teams.”
How do you feel your team has played?
“I think that we played pretty good this year. We ended 3rd in our district, losing to the top 2 by only a combined 6 points. We all knew that we had the talent to make a run in the playoffs but just came up short against Easton Valley in the first round.”
What do you feel your team can improve on?
“During the season our main issue was how we mentally showed up. When we played our game and played to our full potential we could play with any team. Sometimes during games we would lose focus and then we would let some teams score or make a play on us, but when we came ready we were a very good team.”
What are the keys for your team being successful going forward?
“One of the things that made us successful throughout the year was our offense. If a team would score on us, we all knew that our offense with Jake Maurer would find a way to put points up on the board. We were able to throw the ball when we needed to, but a lot of the time we were able to run the ball on teams.”
..............................................
Q&A with Iowa City West running back Ashton Honore
How has everything with the football season been going so far?
“It was a great football season for me and the team. We could have done better this season.”
Have you been pleased with how you have played this season?
“I am very pleased [with] how I’ve played this season. Still have some things that I need to work on for the next season.”
How do you feel your team has played?
“We had a great season. Coming out with many young guys on the field with them playing at their best abilities.”
What do you feel your team can improve on?
“I could improve on reading coverages.”
What are the keys for your team being successful going forward?
“The biggest key to our team is communication and chemistry.”
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