Washington Football

Tann loves playing both ways for Warriors

David Tann wasn't sure what to expect when he left Fort Dodge St. Edmond High School two years ago and joined the Cedar Rapids Washington football program.

"The jump from 1A to 4A was a pretty big jump," he said Tuesday.

As it turned out, it wasn't too big at all.

Tann established himself as a premier defensive back for the Warriors last season, and this year he's emerged as one of the top ballcarriers in the Metro area as well.

Tann has rushed for 207 yards on 20 carries, a healthy average of 103.5 yards per game and 10.3 per try. He's second in the Metro in rushing behind Xavier tailback Carter Valentine, who's collected 312 yards in two games.

Two things are unusual about Tann's success as a runner. First of all, he's a fullback, not a tailback. And secondly, he didn't play a single down on offense for the Warriors last year. Not a lick.

Coach Tony Lombardi took a different approach on offense this year, looking for more balance in his attack. Tann gladly answered the call.

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Warriors steamroll J-Hawks

The play is 732 trap.

And Washington ran it again and again and again ... and again.

Washington rolled up 277 yards of rushing offense and steamrolled Jefferson, 35-6, in a Mississippi Valley Conference football game played at Kingston Stadium.

Washington senior fullback David Tann ran the ball 12 times for 133 yards and two touchdowns. Juniors Walter Short had 11 carries for 53 yards and a touchdown and Mitch Bredeson rushed 14 times for 77 yards.

"We wanted to keep it balanced and open up the passing attack, but the run was there so we stuck with it," said Tann, who scored on runs of 8 and 10 yards in the third quarter that boosted Washington's lead to 35-0.

But it was in the second quarter when Tann did his most damage, carrying the ball three straight times for runs of 11, 14 and 37 yards to put the ball at the Jefferson 6. Flynn Heald caught the first of his two touchdown passes from Braedon Tovey to make it 14-0 with 9:15 left in the half. Heald caught six passes for 73 yards.

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Heald made the All-Madden Team (no kidding)

Washington receiver Flynn Heald was named to the All-Madden Team this summer, but it wasn't some Xbox competition with his high school buddies.

This was the real deal.

Heald made the prestigious All-Madden Team at the IMG Madden Football Academy in Bradenton, Fla., where 130 of the top high school players in the country gathered in late July to test their skills and learn more about the game.

Twenty-eight players were selected for the All-Madden Team, based on performance, and Heald was one of only three wide receivers named to the squad. The All-Madden Team is named for John Madden, the former NFL head coach and broadcaster.

Chris Weinke, a former Heisman Trophy quarterback at Florida State, is the director of the IMG Madden Football Academy. Former NFL quarterback Vinny Testaverde, former University of Miami quarterback Ken Dorsey and former NFL receiver Mark Carrier were among the instructors.

Heald learned one important lesson in Florida: He has to keep working hard, because at 6-foot and 185 pounds, his size alone is not going to open any doors.

"Out-working someone is the best way to go, because you have to find somebody in front of you and just keep working your way up the ladder," he said Monday after practice. "I think that's kind of my motto and kind of what I live by."

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Tovey, Heald star as Warriors foil Prairie

Flynn Heald never panicked when A.J. Puk quit the Cedar Rapids Washington football team three weeks ago.

Heald and Puk are buddies, but he was confident Braedon Tovey could take over at quarterback and give the Warriors a chance to win games.

He was exactly right.

Tovey passed for 253 yards and two touchdowns Friday night as the Warriors spanked Cedar Rapids Prairie, 51-26, in the Mississippi Valley Conference opener on the new artificial turf at Prairie's John Wall Field.

Washington spoiled Mike Morrissey's debut as Prairie's head coach and served notice that it's still a dangerous team without Puk and injured tailback Will Griffin.

Heald caught nine balls for 238 yards and snared both of Tovey's TD passes as Washington rolled up 502 yards and 23 first downs.

"Braedon is a great leader, and he just does everything right," Heald said. "He does everything well in the classroom as well as on the football field. And as you saw tonight, he did exactly what he was supposed to do."

Puk was Washington's starting quarterback last year as a sophomore, but he left the team this month to concentrate on baseball. That thrust Tovey into the starting lineup.

"Two weeks ago I felt a lot of pressure," Tovey said. "I was feeling it a little bit this morning, but by the time I got on the bus I was ready to go.

"We like Puk, but we're over him," he said. "We had to move on, we had to move forward with who we have."

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