Marshalltown’s $6.25 million athletic complex will be introduced to the public on August 30 — five days after the start of the Bobcats’ football season. The MHS squad will trek to Mason City on August 25 and to Kingston Stadium in Cedar Rapids to face Cedar Rapids Jefferson on August 31, prolonging the team’s debut in its brand new venue.

Head coach Adam Goodvin can’t wait to see his Bobcats in action on their new artificial turf field, but that has more to do with finding out what this rendition of his program can do on it.

“It’s like being given a birthday present but being told you can’t open it yet,” Goodvin said. “We’ve got to wait a couple weeks, and it’s tough, but we’re definitely excited to get out there. It looks beautiful.

“We really like our schedule other than the first two games are away but it is what it is. It’s going to be worth it for the beautiful new stadium so we’re very fortunate to get that.”

T-R PHOTO BY ROSS THEDE - The Marshalltown football team is seeking back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 2011-2012 led by a group of 17 returning letterwinners. Pictured are (from left) front row: Manuel Perez, Tate Riang, Caleb Kusserow, Tre Brooks and Ryan Rodriguez; middle row: Cory Smith, Rogelio Ceren, Caden Ainsworth, Jacob Gudith, Davis Ragland and Owen Eaton; back row: Michael Narvaez, Blane Landeros, Johan Gomez, Tyrel French, Lincoln Barker and Xayvion Anderson.

Goodvin’s job is to make sure his team is ready to take the field, whether that be at Marshalltown’s new-look Leonard Cole Field or any other football stadium.

“They’re showing up, they’re working hard and they’re willing to learn and that’s all we can ask out of them,” he said, “so just giving us consistent effort and showing up every day is what we’re asking out of them and they’re doing a good job so far.

“We’re really ready to play somebody else to get a true measurement of where we’re at.”

The Bobcats put together a winning season with last year’s 5-4 mark that narrowly missed out on the Class 5A playoffs, but a lot has changed since then. Marshalltown graduated its entire offensive line and lost its two-year starting quarterback to transfer, making for a lot of shakeup in the depth chart this fall.

Xayvion Anderson, who saw a handful of snaps as backup quarterback last season, was given the captain’s chair in the offseason and has done everything Goodvin and staff have asked of him since then.

“Xayvion has played a lot of football at the quarterback position at the ninth-grade level and then last year at the 10th-grade level,” Goodvin said. “He’s an elite competitor and we’ve got a lot of confidence in him.

“We talked to him in May at some point and sat down with him and he was pumped. He was excited to take over the reins at quarterback and that’s what you look for — a guy that’s confident and level-headed — so we’re excited for him in that position.”

The 6-foot-1, 170-pound junior was a state wrestling qualifer two seasons ago, and he travels the country year-round for various wrestling tournaments. Goodvin said it didn’t deter Anderson from honing his skills as the future quarterback for the Bobcats.

“We know wrestling is his first love and we support that 100 percent,” Goodvin said, “but he showed up to 100 percent of our summer weights and that’s going to help him in wrestling and football both. We had freshman/sophomore summer practices and he was at all of those and learning and getting better, so he’s done everything we’ve asked out of him. He’s at a point now where he’s just gotta go out and compete and play.”

The skill position players that always seem to be there for the Bobcats will be again this fall, Goodvin said. Senior running back Tate Riang should see plenty of carries as the team’s top returning back after having rushed 39 times for 292 yards and three touchdowns in 2022. Riang averaged 7.5 yards per carry and has the speed to do so again if the blocking holds up.

Replacing an entire offensive line, especially one that averaged 255 pounds across the board, will be one of the Bobcats’ greatest challenges.

“We knew we had some young guys coming up that just didn’t have the experience yet at the varsity level, and especially at the high school football level you’re going to get that a lot,” Goodvin said. “We have to try and get those guys to buy in and prepare them as much as possible.

“We knew we’d have some skill guys that are able to play some ball, but a football team is only as good as its offensive line is. It all starts with them.”

In order for Anderson to distribute the ball to the playmakers around him, Marshalltown’s offensive line will have to stand up to the opposition. Sophomores Jaxson Hinkle (6-0, 215), Max Reed (6-2, 170) and Ignacio Macias (5-8, 200) have been thrust into the fray alongside seniors Michael Narvaez (6-0, 220) and Tyrel French (6-1, 292). Owen Eaton, a 6-foot, 220-pound junior, may move over from defensive line to contribute on the offensive front from time to time as well.

