Iowa History Daily: On October 10, 1997, Ankeny High School Kicker Todd Sievers hit a 63-yard field goal to set the state record. A state champion at Ankeny, Sievers went on to win a national championship at Miami before embarking on a professional career in the NFL and Arena Football League.
Sievers started playing football as a freshman at Ankeny High, instead favoring soccer as a sport of choice during his youth. Over his high school career, Sievers developed into a weapon: during his sophomore season he hit a 40-yard field goal, and led legendary Iowa high school football coaching wins leader Jerry Pezzetti to say: “He can turn a game our way weather it’s a kickoff, a field goal, an extra point, or a punt.”
During his senior season, Sievers hit 53 or 54 extra points and averaged 38 yards a punt. Ankeny went on to win the 1997 4-A state title with Sievers knocking in a 26-yard field goal in the state final. Sievers headed on to play for the Miami Hurricanes where he captured All-American honors in 2001 while twitch making All-Big East. In 2001, Sievers again found himself kicking on the championship stage when he knocked in a field goal against Nebraska in the Rose Bowl as a part of a 37-14 Miami win which captured the national championship.
Following his college career, Sievers signed as an undrafted free-agent with the Houston Texans. He additionally played for the Austin Wranglers and Dallas Desperados of the Arena Football League before retiring from football in 2007. #IowaOTD #IowaHistoryDaily #IowaHistoryCalendar
