The 3-1 Knoxville Panthers football team is coming off a 28-7 win over Des Moines Hoover last Friday but are staying grounded for their contest against the Trojans on Friday night. The Panthers have seen wins against Clarke and South Tama but lost to Boone 42-6 back in week one. Knoxville head coach Matt Dunkin expressed that the reason why his team has won their last three games is in part to the constant focus on improving each week.

One player that exemplifies the concept of continued improvement and has guided his offense to a three-game winning streak is senior quarterback Brenden Woolsey. Woolsey has passed for almost 800 yards and has racked 10 touchdowns through only four games. The effort he put in throughout the offseason has really started to pay off in coach Dunkin’s eyes.

While quarterbacks tend to be the offensive leaders, sophomore linebacker Jackson Clarke has earned the respect of his team on defense. Clarke is the leading tackler with 19 total tackles, one fumble recovery, and one interception. He is another player that coach Clarke has noticed for his time studying film and the way he carries himself during the week.

The next test for Knoxville is a 4-1 Trojan team that had a tough 21-7 loss to the Winterset Huskies a week ago. The Trojans have found tremendous success in the I-formation with their run game being led by senior running back Tyson who has rushed for 860 yards and six touchdowns. Coach Dunkin is aware of the strength of Atlantic’s offensive line and how they like to push their opponents around.

One of the focuses for the Panthers heading into Friday is limiting mistakes and playing through all four quarters. If Knoxville can stay locked in and continue to fight for the full 48 minutes, coach Dunkin likes his team’s chances of making it close.

KJANTV has the coverage for tomorrow’s contest with the pregame show beginning at 6:30pm and Kickoff is at 7:00pm.