Meet Central Lee junior Grant Myhre, the high school athlete of the week
DONNELLSON -- Grant Myhre has seen and done a lot of things in his first three years of football at Central Lee High School.
But one thing Myhre hadn't experience was a win.
Central Lee went 0-7 in Myhre's freshman year and was 0-8 his sophomore year.
After opening this season with a narrow 22-20 loss to rival Van Buren County, Central Lee finally got in the win column, snapping a 16-game losing skid with a 34-14 victory over Cardinal on Sept. 2.
Myhre, a 5-foot-9, 135-pound junior, has been the Hawks' jack of all trades this season. He has done a little bit of everything to contribute to the Hawks' 3-4 start and first playoff berth since 2016.
Myhre has rushed for 75 yards on 15 carries, caught four passes for 39 yards, recorded 14 1/2 tackles -- nine solo, returned eight kickoffs for 135 yards (16.9 yards per return), had 21 kickoffs for 714 yards (34.0 yards per kick) and has converted 1-of-2 point after touchdown tries.
In last week's 17-7 win over Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont -- Central Lee's first home win in three years -- Myhre ran for 39 yards on four carries, caught three passes for 37 yards, had 2 1/2 tackles, returned a kickoff 40 yards and averaged 37.3 yards on three kickoffs.
The Hawk Eye recently caught up to Myhre, The Hawk Eye's High School Athlete of the Week, to learn a little more about him.
What is your favorite sport besides football?
"My favorite sport besides football is baseball."
What is it that you like about football?
"What I like about football is that it is the most athletically challenging sport there is to play in myopinion."
What is your best memory in football?
"Getting our teams first win in three years in our game against Cardinal."
How do you and your teammates make practice fun?
"We make practice fun by lightheartedly giving each other a hard time and mentally pushingourselves to that next level."
Do you have any pregame or gameday routines and what are they?
"I like to listen to my favorite music and hang out with my teammates to get into my game dayheadspace."
Who is the funniest person on the team?
"Some teammates might say myself, but I would have to give it to my best friend, Kegan Damico."
Who is your biggest role model and why?
"My biggest role model is my dad because he never fails to encourage others and he is who I know I can talk to about anything, whether it be sports or just life."
What is your favorite subject in school and why?
"My favorite subject is probably English because that is what I would consider to be my strongest subject."
What is your favorite meal?
"You can’t ever go wrong with homemade biscuits and gravy."
What is your favorite TV show?
"My favorite tv show is The Office."
If you won the lottery, what would your first purchase be and why?
"If I won the lottery, I would buy my dad a nice Jeep because that is what he’s always wanted as far back as I can remember."
What do you enjoy doing in your free time and why?
"In my free time I enjoy playing pickup basketball with my friends and I also enjoy playing Xbox with my friends."
What is your favorite motivational slogan or quote?
“If you ever dream of beating me, you’d better wake up and apologize.” -- Muhammad Ali
What are your future plans for college and career?
"My future plans are currently undecided, but I know I want a career in law enforcement."
What is something about yourself that would surprise people?
"My friends are always blown away when I tell them I’ve never had Pancheros before."
Matt Levins is a sports reporter for the USA Today Network in Burlington, Iowa, who has covered local sports for 32 years at The Hawk Eye. Reach him at mlevins@thehawkeye.com.
This article originally appeared on The Hawk Eye: Myhre helped Central Lee make playoff for the first time since 2016
