By: Nathan Bloechl — sports@kilj.com
Mediapolis Looks to Continued Storied Success:
Expectations for Mediapolis Football are always high.
That’s just the type of 1A power they’ve grown to be, but when you return eight starters from a team that finished 8-2 last year, they ratchet up just a little more.
Such is the case for Brian Borrison’s Bulldogs this year, as the veteran head coach readies for his 15th season, just two wins shy of eclipsing 100 for his career.
Headlining his returners is RB Josh Darbyshire.
Darbyshire was in a timeshare in the backfield last year with senior Klay Foster, but he still managed to accumulate 527 yards on the ground on just 59 totes, a healthy nine yards per carry average.
He scored four times, as well.
Undoubtedly, he’ll be asked to shoulder the load left by Foster, who totaled 1,142 yards last year with 13 touchdowns.
Replacing quarterback Briar Johnson will be senior Regan Thornburg, who appeared sparingly at signal caller last year, throwing for 350 yards and five touchdowns.
Other returners for Mediapolis this year include OL Bryce Martin and Jordan Anderson, DB Logan Thie and Drew Zurmehlen, DL Bo Higtower and LB Haydn Eberhardt.
“We have a fair amount of speed and returning experience in our offensive skill positions” head coach Brian Borrison told KILJ.
And while they will have some new starters, Borrison is hoping they can adjust to the speed of the varsity game quickly.
“We are excited about the opportunity we have this year, our guys have done what we have asked and I could not be more proud of where they are at.”
2020 Mediapolis Football Schedule:
8/28: West Liberty
9/4: Wapello
9/11: at Van Buren County
9/18: Pekin
9/25: Cardinal
10/2: at Sigourney
10/9: at Louisa-Muscatine
Kolar, Duncan Honored by USA Today:
Iowa State tight end Charlie Kolar and Iowa kicker Keith Duncan have both been honored by USA Today Sports as preseason First Team All-Americans.
Kolar had 51 receptions for 697 yards and seven touchdowns in his sophomore season last year with the Cyclones, while Duncan made 29 of his 34 field goal attempts and was a perfect 32 for 32 in extra points during his junior season with Iowa.
Iowa return man Ihmir Smith-Marsette was also a second team pick.
Smith-Marsette averaged 29.6 yards per return and had two kickoff returns for scores.
Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence edged Ohio State signal caller for the Preseason First-Team All-America quarterback spot, while many outlets predict the both of them to be front-runners for the Heisman Trophy.
Big Ten: We Won’t Play This Year:
Despite pushback from parents of athletes at multiple Big Ten schools, conference commissioner Kevin Warren has unequivocally announced the league will not play fall football this year.
In a letter released by the conference yesterday, Warren said the league’s focus is now on finding a “safe and effective” way to hold football — and other fall sports in the winter or spring.
Coaches, athletic directors and other medical personnel will help represent a task force that will attempt to plan return to play protocols.
The Big Ten officially announced the cancellation of fall sports on August 11th, just five days after releasing a revised football schedule.
MLB Scoreboard (8/19):
Toronto 5, Baltimore 2
Boston 6, Philadelphia 3
St. Louis 9, Chicago Cubs 3 — 7 inn (Game 1)
Chicago Cubs 4, St. Louis 2 — 7 inn (Game 2)
Kansas City 4, Cincinnati 0 — 7 inn (Game 1)
Cincinnati 5, Kansas City 0 — 7 inn (Game 2)
Cleveland 6, Pittsburgh 1
Tampa Bay 4, New York Yankees 2
New York Mets 5, Miami 3
Milwaukee 9, Minnesota 3
Chicago White Sox 5, Detroit 3
Houston 13, Colorado 6
San Diego 6, Texas 3
Oakland 4, Arizona 1
Seattle 6, Los Angeles Dodgers 4
San Francisco 7, Los Angeles Angels 2