Showalter, Lambert winningest coaches in Mount Ayr history
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Delwyn Showalter
Derek Lambert
Co-head football coaches, Delwyn Showalter and Derek Lambert have coached the Raiders since 2001, amassing a 135-58 record. Those 135 wins, moves them to the number one spot on the winningest coaches list, four wins over Mount Ayr legend, Joe McNeill, who coached from 1948 until 1971 and 26 wins more than Hall-of-Fame coach Dave Still who coached from 1979 to 1997.
It took the duo five years to reach the playoffs, in which they were a Class 1A first round playoff qualifier.
The best run the two had with Mount Ayr was back in 2014 and 2015 where they took a trip the the UNI-Dome and participated in the Class A State Semifinals.
In their 18 years as head coaches, they have only had one losing season. The losing season came in 2017 when they only saw three wins throughout the year and suffered six losses.
The team bounced right back and found themselves back in the playoffs in 2018 after a 7-3 season.
Their 2019 campaign is currently 7-2 as they head to the first round of playoffs to face South Central Calhoun.
Delwyn Showalter
Showalter, a graduate of Mount Pleasant High School and the University of Nothern Iowa, came to Mount Ayr in 1984 and has been a member of the Raider football staff for 36 years. He started out as a junior high coach and volunteer high school coach. In 1985, Showalter joined the staff as defensive coordinator to coach Dave Still. After Still retired in 1998, Showalter stayed at the defensive coordinator position under Randy Athay, before joining forced with Derek Lambert in 2001 as co-head coaches.
“We’ve had a lot of outstanding players and obviously credit goes to them, so if you don’t have players you don’t win games,” said coach Showalter. “It’s hard to pick out memories. I think back over the years of all the coaches and officials and opposing coaches and most of all the players that you build relationships with, the funny things that happen in practices, bus rides and in the locker room. I’m very proud to coach football here. It’s very humbling when you look at that list and see the other names that are on there. Dave Still and Joe McNeill are the Mount Rushmore of Mount Ayr football and to be on that list with them is very humbling.”
Derek Lambert
Derek Lambert, a graduate of Worth County High School in Grant City, MO and Graceland College. Lambert played quarterback and defensive back in high school and defensive back collegiately for Graceland College from 1992-1995.
Lambert came to Mount Ayr in 1997 and was the defensive backs and wide receivers coach under Mount Ayr coach Randy Athay.
In 2001, Lambert joined forces with Showalter and together they have taken the Raider football program on 12 postseason trips.
