March 28, 2024

PCM in middle of special season

According to Prairie City-Monroe football coach Greg Bonnett, the Mustangs have never been ranked No. 1 in their program’s history.

Until now, that is.

PCM was a unanimous selection as the No. 1 ranked team in Class 2A by the Associated Press on Monday. All 11 voters had the Mustangs as their top team.

Coming into the season, I knew the Mustangs would be salty. There is something about this senior class that is special.

The 2017 season didn’t end how they wanted it to. The Mustangs lost to eventual runner-up Williamsburg by one point in the opening round. They led 17-3 at halftime. The only other loss was a 24-22 defeat against Pella Christian in the opener. PCM also led at halftime in that one.

Part of last year’s early exit was due to simply not playing.

The only time PCM’s starters played a full game was the opener against the Eagles. The Mustangs blew everyone else out and took two forfeits.

They simply ran out of gas in the playoff game.

That shouldn’t happen this season. PCM loaded up its non-district slate with Class 3A Newton, the 2A duo of West Marshall and Roland-Story and 1A Pella Christian.

I didn’t expect them to roll through those opponents to the tune of 173-30. And the first-team defense has only allowed 16 points in four games.

It’s been total domination from the Mustangs. But they aren’t done yet.

This year’s team has high hopes, big expectations and heavy goals. They expect to be in the championship game later this season, and they are indeed one of the favorites to be there.

Most teams have a few top players that lead their teams to success.

I can’t tell you right now who the best player on this team is. The senior class is loaded with talented players like Wes Cummings, Jarron Trausch, Brayton Van Dyke, Reed Worth, Preston Van Wyk, Cole Dustin, Brycen Rogers, Isaac Telfer, Andrew Van Ryswyk, Nick Dredge, Nick Buswell, Payton Strovers, Nick Meinders and Olin Meinders.

They have all had big nights. Most of them play both ways, too.

Throw in talented juniors Seth Greiner and Jace Smith and sophomore starter Greyson Strum, and the entire roster is loaded with talent.

I don’t know if the Mustangs will win the title in October. But I wouldn’t bet against this group.

This was not a good week for our cross country teams.

Newton’s annual home meet was canceled, PCM’s home meet scheduled for Thursday at Gateway Recreation Golf Course has been rescheduled for Tuesday and Baxter was supposed to run at West Marshall this past Tuesday but that meet was canceled, too.

Hopefully the rain is limited as we head down the home stretch of the season.

The state qualifying sites for each class were released last week. We should know where of our schools are headed during the week of Oct. 8.

I usually can predict where our teams will end up, but the Class 2A sites have me wondering. Right now, I would say both PCM and Colfax-Mingo end up at Lake Panorama, which is still 75 miles away.

It looks like our other three schools will all be in Marshalltown this season. I would be surprised if Newton in 4A and Baxter and Lynnville-Sully in 1A aren’t all at the community college on state qualifying night.

Marshalltown hosts 1A at 3 p.m. and 4A at 4 p.m. It makes too much sense not to have those schools at that site.

Contact Troy Hyde
at thyde@newtondailynews.com