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The Underwood Experiemce - September

 

 

For the third time in the last six years, Underwood High School has been named a Best School in America by U.S. News and World Report. Based on multiple sources of objective data, the ranking places Underwood as the #61 school in Iowa. The U.S. News 2023-2024 edition of Best High Schools includes information on graduation rates, enrollment, student body demographics, location, school type, and state assessment results, as well as Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate data. 

"It is great to be recognized as a Best School by U.S. News," sadi Principal Matt McDonough.  "It's recognition for the hard work put in by students, teachers, staff, and parents.  We continue to work toward the high standards set by our school board, our high school, and the community itself."  

 

 

Accomplishments for 2022-2023

Student/Staff Accomplishments

2022-2023

 

All-Iowa Honor Dance Team

Zoey Miles 

Kate Spitznagle

Hailey Martin

 

SWIBA Honor Band

Johnathan Harold

Samantha Spiker

 

Iowa Dance Teams State Championships

Hip Hop-1st Place

Poms-5th Place

Rileigh Martin Ava Brainard

Sydney Nelson    Zoey Miles

Kate Spitznagle   Kaylee Verhage

Hailey Martin        Finley Roberts 

Maggie Hough      Lydia Bracker

 

State Cross Country

Lilly Irwin

 

State Swimming

Claire Crilly

 

Football

District Champions

State Semifinalist

 

Des Moines Register All-State (1st Team) 

Alex Ravlin

Walter Ausdemore

Mason Boothby

Alex Ravlin

IPSWA/IFCA All-State (1st Team)

Des Moines Register All-State (1st Team)

All District Football (1st Team)

District Offensive Player of the Year

Mason Boothby

IPSWA/IFCA All-State (2nd Team)

Des Moines Register All-State (1st Team)

All District Football (1st Team)

 

Walter Ausdemore

Des Moines Register All-State (1st Team)

All District Football (1st Team)

Thomas Huneke

KMA A/1A/2A Lineman of the Year

District Lineman of the Year

All District Football (1st Team)

All District Football

First Team

Alex Ravlin

Maddox Nelson

Mason Boothby

Graham Jensen

Walter Ausdemore

Thomas Huneke

Second Team

Jack Vanfossan 

Josh Ravlin

Third Team

Max Tiarks

Aiden Cline

Wyatt Baker

Assistant Coach of the Year

Jon Williams

 

Nate Mechaelsen

IFCA Coach of the Year-Class 1A

District Coach of the Year

 

Alizabeth Jacobsen 

IGCA All-State (3rd Team)

All-District Volleyball

KMA Elite (2nd Team)

WIC Conference Player of the Year

WIC Conference (1st Team)

 

Delaney Ambrose

WIC Conference (2nd Team)

 

Lydia Bracker

National Cheer Association All-American

Winter Guard-Division I Rating

Faith Renshaw Tiffany McMullen

Trista McMullen Kate Fitzpatrick

Cloee Malnack Haylee Jacobsen

Allison Britten 

Delaney Cunningham

 

State Quiz Bowl

Kira Hetfield, Samantha Spiker, Scott Jensen, Jonathan Rosas, Taylor Hills

Wrestling

Gable Porter

State Champion (3rd Time; 1 Runner-up)

District Champion

Western Iowa Conference Champion

Mr. Iowa Wrestler-1A

KMA Wrestler of the Year

 

Blake Allen

State Champion

District Champion

Western Iowa Conference Champion

Maddox Nelson

State-6th Place

District Champion

Western Iowa Conference Runner-Up

 

Carson Thomsen

7th Place

District Champion

Western Iowa Conference Runner-Up

Avery Vacek

State Qualifier

 

Hayden Heun

State Qualifier

District Champion

Western Iowa Conference (3rd Place)

 

Girls State Wrestling

Kalen Westerfield

State Qualifier

 

Girls Basketball

Western Iowa Conference Champions

 

Aliyah Humphrey

IGCA All-District Team

WIC Conference-1stTeam 

 

Leah Hall

WIC Conference- 2nd Team

 

Alizabeth Jacobsen

All-State-3rd Team

WIC Co-Player of the Year

IGCA All-District Team

 

Boys Basketball

 

Jack Vanfossan

IBCA All-Substate Team

Western Iowa Conference (1st Team)

KMA All-WIC Junior

 

Mason Boothby

Western Iowa Conference (1st Team)

KMA All-WIC Junior

 

Garrett Luett

KMA All-WIC Freshman

KMA All-WIC Reserve

 

Owen Larsen

KMA All-WIC Reserve

 

Josh Ravlin

Western Iowa Conference (2nd Team)

 

Alex Ravlin

Western Iowa Conference (Hon. Ment.)

