Photo of Noah Clayberg by Troy Hugen, 8-29-19

Finally healthy, Noah Clayberg’s long-awaited debut as a collegiate starting quarterback went so well he earned conference honors. Clayberg was named the Great Plains Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Week, rushing for 222 yards and throwing for 134 while scoring three total touchdowns, including a 64 yard pass to former Pella Christian standout Levi Jungling.

Clayberg was among the greatest high school football players ever to play on Friday Nights in Iowa during his three varsity seasons at Pella, after guiding Pella to two undefeated state championships by scoring 86 touchdowns in those 28 games. He was named the 2015 Iowa High School Gatorade Player of the Year, the Ed Thomas Mr. Football Award Winner, and captain of the 3A All-State team in his senior season.

After older brother Nathan enjoyed a great career at Drake–where he was an FCS 3rd team All-American, and at Pella High School with two All-State honors, their youngest brother is just starting his varsity football career at Pella. Nolan Clayberg is the starting running back for 3-2 Pella, and just posted back-to-back 100 yard rushing games. Noah says his younger brother, despite the sky-high expectations that may come with the last name, is poised to forge his own successful path during his time with Pella athletics.

“Nolan is really coming into his own in so many different aspects, as far as his psychological aspect, the physical, and just the things that he says and the things that he focuses on, the things that kind of get him going, and not to mention sports, which he’s continued to have some incredible success in,” Noah says. “Watching him develop has been amazing, and makes me wish I could be back in high school and kind of like just continue to watch him go through all this, and to see his day-to-day life, but he’s really just grown into a place where he’s setting himself up for something super special.”

Noah will enjoy a bye week in the ranks with 10 other Pella and Pella Christian alumni at Dordt, while Nolan continues district play for the current Pella football team on the road to South Tama, a game that can be heard live on 92.1 KRLS.