Comets hold open football practice in front of fans

By John Burbridge

sports@charlescitypress.com

CHARLES CITY — Chase Crooks has been here before. Still, he senses a change in the air.

“The attitude is much different,” Crooks said a week into pre-season football practice under the tutelage of new Charles City head coach Bryan Bjorklund. “We seem to be having more fun playing football.”

Last season wasn’t a very fun one for the Comets. After a hard-fought but tough loss in the opener against New Hampton, the program was shut down for two weeks due to COVID-19 exposure.

When they were cleared to play again, the Comets — who couldn’t practice together during the shutdown — had to face some of the toughest teams in the state in rapid succession.

This, with key injuries amid thin ranks, were factors that led to a winless season.

But Crooks, who had to bounce back from injury himself, kept his focus and drive intact to earn All-District First Team Offense honors as an offensive lineman for the second straight season.

This is Crooks’s final go with the Comets FB team.

“I’ve got some letters of interest,” said Crooks in regards to colleges petitioning him to continue his career with them.

As a heavyweight podium placer at the most recent Iowa High School Wrestling Championships, Crooks is also open to wrestle in college if the opportunity presents itself.

“I’m not doing things much differently from training for seasons before,” Crooks said. “But I’m lifting more … getting more intense in the weight room. I’m definitely getting stronger.”

Crooks and the rest of the Comets held an open practice last Saturday in front of a gathering of supporters at Comet Field.

“Every day we’re getting better,” Bjorklund said. “It’s a definite process we’ve seen since the summer team camp at Simpson College.”

Turnout this season is in the mid-50s — a substantial increase from seasons before.

“That’s a good number for a high school football team,” Bjorklund said. “We have about 17 seniors … our junior class is a little small … but we have a lot of sophomores.”

The numbers will allow Charles City to field two teams under varsity rather than just one lower-level team from the season before.

“Kids will have more chances to play … more chances to prove themselves,” Bjorklund said.

Bjorklund’s staff is primarily new though it does include several former Comet coaches and players.

Included are Bob Kloberdanz, Jim Lundberg, Drew Mitchell, Tyler Mitchell and Jeremy Rogstad.

Another addition is former Comet standout Kyle Staudt — someone Kloberdanz loves to reference when it comes to talking about “Old School” football back when the game seemed to encourage physical contact rather than to discourage it.

“He’s the best offensive lineman I’ve had the pleasure to coach,” Kloberdanz said of Staudt, who went on to become a Junior College All-American at North Iowa Area Community College before continuing his career at the University of Sioux Falls, where he was a team captain for two NAIA National Championship teams.

Staudt helped the Trojans and Cougars regularly amass more than 400 yards of total offense per game. He also helped strike some fear if not respect into Comet opponents during his playing days at Charles City.

“I remember one time when one of the officials came over to the sidelines and told us that we’ve got to take (Staudt’s number) out of the game,” Kloberdanz said. “We asked ‘What is he doing wrong?’ and the official said ‘Nothing … he’s just too dominant’.”

Kloberdanz told of another time when Staudt flattened Decorah’s two-way stud on the fourth play of the game which rendered the Viking ineffective for the remainder of the contest, paving way for a Comet upset victory.

“People may have a hard time believing that an offensive lineman can make a single play that would change a game, but that was the case right there,” Kloberdanz said.

Staudt remembers the play and the game.

“They were the No. 2-ranked team in the state, and we came and beat them on their own field,” Staudt said. “You never forget things like that.”