Every Friday night, Ankeny football brings droves of students to the stadium to cheer on the Hawks. And while the focus is most often on the starting lineup as they score touchdowns and make impressive blocks on the defense, the team is hard at work preparing the players on the sidelines for their turn in the spotlight.

“[The non-starter] has a crucial role on the team,” Coach Brady Walz comments. “A lot of them will be on scout teams to give us the picture that we need to be competitive against our opponents every single week.” 

Non-starters are not only the potential future starters of the football team, but spend every Friday night ready to go in if needed. During practices and even in warm-ups before games, players who are not a part of the starting lineup practice the drills and run through the same plays that the starters do, preparing them to go into the game at any moment.

“When our second group of guys goes into the game, it’s pretty much seamless,” Coach Walz explains. 

By preparing all players for play time on Friday nights, the Hawks are ready for all opportunities that may arise.

During Ankeny’s matchup against Cedar Rapids Washington on Oct. 25, numerous non-starters were able to get playing time during the game, and in the process put together several impressive plays. 

“You see them make a lot of big plays like they did in the game against Cedar Rapids Washington,” Coach Walz says.

One of those standout players was junior Gage Lint, a Hawk running back who scored a touchdown during the game against Washington. Since second grade, Lint’s passion for football and devotion to the team aspect of the sport has kept him extremely motivated in practice, putting him in position for an impressive touchdown for Ankeny.

“It was an inside zone,” Lint recalls. “Ball snapped. It was a perfect snap straight to the quarterback. He hands it to me, and there’s a huge hole in the inside. I ran straight through it, and there was nothing after that. Just straight down the field.”

For players like Lint, the chance to put together big plays during varsity games and to experience the adrenaline of taking the field on Friday nights is a crucial experience for growth in a player’s football career. 

“Anytime you can play Friday Night Lights, or in our case Friday afternoon, getting on the field and getting that exposure…it’s something you can’t really simulate in practice,” Coach Walz says.

While a few select sophomores and some juniors get the chance to start during varsity games, many underclassmen get most of their playing time during the junior varsity (JV) games. For sophomore Alexander Zuber, the Cedar Rapids Washington game was the perfect opportunity for him to showcase his abilities. 

“Going into the second half, I knew that I was going to get an opportunity to play,” Zuber says.  “Every time I go in, I want to make the most of it to try and prove myself, so I was excited.”

After entering the game, Zuber capitalized on a pin and pull play to score a touchdown for Ankeny. 

“I was really confident in our O-line because we were running the ball all night,” Zuber says. “It [the touchdown] just sort of happened. First play, I got outside and I ran straight into the end zone.” 

For Zuber and many of the other younger players, the players on the starting lineup serve as role models and are a big motivator. 

“I see [junior Daniel] Larmie and [senior Caden] Henkes, and I look up to them. I want to do what they do, so I try to emulate what they do in practice and JV games and when I do get my little bit of playing time,” Zuber says.

With the 2024 football season, a year marked by notable seniors in the starting lineup, wrapping up, there is a lot to be optimistic about for the future of Ankeny football. Many of the younger players are eagerly anticipating opportunities to make a difference in the Hawk football program.

“My personal goal is to try to contribute even more to the team than I do right now,” Lint says.

Zuber shares Lint’s goal to continue to grow as an athlete and play an even bigger part in the Hawks’ success. 

“Next season, I definitely want to contribute more, with me and Larmie in the backfield running the ball,” Zuber says. “I’m excited for that and to see where it takes me.”