Central City has some all-around winners in football

CENTRAL CITY — A lot of teams make Iowa’s high school football playoffs, and a lot of schools have gone to those playoffs a lot of times.

Central City is headed there for just the third time in school history.

“It’s absolutely a big deal,” said Wildcats head coach Matt Miers.

“We’ve been so young the last few years. We talked at the end of last season that this year was a make-or-break year, no more excuses. We can’t say we’re too young this year. We’ve got to step up. Our kids have really responded.”

Central City defeated Hiawatha High of Kirkland, Ill., Friday night, 44-26, to wrap up its regular season with a 7-1 record heading into the coming Friday’s first round of the state’s 8-Player playoffs. The Wildcats will play at Tripoli.

Two of Central City’s scheduled 2022 opponents, Elkader Central and Calamus-Wheatland, canceled their varsity seasons shortly before this season started. Scrambling to fill those October dates, the Wildcats added West Central and Hiawatha. The latter bused 3 1/2 hours each way from northern Illinois to play the game.

“We’re very appreciative of it,” Miers said.

The cancellations may indicate a sign of the times. Enrollment continues to erode at many small-town schools. And, high school football isn’t growing. Boys’ 11-player football participation in the U.S. dropped 10 percent from 2012 to 2022.

Central City serves 239 students from grades 6-12. It was in 8-player football before Miers was hired as coach eight years ago. But it has maintained enough players to field varsity and junior varsity teams.

Besides the fact the Wildcats have skilled and tough ballplayers, there seemed to be plenty of togetherness on their sideline. Their coach gets respect by giving it, and it appears to rub off on his team.

Miers was a 14-year assistant football coach at Cedar Rapids Kennedy, then had been at Solon for a year when Central City Principal Jason McLaughlin gave him a call.

“I wasn’t planning on leaving Solon to come to an 8-man school,” Miers said. “Jason called me out of the blue. He said ‘We’re about relationships. Build relationships with kids and good things will happen.’ That’s my coaching philosophy.”

Miers is a subscriber to the R.E.A.L. Man Program. It’s self-described as a strategic and progressive character development program to help students understand and live out the principles of a positive and influential life.

Respect all people,

Especially women.

Always do the right thing.

Live a life that matters.

At part of a practice each week, Miers said, “we talk about different things to help us hopefully be a better man. We’ve had some great years. We’ve had a lot of down years here. But the kids have gotten better, become better people.”

Talking is good and necessary, of course, but being an example of the words sells the message. During the Senior Night ceremony at halftime Friday for all the senior players, band members and cheerleaders, Miers stayed with the honorees and their parents while his other players returned to their locker room. He’s also the school’s activities director.

The Friday before, Miers was at another Senior Night. His son, Tyler Miers, is a Kennedy soccer player who also is in the school’s band.

Matt Miers wrote this on Facebook that day:

“Tonight is a first time ever. I am missing most of our game for the first time in 24 years of coaching. But it is for a GREAT reason. It is senior night for Kennedy band and Tyler is getting honored, along with other seniors. I’ve seen so many senior nights over the years and there was no way I was missing Tyler’s!”

Here’s another glimpse of Miers via his Facebook words:

“A funny thing happened last night during our game (Sept. 16 at Midland). There was a play on our sideline and players from both teams came crashing in. I stopped one kid from the other team by giving him a bear hug and holding him up so he wouldn’t trip over the players on the ground. He then gave me a big hug back! I said, ‘Thanks, I needed a hug tonight.

“Then, after the game as we’re shaking hands this same young man gives me another hug! Hilarious and what high school sports should be. Competitors on the field, but mutual respect!”

Mutual respect. There’s another term for that: Winning.

Comments: (319) 398-8440; mike.hlas@thegazette.com