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At the very least, a partial measure of revenge hangs in the balance, with hope for further justice down the road.
After suffering three straight gridiron losses to Sioux City Bishop Heelan, including two in the playoffs, the Cyclones will take another shot at the Crusaders Friday night at Merrill Field, starting at 7:30 p.m.
The non-district matchup will pit two 1-0 teams who are once again considered among the best in Class 3-A Iowa prep football. HCHS is ranked No. 1 in this week's first Associated Press poll of the season, followed by Bishop Heelan at No. 2. In the Omaha World-Herald's western Iowa rankings, it's the Crusaders first and the Cyclones second.
Rankings are minor details in this rivalry, however - one that has sprung quickly after Heelan made the transition from Class 4-A football to 3-A in 2006. The Cyclones won the first two encounters, but the Crusaders have taken the last three.
"We said all along when we came into 3-A that Harlan was going to be the gauge," said Heelan head coach Roger Jansen. "We knew that it was going to turn into the rivalry that it has.
"I think it's going to be same old, same old (Friday). I look for it to be a close game."
Last year, Heelan beat HCHS 28-13 in the regular season and 38-21 in the playoffs en route to an undefeated championship season. Both of last year's games were played in Sioux City, but the series now shifts back to Harlan, which has Jansen somewhat wary.
"A lot of (our) kids haven't played down at Harlan," he said. "It is one of the toughest places to play. It is a great atmosphere, but there is just something about going down there . . . some sort of intimidation factor, and sometimes these kids get wrapped up in that stuff."
The Crusaders do hold a 1-1 record at Merrill Field, having defeated the Cyclones 21-17 in a 2007 playoff quarterfinal.
"We have (gone) down there and won, but when we did win, we had to play our best game. It's all about keeping it in perspective," Jansen added.
Perspective - and history - also hint that this might not be the last time the Cyclones and Crusaders meet this season. The two teams have clashed in the 3-A playoffs two straight years and it could happen again as Districts 8 and 1 have already been been paired up by the Iowa High School Athletic Association for the first three rounds of postseason football.
HCHS head coach Curt Bladt knows that a win by his team on Friday could pay dividends down the road in terms of confidence.
"It would be huge," he said. "It would help us emotionally, no doubt about it."
No more (Brandon) Wegher:
The most noticeable difference between the Heelan teams of 2007-2008 and this year's squad is the absence of star tailback Brandon Wegher, who is now competing for playing time as a true freshman at the University of Iowa. Wegher gashed the Cyclone defense for 315 yards rushing in the first meeting a year ago and had another big game in the playoffs. He finished his career with robust totals of 6,823 rushing yards and 114 touchdowns.
The Crusaders, who return just one starter on offense and four on defense, also lost two-way standout Buckley Wright and a host of other talented players to graduation. But after watching Heelan dismantle an outmatched Lawton-Bronson team, 42-15, last Thursday night, Coach Bladt isn't feeling sorry for the Crusaders just yet.
"I don't see a lot of drop off in their abilities. They're just a different type of team," he said. "Last year they were 90 percent running; this year they're probably 60/40 (passing), and they may be more than 60 if they have to be.
"They're throwing the ball all over the place, and doing it pretty well."
Coach Jansen gave pretty much the same assessment of his team for the post-Wegher era.
"We're a totally different team," he said. "We're still trying to run the football, but we've put a pretty huge emphasis on throwing it."
And why not? When you've got a third-year starting quarterback (Zach McCabe) who stands 6-foot-7 and has committed to play basketball at Iowa - along with a fleet of speedy receivers - the decision to be a passing team comes naturally.
McCabe's aerial numbers slipped to 1,096 yards and three TD's last fall, but he averaged only 9.5 pass attempts per game.
"This is kind of Zach's year," Jansen said. "He's been in the shadows and now he knows and understands that this is his time, and that we're going to ask him to make a few more plays than what we've asked the last couple years. He doesn't have to go out and win the darn thing, but we're going to ask him to do some more things."
