A handful of week zero games in Southeast Iowa is like the appetizer to next week’s main course with a few teams getting to feast early tonight and start the regular season. Lone Tree will put on the pads a week early and kick off the Joe Donovan era with a non-district showdown at Midland in Wyoming. 

Donovan, who has coached Highland the last several years, takes over for a Lion bunch that was 4-4 in 2021. They will have to replace graduated quarterback Cade Shield, who was responsible for 89% of the teams yardage last year through the air and on the ground. The most experienced skill guys include Drew Gauley and Mathew Hemsted with a combined 31 catches for 402 yards and three scores. Hemsted was the leading tackler last fall with 47 and Caden Smith looks to build off of 45 tackles. Midland was 3-6 last season and fell to the Lions 22-8 on opening night. They return their leading tackler, quarterback, and top two rushers. Caden Ballou threw for 786 yards and nine touchdowns while he added 347 on the ground. Brayden Grau returns after 54 tackles to lead a defense that surrendered 35 points a night. 

Donovan tells KCII Sports the Eagles have some speed. “Everyone in the backfield has some speed so that is a concern. They have a couple big guys upfront so we have to be able to adjust to that. The big thing is containing that speed and rally to the football so we don’t give up any big plays.”

The season gets underway at 7 p.m. tonight in Wyoming.