Best Iowa HS athlete of all time

[CyPhallus]

Ben Kueter from Iowa City HS just won the U20 world championship in Bulgaria for wrestling at 97 kg. He's a top 10 overall pound for pound recruit in wrestling. He is a Iowa football and wrestling commit- a 4 star linebacker, 2x state wrestling champ, and also a standout in baseball + T&F. It got me thinking he has to be high on the list of best Iowa HS athletes of all time. Some others that came to mind:

Tim Dwight - won a billion T&F titles + elite all state football

Jeff Clement - Broke the national all time hs homerun record, don't remember if he played other sports though

Jeff Horner - 4x elite all state basketball, standout in football, baseball, and track

Harrison Barnes - At times was the consensus #1 overall bball recruit in the country, did some high jump and long jump in T&F but otherwise didn't play any other sports

Austen Arnaud - One of the best HS quarterbacks I have seen play in person. Also played basketball, baseball, and ran track, was a standout in all 3 but not near as elite as he was in football


Who did I leave off the list?

Arnaud? Seriously? This list is really bad.

 

[ZRF]

Tim Dwight was the best athlete I ever saw in action at the high school level. I remember going to the CR Jeff, ICH game in Iowa City in 1992 where both teams (I think) were undefeated. IIRC Jefferson got out to an early lead, and looked like the better "team", but they simply didn't have an answer for Dwight. On one particular play Dwight was in the open field with a safety perfectly squared up to make the tackle. Right as the defender lowers his level (still square) to wrap him up, Dwight hurdles him in what was a 4-4.5 ft minimum leap. He single handedly won them that game.

 

[BCClone]

Tim Dwight was the best athlete I ever saw in action at the high school level. I remember going to the CR Jeff, ICH game in Iowa City in 1992 where both teams (I think) were undefeated. IIRC Jefferson got out to an early lead, and looked like the better "team", but they simply didn't have an answer for Dwight. On one particular play Dwight was in the open field with a safety perfectly squared up to make the tackle. Right as the defender lowers his level (still square) to wrap him up, Dwight hurdles him in what was a 4-4.5 ft minimum leap. He single handedly won them that game.

That made me think back. When did they kill the no hurdling rule? Was it mid 80s. I remember there was a rule that a back could not hurdle. Thinking it was 87-88 I broke loose and cut instead of jumping because there was some rule that I couldn’t and tripped on the tackler.

 

[Dandy]

Shawn Johnson
Lolo Jones
Gable
Roland Rocket
Mike Van Arsdale
Bruce Jenner

??????????????????

 

[HFCS]

Tim Dwight was the best athlete I ever saw in action at the high school level. I remember going to the CR Jeff, ICH game in Iowa City in 1992 where both teams (I think) were undefeated. IIRC Jefferson got out to an early lead, and looked like the better "team", but they simply didn't have an answer for Dwight. On one particular play Dwight was in the open field with a safety perfectly squared up to make the tackle. Right as the defender lowers his level (still square) to wrap him up, Dwight hurdles him in what was a 4-4.5 ft minimum leap. He single handedly won them that game.

I think in some ways "eye test" as college football fan he's still among the fastest I've seen, probably because of seeing him in person. Not in terms of overall skills, but just pure speed.

 

[JP4CY]

??????????????????

Assuming they thought Bruce went to high school in Iowa since Graceland is also in Iowa.

 

[Three4Cy]

Who did you leave out?

Ever hear of Dan Gable? Sage Rosenfels? Kurt Warner? Roger Craig? Fred Hoiberg? Casey Blake? Kyle Korver? Zach Johnson? Chris Street? Shawn Johnson? Lolo Jones? Natashia Kaiser Brown? Bob Feller? Nile Kinnick? Reaf Lefrentz? Nick Collison? Kirk Heinrich? Ricky Davis?



I could keep going.

Are you defining high school athletes based on their age or if they competed in high school athletics? Shawn never competed for WDM Valley. She competed nationally and internationally but never at the high school level since Iowa does not have high school gymnastics.

 

[t-noah]

Haluska

He dunked over my 5' son in 7th grade.

Was that before or after he went to Iowa?

 

[HGoat1]

Who did you leave out?

