Intro:

The Hawks travel to Ames High School to face the Little Cyclones at 7 pm on Friday in a 5A Week 7 Matchup. Ames looks to continue their success coming off a 28-21 victory against Council Bluffs Lincoln in week 6, boasting their first win in their 1-5 season. On the other side of the field, Ankeny looks to bounce back after a 21- 30 loss to Johnston, bringing them to a 4-2 record. Since 2008, the Hawks and Little Cyclones have met seven times, with Ankeny leading the series 6-1.

Strengths and Weaknesses:

Ankeny enters the game after a tough defensive battle against Johnston last week that severely slowed average offensive production. The Hawks were held to season lows and hope to recover this week and get the offense back up to speed. 5A’s leading rusher Daniel Larmie was held to just 46 yards against Johnston and forced Ankeny to rely more on the pass game. Even through the tough Johnston defense, Kael Roush was able to get to the endzone twice through the air and 95 passing yards. But this game showcased one of the main weaknesses of the Ankeny offense: the reliance on the run game. When defenses start to contain Larmie early, it can be a struggle to get the rest of the offense moving and in rhythm.

However, that same weakness is also one of their greatest strengths. Larmie has rushed for 937 yards this season and gotten to the endzone 7 times. When Larmie starts to establish some momentum early on, the rest of the offense also starts to flow. The key to winning this game is to establish the rhythm and flow together by establishing the run game early, while also keeping the offense balanced and forcing the Little Cyclones to work hard.

Ames comes into the game with a balanced offense offering opportunities both in the air and on the ground, with a sometimes struggling run game and little more leniency to plays in the air. They have 678 passing yards, with 5 Touchdowns, and 678 rushing yards with 5 touchdowns. The Little Cyclones offense has two strong receivers in Brandon Johnson and Torian Cotton, who have over 200 yards each and 5 combined touchdowns, and strong rushers in Eli Crosby and Braxtyn Brown, who also have over 200 yards each and 3 combined touchdowns. In their last game, the little cyclones focused more on rushing with 263 yards and 26 carries compared to 14 passing attempts and 76 passing yards. This stems from a main weakness the little cyclones need to focus on this week: Quarterback Uncertainty and Consistency. Since week 4, Senior Jack Schill and sophomore Jaydan Mitchell have been filling in after an injury to Junior Jace Hennigar. From week 4 on, there have been 4 interceptions, 348 passing yards, and 3 touchdowns. Creating a stable plan for the quarterback position will be huge for Ames; any turnovers could be a huge momentum shift and allow Ankeny to control the tempo of the game.

Defense:
Ankeny enters the game with one of the most aggressive defenses in 5A, with 254.5 tackles, 132 of those being solos, 3 forced fumbles, 7 fumble recoveries, with 2 being returned for touchdowns, and 7 interceptions with 1 being returned for a touchdown. They allow an average of just 15.5 points per game. The Hawks have been excellent at creating pressure and turnovers throughout the season, with stars like La’Marious Clark and Dawson Whittinger leading the way. Sometimes, the hawks’ aggressive approach can lead to some gaps or vulnerabilities in coverage, which could lead to some opportunities for Ames.

Ames’ defense has shown its toughness but has had its struggles, especially against high-intensity rushing teams. In their first 6 games, they have allowed 1063 rushing yards and allowed an average of 32.8 points per game. In their first game against Marshalltown, they gave up 380 rushing yards. The team is not without its strengths, though. Ames has proved its potential with turnovers, gaining 5 forced fumbles, 4 fumble recoveries, and 5 interceptions this season. The key this week for Ames is the need to contain Larmie and the Hawks’ run game and not leave any opportunities for big plays.

Key Players:

Offense :

Passing –
Ankeny – QB Kael Roush, SR – 83/140, 804 passing yards, 9 TDS, 3 INT
Ames – 678 yards, 5 TDs, 6 INT
Receiving :
Ankeny – Andrew Brandhorst, SR – 35 REC, 382 YDS, 7 TDS
Hayden Carlson, SR – 8 REC, 127 YDS, 2 TDS

Ames – Brandon Johnson, SR – 17 REC, 226 YDS, 2 TD
Torian Cotton, SR – 10 REC, 264 YDS, 3 TDS

Rushing :
Ames – Eli Crosby, SR – 47 carries for 214 yards, 4.6 yards per carry, with 1 touchdown
Ames – Braxtyn Brown, SR – 45 carries for 206 yards, 4.6 yards per carry, with 2 touchdowns

Ankeny -Daniel Larmie, SR – 166 carries for 937 yards, 5.6 yards per carry, with 7 touchdowns
Ankeny – Kael Roush, SR – 29 carries for 140 yards, 4.8 yards per carry, with 2 touchdowns

Defense:

Ankeny –
La’Marious Clark, Senior Defensive Back, – 4 INT, 2 TD, 2 F REC, 26 Tackles, 11 Solo
Dawson Whitinger, Junior Linebacker – 2 FF, 38 TOT Tackles, 13 Solo
Nathan Becker, Senior Linebacker – 41 TOT, 14 Solo
Logan Wirtz, Junior Safety – 25 TOT, 13 Solo
Nathan Jenkins, Senior Linebacker, – 37 TOT, 11 Solo
Joey Sandvig, Senior Defensive Back, – 44 TOT, 16 Solo

Ames-
Brandon Johnson, Senior Defensive End/ Wide Receiver, – 41 TOT, 31 Solo, 3 Sacks
Elijah Tuttle, Junior Linebacker, 34 TOT, 18 Solo
Braxtyn Brown, Senior Defensive Back, 30 TOT, 20 Solo, 1 Sack, 3 INT, 1 FF, 1 F REC
Laiken Buss, Senior Linebacker, 20.5 TOT, 12 Solo, 3 Sacks, 2 FF

Things to Look For :

Can Ankeny get the offense moving?

While Ankeny has one of the most explosive offenses, they struggled last week against Johnston, and with top-ranked West Des Moines Valley up next, it is critical the Hawks get the offensive mojo back and carry some momentum into week 8

Who wins the turnover battle?

Both Ames and Ankeny come into week 7 with some significant turnover numbers on both sides of the ball. Ankeny has recovered 7 turnovers, forcing 3 of them; 2 fumble recoveries were returned for a touchdown. Ankeny also has had 7 interceptions, returning 1 for a touchdown while throwing 3 interceptions. Ames has forced 5 fumbles this season, recovering 4 of them, while they have caught 5 interceptions and thrown for 6 interceptions. Clearly, whoever manages the turnovers tonight will dictate the competition.

Who has the advantage?

Flags, momentum, mental errors, and the homefield will all play into the matchup tonight. Ankeny should look to eliminate the costly dead-ball penalties and manage the tempo of the game, while Ames will hope to eliminate the mental errors, take advantage of the momentum, and control their home field.

Who has the Athletes?

Ames has multiple players playing both sides of the ball; this could prove to be a double-edged sword during the matchup. Ankeny should look to neutralize these threats on both sides of the ball early if they hope to dominate the Little Cyclones.

Some things to remember going into the game
Tonight’s matchup means a lot for both teams. Ames looks to start their season turnaround, and Ankeny hopes to set the standard necessary for a top-ranked matchup against Valley in week 8. Daniel Larmie and the Ankeny Offense must fire on all cylinders tonight, while Ames must capitalize on every Hawk mistake.