Greene County will open the 2020 season against rival Perry on Aug. 28 while their non-district schedule also features a trio of traditional powers.  BRANDON HURLEY | JEFFERSON HERALD

Greene County’s fall football schedule released

By BRANDON HURLEY

Sports Editor
sports@beeherald.com

Greene County’s 2020 Football Schedule:
Aug. 28 -- at Perry
Sept. 4 -- vs. South Central Calhoun
Sept. 11 -- vs. Southeast Valley
Sept. 18 -- at Kuemper Catholic, Carroll
Sept. 25 -- vs. Atlantic
Oct. 2 -- vs. Des Moines Christian
Oct. 9 -- at Red Oak
Oct. 16 -- vs. Clarinda
Oct. 23 -- at Shenandoah
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A pair of district champions and a four star rated University of Iowa commit are featured on Greene County’s 2020 football schedule.
Released in late March, the Rams will embark on a doozy of a slate this coming fall, complete with several intriguing match ups and continuations of old rivalries.
While the district groupings were released last month, the Rams learned the exact week-to-week schedule as well as their four non-district opponents. Greene County is slotted in Class 2A, District 9 along with Des Moines Christian, Red Oak, Shenandoah, Atlantic and Clarinda.
The annual Cowbell Game against Perry, one of Iowa’s oldest rivalries, will open the 2020 season as the Rams hit the road Friday, Aug. 28.
The highlight of the non-district schedule includes a visit from South Central Calhoun on Sept. 4 as well as a visit from a four-star University of Iowa prospect, Aaron Graves and Southeast Valley on Sept. 11.
The non-district slate will also close with a rivalry contest in week 4, as Greene County heads west to take on Kuemper Catholic Sept. 18 in Carroll.
South Central Calhoun was one of the best teams in Class 1A last fall, compiling a 9-0 regular season thanks to one of the top defenses in the state. They were ranked inside the top five for much of the season before losing in the state quarterfinals to Van Meter in a defensive struggle, 10-6. The Titans have actually won 20 of their last 22 games, including a regular season winning streak of 26 straight contests.
Southeast Valley’s Aaron Graves still has two years remaining as a junior, but the defensive end and his 6’5,” 240 pound frame drew interest from colleges all over the midwest, resulting in his rise to a four star level and later, his commitment to the University of Iowa. Graves led the state in sacks as a sophomore with 10, while he also recorded 48 total tackles. The Jaguars were 5-4 a season ago, but drop down to Class 1A after spending the previous two years in 2A. SEV returns its top three running backs from last fall along with Graves, in addition, wide receiver Kolson Kruse, who hauled in a team-best five touchdowns.
The Rams did not avoid the dreaded double-trouble road trips, as they will Travel to both Red Oak and Shenandoah in a span of three weeks. Both schools were more than two hours from Jefferson, with Shenandoah a full two-and-half-hour bus ride, one way.
Des Moines Christian, who Greene County defeated in the first round of the playoffs last fall, also won a district title in 2019, joining South Central Calhoun as the two champions on the Rams 2020 schedule.
Though Greene County must replace its starting quarterback, running back, top wide receiver, offensive lineman and one of its top linebackers, it did have remarkable success against their rivals in 2019. The Rams defeated both Perry and Kuemper Catholic by a combined score of 99-22 last fall, including a 54-0 Cowbell Trophy-securing shutout victory over Perry.
Greene County was 9-2 overall last year, bolstered by the first-ever playoff win in GCHS history.
The 2020 schedule is on a one-year rotation. Sixteen teams, yet again, will qualify for the 2A playoffs, with the nine district winners (Greene County is in District 9) securing automatic bids.

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