Cyclones to host Titans in season opener

In one of the most intense rivalries in Iowa high school football, the HCHS Cyclones will host the Lewis Central Titans at Merrill Field for the first time in three seasons after opening the last two seasons in their house.
“It’s nice to open the season at Merrill Field,” said Cyclone Head Coach Todd Bladt. “Merrill Field is pretty special to a lot of people, so that’s going to be a fun time. We’re looking forward to it. We’ve just got to go out and execute, and we’ll see how that transpires here shortly.”
The Cyclones are coming off a season in which they finished 6-4 overall, taking an uncharacteristic first round exit in Regionals 35-27 to the Creston Panthers Oct. 27.
During their 2023 season, offensively, the Cyclones were led by Senior Will Arkfeld with 1,968 passing yards, Senior Noah Schmitz with 450 rushing yards, Senior Brehden Eggerss with 696 receiving yards. Defensively, Senior Matthew Sorfonden led the way with 69 tackles.
Despite losing 13 seniors, the Cyclones have many returning students, including Junior Jackson Bieker, who is on defense this season, taking on the role of cornerback.
“For me, I just try to do my job at corner,” Bieker said. “I’ve really just tried to work on my deep coverage because that’s kind of one of my weaknesses.”
With Will Arkfeld graduated, a new quarterback will step into the everyday role, Junior Gabe Arkfeld, who was Will’s backup the previous season.
“Being quarterback is a tough spot,” Bladt said. “You’ve got to be cool and calm, but you also have to get excited. Those moments have to be pretty precise. You have to keep your head about you at all times. Gabe has a great mentality for it. I’m excited to see what he can do leading a team. He’s got some skills, and hopefully, he has them on full display Friday night.”
The Titans are coming off a season where they finished 11-2, capturing their second state title in the previous three seasons capping off their final game 40-21 against the Western Dubuque Bobcats Nov. 16 at the UNI-Dome.
“Every year it’s a challenge,” said Titan Head Coach Justin Kammrad. “Just reflecting on the season we had with those guys last year. We were just able to put things together. We started 2-2 in non-district play, and had some really tight battles. Our quarterback play got immensely better with a first year starter in Brady Hetzel.”
During the Titans 2023 campaign, offensively, Hetzel led his team with 2,587 passing yards, Senior Kamdyn Cross with 779 rushing yards, and Senior Curtis Witte with 825 receiving yards. Defensively, Senior Owen Thomas had 67.5 tackles.
However, with a new season on the horizon, Kammrad knows what a challenge it will be to repeat, along with starting off the season on the road in Harlan.
“It’s an iconic place in Southwest Iowa when you think about football,” Kammrad said. “The amount of players they’ve put out, the amount of championships they’ve put out there, and it’s our measuring stick for a program that’s so phenomenal and we know Harlan will play tough. They’ll get after you. They’re very well coached. Playing in Harlan is definitely a lot different than playing in Council Bluffs. The home team sees to have the advantage when it comes to it. They’re always close.”
With Kammrad at the helm leading the Titans to two titles in the past three seasons, Bladt talked about the respect and admiration he has for Kammrad and the job he’s done.
“We’ve had some battles,” Bladt said. “He’s got the last couple. They’re coached well. We know that going in. There are certain things they like to do that we need to get better at. He’s a good coach and has a good staff.”