Kaiden Griffith's clutch TD catch leads Marion to win
Wide receiver Kaiden Griffith is a three-year starter who Coach Michael Joyner calls one of the best ever at Marion. He had two touchdown catches Friday night in his team’s 34-7 win over Maquoketa, including a 70-yard beauty in the third quarter that recaptured momentum the Wolves used to pull away.
Short-handed Linn-Mar comes up just short
Even in defeat against No. 3 Bettendorf on Friday night at Linn-Mar Stadium, the Lions showed they are far from broken. A late touchdown was taken off the board when officials called Linn-Mar for an illegal block, allowing Bettendorf to head home with a 21-14 victory.
Solon spoils Mount Vernon's First Street Field sendoff
Mount Vernon had hoped to send First Street Field off on a high note. Solon head coach Luke Stanton, a Mount Vernon alum, had his own version of a farewell. The Spartans, led by Stanton and wildcat back Conlan Poynton, upset Class 3A No. 2 Mount Vernon, 37-20, in the final home football game for the Mustangs at First Street Field.
The Kennedy brand of football returns
Cedar Rapids Kennedy was on a mission to reclaim its brand of football. The Cougars scored on their first six possessions of the game, forced five total turnovers and cruised to a 45-7 victory over Cedar Rapids Washington on Friday night at Kingston Stadium.
The Boot stays in City High’s possession
Miles Parlet ran for 220 yards, Iowa City High gobbled up four takeaways and The Boot stayed n the Little Hawks’ possession with a 23-8 win over Iowa City West.
Two top-ranked teams fell for the second week in a row. Here’s a look at how all the teams ranked in The Gazette’s Iowa high school football poll fared in their Week 4 games.
Fueled by turnovers and the arm and legs of Jake VanEtten, Class A ninth-ranked North Linn continued its healthy start to the season with a 48-0 prep football victory Friday night over North Cedar.
Final: Pella 31, 4A No. 2 Cedar Rapids Xavier 21
Pella 31, C.R. Xavier 21 (5:45 4th)
On third-and-10, Colin Kerndt gets behind the defense and hauls in a 53-yard TD pass from Luke Hardman. According to the Pella broadcast, Kerndt has four catches for 153 yards and three TDs.
Final: West Delaware 42, 3A No. 4 Webster City 13
Brent Yonkovic rushed for 217 yards and three TDs and passed for 82 and 1 TD. Ryan Hilby had an 84-yard punt return for a TD for the Hawks
Final: Independence 21, Decorah 7
EJ Miller passed for 138 yards, completing 15 of 18 passes, and rushed for 88 and two TDs as Independence handed Decorah its first loss of the season. Tate Wood had 21 tackles
Solon 34, Mount Vernon 20 (6:34 4th)
Mount Vernon not out of this yet. Joey Rhomberg bolts his way in for a 1-yard score.
Pella 24, C.R. Xavier 21 (6:56 4th)
QB Ronan Thomas runs in a 7-yard TD on a play in which he initially dropped the snap. A 58-yard pass from Thomas to Adam Cook got the Saints to the 5. Xavier has scored 14 unanswered.
FINAL: Iowa City High 23, Iowa City West 8.
Little Hawks 2-2
Trojans 2-2
Final: 5A No. 3 Bettendorf 21, Linn-Mar 14
Charlie Zimmerman's 25-yard touchdown pass to Koen Fleming with 15 seconds left in the first half was the difference.
Final: West Branch 38, Cascade 0
Brennen Dale passed for one touchdown and ran for another. Joe Hamann had a 92-yard kickoff return touchdown and Zach Capper and Cooper Gates also had rushing TDs.
CITY TOUCHDOWN.
Parlet 63 run (DeBerg kick)
1 play, 63 yards, 0:11.
6:56 4th: City 23, West 8.
7:07 4th: City 16, West 8.
Little Hawks force a punt.
8:17 4th: City 16, West 8.
Trojans ball, own 24.
Zach Sidles returns a fumble 15 yards for a TD and Independence is up 21-7 on Decorah with 10 minutes left in the game.
Solon 34, Mount Vernon 14 (11:17 3rd)
Conlan Poynton, again taking the snap in the Wildcat formation, exploits a hole in Mount Vernon’s defense and scores from 66 yards out.
WEST TOUCHDOWN.
Nick Caylor 8 pass from Jack Wallace (Santana Miller run).
8 plays, 75 yards.
11:11 4th: City 16, West 8.
