The Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Cowboys football team returns to action on Friday night, as the Cowboys host the Grundy Center Spartans in Class 1A, District 3 action at the Clarion Football Field at CGD Middle School. CGD enters at 3-1 and ranked #10 in Class 1A, while Grundy Center enters at 4-0, ranked #1, and are the owners of a 43-game winning streak, dating back to August 2022. Friday’s meeting between the two programs is the 3rd all-time meeting with both meetings occurring nearly 120 years ago in 1907, as Grundy Center won both meetings.
Grundy Center entered 2025 as 3-time defending state champions, winning a Class A title in 2022, before winning back-to-back titles in Class 1A in 2023 and 2024. The Spartans are off to a 4-0 start with blowout wins over Aplington-Parkersburg, Columbus Catholic, Dike-New Hartford and a district-opening win over Garner-Hayfield-Ventura. Leading the Grundy Center offense is one of the top quarterbacks in all of Iowa in senior Judd Jirovsky, as the Stanford-golf commit has thrown for 493 yards and 5 touchdowns, while rushing for 167 yards and 3 touchdowns. Jirvosky’s favorite target in the passing game is senior receiver Devin Hinders, who’s caught 10 passes for 245 yards and 2 touchdowns, as fellow senior Eli Wegmann has 8 catches for 123 yards and 2 touchdowns. Jirvosky also has an effective rushing attack behind him, led by senior Pete Lebo, who’s rushed for 261 yards and 6 touchdowns, as sophomore Cooper Keller and junior Hayden Geerdes have both rushed for over 100 yards and combined for 6 touchdowns. The Spartans do have a younger offensive line, but a unit still made up of upperclassmen, led by senior Ryder Slifer.
On the defensive side, the Spartans linebacking core has been stout to start the year, as sophomore linebacker Cooper Keller leads Grundy Center with 23 tackles and a TFL, while Hayden Geerdes has 18.5 tackles, 1.5 TFL and a pick six. Pete Lebo and Aiden Betts have added greater depth to the linebacking room as well. Senior Ryder Slifer leads the Spartans defensive line with 14.5 tackles, 6 TFL and 2.5 sacks, as Carter Ruth has added 6 tackles, while Charlie Rinard has 3 tackles, 1.5 TFL and a sack, as the Spartans can send a numerous rotation of lineman out on the varsity field. The Spartans secondary has made numerous plays early in the season, as Eli Wegmann has an interception, while junior Ethan Meester has 3 forced fumbles on the year. Judd Jirvosky has been quiet this year at safety, but was one of the state’s leaders in interceptions in 2024.
Clarion-Goldfield-Dows will need to lean into their identity of power football on Friday night and put together long, draining drives to not only drain the clock, but drain the Spartans defense. The Cowboy defense will need to keep the Spartans in front of them at all times and have the CGD defensive line wreak havoc on Judd Jirvosky and the Grundy Center backfield.
Kickoff is slated for 7 PM on Friday Night from the Clarion Football Field on 95.7 KQWC or streaming online at kqradio.com.