cbanks1972

Outside the Dog House Game of the Week.

As I was writing this piece today, I received a message that I will simply describe as absolutely rude. I won’t blast anyone’s name or put anyone on display, but let’s just say that some folks out there need to be more patient. I work hard to provide coverage for these athletes, coaches, schools, and communities, and I will continue doing it the right way.

OUTSIDE THE DOG HOUSE GAME OF THE WEEK: PEKIN IS STILL LEGIT

The first Outside the Dog House Game of the Week opened plenty of eyes across the state of Iowa.

The Pekin Panthers defeated Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont 27–12 Friday night at Tom Stone Field, beginning the 2026 season with an impressive victory.

If anyone entered Week 0 questioning whether Pekin was still a legitimate threat in Class 1A, the Panthers answered that question on both sides of the football.

Pekin is still legit.

Henry Adam Leads the Charge

Senior quarterback Henry Adam delivered a tremendous all-around performance.

Adam completed 5 of 8 passes for 147 yards and two touchdowns, producing an average of 29.4 yards per completion. He also carried the football 19 times for 51 yards and another touchdown.

Adam accounted for all three of Pekin’s offensive touchdowns. However, his influence extended well beyond the offensive side of the ball.

Defensively, Adam recorded a team-leading 13 total tackles, including six solo stops, one tackle for loss, and one sack.

That is what you call leaving your fingerprints all over a football game.

Alijah Brock Was an Explosive Difference-Maker

Senior Alijah Brock was electric.

Brock caught four passes for 136 yards and two touchdowns, averaging an incredible 34 yards per reception. His longest touchdown reception covered 57 yards.

Brock was equally dangerous on defense, intercepting two passes and returning them for 68 total yards. One of those interceptions was returned for a touchdown.

He finished the game responsible for three Pekin touchdowns—two receiving scores and a defensive touchdown. Brock also successfully converted a two-point attempt.

When Pekin needed an explosive play, Brock delivered.

Defense Creates Five Takeaways

The Panthers’ defense played a major role in the victory by forcing five turnovers.

Pekin intercepted three passes and recovered two fumbles. Brock recorded two interceptions, while freshman Noah Sieren added another interception and returned it 15 yards.

Senior Aiden Porter and senior Johnathan Delaney each recovered a fumble.

Porter also recorded 11 total tackles, one tackle for loss, and one sack. Junior Ethan Porter finished with 10 tackles, while Brock contributed eight.

Pekin’s defense totaled two sacks and two tackles for loss while repeatedly taking the football away from the Rockets.

Panthers Find Their Identity

Pekin finished with 237 yards of total offense, including 147 passing yards and 90 rushing yards.

Senior Zandrik Allison carried the ball 17 times for 46 yards, while sophomore Aliyas Brock added an 11-yard reception.

The rushing numbers may not jump off the page, but Pekin remained committed to running the football. The Panthers attempted 38 rushes, controlled the tempo, created explosive passing plays, and allowed their defense to change the game.

That combination helped Pekin leave Week 0 with a 1–0 record.

Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont provided Pekin with a legitimate early-season test, making this exactly the type of matchup I wanted when creating the Outside the Dog House Game of the Week.

The purpose of this feature is to highlight programs beyond the eight regular Dog House teams and give deserving athletes, coaches, schools, and communities additional recognition.

This game certainly accomplished that mission.

The Panthers were physical. They created turnovers. They generated explosive plays. Most importantly, they finished the job.

If anyone overlooked Pekin entering the 2026 season, it might be time to take another look.

Pekin opened some eyes.

Pekin is still here.

Pekin is still dangerous.

Pekin is still legit.

Statistics and final score verified through the official GoBound game report.

#OutsideTheDogHouse #GameOfTheWeek #PekinPanthers #PekinFootball #EBFRockets #IowaHighSchoolFootball #Class1AFootball #FridayNightLights #DogPoundRadio #CoachingCultureInAthletics