Not blessed with tremendous size in the trenches, Heelan's strengths are once again built around its overall team speed. Senior receiver Preston Ives is a burner, and was joined on the Crusaders' state championship 4x400 relay last spring by sophomore cornerback Michael Malloy and senior linebacker Nate Berger, who is listed as doubtful due to an injury.
According to Jansen, Berger would be Heelan's starting tailback if healthy, but instead that role falls on the shoulders of another Wegher - Brandon's younger brother Cole. Also a returning starter at linebacker, Cole Wegher is listed at just 5-9, 166, but figures to pack a punch.
"He's darn fast, too," said Bladt, noting Wegher's kickoff return TD from last week. "He's got good strength, good balance and he does a very adequate job. He's not as physically punishing as his brother was, but he's going to cause some concern if he gets loose, no doubt about that."
Jansen and the Heelan coaching staff were on hand for Harlan's opener at Denison last Friday - a 56-21 Cyclone win - and came away impressed with the Cyclones' overall size and offensive balance.
In his first varsity start at quarterback, HCHS senior Michael Kaufmann threw for 206 yards and two touchdowns while also running for a score. Tailback Dylan Barrett finished with 104 yards rushing (94 in the second half) and scored twice.
"When you can throw for 200 yards and rush for over 200 yards against a pretty good Denison team, that really caught our eye," Jansen said.
Bladt was most pleased by his team's resiliency in Week One. The Cyclones twice fell behind by a touchdown in the first quarter before scoring 42 unanswered points.
"(Our guys) were struggling a little bit there early, offensively and defensively, and we finally put things together and started playing with great intensity, and that's what we were looking for," Bladt said. "We got a little more physical as the game went on and a little more confident in the things that we could do."
Friday's keys:
One of the most intriguing matchups on the field Friday night will be the Crusader receivers against the Cyclone secondary, which may have to implement a nickel or dime package if Heelan really starts to spread the field with its versatile passing attack.
"They're going to throw the ball, and those receivers are good," Bladt said. "Not only can they beat you deep, but they can throw short and then out-foot race you, too, so there's a lot of options there for them. If they catch one short, we've got to wrap up and pound them a little bit and try to jar that ball loose.
"That's the key matchup right there. Can our secondary create a few errors? Can we get a turnover or two off the throwing game, and just play with poise?"
The secondary must also get some help from the defensive front with a strong, but alert, pass rush.
"If we don't get a pass rush on (McCabe), he'll just sit back there and pick us apart," Bladt added, "and then if you rush him, they've always got the draws and screens waiting for you."
Jansen, meanwhile, says his defense must be stout against the run despite being outsized on the line by a substantial margin.
"Harlan is going to try to use those big guys up front . . . and if we don't stop them from running the football, they aren't going to throw all that much," Jansen said. "We're looking for them to run the football and be physical."
Overall, Bladt expects somewhat of a high-scoring contest Friday as both offenses could prove difficult to slow down. The team that comes up with the most key stops or timely turnovers should come out on top.
"We've just got to match them on the possessions. We've got to score, because they're going to score," Bladt said. "I don't have any doubt they're going to put the ball in the endzone a few times, so we've got to make sure that we get the ball worked down the field, too, and keep the ball in our possession just a little bit."
Rare Company
Sioux City Heelan's three straight football wins over Harlan Community put the Crusaders among a small group of teams in the last 40-plus years.
The last team to beat the Cyclones three straight was Decorah, although their "streak" was separated by a 14-year gap (1974, 1988-1989). The Atlantic Trojans defeated HCHS three straight years from 1979 to 1981.
Sioux City Heelan at Harlan Community
Friday, September 4, 7:30 p.m.
Series History
All-time series: Heelan leads, 3-2.
at Harlan: Series tied, 1-1.
at Sioux City: Heelan leads, 2-1.
Playoffs: Heelan leads, 2-0.
