Mt. Pleasant, IA- What a special season for Mt. Pleasant. A top 10 rankings, a district runner-up finish, a 7-3 record, and their first trip to the Iowa High School Athletic Association’s football postseason since 2010.

Hard to believe that a year ago the Panthers had finally slashed a 23-game losing streak.

Mt. Pleasant started the season with a thrilling 17-14 victory over Mediapolis that saw Tate Dorothy secure the game sealing strip sack. The Panther offense woke up in weeks two and three, clobbering Knoxville and Oskaloosa by a combined score of 76 to 28. The defense even got involved when William Birdsell blocked a Knoxville punt that Max Sloat took to the house.

After a week four loss, Mt. Pleasant defeated Washington for the first time since 2008 at Bob Evans field in a 44-20 final. Griffin Jones returned a kick for a score and Brody Clark housed a interception for their first district victory of the year.

A 61-0 drubbing of Fort Madison saw Ryan Helling and Ramzy Davis stamped their way past the Bloodhound defense for over 100 yards rushing each. A furious second half comeback that was emphatically put away by two Lathan Novak-Watson interceptions, including a 95-yard pick six to sneak past Keokuk 35-34.

Mt. Pleasant was forced in week nine to win or possibly miss the playoffs and for a half of play, Fairfield wanted to make sure Mt. Pleasant would not break a 15-year streak as the Trojans led 22 to 6. The Panthers again worked their way on the ground to overcome the 16-point halftime deficit to beat Fairfield 25-22 as Isaiah Lange and Sloat broke their way through to sack the quarterback in the final plays.

For their play, Mt. Pleasant put 10 Panthers on the First Team, six on the Second Team, and five on the Honorable Mentions. Carter Myers was named District Offensive Line MVP. Isaiah Lange earned District Defensive Line MVP, and Dylan White was Co-Specialist of the Year for the District.

First Team: Ramzy Davis (RB), Carter Myers (OL), Kellen Kohorst (OL), Merrick Lamm (TE), Dylan White (K), Isaiah Lange (DL), Max Sloat (LB), Brody Clark (DEF UTL), Jack Newman (DB), Griffin Jones (RET)

Second Team: Ryan Helling (RB), Jaymisen Rich (OL), Tate Dorothy (OL), Kaden Schadt (WR), Colton Syfert (DL), Lathan Novak-Watson (DB)

Honorable Mention: Grayson Walker (QB), Keegan Heaton (OL), Kale Housh (DL), Gavin Kerr (LB), Asa Rose (DB)

MP Scholar: Ramzy Davis, Kellen Kohorst, Carter Myers, Jaymisen Rich, Colton Syfert, Dylan White, Brody Clark, Jonathan Kellogg, Merrick Lamm, Charlie Syfert, Carter Gehling, Tayte George, Ryan Helling, Isaiah Lange, Gable Myers

Academic All-District: Kellen Kohorst, Carter Myers, Jaymisen Rich, Brody Clark, Tate Dorothy, Kayden Jackson, Merrick Lamm, Charlie Syfert, Grayson Walker

Academic All-State and All-District: Ramzy Davis, Colton Syfert, Dylan White

We got the opportunity to talk to Class 3A District 4 Co-Coach of the Year John Bowlin as he talked about the highlights of the 2025 season and the opportunity to get to celebrate what his team accomplished this year.

Interview with Panthers Head Coach John Bowlin

Slaten: Finished the season with 10 First Teamers, six Second Teamers, plenty of Academic All-District guys. Everyone got their awards; it was a special season. How special was it for you?

Coach Bowlin: Yeah, you know, we had our banquet last night and we obviously were able to celebrate those guys. And I think it was fitting that everybody really got recognized and noticed by the other coaches in the district and you know, like I said we had a really special senior class that I think, you know, kind of paved the way for everybody this year and what they’ve done the last few years, so seeing their hard work pay off, you know, obviously there’s still some awards that could come out as the, you know, state finals finish up this week and everything. So, seeing if there could be more. But like I said, a lot of All-District academic guys, All-District players and what they do in the classroom and on the field, you know, really proud of them. And we got a lot of those guys coming back as well, so a good foundation to build off of going to going to next year.

Of Mt. Pleasant’s 21 All-District players, the Panthers are set to return 10 for next season, including four sophomores.

Slaten: You had six guys with 100% weight room attendance, when building a program how important is it that you highlight those guys?

Coach Bowlin: Yeah, absolutely. I know what they did and showing up every day it is a big deal, and you know it shows up in their numbers, you know, in the weight room it shows up on the field for them as well. So, they turn themselves into pretty great competitors and you know, just great leaders for us. So, you know those six guys, we had a lot of guys that were close too. We’ve had a lot of guys buy-in to doing the right thing, so you know that’s obviously exciting to see as a coach and you know, keep getting better and you know, we know they’ll be the ones there leading us this year going into next year as well.

Ramzy Davis, Jaymisen Rich, Max Sloat, Brody Clark, Tate Dorothy, and Jeryn Rich all made every single workout.

Slaten: Dylan White took home Co-District Specialist MVP, and he had a real special season. Not only as a field goal kicker but on kickoffs, as well. Had to be nice to have a weapon like that?

Coach Bowlin: Oh yeah. What he did for us, you know, for us. He was able to put the ball where we needed it, you know, all the time and you know had a great leg he was a weapon for us on offense and you know we really felt good kicking it from the 25[yard line] in with him and, you know, just his ability that we kind of tell him, hey, we want to go at this number or you know pre snap where we’re going and he’s able to execute that and we had quite a few onside kicks to go along with that as well. So, you know he will definitely be missed. He’s been a big part of our team in the last two years and been a guy that’s you know helped us get those wins in the win column, so we’ll be working hard to find somebody that can hopefully step up and fill that role for the years to come.

