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Iowa State commit Hunter Deyo helps Lewis Central High School win first-ever state title
Deyo is Iowa State’s top recruit from the 2022 recruiting class. (Courtesy: Hunter Deyo)

Iowa State commit Hunter Deyo helps Lewis Central High School win first-ever state title

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (BVM) — He may have only been a freshman at the time, but as Hunter Deyo’s first football season with Lewis Central High School came to an end, he set a goal for himself. 

“My freshman year we played Xavier in the quarterfinals,” Deyo said. “They blew us out and I promised my defensive line coach, Coach Argo, we’d get him a state championship.”

Fast forward to this year, the four-star Iowa State commit kept his promise. Lewis Central beat Xavier 32-24 in the IHSAA Class 4A state championship. 

“I’m a man of my word and that’s what I did,” Deyo said. 

Keeping that promise meant participating in one of the most thrilling state championship games in Iowa high school football history. The Titans had a 10-3 lead heading into halftime but Xavier was able to tie it up in the fourth quarter to force overtime. 

After trading scores in the first and second overtimes, Xavier and Lewis Central would have to wait to start the third overtime due to a power outage at the UNI-Dome. With the lights out for 20 minutes, Deyo kept reminding his teammates to stay loose, forget about what had happened previously in the game and just stay focused on the next overtime. 

The Titans started with the ball and were able to score on a one-yard quarterback sneak, leaving it up to the defense to get a stop and end the game. Lewis Central forced a 4th and goal and was celebrating their third down stop, but Deyo was there to get everyone refocused on the next play.

“Everybody was celebrating on the third down stop and I was like, ‘Hey we got one more boys,’” Deyo said. 

Deyo lined up in the ‘A gap’ in a four-point stance next to fellow defensive lineman Dallas Davis who was also in a four-point stance. Xavier tried another quarterback sneak but the Titans made the stop to end the game, giving Lewis Central its first-ever IHSAA football state championship. 

“It’s huge knowing that my class made Lewis Central history,” Deyo said. “It’s just a great feeling knowing that we’re the first ones to do it.” 

“I’m glad I was a part of this team.”

Deyo finished the state championship game with three solo tackles, half-a-sack and two-and-a-half tackles for loss. It was a fitting end to an impressive high school career and although he still plans on winning state in shot put this upcoming spring, Deyo is primarily focused on preparing for when he heads to Iowa State next year. 

The four-star recruit is considered the fourth-best recruit from Iowa in the Class of 2022 and ranks 37th among defensive lineman nationally according to 247sports.com. Over his four varsity seasons, Deyo has 133 solo tackles, 12 sacks and 78.5 tackles for loss. He committed to the Cyclones over the summer making him the highest-ranked recruit in Iowa State’s 2022 recruiting class, a group that is ranked third in the Big 12 and 24th nationally. 

“It was a lot of stress off my shoulders knowing that I have a home and I know where my home is going to be next year,” Deyo said. 

And that is why he chose Iowa State, it felt like home. Deyo developed a great relationship with some of the players on the current Cyclone team and in particular Iowa State head coach Matt Cambell. 

“Matt Cambell, he is a great guy,” Deyo said. “That’s one of the main reasons why I did commit there. He just sat my family down and put my mom to tears. He’s just a great guy, I have the utmost respect for that guy.” 

It left a lasting impression on Deyo who is thrilled to be heading to Ames next year. As an added bonus, Deyo will also be able to play for the team his older brother cheers for. His brother is the person Deyo credits for helping him fall in love with the sport of football. 

“I saw him playing it and it made me want to play,” Deyo said. 

“Pushing myself and having my brother push me, that’s what made me fall in love with the game. It’s the best game in the world and if you can play it, you’re just honored.” 

It is that mentality that has brought Deyo so much success in his short career and sets him up for success at the next level. He not only wants to work hard, he loves doing it, especially because he knows that what he has is not guaranteed. 

“There’s someone that wants your spot and they’re working for it so you better work for it, too,” Deyo said. 

Currently that spot is on the defensive line, however, Deyo played both ways in high school and was just as good on the offensive line as he was on the defensive line. Meaning that there is a chance he could be helping the run game rather than trying to stop the run game next year for the Cyclones. 

No matter what, Deyo is ready for the next challenge but is going to relish the end of his high school career for a little while longer.