Series Scores
2006: HCHS 21, Heelan 7 (at Harlan)
2007: HCHS 38, Heelan 34 (at Heelan)
2007: Heelan 21, HCHS 17 (at Harlan)*
2008: Heelan 28, HCHS 13 (at Heelan)
2008: Heelan 38, HCHS 21 (Sioux City)*
* Playoff Quarterfinals
Probable Starters
OFFENSE
Sioux City Heelan (1-0)
LT: 59, Tyler Cutler (6-2, 215, sr.)
LG: 53, Justin Baker (6-2, 235, jr.)
C: 54, Nick Wankum (5-10, 204, jr.)
RG: 58, Jared Weaver (6-2, 210, sr.)
RT: 51, Jack Fitzsimmons (6-1, 210, sr.)
TE: 28, Nick Sawin (6-3, 190, so.)
QB: 7, Zach McCabe (6-7, 210, sr.)
TB: 21, Cole Wegher (5-9, 166, sr.) or 14, Nate Berger (6-1, 170, sr.)
SE: 10, Nick Berger (6-0, 165, sr.)
Slot: 2, Preston Ives (5-10, 150, sr.)
WR: 27, Kyle Kinney (5-8, 160, sr.)
PK: 63, Zach Maxey (6-4, 230, jr.)
Harlan Community (1-0)
LT: 76, Marcus Streit (5-10, 240, sr.)
LG: 50, Joe Brummer (6-1, 235, so.)
C: 52, Mark Langenfeld (6-2, 255, sr.)
RG: 60, Jon Kaufman (6-3, 200, sr.) and 75, Joe Kohorst (6-4, 345, jr.)
RT: 67, Jacob Brown (6-0, 250, sr.)
TE: 80, Adam Cave (6-3, 200, jr.)
QB: 5, Michael Kaufmann (5-11, 155, sr.)
FB: 9, Matt Hoch (6-4, 245, sr.)
TB: 32, Dylan Barrett (6-0, 185, jr.)
SE: 42, Brian Kloewer (6-1, 190, sr.)
FL: 31, Luke Lansman (6-2, 190, sr.)
PK: 15, Trent Wendt (5-9, 150, jr.)
DEFENSE
Sioux City Heelan (1-0)
LDE: 59, Tyler Cutler (6-2, 215, sr.)
LDT: 53, Justin Baker (6-2, 235, jr.)
RDT: 55, Alex Pick (5-10, 180, sr.) or 68, Sean Rowbury (6-0, 220, sr.)
RDE: 7, Zach McCabe (6-7, 210, sr.)
LOLB: 21, Cole Wegher (5-9, 166, sr.)
ILB: 60, George Wakeman (6-3, 200, sr.)
ILB: 58, Jared Weaver (6-2, 210, sr.)
ROLB: 16, Derek Tigges (5-11, 160, sr.) or 14, Nate Berger (6-1, 170, sr.)
FS: 10, Nick Berger (6-0, 165, sr.)
LCB: 26, Michael Malloy (6-0, 160, so.)
RCB: 27, Kyle Kinney (5-8, 160, sr.)
Punter: 24, TJ Obermeyer (6-2, 190, sr.)
Harlan Community (1-0)
LDE: 8, Jon Kaufman (6-3, 200, sr.)
DT: 76, Marcus Streit (5-10, 240, sr.) or 77, Mitch Anderson (5-10, 215, jr.)
DT: 47, Alex Brown (5-11, 195, jr.)
RDE: 6, Ryan Fahn (6-3, 195, sr.)
LOLB: 46, Dillon Kramer (6-0, 170, sr.) and 17, Dan Schaben (6-0, 185, sr.)
MLB: 9, Matt Hoch (6-4, 245, sr.)
ROLB: 12, Derek Schwartz (6-0, 185, jr.)
S: 31, Luke Lansman (6-2, 190, sr.)
S: 4, Craig Connell (6-2, 150, sr.)
CB: 42, Brian Kloewer (6-1, 190, sr.)
CB: 7, Anthony Hough (5-8, 150, sr.)
Punter: 15, Trent Wendt (5-9, 150, jr.)
