March 19, 2024

Cardinals focus on improving in challenge of Pella

Pregame Outlook —

Newton High’s Cardinals have the 19th-ranked rusher in Class 3A in senior running back Joseph Banfield. They have averaged 22 points per game this season. Senior linebacker Duncan Lee is ninth in total tackles in Class 3A.

Unfortunately, the Cardinals have allowed 33 points per game this season. They’ve given up an average of 284 yards rushing per game and 72 yards passing. Newton is behind in the defensive takeaway category with just two interceptions and eight fumble recoveries.

Newton takes an 0-6 mark into Friday’s non-district game against defending 3A champion and top-ranked Pella’s Little Dutch. The Little Dutch are one of five 6-0 teams in Class 3A. Kickoff is 7:30 p.m. at the Pella Community High School stadium.

“There aren’t any chinks in their game. Pella is a very talented, disciplined and well-coached team,” Newton head coach Ed Ergenbright said. “They have had two exceptionally talented classes back-to-back.”

Ergenbright leads the Cardinals into the seventh game of the season with the mindset of working hard and competing to get better as a team. He said the Cardinal players have responded well as they’ve worked through the tough season they are having.

“We’ve focused on controlling what we can control, which is our level of play and execution. Watching film on a team, you look for ways to attack it and how to slow its offense down. That will be tough against the defending state champion, but we can go out Friday night and compete,” Ergenbright said.

“This group of kids does not give up. They’ve shown that all season. They are not going to quit against a team like Pella either.”

Pella is led by senior quarterback Noah Clayberg and senior running back Nathan Henry. Clayberg is fourth in total offense — 683 yards rushing and 786 yards passing — in 3A. Henry has rushed for 454 yards on 74 carries. Clayberg has scored 10 rushing touchdowns and thrown 12 touchdown passes.

Senior Will Warner is 10th in scoring in 3A with 42 points on seven touchdown catches along with two field goals and 25 extra-point kicks. Warner has 19 catches for 243 yards and senior Payson Vande Lune has 13 catches for 250 yards.

“They are big and very athletic up front. They don’t have many players who play both ways for them. They have made a lot of good teams look bad,” Ergenbright said.

Ergenbright said the Cardinals executed pretty well offensively against Ballard, but fumbled the ball away four times. He pointed out that hasn’t happened to the Cardinals in one game in previous contests this season.

“We’re working on doing things better and improving. We know this is a major challenge for our team, but our kids continue to work hard in practices,” Ergenbright said.

Banfield has rushed for 682 yards on 130 carries and scored eight touchdowns. Dalton Nevels, another senior, has carried the ball 61 times for 385 yards and scored four touchdowns.

Garrett Sturtz is 31-of-53 for 247 yards passing with two touchdown passes. Bryce Tish had nine catches for 93 yards to lead the receiving corps.

Newton has given away the ball 14 times — seven fumbles and seven interceptions. Pella has recorded 22 takeaways — 11 interceptions and 11 fumble recoveries.

Lee leads the Cardinal defense with 41 solo tackles and 16.5 assisted tackles. The senior linebacker has seven tackles for loss, and he has returned a fumble for a touchdown. Austin James has 25 solo tackles and 17 assisted tackles.

Contact Jocelyn Sheets at
641-792-3121 ext. 6535
or jsheets@newtondailynews.com