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ALL TOGETHER

Slew of communities share one Jaguar heartbeat

Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: Southeast Valley teammates Aaron Graves (right) and Colton Brant hug after the team’s state semifinal win last Saturday.

GOWRIE — On the field, it’s one team.

One purpose.

Southeast Valley has become more than just a football squad. They’ve built a family on the gridiron behind a community that spans four counties and 498 total square miles.

In their eighth season on the gridiron as a consolidated program fusing Prairie Valley and Southeast Webster-Grand together, the Jaguars will be playing for the school’s first ever-state championship in any sport on Friday at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls.

The Southeast Valley school district is behind only Western Dubuque, at 555 square miles, as the largest district in the state.

Seventeen towns make up the district that stretches from Calhoun County to Webster and touches Greene and Boone as well.

The bulk of the district resides in Webster County, with Moorland, Roelyn, Calendar, Slifer, Gowrie, Lehigh, Burnside, Harcourt, Dayton and Lanyon.

Somers, Rinard and Farnhamville are in Calhoun, while the area dips into Greene County. Boxholm, Pilot Mound and Fraser are in Boone.

When the schools merged in 2014, the football program joined forces as fifth graders on the gridiron.

For this Jaguar group, the trip to the Dome isn’t unusual. Actually, they first played there in fifth and sixth grade.

“Playing for a state title is everything we’ve dreamed about since we played together in flag football,” said senior wide receiver/safety Caden Larson. “It feels unreal to be playing in the Dome, thinking all the way back to when we were (in middle school for the first trip).

“A lot has changed since then, but one thing that hasn’t is our bond and the fire in us to be successful.”

Southeast Valley High School is in Gowrie, where the Jaguars turned into title contenders for the program’s first trip to the UNI-Dome.

“Most of us seniors have been playing since the Prairie Valley and Southeast Webster-Grand days until we combined eight years ago,” said senior lineman Harley Bryson. “Ever since middle school, we were very solid and all had a spot in our hearts for each other.

“Then high school came around, we all played JVR and JV and went undefeated as freshmen.”

Comprehensive consolidation will go to a vote this March to put the Southeast Webster-Grand and Prairie Valley elementary schools together as well, according to Superintendent Brian Johnson.

“Bringing several small communities together, with different traditions, is no easy task,” Johnson said. “Our boys and coaches in football have shown how sacrificing for the individual brings betterment for the team.

“We are hoping the same will be true when we attempt to consolidate in March and become Southeast Valley (across the board).”

The 2A state championship game is on Friday, but fans have been reaching out to the Jaguars all week. A third grade class in Dayton drew pictures for the team, showing their support.

The program made the trip to Cedar Falls on Thursday, as droves of Jaguar fans sent the title contenders off in style. State troopers, fire trucks and ambulances escorted the Jags out of town on their way to the UNI-Dome.

“We have had great community support,” said Southeast Valley head coach Mike Swieter. “It’s a huge tribute and special for our community, which is made up of 16 small towns and a number of townships in the area.

“We’ve had success together, so to see how many fans we had in the UNI-Dome (for the semifinal round last Saturday) was great.”

Spanning the last three years, the Jaguars have hosted six postseason home games — an added bonus for the community.

“We had six home games in the playoffs and three this season alone, which has been great,” Swieter said. “The support has been outstanding.

“The fans have backed us the entire way.”

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