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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."
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.
Underwood has been known for many years as a "Wrestling Town." That notion continues to this day. Underwood High school has produced some of the best high school wrestlers in the history of Iowa High School wrestling. The storied wrestling program at Underwood reached the pinnacle when, in 1999 and 2000, the Eagle teams captured consecutive state team championships. Under the guidance of high school coaches Lewis Curtis and Trevor Carritt, junior high coach Chad Ryan and volunteer coach Kevin Hough, the Eagles made their mark on the wrestling world by capturing . . .
read moreContact information for the Underwood Community Schools is listed below: Superintendent Andy Irwin Phone: 566-2332 Fax: 566-2070 email: airwin@underwoodschools.org High School Principal/Technology Director Matt McDonough Phone: 566-2703 Fax: 566-2712 email: mmcdonough@underwoodschools.org Middle School Principal/Activities Director Tyler Hamilton Phone: 566-2332 Fax: 566-2070 email: thamilton@underwoodschools.org Elementary Principal/Curriculum Director Nicole Murray Phone: 566-2326 Fax:566-2963 email: nmurray@underwoodschools.org School Board Members: Jeff Bonsall ~ JBonsall@underwoodschools.org Matthew Brummett ~ MBrummett@underwoodschools.org Erin Johnsen ~ EJohnsen@underwoodschools.org Rick Larson ~ RLarson @underwoodschools.org Teresa Mace ~ TMace @underwoodschools.org School Board Secretary: Lori Lehan ~ LLehan@underwoodschools.org Phone: (712) 566-2332 . . .
read moreCalendar Week of September 24 - September 30, 2023