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Tritons ink 55 recruits

Messenger photo by Britt Kudla Gibson Behr of Bishop Garrigan makes a catch at the UNI-Dome. Behr has signed with the Iowa Central football team.

Kevin Twait views 2016’s winless season as an opportunity moving forward.

The process to returning to bowl contention for the Iowa Central football team begins with the 55 players signed to commitments recently, along with 45 more expected to walk on in the fall.

Among those 55, a total of 38 are from Iowa, including notable area names Austin Gehlhausen, Gibson Behr, Devon Clark, Clay Freimuth and Kainan Braun.

“We you are coming off a tough year, you have to look ahead,” Twait said. “No. 1 is you have to make sure the kids returning are working hard, which they are doing.

“No. 2 is you need to amp up the recruiting, which we also did. Our assistant coaches hit it hard and really got us some talented recruits.”

The Tritons went 0-11 last year, including ICCAC losses to Iowa Western and Ellsworth.

Behr was a standout two-way player for Bishop Garrigan, helping lead the Golden Bears to the state championship game. He finished his senior season with 1,557 yards rushing and 20 touchdowns, along with catching 12 passes for 282 yards and two scores.

“Gibson is a great catch for us,” Twait said. “He comes from a great program and gives us an added dimension.”

Clark was one of Drew Thomas’ top targets this past fall for Humboldt, catching 48 passes for 673 yards and six touchdowns. He could help bolster the Triton passing game along with incoming players Carlton Todd of Waterloo West and Jaden Foster from Charles City.

Todd, who played with Iowa State University-signee Devon Moore, caught 45 passes for 854 yards and 13 scores. Foster had 28 receptions for 506 yards and three scores.

“Devon is a great athlete,” Twait said. “Carlton is also very dynamic. I feel like we got better with our receivers.”

Braun had a strong season for Clarion-Goldfield/Dows, throwing for 973 yards on 58 of 133 passing while also rushing for 978 yards and 13 scores. He is joined in the incoming quarterback class by Des Moines Roosevelt’s Korbin Blankenship, Zack Parker from Wisconsin and BJ Phillips from Atlanta.

Blankenship passes for 582 yards and four TDs this past season, while Phillips was 143-for-235 for 2,087 yards and a 26-to-8 touchdown-to-interception ratio while leading his high school to an 11-2 record.

Parker completed 113 of 175 for 1,181 yards and 11 scores.

“They are all dual-threat guys who can make plays,” Twait said. “We are really excited about Kainan, while BJ is a dynamic player.”

Freimuth recorded 67 tackles last year for Manson Northwest Webster, including two sacks and seven stops for loss. Gehlhausen helped Fort Dodge’s offense record over 2,660 yards and score 22 touchdowns.

“Clay really hard a strong senior season,” Twait said. “And we are pleased with Austin.”

Outside of the area, Twait added East Buchanan running back Carter Downer, who rushed for 1,466 yards and 21 touchdowns and linebacker Kaleb Sparks of West Delaware. Sparks had 71 tackles, including eight for loss from his linebacker position.

“Kaleb is a kid who can really run and hit,” Twait said. “Overall, we are pleased.

“I think kids saw (what happened last season) as a chance to come here and get on the field.”

Iowa Central opens the 2017 season at Dodger Stadium on Aug. 26 against College of DuPage. Other home dates for the Tritons include Dodge City (Sept. 2), Highland (Sept. 16), Independence (Sept. 23), Coffeyville (Oct. 21) and Garden City (Nov. 4). Both league games with Ellsworth (Sept. 9) and Iowa Western (Oct. 28) will be on the road, along with games vs. Hutchinson, Fort Scott and Butler.

IOWA CENTRAL FOOTBALL RECRUITS

Iowa players

Nick Ballard, LB, Des Moines Roosevelt; Gibson Behr, RB, Bishop Garrigan; Korbin Blankenship, QB, Des Moines Roosevelt; Bailey Boettcher, LB, Maple Valley-Anthon-Oto; Drew Bofelli, LB, North Scott; Daesean Bradley, CB, Des Moines Roosevelt; Kainan Braun, QB, Clarion-Goldfield/Dows; Pat Canby, LB, Mount Pleasant; Daylen Canty, OL, Linn-Mar; Owen Carstenson, WR, Marion; Devon Clark, WR, Humboldt; Lavonta Collins, WR, Dubuque Hempstead; Carter Downer, RB, East Buchanan; Nick Durnin, LB, Dike-New Hartford; Giovanni Esteves, OL, Estherville-LC; Jaden Foster, WR, Charles City.

Clay Freimuth, LB, Manson Northwest Webster; Austin Gehlhausen, OL, Fort Dodge; Richard Gildemeister, WR, Forest City; Sam Gordon, OL, Marion; Drake Ieorger, DT, Burlington; Kentarious Johnson, WR, Dubuque Senior; Jonathan Massman, DE, Dubuque Senior; Dan Mindermann, DE, Indianola; Jacob Mitchell, OL, Southeast Polk; Michael Mueggenberg, CB, Waukee; Alijah Muhammad, CB, Waterloo East; Kyrese Peck, WR, Sioux City Heelan; Maddux Richardson, LB, Marshalltown.

Jawontae Rodgers, DE, Cedar Rapids Prairie; Ramont Sallis, DT, Davenport Central; Spencer Sherwood, LB, Burlington; Mitchell Smith, OL, Saint Ansgar; Kaleb Sparks, LB, West Delaware; Calvonta Stallings, DT, Des Moines North; Carlton Todd, WR, Waterloo West; Julian Viersen, LB, Pella; Tyreke Williams, P, Clear Creek-Amana.

Out-of-state players

Trevon Baltimore, DT, Harrisburg, Penn.; Ga’Von Burks, S, St. Louis; Travelle Calvin, WR, Manteno, Ill.; Justin Daubaris, WR, Danville, Ill.; Jacoeby Feliciano, S, St. Augustine, Fla.; Mark Ferrell, Jr., WR, Cleveland; Brandon Hickerson-Rooks, DE, Harrisburg, Penn.; Cameron Kolbe, DT, Appleton, Wis.; Stephan Olson, Jr., RB, Burnsville, Minn.; Zack Parker, QB, Appleton, Wis.; BJ Phillips, QB, Atlanta; Jalen Stockley, DT, Louisville; Quinaz Turner, CB, Millbrook, Ala.; Ricardo Twinawe, LB, Woodbury, Minn.; Cam Williams, CB, Conyers, Ga.; Damien Williams, CB, Bradley, Ill.

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