C.R. KENNEDY 45, C.R. WASHINGTON 7, FINAL
Heading into the fourth quarter at Independence and Mustangs remain tied with Decorah, 7-7. Indee QB EJ Miller is 12 of 14 for 93 yards and Decorah RB Dakota Johnson has rushed for 129 yards and a TD.
End-3: City 16, West 0.
Half: Solon 28, 3A No. 2 Mount Vernon 14
We’ve got a shootout here in Mount Vernon! Conlan Poynton has 132 rushing yards and two TDs on seven carries.
For the Mustangs, Evan Brase leads the way with 165 receiving yards and two scores on four catches.
Solon 28, Mount Vernon 14 (2nd Q)
Conlan Poynton can’t be stopped. He finds a hole, again from the left side and dashes to the end zone for a 62-yard score. Under a minute left in the first half.
CITY TOUCHDOWN.
Jeremiah Madlock 31 pass from Bobby Bacon (DeBerg kick)
5 plays, 61 yards, 1:56.
5:18 3rd: City 16, West 0.
Marion holds a 13-0 lead on Maquoketa at halftime here at Marion.
The Wolves got a 1-yard touchdown run from Trey Franck on their first possession of the game. Marion drove 72 yards on seven plays, with the big play of the drive a 41-yard pass-and-run play from quarterback Kaleb Diers to Darius Rouson.
Rouson caught the ball in the flat and and broke free down the sideline.
Rouson had a 31-yard run to set up Marion's second TD of the game later in the opening quarter. Diers connected with Kaiden Griffith on a 29-yard scoring throw off a fade.
Marion had an extra point and 34-yard field goal blocked in the first half.
Mount Vernon answers immediately as Rhomberg finds Brase again, this time for a 75-yard TD. It’s now 21-14 Solon, 2:39 to go in the 2nd.
Eye opener at the half: Pella 17, 4A No. 2 Cedar Rapids Xavier 7
Solon’s defense hits Rhomberg and forces a fumble; Eddie Johnson scoops it and runs it 75 yards to the end zone. 21-7 Solon.
C.R. KENNEDY 38, C.R. WASHINGTON 7, 10:34 3rd
C.R. Washington is on the board. After fumbling one its first snap of the second half in Kennedy territorty. Caiden Buondadonna intercfepted a batted pass and returned it 22 yards for a score.
C.R. KENNEDY 38, C.R. WASHINGTON 0, Halftime
This is a one-sided affair. The Cougars already worked in subs before the break. Washington will get the second-half kickoff.
Solon 7, Mount Vernon 7 (7:26 2nd)
Solon's Tyler Bell lays a pass out to Nash Kotar in the corner of the end zone and Kotar makes a spectacular over-the-shoulder catch for a 16-yard TD.
West Delaware 28, Webster City 0 (0:42 2nd)
QB Brent Yonkovic adds to the West Delaware lead with a 10-yard touchdown run just before the half.
Bettendorf 14, Linn-Mar 14 (1:41 2nd)
Bettendorf ties it up on a Charlie Zimmerman 29-yard TD pass to Cole Odefey.
HALF: City High 9, West 0
Yards:
West 32 rush, 62 pass = 94 total
City 72 rush, 178 pass = 250 total
West Delaware 21, Webster City 0 (5:37 2nd)
This score is going to surprise a lot of people. Hawks go up three scores on Brent Yonkovic's 22-yard TD pass to Seth Jackson on third-and-16.
West Delaware 14, Webster City 0 (10:36 2nd)
West Delaware doubled its lead against the 3A No. 4 Lynx with a 7-yard TD run from QB Brent Yonkovic.
On Mount Vernon’s second possession, Joey Rhomberg connects with the Evan Brase for a 25-yard TD. With under 2 minutes to go in the 1st, Mount Vernon leads Solon, 7-0.
Linn-Mar 14, Bettendorf 7 (5:00 2nd)
Stone Morgan's 45-yard TD pass to Daniel Peplinski and Morgan's 1-yard TD run gives the Lions the lead.
C.R. KENNEDY 38, C.R. WASHINGTON 0, 4:50 2nd quarter
Trevor Scott with a 9-yard TD run. Cougars have scored on every possession thus far.
End 1st: West Delaware 7, Webster City 0
3A No. 4 Webster City is coming off a big win over North Polk last week, but Ryan Hilby's 84-yard punt return for a touchdown has given the unranked Hawks the early advantage in Manchester.
Monticello 6, Anamosa 0 (11:47 1st)
Conner Jordan returned the opening kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown. Extra point was blocked.
