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🏈 THE HOUNDS OWN THE NIGHT

🏈 THE HOUNDS OWN THE NIGHT

Fort Madison Wins the Trenches, Beats Central Lee 28–12

By Chuck Banks | Dog House Tour — Coaching Culture in Athletics

There are football games on the schedule, and then there are rivalry games.

Fort Madison and Central Lee know each other. The communities know each other. The players know each other. There is history between these two programs, and when the Hounds and Hawks get together, you can expect a physical football game.

Friday night in Donnellson was no different.

But for three quarters, Fort Madison controlled it.

The Bloodhounds established themselves at the line of scrimmage, built a 28-point advantage, weathered a late Central Lee run and headed home with a 28–12 victory.

And if you’re looking for where this football game was won, don’t start with the guys carrying the football.

Start with the big fellas up front.

🧱 THE HOUNDS OWNED THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE

Football can become complicated in a hurry.

Formations. Coverages. Blitz packages. Motion. Adjustments.

But sometimes it is still the simplest game in the world.

Can you move the guy lined up across from you?

Fort Madison could.

The Bloodhound offensive line dominated the line of scrimmage, led by Nolan Lamb, Cal Hennings and Ren Watson.

They created running lanes. They gave quarterback Owen Huffman time. They allowed Fort Madison to dictate the physicality of the game.

The numbers tell part of the story.

40 rushing attempts. 223 rushing yards. 5.6 yards per carry.

That’s not an accident.

That’s an offensive line going to work.

💪 THACHER BRINGS THE HAMMER

Behind that offensive line was Moses Thacher, and the junior running back got plenty of opportunities to do damage.

Thacher carried the football 28 times for 175 yards and a touchdown.

Twenty-eight carries.

In a rivalry game.

On the road.

When everybody in the stadium knows you’re going to keep feeding the running back and you can still move the chains, that’s physical football.

The offensive line opened the doors.

Thacher kept running through them.

🎯 HUFFMAN WAS EFFICIENT

The running game also created opportunities through the air, and Owen Huffman made Central Lee pay.

Huffman completed 13 of 23 passes for 152 yards and three touchdowns.

Maybe the most important number?

Zero interceptions.

Three touchdowns. No picks.

That’s winning quarterback play.

Huffman didn’t have to force things. He took what was available, protected the football and made the throws when Fort Madison needed them.

🔥 JACIUNDE MAKES FOUR CATCHES COUNT

Aurelio Jaciunde didn’t need 10 receptions to make an impact.

He needed four.

Jaciunde finished with four receptions for 84 yards and THREE touchdowns.

Four catches.

Three trips to the end zone.

That’s efficiency.

When Huffman needed a big play through the air, Jaciunde was there to finish it.

🛡️ CRATTON WAS LIGHTS OUT

Don’t overlook what happened on the other side of the football.

Cratton played lights out in the Fort Madison secondary.

For three quarters, Central Lee couldn’t crack the scoreboard.

The Hawks finished with only 69 passing yards, and the Hound secondary made life difficult downfield for most of the night.

Fort Madison’s defense did exactly what you want a defense to do when the offense builds a lead.

They protected it.

Liam Prier led the Hounds with 7.5 tackles, and Fort Madison forced an interception while its own offense avoided throwing one.

That turnover margin matters.

🔴 THE HOUNDS STRIKE FIRST — AND KEEP COMING

Fort Madison established control early.

7–0 after one.

Then the Hounds put together their biggest quarter of the night.

21–0 at halftime.

Another score in the third pushed the advantage to:

28–0.

Three quarters.

Twenty-eight Fort Madison points.

Zero Central Lee points.

For most of the night, this was exactly the kind of complete football game Fort Madison has been working toward.

But Central Lee wasn’t finished.

🦅 THE HAWKS MAKE THEIR MOVE

Give Central Lee credit.

Down 28 points, the Hawks could have folded.

They didn’t.

Instead, Central Lee changed things up late.

Cook moved to receiver and Kellen Weber took over at quarterback.

That adjustment gave the Hawks a spark.

Weber’s athleticism added another dimension to the offense, and Central Lee finally started finding some room.

The Hawks scored 12 points in the fourth quarter and made a late run.

