Advertisement
Breaking News:

Scottie Scheffler detained by police en route to Valhalla GC

Vote for the Des Moines Register's male and female Athlete of the Week candidates for Aug. 22-26

joe randleman, des moines register
·4 min read

The first full week of high school sports action for the 2022-2023 Iowa school year got underway this past week.

Several talented athletes turned in outstanding individual performances during the opening week.

On the boys' side there were several phenomenal performances during Week 1 of football and quality scores shot in boys' golf. The girls saw a strong opening week of volleyball and swimming.

Both the boys and girls turned in some terrific times during the opening week of cross country.

More: Here are Iowa high school football's top performers from Week 1

Here are the Register's top five candidates for Athlete of the Week for both the boys and girls. Readers will be able to choose their pick for the winners, who will be revealed at the end of next week.

West Des Moines Valley's Addison Dorenkamp was impressive in the first week of competition of girls cross country.
West Des Moines Valley's Addison Dorenkamp was impressive in the first week of competition of girls cross country.

Girls

Addison Dorenkamp, West Des Moines Valley

Dorenkamp is the defending Class 4A girls' state cross country champion. She opened her junior year with a bang at the Ankeny Centennial Invitational Aug. 25.

Dorenkamp ran a 5-kilometer time of 17 minutes, 37.07 seconds to win the girls' race by nearly two full minutes in a dominating performance.

Lourdes Mason, Marion

Lourdes opened her senior year at Marion in style by claiming victory at the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Invitational Aug. 23.

Lourdes completed the course in 18:50.6 to beat out Ames sophomore Claire Helmers by 11 seconds for the victory.

Mackenzie Dean, Dowling Catholic

Dean had a great opening week on the volleyball court for a Dowling Catholic team ranked 10th in 5A.

Dean, a junior outside hitter, had 42 kills on 42.6 % efficiency as Dowling split four matches against Dallas Center-Grimes, Ankeny Centennial, Ankeny and Southeast Polk. She also recorded nine digs, three aces and two blocks.

Dowling Catholic's Mackenzie Dean was a wrecking crew of her own in the first week of high school volleyball.
Dowling Catholic's Mackenzie Dean was a wrecking crew of her own in the first week of high school volleyball.

Libby Lansing, Western Dubuque

Lansing put up big numbers in helping the Western Dubuque Volleyball team get off to a 4-0 start with victories over Linn-Mar, Central DeWitt, Davenport Assumption and Clinton.

Lansing tallied 49 kills and only four errors in 74 attacks to finish with an amazing 60.8 % efficiency. She also dominated the net defensively with 11 blocks and tacked on four ace serves.

Lilly Adams, Cedar Rapids Kennedy

Adams played a major role in Cedar Rapids Kennedy rolling past Iowa City High by a 119-67 score in its opening girls' swimming and diving meet of the season Aug. 23.

Adams won the 500-yard freestyle in 5:41.31 and the 100-yard backstroke in 1:06.81. She also helped the Cougars win the 400 freestyle and 200 medley relays.

Boys

Jalen Lueth, Ames

Lueth sure started off the 2022 high school football season on the right foot.

Lueth caught nine passes for 240 yards and three touchdowns for Ames in a 33-17 Little Cyclone victory over Marshalltown in Class 5A competition Friday.

Jalen Lueth had nine catches for 240 yards and three touchdowns to help Ames down Marshalltown, 33-17, during Week 1 of Iowa High School football Friday at Ames.
Jalen Lueth had nine catches for 240 yards and three touchdowns to help Ames down Marshalltown, 33-17, during Week 1 of Iowa High School football Friday at Ames.

Max Toja, Cedar Falls

Toja led the Cedar Falls boys' golf team to victory at the Missouri Valley Conference quadrangular meet Aug. 25 at the Pheasant Ridge Golf Course in Cedar Falls.

Toja carded a 34 over nine holes to finish two under par and beat teammate Owen Sawyer by two strokes for medalist and help the Tigers win the meet by nine strokes.

Jedidiah Osgood, Marion

Osgood won the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Invitational to open the boys' cross country season Aug. 23.

Osgood, ranked No.1 in Class 3A to open the season, completed the course in 15:55, beating Urbandale's Tommy Hensley by 26 seconds for first.

Curtis Witte, Council Bluffs Lewis Central

Witte had quite a night in leading a Lewis Central team ranked No. 1 in Class 4A past defending 3A state champion Harlan in a 30-27 battle Thursday at Council Bluffs.

Witte caught three passes for 120 yards and one touchdown on offense and came up with two interceptions on defense for the Titans, who improved to 2-0.

Southeast Polk's Abu Sama (3) scores a touchdown against Dowling Catholic at Valley Stadium on Friday, Aug. 26, 2022.
Southeast Polk's Abu Sama (3) scores a touchdown against Dowling Catholic at Valley Stadium on Friday, Aug. 26, 2022.

Abu Sama, Southeast Polk

With the help of a brilliant offensive line Sama ran for 145 yards, had one catch for 23 yards and totaled an impressive four touchdowns for No. 2 and defending 5A state champion Southeast Polk in a victory over No. 3 Dowling Catholic to open high school football season Friday.

Thanks to Sama's big night the Rams won by a score of 38-24.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Vote for Des Moines Register Athletes of the Week for Aug. 22-26