‘Superstar’ Kalolero sets records with 400 yards

By Jim Ecker

CEDAR RAPIDS – Uweza Kalolero saved his very best for his very last game as a high school football player and it was a real doozy.

Kalolero rushed for 400 yards and scored five touchdowns Thursday night as Washington defeated Wateloo East, 52-20, at Kingston Stadium.

His 400 yards set a school record, a Metro record and a Mississippi Valley Conference record.

“Oh my God! He’s a superstar!,” one of Kalolero’s teammates exclaimed when he heard the number.

Kalolero had 168 yards at halftime. He added 232 in the second half and reached 400 on the nose with a 2-yard touchdown with 3:49 left in the game.

“Not too bad. I was not aware,” he said modestly when told the unofficial amount.

Kalolero greeted and congratulated all of his teammates after the game. He was the last Warrior to leave the field before joining his teammates near the bleachers to sing a rousing edition of the Washington fight song with classmates in the stands.

“How many?,” Washington Coach Eric Addy asked a reporter about Kalolero’s total. Hearing the number, he clapped his hands together and headed for his post-game meeting with his players.

The all-time record for an Iowa high school player in 11-man football is 549 yards by Devin Tripp of Sioux Central. Nobody from Washington, the Metro or the Mississippi Valley Conference had ever reached 400 before.

Kalolero rushed for touchdowns that measured 16, 4, 14, 52 and 2 yards. He raised his season rushing total to 1,568 yards in nine games. And counting his three years at Jefferson, he finished his high school career with 3,389 yards.

“I’m really grateful for my team,” he said. “I love these guys.”

Washington finished the season 4-5. Waterloo East finished 3-6.