Rip City 18U Enters 2025 with Stacked Roster

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Rip City 18U enters 2025 as one of the state's top 7-on-7 squads once again. The program is looking to continue the success that led to a 25-0 record with five championships against Iowa competition last season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It's a deep roster. Student-athletes that are headed off to college in the summer are teaming up with some of the top players returning to the prep ranks for '25.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1238512' first='Julian' last='Manson'] would fall into the latter category. The Iowa City West junior reports scholarship offers from Iowa, Kansas State, Minnesota, Arizona, North Dakota State and others. He'll look to build on an 11th-grade season that saw him catch 52 passes for 867 yards and 13 touchdowns. On defense, he produced a team-best 87.5 tackles (34 solo, 1.5 TFL).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Seniors [player_tooltip player_id='1129677' first='Dallas' last='Miller'] (Sioux Falls) and [player_tooltip player_id='988861' first='Sutton' last='Koller'] (Northern Iowa) played major roles in helping Liberty High reach the state semifinals for the first time in school history. Miller hauled in 65 balls for 1,078 yards and 10 touchdowns, picked off four passes and shined on returns. Koller racked up 1,388 combined yards rushing and receiving with 18 scores. He also intercepted two throws. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Lightning's [player_tooltip player_id='1619409' first='Logan' last='Laubenthal'] earned second-team all-state honors after picking off four passes and collecting 33.5 tackles (21 solo). </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Iowa City High's [player_tooltip player_id='983337' first='Parker' last='Sutherland'], who will join Koller at UNI next season, had 31 receptions for 439 yards and seven TDs as one of the state's top tight ends. His prep classmate, [player_tooltip player_id='1205114' first='Bobby' last='Bacon'], a Pittsburgh State signee, was expected to play part time for Rip City this season. He completed 68.9 percent of his passes for 2,100 yards and 18 touchdowns as a senior last fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1241380' first='Iyon' last='Harris'] contributed 19.0 tackles (12 solo) and an interception for the Little Hawks as a junior last season. City's [player_tooltip player_id='1215274' first='Chayse' last='Newton'] had team-highs in receptions (36) and receiving yards (426) as a sophomore. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>West Liberty is represented by seniors Ryker Dengler and [player_tooltip player_id='1279974' first='Seth' last='Axsom'], both Coe College Commitments, along with junior [player_tooltip player_id='1105166' first='Owen' last='Daufeldt']. Dengler accumulated more than 2,000 yards passing and rushing with 21 total touchdowns. Axsom caught 49 balls for 617 yards and five touchdowns. Daufeldt delivered almost 600 combined yards and seven touchdowns rushing and receiving. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1619293' first='BJay' last='Bush Jr.'] shared running back carries at Cedar Rapids Prairie with two other guys and still managed 655 yards (6.0 YPC) and a pair of touchdowns. Prairie Hawk junior [player_tooltip player_id='1616459' first='Drew' last='Bennis'] caught 23 balls for 387 yards and three touchdowns. He also averaged almost 20 yards on six kick returns. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Prairie also supplies Rip City with [player_tooltip player_id='458050' first='Cael' last='Kongshaug'], who developed as a sophomore quarterback last season, and [player_tooltip player_id='1216911' first='Max' last='Schwieger']. The latter had 18 solo tackles, 6.0 tackles for loss and 3.0 sacks. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1234329' first='Vernon' last='Benda'] threw for 1,840 yards and 20 touchdowns in '24, adding four more scores on the ground for Cedar Rapids Jefferson. He tossed four TDs to [player_tooltip player_id='1234332' first='Jermaine' last='Robinson'], who will join him with Rip City.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ahmed Almaki (Graceland) delivered 11 tackles and an interception as an Iowa City West senior in '24. Trojan AJ Hodge, the son of Iowa tight ends coach Abdul Hodge, contributed as a sophomore on the varsity. Central Lee received contributions on both sides of the ball from sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='1098900' first='Max' last='Jones']. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Kasyn VandeBerg (CCA), [player_tooltip player_id='1242836' first='Hayden' last='Vlaanderen'] (Liberty), [player_tooltip player_id='1358179' first='Dashny' last='Munyakazi'] (Central City), Josh Lindsey (Central City), Enrique Michel (West Liberty) and Gavin Sorgenfrey (Tipton) add more firepower to this squad. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->