—W-SR junior Asa Newsom.

YEP, NEWSOM IS DI: I was interested in getting an up-close look at Waverly-Shell Rock running back/linebacker Asa Newsom on Friday and he didn’t disappoint.

Newsom, a 3-star recruit at linebacker according to Rivals, has scholarship offers from Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri and Kansas State, and now I understand why.

Not only is he fast — really fast, actually — but Newsom is dang physical.

The 6-foot-3, 210-pound junior delivered more than several punishing hits in the backfield and there really wasn’t anything Webster City could do to block him.

Just thinking about Iowa, he has to have Hawkeye defensive coordinator Phil Parker drooling at the prospect of plugging him into the “cash” position, which is a hybrid outside linebacker/strong safety position.

WRESTLERS CAN BALL: Several of Waverly-Shell Rock’s best players on the gridiron are also key pieces to its juggernaut wrestling program.

McCrae Hagarty, a massively hard-hitting junior running back and linebacker, was the Class 3A state champion at 182 pounds last winter. All he did was go 38-0 as a sophomore. Not bad.

Jake Walker made his debut for the Go-Hawks on Friday and wreaked havoc on the defensive line, a big reason why Webster City rushed for just 82 yards. Walker was the 2020 state-runner up at 195 in February.

And Layne McDonald, a state qualifier at heavyweight last winter, made a 58-yard catch that set up a first-half touchdown.

Multiple-sport athletes, boys and girls. Multiple-sport athletes.