Football schedules released

By BRANDON HURLEY

Sports Editor
sports@beeherald.com

The highly-anticipated schedule release has arrived.

Greene County’s opponents for the next few two years will feel fairly familiar, along with another matchup with an old rival as well as the return of a long-time nemesis.
The Rams are a member of Class 2A’s District 8 along with Red Oak, Clarinda, Des Moines Christian, Shenandoah and Clark Osceola.

The full, 2021 and 2022 regular season schedules were released Monday. All Class 2A schools will play eight regular season games, a slight deviation from past years of nine weeks of gridiron play.
The conclusion of week eight on Oct. 15 will give way to the 32-team playoffs. Only 16 of 2A’s 48 teams will not make the playoffs, with automatic berths granted to the top place-winners in each of the nine districts.
The Rams will partake in three non-district games before opening the five game district slate in week for on Sept. 17.

The Iowa High School Athletic Association determined each school’s schedule via the following criteria:

“Districts and groups are assigned by the IHSAA, then schools select preferred non-district opponents through a priority list. The IHSAA attempts to align schedules with as many priority list selections as possible, however, opponents and availability cannot be guaranteed.”
Greene County will hit the road five times in 2021 while they’ll host four home games. The schedule flips the following year, with the Rams hosting five opponents in 2022 with four road games.

Greene County opens the 2021 schedule on the road against a rising program in AC/GC Friday, Aug. 27. The Chargers were 4-5 in Class 1A last fall though they return four of their top rushers from a unit which produced 2,365 yards on the ground. Greene County and AC/GC have never faced each other in football, marking their first meeting in history.

The Rams will then host their home-opener the following week, Sept.3 in hopes of retaining the Cowbell against Perry. The Bluejays are in the midst of a 27-game losing streak, having last won a game in 2017 while the Rams have triumphed in the past three meetings.
Nearby nemesis Kuemper Catholic High School returns to Greene County’s schedule in week three after a brief hiatus, visiting Jefferson on Sept. 10. The Knights last faced off against the Rams in 2019, a 45-22 victory at the hands of Greene County.
Kuemper was just 2-7 last fall, though the Knights did win their opening round playoff game, a 16-8 triumph over Pocahontas Area.
District 8 play begins in week four as Greene County visits Des Moines Christian in Urbandale on Sept. 17. The Lions were 4-3 a year ago. Greene County last faced Des Moines Christian in the 2019 playoffs, a game in which the Rams prevailed, 35-21 in Urbandale.

The second week of district play takes Greene County to Clarinda on Sept. 24. The Cardinals were 4-5 a season ago. The Rams and Clarinda split their two season meetings last fall, with Greene County prevailing in the second round of the playoffs, 24-0.
The Rams return home for week six, a familiar clash with Red Oak on Oct. 1 in Jefferson. The Tigers were winless in 2020 (0-8) including a pair of blowout losses to Greene County, with a combined score of 97-14. Red Oak has lost 20 straight games dating back to the 2018 season.
Shenandoah visits Jefferson in week seven (Oct. 8), coming off a 3-5 record in 2020. Greene County blew out the Mustangs, 42-6 last October.

Greene County closes out the 2021 regular season with a road trip to new District 8 foe, Clark, Osceola on Oct. 15. Clarke was 1-7 a year ago with their lone win coming against Chariton, 35-14.
The 2A playoffs begin Oct. 22.

Greene County finished the 2020 season with a 7-3 record, anchored by a six-game winning streak and a pair of playoff victories. The Rams were bounced from the third round of the 2A playoffs, losing 42-0 to PCM.
Greene County will look to lean on their returning passer (Bryce Stalder), their top two rushers (Jackson Morton and Nate Black) as well leading tackler (Bradyn Smith).

2021 schedule

Week 1 (Aug. 27)        at AC/GC (Guthrie Center)
Week 2 (Sept. 3)         Perry
Week 3 (Sept. 10)     Kuemper Catholic
Week 4 (Sept. 17)     at DM Christian (Urbandale)
Week 5 (Sept. 24)     at Clarinda
Week 6 (Oct. 1)        Red Oak
Week 7 (Oct. 8)         Shenandoah
Week 8 (Oct. 15)        at Clarke (Osceola)

2022 schedule

Week 1                 AC/GC
Week 2                 at Perry
Week 3                  at Kuemper Catholic (Carroll)
Week 4                 DM Christian
Week 5                 Clarinda
Week 6                 at Red Oak
Week 7                 at Shenandoah
Week 8                 Clarke (Osceola)