Des Moines North football ready to build on program's momentum in 2023

After piling up the program's highest win total in more than a decade last season, excitement continues to build for everything surrounding Des Moines North football.

Confidence is growing more and more for those in Polar Bear green. Several basketball players, who double as some of the school's top athletes, are thrilled to add football to their plate this fall. Another Division I prospect under coach Eric Addy is set to lead the charge in 2023.

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"I know I ask a lot out of our kids. I know I coach our kids really hard, and they have to be able to take tough coaching. And they come back every day ready to get better," Addy said. "We do an above-average job developing relationships so we can get guys out (for the team) — and once we get them out, we can coach them the way they need to be coached to get better. And they're not going to shut down on us.

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"That speaks volumes to our student-athletes. You've got to be tough."

Although pivotal pieces like David Caulker, Aron Gonkaryon, Nick Crispin and others are graduated from the 2022 squad that finished with North's first four-win season since 2008, there's plenty of belief in the next wave of Polar Bears.

That starts with senior linebacker Augustine Sleh, who is shining brightly despite entering just his third year of playing football. The Northern Illinois commit stands as North's top returning defensive player, after piling up 36.5 tackles with 6.5 TFLs last season. Pair Sleh with Caulker and 2021 prospect Deavin Hilson — now at Iowa State and Iowa respectively — and North has had an FBS recruit in three of the last four recruiting classes.

Not bad for a program that, until Hilson, did not see anybody go straight to a Division I program as a scholarship player since 1991.

"Sleh will be an inside linebacker for us and tight end, and then he'll get in the backfield and carry the ball some for us," Addy said. "He's really a do-it-all guy for us. And he's a great kid who does things the right way."

Elsewhere, look for North to lean on its offensive line and headliner Khalil Hussien. That is a crucial place to have experience when breaking in a new group of running backs, following Gonkaryon's 1,400-yard senior season. Look for Kinnick Dutcher, Dein Gaye and Aaron Marino-Moreno to garner a lot of the carries.

Under center is a bit less solidified, although there's confidence in the options. Junior Gabe Gunn was set to be the starter after moving over from running back, but a knee injury will keep him out this entire year. And with last season's backup, Jayden McGregory, now at West Des Moines Valley, Des Moines Hoover transfer Jadrian Naab will likely get the initial quarterback reps for the Polar Bears.

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Additional change arrives on the schedule, which features a different slew of foes after North moved down to Class 4A this offseason. New teams like North Polk, ADM, Boone, Ballard and others now appear on the Polar Bears' schedule but don't confuse the shift for a reduction in competition.

"A lot of people have asked about us going down to 4A. Does that help us? Does that hurt us?" Addy said. "I've coached at a small 1A, 2A school. I've coached at the 5A level.

"There's good football everywhere."

Everywhere now includes Des Moines' north side.

Dargan Southard is a sports trending reporter and covers Iowa athletics for the Des Moines Register and HawkCentral.com. Email him at msouthard@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter at @Dargan_Southard. 

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Des Moines North football looks ahead to 2023's fresh schedule