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Hierseman taking QB skills to Central
by Gregory R. Norfleet · Sports · March 17, 2021
West Branch senior Gavin Hierseman last month announced he would attend Central College in Pella on a scholarship to play quarterback for The Dutch football team.
Hierseman, the Bears quarterback for the past two seasons, called himself “really excited” to continue playing football at the Division III level.
“It’s a cool thing,” the 17-year-old said. “Not many get to do this, to get four more years of experience and knowledge.”
West Branch Head Football Coach Butch Pedersen said The Dutch will gain a player with “a tremendous work ethic and great leadership skills.”
The Bears coach said Hierseman “did all the things we asked him to do, right,” to move into the quarterback role.
A Third Team, All-State quarterback, Hierseman last season connected on 124 of 200 pass attempts for a 62-percent completion rate, collecting 1,422 yards, or 11.5 yards per connection. He also threw for 11 touchdowns and ran for five more. By the end of the season, Hierseman set two new West Branch records: Most Passing Attempts in a Game (49) and Most Passing Completions in a Game (29), both coming against Cascade.
Central College’s head football coach is Jeff McMartin. As quarterback, Hierseman will work mostly with Offensive Coordinator and Quarterbacks’ Coach Ryan Maiuri. Maiuri declined to comment on Hierseman, citing NCAA rules that coaches may not comment on prospective players until they enroll.
Gavin said he will spend his first year learning the position under starting quarterback and senior Blaine Hawkins, an American Rivers Conference MVP.
Unlike many previous quarterbacks, Hierseman did not take snaps while playing on the junior varsity team. In fact, he had not played that position before.
The son of John and Julie Hierseman, who started playing flag football in third grade and would show up at football practices with Dad — now the team’s assistant head coach — said he preferred playing running back.
“I like getting the ball,” he said. And, he points out, at that age quarterbacks almost never pass.
He remembers growing up and playing catch with his father and older brother, Jaden. They would watch football on TV and when Gavin would attend Bears football games, “I looked up to those guys.”
“They were my idols and heroes,” he said.
Then he found out that younger boys now look up to him, and he understands the importance of being a good role model to them.
While Gavin did not take up the quarterback role until his junior year, Gavin’s father played quarterback when he attended WBHS. In fact, he quarterbacked the 1989 state championship team — the first state championship team in school history. John also played for Coach Pedersen.
So when the Bears coach asked Gavin to give the position a try, the then-junior agreed, willing “to do whatever is best” for the team.
“I did not anticipate becoming a quarterback,” Gavin said.
Interestingly, his junior-year stats showed better numbers than his senior year, yet he did not make the all-state cut that first year out. Hierseman connected on 107 of 172 attempts for 1,550 yards and 14.5 yard per completion. He threw for 19 touchdowns and rushed for eight more.
But that success prompted him to work harder for the next season. When the coronavirus reached Iowa in March 2020, it canceled all sports until summer and also sidelined most football camps. Instead, Hierseman took it upon himself to call up teammates, including a few who already graduated, to get in some off-season practices.
“I worked really hard with the guys last summer,” Gavin said.
Pedersen remembers this, and said that in addition to setting an example by showing up in the weight room regularly, “a lot of kids respond to that” type of leadership. The coach said Gavin likely learned leadership skills from his father.
“(Gavin’s) a great student and a well-rounded individual,” he said. “He will represent West Branch in a positive manner. (Central) is an excellent school and I’m proud he decided to attend there.”
It paid off. During his senior season, colleges started calling. Drake University, Coe College, Loras College, Wartburg University, Grand View University and St. Ambrose University all had Hierseman on their radar. Grand View and St. Ambrose offered athletic scholarships; Central offered an academic scholarship.
Gavin said he chose Central for several reasons, from the campus and its “small-college atmosphere” to the coaches and players.
“It reminds me of West Branch,” Hierseman said, noting that The Dutch run a similar offense. “It’s an easy fit.”
Also, the college football team already includes two former Bears players — Billy Friis and Jacob “Cheese” Graves — plus will soon include fellow Class of 2021 teammate Cael Fiderlein.
“Billy and Cheese were always in my ear about possibly coming to Central,” Gavin said.
After committing to the Dutch in February, the team sent him their playbook and guidance for lifting weights. Roughly half of WBHS’s weight room is currently usable as construction prompted relocating it to the school’s multi-purpose ACE building, but Hierseman said Strength and Conditioning Coach Bryan Rohrbach can find ways for him to fill in any possible gaps.
Hierseman plans to major in exercise science and then possibly move into physical therapy. After graduation, he hopes to return to West Branch and coach football.
“That would be pretty cool,” he said.
Gavin primarily participates in football, basketball and baseball, and Pedersen, calling Gavin a “born football player,” said he would encourage other players wishing to excel to join multiple sports, fine arts and other activities.
“Get involved in everything you can … I highly recommend that,” the coach said. “You’re only high school kids for so long.”
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