Dylan White went 7 for 11 in field goals with a career long 43-yarder in a win over Keokuk. He hit game-winners against Fairfield and Fort Madison last year, and go-ahead kicks against Mediapolis and Keokuk this season.

Slaten: Running the ball was your bread and butter all season and you put your entire offensive line on the All-District Team to go along with Ramzy Davis being a First Team running back. It’s nice to see that type of hard work get recognized at the end of the season.

Coach Bowlin: Yeah, absolutely. You know, like you said, we had, you know, all of our seniors recognize as well. Obviously, they’ve been a big part for these last couple of years and you know, going through and just watching, you know, all the film here even after the season, I try to try to break down each play a little bit and just seeing what those guys did. They were in the right spots all the time and, you know, being great leaders. So, they deserve all the accolades they get and they’re going to be extremely hard [to replace], you know, between Rich, Kohorst, and Myers, you know, those three guys on the o-line and then obviously Ramsey in the backfield. It’s going to be a pretty big loss for us. So, let’s have some guys step up. But we got quite a few athletes as well coming back. So, you know kind of retain 2/3 of our backfield, which is nice to be able to build off of and we have we can build off of Dorothy and Heaton there at the left side and you know, go from there. And I know kids will grow and they’ll get better, and we’ll have guys step up and you know, hopefully step right in and be able to, you know establish the line of scrimmage next year.

Carter Myers was named All-District Offensive Line MVP to go along with First Team honors. Kellen Kohorst and Merrick Lamm also earned First Team honors. Tate Dorothy and Jaymisen Rich were placed on the Second Team, while Keegan Heaton, in his first season playing offensive line, was named Honorable Mention.

Slaten: Isaiah Lange, just a sophomore, and he was named Defensive Line MVP for the District after a stellar year on the defensive line. You mentioned he was a name to look for before the year started, did you foresee him being this good?

Coach Bowlin: He is a pretty special athlete. He’s got the drive to keep getting better and better and he’s going to, so you know obviously the numbers, he had some big games there to load up the sack total, but I’m pretty impressive to see those numbers come through at the end of the year. Like you said, what he did on the D-line to open things up for, you know, other guys as well at linebacker and, you know, I think he’s going to demand a lot of attention, which is going to help guys step up and you know, make a lot more plays next year. So, I think I think he is a big focus on the D-line, and I think we expected to be pretty good coming in this year, and I think for the next two years he’s going to be a load to handle and you know, we’re really glad he’s on our side.

Lange finished the season with 13 sacks. Those 13 sacks outpaced 11 of the past 14 Panther defenses as a whole.

Slaten: We’ve talked all season about how these talented sophomores have been able to step in and play at a high level. Was there anyone that still surprised you that went on to have a bigger role than you were expecting?

Coach Bowlin: I think we had 22 guys letter this year, so to be able to have that many guys be on the field make plays. I think if you look at our team, we’re probably not the fastest team but we are a pretty physical team, and I think the more we played the more our guys understood that and I think that’s kind of something that maybe they didn’t believe it when they when we first started, but as the weeks went on, I think that they knew they could be matched up with anybody physically. And you know, there’s just they just had a drive. I don’t know if I would point out a one person, I think just completely you know, stood out, I think as a team though they played so well together and were really good teammates and able to kind of pick each other up in spots and that’s kind of how it how it flowed for us this year. We had a lot of guys putting it in to where we ended up having you know fairly dynamic offense this year and like I said defensively, I think our D-line, the depth we had, we had a lot of guys on the D line, but I really think their play helped us defensively, able to shut a lot of run game down and you know, put us in good spots to then win.

Slaten: Third season at the helm and were able to take home Co-Coach of the Year award for the district. How much does it mean to you to see how the program has grown through the past couple of years?

Coach Bowlin: Yeah, I think just the, you know it’s obviously, you know, humbling to get that and get our team there. You know, hopefully our guys expect, you know I know the first year we started we didn’t have any wins, but I think the work we put in and kind of the expectations of what it takes. They’ve bought into that and I think they’ll continue to do that, so, you know, I’m obviously excited about the kids we have and what’s coming back and you know, I think it’s just I always tell the kids, it’s amazing how much you can grow from one year to the next to as long as you buy into the process and you know they have and they see it. So, anything if you’re willing to put the work in and good things are happening. We just got a lot of good kids that are that are doing that right now. So, we’re pretty fortunate to have some really good kids here that put the work in and now it’s paying off for them.

Slaten: Might be hard to pick just one, but what was your favorite moment from the season?

Coach Bowlin: Oh boy, you know, the last regular season game to really not play our best football and you know, really, just grit out there till the end and get that win against Fairfield and seal the, you know, playoff spot was a pretty great moment there. There are some other ones going in my head, but obviously that one was pretty great. Lathan Novak-Watson’s pick six against Keokuk was a was a pretty awesome moment as well. Number one [beating Fairfield], but yeah, yeah, there’s really nothing better than that.

Mt. Pleasant trailed by double digits in the second half of two of their final three regular-season games and still managed to come out with victories. In fact, half of Mt. Pleasant’s wins since 2020 have been by one possession.

It took 15 years for Mt. Pleasant to find their way back to the postseason, but the culture helped set by the seniors and coach Bowlin is gearing up for the Panthers to make the postseason a regular occurrence.