It’s been a good weekend for Ankeny senior defensive back La’Marious Clark.
On Friday, he made three tackles while helping the fifth-ranked Hawks to a 34-26 victory over No. 3 Valley in a top-five showdown at Ankeny Stadium.
Then, on Sunday, he announced his verbal commitment to play football for the University of Northern Iowa.
“I checked out a few schools, and it definitely wasn’t an easy decision,” said Clark. “But UNI really stood out to me.”
Clark was a first-team all-stater as a junior, when he helped the Hawks to a 6-5 record and a trip to the Class 5A quarterfinals. He racked up 56 tackles and a team-leading five interceptions–two of which he returned for touchdowns.
Clark has continued to be a playmaker this fall for a team that is now 6-2 and battling for a top-four seed in the Class 5A playoffs. He has made 22 tackles, including 14 solo stops and 3.5 for losses.
Clark is tied for first in Class 5A with four interceptions that he has returned for a total of 74 yards, one of them for a pick-six. He has also recovered two fumbles and blocked a kick against Johnston that he scooped up and returned 83 yards for a score.
Clark said he felt at home in Cedar Falls.
“The campus felt like a great fit,” he said. “The programs and opportunities they offer lined up perfectly with what I was looking for.”