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Published by cbanks1972

## Charles “Chuck” Banks ### Founder and Voice of Coaching Culture in Athletics Radio Broadcast Network Charles “Chuck” Banks—known to many throughout the tri-state sports community as Coach Banks or “Chuck the Tank”—is the founder and lead broadcaster of the Coaching Culture in Athletics Radio Broadcast Network. Built from more than two decades of coaching, teaching, leadership, and relationship-building, the network is dedicated to telling the stories of the coaches, athletes, schools, and communities that make local sports special. A native of rural Iowa, Banks has spent 20 years in education and more than 25 years coaching football. He earned his bachelor’s degree in History and Secondary Education from Graceland University in 2004 before completing a master’s degree in Secondary Education and Educational Administration and a specialist degree in Educational Leadership. Throughout his coaching career, Banks worked with programs across southeastern Iowa. His stops included Centerville, Central Lee, and Fort Madison, along with seven years coaching girls basketball and additional experience in junior-high track. At Central Lee, Banks served as an assistant defensive coach and activities director before becoming the Hawks’ head football coach from 2020 through 2022. Central Lee reached the playoffs during his final season. He was also part of multiple playoff teams and a district championship during his time with the program. At Centerville, Banks spent nine years as an assistant and helped the Big Reds capture a district championship and earn multiple playoff appearances. Most recently, he coached at Fort Madison under Head Coach Derek Doherty, helping develop younger players within the Bloodhound football program. Banks’ defensive coaching journey evolved from the traditional 5-2 defense to the 3-3-5 before he found his preferred home in the 4-2-5. However, his coaching philosophy has never been limited to schemes, formations, wins, or losses. He believes the greatest responsibility of a coach is to build relationships, develop leaders, create belonging, and prepare young people for life beyond the playing field. That belief became the foundation for Coaching Culture in Athletics. What began as an effort to create meaningful conversations about coaching and leadership grew into a full sports-media and broadcasting network. Coaching Culture in Athletics now serves as the umbrella for Dog Pound Radio, The Coach Show, the Dog House Tour, Dog Pound U, Hound Talk, the Dog House Saturday Morning Blitz, live game broadcasts, team previews, rankings, interviews, historical features, and year-round coverage of local athletics. Through the Dog House Tour, Banks visits practices, meets coaching staffs, interviews athletes, studies programs, and gives local teams the type of detailed coverage normally reserved for much larger schools. The network’s reach extends throughout southeastern Iowa, western Illinois, and northeastern Missouri, connecting communities across the tri-state region. Banks has covered and developed relationships with programs including Fort Madison, Central Lee, Centerville, West Burlington–Notre Dame, Mount Pleasant, Macomb, West Hancock, and Brown County. His work highlights more than star players and final scores. It recognizes assistant coaches, linemen, managers, scout-team players, school traditions, historic stadiums, longtime community supporters, and the people working behind the scenes. The Coach Show allows Banks to sit down with coaches from the high-school and college levels for honest conversations about leadership, program development, adversity, family, faith, and the profession of coaching. His interviews are guided by experience rather than observation alone. He understands the pressure of leading a program, the hours spent preparing, the sacrifices made by coaching families, and the responsibility that comes with mentoring young people. Dog Pound Radio brings a more energetic edge to the network. Inspired by Banks’ love for football and his beagles, Leo and Loki, Dog Pound Radio combines local sports reporting with the unmistakable “Dawg Mentality”—toughness, loyalty, preparation, perseverance, and love for the team. Loki continues to serve as a central part of the brand, while the memory of Leo remains woven into its heart. Banks’ journey has also been shaped by significant personal adversity. After suffering multiple strokes, undergoing heart surgery, and facing additional serious health concerns, he stepped away from coaching and entered what he describes as medical retirement from the sideline. He also speaks openly about depression, adult ADHD, recovery, and the importance of faith, family, purpose, and mental health. Although his health changed the way he could serve, it did not take away his calling. Broadcasting became a new sideline. Through Coaching Culture in Athletics, Banks found another way to teach, coach, encourage, and advocate. His experiences have given his work a deeper sense of urgency: appreciate the people around you, tell their stories while you can, recognize the unseen contributors, and never underestimate the impact a coach can have on a young person’s life. Faith and family remain at the center of Banks’ life. He and his wife, Stephanie, have built a life rooted in southeastern Iowa and are the proud parents of Chelsey, Peyton, and Katarina. Their growing family includes son-in-law Donald Archambault and grandchildren Orion, Owen, and Ollie. Banks often credits his family for standing beside him through the demanding seasons of coaching, education, broadcasting, illness, and recovery. Today, Chuck Banks brings together the perspective of a coach, educator, broadcaster, historian, husband, father, grandfather, and survivor. His voice is passionate, direct, knowledgeable, and deeply connected to the communities he covers. The mission of the Coaching Culture in Athletics Radio Broadcast Network is simple: promote the positive impact of athletics, strengthen coaching culture, celebrate local communities, preserve sports history, and provide athletes and coaches with a platform where their work matters. This is more than a radio network. It is a celebration of coaches, culture, athletes, families, and communities. It is local sports coverage built on relationships. It is where coaches, culture, and communities connect. It is Coaching Culture in Athletics.

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