C.R. KENNEDY 31, C.R. WASHINGTON 0, 6:45 2nd quarter
Jacob Doyle with a 22-yard run after a second Washington fumble gave Kennedy the ball at the Warriors 28.
CITY TOUCHDOWN.
Miles Parlet 1 run (kick failed).
7 plays, 76 yards. 35 pass to #11 (not in program) was key.
6:05 2nd: City 9, West 0.
C.R. KENNEDY 24, C.R. WASHINGTON 0, 8:23 2nd quarter
Kennedy has been in control from the start. Cougars have scored on all four of its drives. Trevor Scott and Calvin White have short TD runs. Gianforte and Courtney have connected on a 30 yard TD. Cougars have turned two Washington turnovers into 10 points.
Bettendorf 7, Linn-Mar 0 (1:27 1st)
Will Taylor's 2-yard TD run gives the 5A No. 3 Bulldogs the lead.
North Linn 27, North Cedar 0 (10:21 2nd)
North Linn's last three drives have spanned 19, 29, and 10 yards. Jake VanEtten has thrown for two TDs and run for two more.
End 1st: North Linn 20, North Cedar 0
On fourth-and-7 North Linn QB Jake VanEtten takes off for a 26-yard TD run. He's run for one and thrown for two.
End-1: City 3, West 0.
In terms of yardage and time of possession, it's been all Little Hawks.
Yards: West 32, City 165.
MFL MarMac 21, A-P 0 (11:06 2nd)
Wyatt Powell breaks a 45-yard touchdown run and the 1A No. 2 Bulldogs already appear to be pulling away. Powell wears No. 0, by the way. It's a good look, especially when you're breaking multiple tackles and outrunning the rest of the defense.
North Linn 13, North Cedar 0 (1:51 1st)
North Linn capitalizes on a short field with an 11-yard TD pass on fourth-and-2.
MFL MarMac 14, Aplington-Parkersburg 0 (1:46 1st)
Carter Stoddard's 10-yard touchdown run puts the Bulldogs up two scores before the end of the quarter.
City gets 3. FG Drew DeBerg 24.
3:54 1st: City 3, West 0.
4:04 1st: City 0, West 0.
City is inside the 10 for the second time. Third and goal at the 6.
North Linn 7, North Cedar 0 (5:44 1st)
On third-and-9, Cole Griffith gets free and hauls in a 69-yard TD pass from Jake VanEtten.
MFL MarMac 7, Aplington-Parkersburg 0 (5:12 1st)
Quinn McGeough's 3-yard TD run gives the 1A No. 2 Bulldogs the lead on the road.
8:09 1st: West 0, City 0.
Both teams have had the ball once.
North Linn 0, North Cedar 0 (8:02 1st)
North Cedar moves it to the North Linn 9 but take a sack on 4th down. North Linn takes over.
It's Maquoketa (3-0) and Marion (2-1) tonight at Marion's new (and very nice) football stadium. We've got an Athletics Hall of Fame ceremony going on. Kickoff probably about 25 minutes away.
City drives to the 5, turns it over on downs.
City wins the toss, will receive. West will defend the north goal.
C.R. WASHINGTON VS. C.R. KENNEDY, at Kingston Stadium
We are here at Kingston Stadium for the intracity matchup between C.R. Washington (0-3) and Class 5A No. 9 C.R. Kennedy (1-2). Cougars have won two straight in the series and four of the last five. Kennedy has the big-play passing tandem of QB Vincenzo Gianforte and WR Cyrus Courtney, who leads the state with 595 receiving yards. Gianforte is third in the state with 1,020 yards passing. They have connected for 6 TD passes. Gianforte has 11 total.
Washington wideouts J'Quari Willis has caught 10 passes for 145 yards and 2 TDs. Landyn Mitvalsky has 9 catches for 96 yards and a score. Brock Davis has been a leader for the Warriors defense. He has 2 interceptions, returning one for a TD. He has 14 tackles, including 10 solo.
No sophomore game so we are looking at a 7 p.m. start, likely.
Mount Vernon's last game at First Street Field
In Mount Vernon for the Mustangs’ final home football game at First Street Field - a place Mount Vernon’s called home for nearly 85 years. The field was completed in 1938, first game played here in 1940. MV squares off against rival Solon tonight, kickoff at 7:15. #iahsfb pic.twitter.com/jfJLTTOVPg
— Ryan Pleggenkuhle (@ryno_plegge) September 15, 2023
BATTLE FOR THE BOOT
Howdy from Bates Field. Iowa City West (2-1) and Iowa City High will kick off at 7 p.m.
Week 4 preview
Games to watch: A look at the best games in the Gazette area
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