Many stories of success have origins in low points — a moment that kind of slaps you back into reality.

For the Iowa Yellow Jackets, that moment came in Week 3 this season.

Iowa started the season with two strong wins, outscoring Iota and Rayne 70-8, then they got roughed up in trip to Leesville on Sep. 16, losing to the Wampus Cats 30-14.

Leesville held the Yellow Jackets to 138 yards of total offense and kept star running back Ronald Young out of the end zone. But the Yellow Jackets quickly forgot about it and reeled off nine consecutive wins to reach the semifinals for the first time in program history.

“We lost some studs and people thought we would be 3-7 or 4-6, but not the people in that locker room,” Iowa offensive line coach Chuck Gorman said. “It was fun to watch them.

“They were not scared of anything and got better and better. We got a wake-up call in Week 3. Leesville physically dominated us. The kids took it upon themselves and said no one was going to do that again. We just stayed the course and got it done.”

Head coach Tommy Johns said his team did not succumb to in-fighting after the loss to Leesville. Iowa matched a program record 11 wins this season and earned its first No. 1 postseason seed in program history.

“The first week we beat a good Iota team,” head coach Tommy Johns said. “Then we played well against Rayne.

“We went to Leesville and they popped us. They got after us from beginning to end. But I think we needed that.

“Everyone, players and coaches, needed that. It changed our season. We handled the loss well. Everyone was upset, but no one was pouting or pointing fingers. We just said here is what we need to do. We played Jennings and it was a war against them, like it always is. We found a way to win. All of the games were close. We just ground it out and found ways to win. They didn’t quit and didn’t back down from any one. The just showed up every week and went to work.”

Offensive coordinator Stuart Cook said three games defined the Yellow Jackets season — wins over rivals Lake Charles College Prep and St. Louis Catholic and returning to Leesville in the quarterfinals and pulling out a 30-14 win.

“No. 1 was finally beating LCCP,” Iowa offensive coordinator Stuart Cook said. “The first year I was there, we went up 13-0 on them but they came back and smoked us. Last year we lost by one.

“This year, to finally have one more point than them was nice. The second was coming back from that on a short week to beat St. Louis for the district title on a Thursday night. The last one was beating Leesville. They absolutely whipped us the first time we played them, then we returned the favor in the quarterfinals.

“It’s a testament to our kids. They enjoy putting in the work and the effort. They believe that when you work hard, good things will happen. You can see it in the last two years. They didn’t listen to everyone else, it was just ‘how can I get better today?’ Obviously it paid off.”

In Week 4, Iowa trailed Jennings 14-7 in the second quarter before scoring 28 consecutive points, including three touchdowns from Young on runs of 17 and 49 yards and a 26-yard pass from Cole Corbello, to win 36-22.

The next three weeks Iowa’s defense — led by lineman Kyron Labove, Conner Roy, Kyle Arsement and Colton Keys — dominated Kinder, South Beauregard and Westlake, allowing a single touchdown to the Golden Knights. Then came the back-to-back games against Prep and St. Louis Catholic that sealed up the Yellow Jackets’ first district champion since 2017.

Last year, Iowa lost to the Trailblazers by a lone point after a failed two-point conversion late in the fourth quarter and gave up a 13-0 lead to Prep in 2020. But this time, Iowa won 17-16 on a fourth quarter 25-yard field goal by Matthew Vest. Young ran for 261 yards and a touchdown.

Iowa used the Young’s legs the next three games, starting with wins over Cecilia in Week 10 and 17-14 over Abbeville in the regional round of the playoffs.

Young exploded for a season high 278 yards and three touchdowns in the quarterfinals as the Yellow Jackets avenged their Week 3 loss to reach the semifinals.

Although the season ended a game short of the Superdome after a 38-9 loss in the semifinals to state runner-up North DeSoto, Johns said the season will be one to remember.

“It was tough,” Johns said. “It was a different week with all of the hype and build-up to it.

“The community was excited and ready to go. We had 7-8 guys out from practice with the flu. The atmosphere was unbelievable. It was hard to watch the kids’ faces after that, coming so close but not getting it done. But, they had no reason to hang their heads. They made history getting to the semifinals. They’ll be remembered forever.”