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Dream team: Ankeny football players look toward future at Iowa State

Both J.J. Kohl and Jamison Patton are committed to play at Iowa State University next year.

ANKENY, Iowa — Ankeny High School doesn't rebuild, they reload.

Recently, the football team received reinforcements with one of the best players in the state, Jamison Patton, transferring from Roosevelt. 

"It's just getting me more prepared for the next level," Patton said. "Just making the transition more smooth and just being comfortable in college." 

The move has set up one of the best quarterback-receiver duos in the state. Both Patton and J.J. Kohl rank in the Top 10 for 5A in yards at their respective position. 

"It's been awesome," Kohl said. "Dude's just electric and you know he's infectious... JMO rubs off on everyone. He's a great leader and, you know, he just connects with everyone." 

"It's good to mess around with him and just have fun," Patton said of Kohl. 

Even though their careers at Ankeny will be finished after the season, the connection doesn't stop there. Both Kohl and Patton are committed to play at Iowa State University next year.

"It'd be nice to have a familiar face at the next level and just transition a little bit smoother," Patton said. 

Between the two players, they had offers to 26 schools across all power five conferences. But Ames was home. 

"What's neat is that they stayed in state," said Rick Nelson, head football coach. "It's going to be easy for us to go watch him." 

Both Patton and Kohl say Iowa State was the perfect fit. In particular, both players praised coach Matt Campbell. 

"Coach Campbell, he meets all those categories," Kohl said. "He checked a lot of boxes... and he's done a lot of great things up at Iowa State." 

But with college still a ways away, there's a lot of high school football to be played. 

"They just compete," Nelson said. "The kids see that and then that makes the rest of our kids want to go to that level." 

Kohl had a lot to say on his high expectations for the rest of the season. 

"At the end of the day, [we] want to win, so each and every day, we're always talking to each other..." Kohl said. "Just trying to get better and push each other to become our best." 

When asked about his expectations, Patton summed it up pretty simply: "The state title." 

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