T-R FILE PHOTO - Grundy Center’s Judd Jirovsky has been named the Times-Republican All-Area Football Team’s Co-Player of the Year after leading the Spartans to their third consecutive state title.

Judd Jirovsky is continuing to raise the bar for Grundy Center football.

Grundy Center head coach Travis Zajac said Jirovsky’s junior season under center for the Spartans is in good company with some of the best to have played for Grundy Center in the past six seasons, where the Spartans have made six championship game appearances and won the last three, with all three titles exclamation points on undefeated seasons.

Jirovsky completed 73 percent of his 193 passes this season for 2,181 yards, 25 touchdowns and just one interception. He rushed for 532 yards and 18 touchdowns including three rushing scores in the 28-7 championship victory over Dike-New Hartford on Nov. 21. He led the team in interceptions with eight, including two returned for touchdowns. He averaged a touchback once every three kickoffs for the Spartans and averaged nearly 42 yards per punt on the rare occasion he went out there to kick it away.

“We have had some dominant players who have had some superb performances in our program these past six seasons,” Zajac said. “Judd’s season is arguably the best of all of those players and performances.”

Moving from wide receiver the previous season, Jirovsky almost immediately showed improvement. He missed his first three passes in a Week 1 matchup with D-NH, finished that game with 10 straight completions, went 18-for-18 in a win against Aplington-Parkersburg, before finally missing another pass against Pella Christian in Week 3.

“The fantastic coaching we have between Coach (Josh) Rekers, Coach Zajac, and everyone else involved, along with the information and thought process I learned from Colin (Gordon) last year gave me a great head start into the quarterback position,” Jirovsky said. “Also, when everyone around you is as elite as they were this year, it makes coming into the role much easier.”

D-NH gave Grundy Center their biggest challenge of the year in that Week 1 game, a 21-7 squeaker compared to the 11 weeks of blowouts that would follow, leading up to the Spartans winning by three touchdowns in the championship rematch in the Dome.

“That instilled so much confidence in the team going forward,” Jirovsky said of the Week 1 victory. “Credit to all those newcomers and the rest of the guys for putting in the necessary work during prior seasons and in the weight room to be ready to go.”

Jirovsky was able to see first hand how a quarterback operates as a receiver in last year’s offense led by 2023 T-R Player of the Year Colin Gordon.

“Both approach the quarterback position and play with the mindset of sustaining drives and possessions,” Zajac said. “Judd had the ability to ignore that outside noise, and quiet the internal noise, which is rather unique for a competitor his age.”

Quieting that internal noise may almost be second nature for Jirovsky, who was a state champion golfer as a freshman and has had integral contributions to Grundy Center’s year-round excellence in sports.

“There are no moments in sports that are too big for him,” Zajac said. “He does all that is asked of him and then some.”

Jirovsky feels that being quarterback makes it easier for him to defend against opposing quarterbacks.

That allowed him a pivotal role as an outspoken contributor to Grundy Center’s traditionally-tough defense.

“We provide the players with a comprehensive defensive scout report on Monday afternoons and Judd is calling out what pass plays to expect out of each formation on our Tuesday practices,” Zajac said. “When you have a player as prepared as Judd, you have the opportunity to make a lot of plays, and his defensive production was the result of preparation and superior athletic ability.”

The season was a “surreal” experience for Jirovsky, blasting through Wilton in the semifinals and then locking in with his teammates for another dominant win in a state championship game over the Wolverines from the north side of US-20.

“It went by so fast,” Jirovsky said. “I love watching the games on Hudl and reflecting on the memories made this year. I still get a fast heartbeat and adrenaline when thinking about the state championship game in the UNI-Dome.”

The Spartans will graduate five all-state Spartans in Klayton Freed, Jacob Hoy, Ryker Thoren, Tiernan Vokes and Brody Zinkula at the end of this school year. Jirovsky, the IFCA all-state Class 1A team captain, is one of three returning for next year along with lineman Ryder Slifer and Pete Lebo at the two-way skill positions.

“The cupboard is far from bare,” Zajac said. “It will ultimately come down to how hard our returning players are willing to work. If we put the time and effort into preparing well, I like our chances in 2025.”

Jirovsky can’t wait to feel that adrenaline in Spartan Stadium once more next fall.

“There’s pieces of the puzzle to fill in, but the expectation is still the same and the work being put in by everyone hasn’t changed,” Jirovsky said. “I’m excited to be a part of another season as a Spartan.”