“Those three sophomores are going to do a lot of big things for us at the varsity level this year and it’s a tough position for them, but we’re doing everything we can to prepare them for that,” said Goodvin. “One thing I can tell you is I think we’ve got potential with that group, both the offensive and defensive lines, but what are we going to do with it? We’ve got some size, we’ve got some strength, but how are we going to apply that to the game and can we do it on a consistent basis?”

Goodvin said the playbook won’t be shortened by the inexperience on the offense, but rather more focused toward the ability his unit shows. With the skill players lining up behind and around Anderson, the Bobcats will still have to be creative about spreading the ball around.

“Xayvion is an elite competitor and that’s right behind having a level head as far as skill sets you look for in your quarterback, and he’s got both of those and he’s a natural leader as well,” Goodvin said. “He goes out there with confidence and he’s looking to get better every day. A lot of this is new and I’m very picky with him and I’m sure he’s sick of me, but at the same time he knows it’s important to improve his game and he’s getting better every single day.”

Senior wide receiver Tre Brooks led Marshalltown last fall with 22 receptions, 381 receiving yards and three touchdowns through the air. The second-leading receiver — Cory Smith — brings his 14 receptions for 143 yards to the fold again as well.

Senior Caleb Kusserow, junior Sam Greazel and sophomore transfer Aiden Smitherman will contribute at the skill positions as well. Juniors Lincoln Barker and Johan Gomez will split their time between tight end and defensive end, although Gomez will miss the first four games due to academic ineligibility.

“We know Xayvion’s not going to catch a snap and sit there in the pocket and pass for 2,000 yards this year, so we’re going to use some of the other guys around him and put them in positions to be successful. That makes our jobs as coaches a little bit more fun, too.

“I don’t want to say we’re keeping things simple. I think it’s more so doing things that they’re good at and then going from there, that’s really been our focus.”

Goodvin has identified his defensive backfield as the team’s deepest unit, featuring a number of players with varsity experience. Senior Rogelio Ceren was thrown into the fire last fall and captured a starting cornerback spot. Brooks, Kusserow, Greazel and Smitherman will get plenty of minutes in the secondary.

“It’s a good group all-around so we’re excited to be able to do some more complex things with that group,” Goodvin said.

Marshalltown’s top five tacklers from a year ago have all graduated, so a lot will look new in the front seven for the defense. Eaton, Narvaez and Barker will contribute on the line, while the second level will include linebackers Jacob Gudith, Davis Ragland, Blane Landeros, Nick Wise, and even Anderson.

“He’s got a lot on his plate, learning that outside linebacker position as well as on the other side of the ball,” Goodvin said of Anderson, “so we’re asking a lot out of him but he can handle it with that confidence he has.”

Mochamad Pramana, Zak Wilder and Kyan Gilbertson could get into the mix at linebacker as well, Goodvin said, thanks to their work ethic this summer.

The unofficial end of summer, however, arrives with the start of school and football Friday nights. The Bobcats’ opener at Mason City will be a healthy challenge right out of the gate, too, followed by a quick turnaround for a Thursday night game in Cedar Rapids.

“It’s going to be a dogfight Week 1 from the get-go and we’re going to learn a lot about ourselves,” Goodvin said. “We’ve got to turnaround real quick the following Thursday and go to Cedar Rapids. It can be a good thing to get right back out there and fix your mistakes — we know we’re going to have them — but it’ll be a little different because everything is going to be accelerated and we can’t waste any time getting ready for that one.”

The Bobcats home opener will be Friday, Sept. 8, against Davenport North, followed the following week by another clash with rival Newton.

“We’re fortunate that we got Newton on the schedule again because that’s a rivalry and that’s another team that’s going to be extremely tough for us,” Goodvin added. “Ames is on the schedule again so that’s nice, and they should be on our schedule every single year, but not playing Fort Dodge is going to be a little different.

“It is what it is. We’ve got a good schedule we’re pleased with and we’re ready to roll.”

2023 SCHEDULE

(* all games 7:30 p.m. unless noted)

Aug. 25 at Mason City

Aug. 31 at Cedar Rapids Jefferson

Sept. 8 DAVENPORT NORTH

Sept. 15 NEWTON

Sept. 22 at Ottumwa

Sept. 29 at Waterloo West

Oct. 6 AMES

Oct. 13 at Des Moines Lincoln, 7 p.m.

Oct. 20 WDM VALLEY, 7 p.m.

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