Scouting Reports: Johnston Dragons 2025

Johnston - The first round of the 5A playoffs took place on Friday, as Johnston hosted Ankeny Centennial. The Dragons jumped out to a 20-6 lead in the first half, holding off the Jaguars to win by a final score of 34-26. Johnston will advance to play West Des Moines Valley for a shot at the UNI-Dome next week, taking on the Tigers at home.   <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/11/photo-gallery-johnston-ankeny-centennial-5a-playoffs/">Photo Gallery: Johnston-Ankeny Centennial 5A Playoffs</a>    A small back that is deceptively quick and navigates minimal space well, [player_tooltip player_id='1361602' first='Jeremiah' last='Armstrong'] likely projects as a third down back at the next level, but he was super effective against Centennial on Friday night. He led the way on the ground for Johnston, finishing with 25 carries for 126 yards and two touchdowns.   Armstrong, though he may not me a formidable force to take when seeking to gain a yard or two between the tackles, his ability to get to the edge and out run the defense is what makes him a threat to score. Throw in how he finds ways to add yards when he reaches space between would-be tacklers and he's an excellent added dynamic to the offense.     A true gadget guy, [player_tooltip player_id='1198833' first='Bryce' last='Beachem'] did a little bit of everything for the Dragons on Friday night.   Making plays on a swing pass, an end-around and as a target in the immediate and down field passing game, Beachem served as a versatile weapon to attack the Centennial defense in a variety of ways. Even throwing a 37-yard touchdown pass to Kanaan Reinders in the second half, Beachem was the master of all trades for Johnston.   Oh, and don't forget the interception he nabbed in the first half, either. At corner, Beachem read and reacted to a swing pass by Centennial, leaping in front of the pass and grabbing the interception to set up a score and extend the Dragon lead to 20-6 just before half.     In his first year taking over the starting reps from Will Nuss, [player_tooltip player_id='1221251' first='Trevin' last='Helming'] has put together an excellent start to his career with Johnston. Friday night was an excellent showing of that. Finishing the night completing 17-of-19 passes (89.5%) for 216 yards and a touchdown through the air, plus a score on the ground, Helming has begun to establish himself as one of the better quarterbacks in the CIML.   Throwing a tight ball with good mechanics and a solid base, Helming's passes have some pop to them in addition to the notable accuracy. On one drive in the first half that looked dead in the water after a penalty, Helming converted on 3rd and 16, finding a receiver for 18 yards, exemplifying who he is as a passer. The gunslinger understands the time and situation, and he will bide his time in the pocket, keep his eyes down field and throw the ball that needs to be thrown.   With an offer from Northern Iowa, Helming's recruitment should continue on an upward trajectory, and hell benefit from camp season this upcoming summer.     The second back in the talented backfield for Johnston, [player_tooltip player_id='1616438' first='Emri' last='Jones'] is more of an every down tail back. A smooth back that's tough to bring down as he's lower to the ground, Jones is a thick, strong running back that fights through arm tackles.   Seemingly in and out of the game because of health, Jones would have likely had more of an impact on the game Friday if he was at 100%. So far this season, Jones has led the Dragons in rushing, taking 172 carries for 757 yards and 11 scores. A runner with some pop behind his pads, Jones is quick in his cuts and doesn't go down easily.     The big right guard and a captain for Johnston, [player_tooltip player_id='1241376' first='Colton' last='McClish'] sets the tone on the offensive line for the Dragons. Standing at 6-foot-3 and 320 pounds with eye black all over his face, McClish is an intimidating offensive lineman that imposes his will on defensive tackles.   One of the main reasons Helming stayed clean for the majority of the night and Armstrong got going on the ground, McClish paves the way in the middle of the Johnston OL. Committed to Division II power Northwest Missouri State, McClish looks to be more of an FCS offensive lineman, and should be on many more recruiting boards at that level than he currently is.

Johnston - The first round of the 5A playoffs took place on Friday, as Johnston hosted Ankeny Centennial. The Dragons jumped out to a 20-6 lead in the first half, holding off the Jaguars to win by a final score of 34-26. Johnston will advance to play West Des Moines Valley for a shot at the UNI-Dome next week, taking on the Tigers at home.