 

Bowling

 

Faith Renshaw

State Bowling Team Champion

 

 

Piper Marcantonio 

State Bowling Team Champion

 

Special Olympics

 

Rylee Bonsall

State Basketball (3rd)

Special Olympics-Track (5th)

Lillian Beem

Individual State Speech

 

Kira Hetfield

All-State Quiz Bowl

 

Track and Field

 

Drake Relays Qualifier

Tieler Hull, Aliyah Humphrey, Hailey Martin, Jordyn Reimer

 

Aliyah Humphrey, Tieler Hull, Haley Stangl, Jordyn Reimer

 

Jordyn Reimer

Drake Relays-Long Jump

 

Thomas Huneke

Drake Relays-Shot Put

 

Western Iowa Conference Champions-Boys

 

Tieler Hull, Aliyah Humphrey, Hailey Martin, Jordyn Reimer

State Track-4 x 100M Relay 7th Place

 

Jordyn Reimer

State Track-Long Jump 7th Place

 

Aliyah Humphrey, Tieler Hull, Haley Stangl, Jordyn Reimer

State Track-4 x 200M Relay 6th Place

 

Hailey Martin

State Track-100M Hurdles 4th Place

Mason Boothby

State Track-400M Hurdles 8th Place

 

Mason Boothby, Wyatt Baker, Sam Hulsing, Jack Vanfossan

State Track-Shuttle Hurdle Relay 7th Place

 

Thomas Huneke

State Track-Shot Put 4th Place

 

Golf

Mary Stephens

Golf-Regional Qualifier

 

Soccer

District Champions-Girls

State Qualifier-Girls

 

 

Kaden Ogle

All-State Soccer (1st Team)

 

Graham Jensen

All-State Soccer (1st Team)

 

Dyson Rasmussen

All-State Soccer (2nd Team)

 

Lola Paulsen

All-State Soccer (2nd Team)

All-District Soccer (1st Team)

Western Iowa Conference (1st Team)

 

Georgia Paulsen

All-State Soccer (2nd Team)

All-District Soccer (1st Team)

Western Iowa Conference (1st Team)

KMAland Junior of the Year

KMAland Offensive Player of the Year

 

Avery Honan

All-State Soccer (2nd Team)

Western Iowa Conference (2nd Team)

 

Hollie Larson

Western Iowa Conference (1st Team)

 

Haley Stangl

Western Iowa Conference (1st Team)

 

Tieler Hull

Western Iowa Conference (1st Team)

KMAland Sophomore of the Year

 

Baseball 2023

State Runner-Up

WIC Conference Champions

District Champions

Jack Vanfossan

All Conference (1st Team)

All district-unanimous (1st Team)

KMA Pitcher of the Year

KMA All Western Iowa Pitching

KMA All Western Iowa Offense

KMA All Junior Team

KMA Junior of the year

1st Team IHSBCA All-State pitcher

1st Team IABASEBALL.COM All-State Pitcher

KMA All BASEBALL

KMA All-State 

Garrett Luett

All Conference (1st Team)

All District-Unanimous (1st Team)

KMA 8/9th Grader of the Year

KMA all 8th/9th Grade Team

KMA All Western Iowa Pitching

KMA All Western Iowa Offense

1st Team IHSBCA All-State Utility 

1st Team IABASEBALL.COM All-State Infield

KMA ALL BASEBALL

KMA All-State

Mason Boothby

All Conference (1st Team)

All District (1st Team)

KMA All-Junior Team

KMA All-Western Iowa Offense

 

Ryker Adair

All Conference (2nd Team)

KMA All 9th-Grade Team

 

Nick Hackett

All-District (2nd Team) IHSBCA

KMA All Sophomore Team

Easton Robertson

All District (2nd Team) IHSBCA

KMA All Sophomore Team

 

Andy Vanfossan

IHSBCA SW District Coach of the Year-2A

KMA Baseball Coach of the Year

KMA 2A State Coach of the Year 

KMA 2022-2023 Coach of the Year All Sports

Softball

Claire Cook

All-State (First Team)

All-District (First Team)

 

Congratulations to these students who earned Blue and White Honor Roll distinctions 2nd semester:
SENIORS

