The wins didn’t come last year for the Mustangs — just two. But head coach Scott Heitland will be the first to tell you that wasn’t indicative of the team, considering three of their losses were by a single possession. An overtime loss after a 14-point lead, a late pick six and a touchdown called back against DCG were all things that could have flipped the season from 2-7 to 5-4 in a flash.
Still, they were part of the team’s story — and losses — all the same. And now with the team moving to Class 5A competition after a promotion into full-blown big school territory, a turnaround could have some hurdles while facing new competition. But it’s a challenge that hasn’t slowed down other programs in Dallas Center.
Offensive dreams
“Offensively, it feels great,” Heitland said after the team’s first official practice. “Almost any of our important yardage is back. You know, Chase [Engel] is back at quarterback. Ozzie [Grimm] is back. All of our top receivers are back. Our offensive line is a year older, year wiser, year stronger. So, you know, we feel like we’re light years ahead of where we were offensively today, standing here, than we were a year ago at this time.”
And that feels of utmost importance for this team, considering the struggles they had consistently scoring in 2024.
Aside from a 55-0 rout over Council Bluffs for a big homecoming win, the Mustangs only scored 20+ points in one other contest. And that wasn’t enough to win, coming up short 35-28.
Still, quarterback Chase Engel surpassed his two-season predecessor in terms of total production as a sophomore. Now he has developed and has a stronger, bigger offensive line to stand behind. Heitland was eager to point out Lucas Scholl as a big focal point, considering the gains he found in the weight room this offseason. Ditto for tight end Jackson Reis who Heitland sees having top-end ability that catches teams by surprise after his growth spurt.
Another of those key components is fellow Class of 2027 teammate Wyatt Valenta who Heitland said will be one of the rare two-way players for the Mustangs, earning a comparison to former all-district selection Dayne Mauk. Valenta led the team with 460 yards and four touchdowns on 47 receptions last year as a sophomore.
Big Move
The move from 4A to 5A could be seen as a major battle. After all, it’s filled with metro programs, which are the state’s predominant pipeline for the college ranks. But DCG is welcoming the chance to play those elite powers.
“This was a good year for us to make the leap,” Heitland said. “I think we’ve got talented kids. We’ve got hungry kids. Kids that love football. Our kids are really excited about getting the chance to play some of these teams in some of these venues. It’s going to be really hard. Every team has just scary athletes out there. And we know we’re going to have to play better and more disciplined and less error free than we did a year ago.”
After a scrimmage with Des Moines East on Aug. 22, the Mustangs head to Urbandale to open their regular season for their first taste of 5A action.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Dallas Center-Grimes football preview: Big move up for Mustangs
Reporting by Sean Cordy / Des Moines Register
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