Weber finished with 55 rushing yards and a touchdown, while Carson Morrison caught two passes for 28 yards and a touchdown.

It was too late to erase the deficit, but Central Lee showed some fight.

That’s what rivalry football is supposed to look like.

📊 BY THE NUMBERS

Fort Madison finished with 375 yards of total offense, compared with Central Lee’s 250.

The Hounds rushed for 223 yards and threw for 152.

Central Lee rushed for 181 but managed only 69 through the air.

Fort Madison also protected the football while forcing Central Lee into a turnover.

But the statistic I keep coming back to isn’t 375.

It’s 28–0.

Because that’s where this game stood after three quarters.

For 36 minutes, Fort Madison controlled the football game.

🐕 THESE HOUNDS ARE GROWING

I’ve been saying it.

Fort Madison is getting better.

That doesn’t mean everything is perfect.

There are still things to clean up. Central Lee’s fourth-quarter adjustment will provide some teaching points when the Hounds watch the film.

That’s football.

But don’t let those final 12 minutes overshadow the first 36.

The offensive line dominated.

Thacher ran for 175.

Huffman threw three touchdowns without an interception.

Jaciunde caught three touchdowns.

Cratton was lights out on the back end.

The defense pitched a shutout through three quarters.

And Fort Madison went on the road and beat its Lee County rival.

That’s another step forward.

Keep stacking bricks.

❤️💛 A DIFFERENT NIGHT FOR ME

This wasn’t just another game for me.

I spent 11 good years at Central Lee. I taught History, Government and World History. I served as Activities Director for four years. I coached football for more than a decade as an assistant and eventually as the varsity head coach.

We reached the playoffs three times during my tenure — twice while I was an assistant and once as the head coach.

I remember when some of these Central Lee seniors were little kids attending our youth football camps.

Then another chapter of life took me to Fort Madison, where I’ve spent the last several years around another group of kids and coaches I care about.

So when I looked across that field Friday night, I saw memories on both sidelines.

And because the game was played on September 11, there was an even greater sense of perspective.

We remember the Americans whose lives were lost that day.

We remember the first responders.

We remember a country that came together.

Football is important to those of us who love it, but some nights remind you that there are things much bigger than a scoreboard.

🎂 DOHERTY GETS HIS BIRTHDAY PRESENT

There was one more storyline Friday night.

It was Coach Derek Doherty’s birthday.

So what do you get a football coach for his birthday?

Forget the cake.

Forget the candles.

How about a rivalry win?

His Bloodhounds went into Donnellson, won the battle in the trenches, built a 28–0 lead and finished the job.

I’m guessing Coach Doherty will take that present every single year.

🏠 DOG HOUSE FINAL

FORT MADISON 28
CENTRAL LEE 12

The historical matchup numbers show Fort Madison now leading the series 6–3 in meetings since 2009.

But this one belongs to the 2026 Hounds.

It belongs to an offensive line led by Nolan Lamb, Cal Hennings and Ren Watson that came ready to move people.

It belongs to Moses Thacher and his 175 rushing yards.

It belongs to Owen Huffman, who threw three touchdowns and protected the football.

It belongs to Aurelio Jaciunde, who turned four catches into three touchdowns.

It belongs to Cratton and that Hound secondary, which played lights out.

Central Lee made its run. The Hawks kept fighting. Cook moved outside, Weber stepped in at quarterback, and suddenly there was some fourth-quarter life.

But the hole was too deep.

Fort Madison had already done the damage.

Win the trenches.

Protect the football.

Play physical defense.

Finish the job.

And, oh yeah…

Get Coach Doherty his birthday present.

Mission accomplished.

**THE HOUNDS OWNED THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE.

THE HOUNDS OWNED THE NIGHT.**

Happy Birthday, Coach Doherty.

#DogHouseTour #CoachingCultureInAthletics #CCA #FortMadison #Bloodhounds #CentralLee #Hawks #LeeCountyFootball #RivalryFootball #IowaHighSchoolFootball #FridayNightLights #WinTheTrenches #OLinePride #HoundFootball #KeepStackingBricks #BirthdayWin #TheHoundsOwnTheNight

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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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