Blue Honor Roll (3.5-4.0)                         White Honor Roll (3.00-3.49)
Delaney Ambrose                                     Rylee Bonsall
Walter Ausdemore                                     Noah Daniel
Wyatt Baker                                               Henry Hulsing
Lydia Bracker ~ 4.0                                   Thomas Huneke
Ryan Bret                                                  Korey Pressgrove
Wyatt Buckholdt                                       Jordyn Reimer
Kaley Burress                                           Gage Rice
Chloe Campbell                                        Cole Ruckman
Aiden Cline ~ 4.0                                      Jason Stark
Claire Crilly                                                Ty Strutton
Sophia Fiedler ~ 4.0
Ali Fletcher ~ 4.0
Leah Hall ~ 4.0
Kira Hetfield ~ 4.0
Maggie Hough ~ 4.0
Aliyah Humphrey ~ 4.0
Scott Jensen
Allyson Leaders
Miranda Lorenzen
Hailey Martin
Jadynn McDonald
Taylor McKern
Andrew Peterson
Grace Pierce ~ 4.0
Gable Porter
Alexander Ravlin ~ 4.0
Dylan Reineke
Carter Smith
Samantha Spiker ~ 4.0
Luke Stolz
Kaylee Verhage
Quinten Wollan
JUNIORS
Blue Honor Roll (3.5-4.0)                         White Honor Roll (3.00-3.49)
Sierra Arthur                                             Bowie Bettes
Gus Bashore                                             Ava Brainard
Mason Boothby                                         Karlie Childers
Ava Brensel                                               Kelsey Colton
Ava Dalen                                                 Corbin DeVries
Lacey Gangwish                                        Kinsley Ferguson
Taylor Hills                                                 Chazley Ferris
Alizabeth Jacobsen                                    Joei Forrester
Piper Marcantonio ~ 4.0                             Elizabeth Henderson
Vivian Myers                                                Lillian Irwin
Maddox Nelson                                           Graham Jensen
Kayleigh Opal                                             Owen Larsen
Georgia Paulson                                         Kaden Ogle
Josh Ravlin ~ 4.0                                         Rachel Privia
Faith Renshaw ~ 4.0                                    Dyson Rasmussen
Finley Roberts                                              Jonathan Rosas
Jonathan Rosas                                            Luke Seidler
Mya Rus ~ 4.0                                              Jackson Sorensen
Sterling Smith                                              William Tiarks
Kate Spitznagle
Daniel Stein
Max Tiarks
Koryn Trede
Colin Van Tilburg
Jack Vanfossan
Raegan Ward
Joselyn Ziegler

SOPHOMORES

Blue Honor Roll (3.5-4.0)                             White Honor Roll (3.00-3.49)
Isabella Bret                                                 Kailynn Brecher
Will Buckholdt                                              Allison Britten
Alexx Cook                                                  Emma Childers
Dane DeVault                                              Cameron Colter
Allissa Fischer                                             Carter Forbush
Nick Hackett ~ 4.0                                       Madelyn Irwin
Jonathan Harold                                          Eiress Jones
Ekatrina Hetfield ~ 4.0                                 Amelia Lorenzen
Avery Honan ~ 4.0                                      Madelyn Mayabb
Tieler Hull                                                    Zoey Miles
Haylee Jacobsen                                         Lola Paulson
Macey Johnson                                           Macy Pedersen
Hollie Larson                                               Manuel Rodgers
Nolan Leonard                                            Jason Sisser
Sadie Louison                                             Mary Stephens
Alex McKern
Tiffany McMullen ~ 4.0
Trista McMullen ~ 4.0
Ruby Patomson ~ 4.0
Ethan Reineke
Madeline Reineke
Easton Robertson ~ 4.0
Haley Stangl

FRESHMEN
Blue Honor Roll (3.5-4.0)                             White Honor Roll (3.00-3.49)
Hailey Ambrose                                            Ryker Adair
Nate Arthur                                                   Evan Booker
Joshua Brainard                                           Trenton Griffin
Ruby Brandt                                                 Dylan Hills
Alli Brensel ~ 4.0                                          Haileigh Jenson
Kayla Bristol ~ 4.0                                        Rileigh Martin
Connor Brummett ~ 4.0                                Dylan Minear
Leo Casson ~ 4.0                                         William Moore
Lexi Gangwish                                              Carly Nelson
Chase Haven                                                Jayden Shelton
Abigail Hoffman ~ 4.0                                    Avery Smith
Taylor Jensen                                                Paige Soloth
David Kilibarda - Foote                                 Braden Walsh
Mallorie Leaders ~ 4.0                                  Ryland Waterkotte
Garrett Luett ~ 4.0                                         Kalen Jo Westerfield
Dane Meyerpeter
Landon Morales-Foote ~ 4.0
Ava Schuster
Riley Sealock
Julia Thomas
Brandon Wade
Rachael Zellmer

Congratulations to our 2023 Prom Court and to King Corey Pressgrove and Queen Maggie Hough

 

Front Row L to R: Hailey Martin, Aliyah Humphrey, Miranda Lorenzen, Lydia Bracker, and Maggie Hough

Back Row L to R: Quintin Wollen, Korey Pressgrove, Walter Ausdemore, Wyatt Baker, and Alex Ravlin

State track is upon as and Underwood will be well represented. Our athletes will be participating in both Des Moines and in Ames. Good luck to all! #UWoodEaglePride

UHS math teacher Greg Bachman was selected as the Charles E. Lakin Outstanding Teacher for southwest Iowa. He is the second Underwood teacher in as many years to win this prestigious award. Mr. Bachman teaches Algebra II, Pre-Calculus, Geometry, and AP Calculus. Congratulations again.

We would like to recognize our 2022 senior class. Spotlights will be updated weekly.