Ever hear of Dan Gable? Sage Rosenfels? Kurt Warner? Roger Craig? Fred Hoiberg? Casey Blake? Kyle Korver? Zach Johnson? Chris Street? Shawn Johnson? Lolo Jones? Natashia Kaiser Brown? Bob Feller? Nile Kinnick? Reaf Lefrentz? Nick Collison? Kirk Heinrich? Ricky Davis?



I could keep going.

I know there are plenty that I left off, was just shooting from the hip. Thought it was a fun discussion.

 

[HGoat1]

Arnaud? Seriously? This list is really bad.

Yea, he probably shouldn't be on the list. I was just shooting from the hip. He and Horner probably shouldn't be on the list, I was biased because I grew up watching both of them and I was trying to think of guys who were 4 sport standouts.

 

[Cycl1]

Shawn Johnson
Lolo Jones
Gable
Roland Rocket
Mike Van Arsdale
Bruce Jenner

Jenner didnt go to highschool in iowa.

 

[2forISU]

Tavian Banks.

A lot of people don't know, but Tavion Banks was better at soccer(Olympic level) and could have played anywhere

 

[franzrinkleff]

I am going with Dan Gable. He was undefeated (64-0) in high school and then he almost repeated in college and won the Olympics.

 

[isucy86]

Bob Feller was also an all state basketball player and a state track champion.

The numbers he put up were great but would have been all time elite had he not lost 4 years to the war. Would have pushed 4000 strikeouts and 350 wins. If he'd have had one more no-hitter in that time, which was entirely possible, he'd have been one of 3 guys with 4 or more (Ryan, Koufax)

Bob Feller is my winner. He was pitching for the Cleveland Indians before starting his senior year in HS.

 

[Cydkar]

Tim Dwight was the best athlete I ever saw in action at the high school level. I remember going to the CR Jeff, ICH game in Iowa City in 1992 where both teams (I think) were undefeated. IIRC Jefferson got out to an early lead, and looked like the better "team", but they simply didn't have an answer for Dwight. On one particular play Dwight was in the open field with a safety perfectly squared up to make the tackle. Right as the defender lowers his level (still square) to wrap him up, Dwight hurdles him in what was a 4-4.5 ft minimum leap. He single handedly won them that game.

I saw him play at Jeff, the year prior. He had a punt return for a TD and nobody had a chance. It may have been a KO but I think it was a punt. It was VERY impressive.

 

[Cydkar]

Assuming they thought Bruce went to high school in Iowa since Graceland is also in Iowa.

I wore my Graceland Tavern t-shirt into Casey's and got into a conversation with a worker about how much he loved the place. Took many minutes before I figured out he was talking about Elvis' Graceland.

 

[BillBrasky4Cy]

I think you have to throw Cooper Dejean on the list. He won back to back high school football titles and multiple track titles. He was also a really good basketball player.

 

[BCClone]

I wore my Graceland Tavern t-shirt into Casey's and got into a conversation with a worker about how much he loved the place. Took many minutes before I figured out he was talking about Elvis' Graceland.

Did he talk about Frank Garza and look like this?

 

[ISUTex]

Not arguing but you sound like the token mid 40's to lower 50's Dad. Kid's don't go out for Track to "get in and stay in shape." Kids go out for Track to develop and improve their speed. Speed can be developed and needed regardless if you run 100 meters or 3200 meters. Speed is a common fundamental in any and all sports. But we digress, so to get us back on the thread. I would have to say: Tristan Wirfs. Much like Gonzo pointed out he was superior in anything and everything he did in High School and was a 3 sport stud.

Not arguing but you sound like the token mid 40's to lower 50's Dad. Kid's don't go out for Track to "get in and stay in shape." Kids go out for Track to develop and improve their speed. Speed can be developed and needed regardless if you run 100 meters or 3200 meters. Speed is a common fundamental in any and all sports. But we digress, so to get us back on the thread. I would have to say: Tristan Wirfs. Much like Gonzo pointed out he was superior in anything and everything he did in High School and was a 3 sport stud.

Today you can develop speed and agility in the weight room and other SAQ workouts. Don't need to go out for track. Go out for track because you like to compete as an individual and be part of a team.

 

[BCClone]

Today you can develop speed and agility in the weight room and other SAQ workouts. Don't need to go out for track. Go out for track because you like to compete as an individual and be part of a team.

My oldest worked out with Ben Durbin at PAT.