Iowa high school football roundup: Week 3 scores, stats and more

Here’s our Week 3 roundup with Iowa high school football scores, stats and complete Gazette-area coverage.

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Cedar Rapids Kennedy 34, 5A No. 4 Linn-Mar 0

There was certainly a sense of urgency, but there was no panic among the players and coaches at Cedar Rapids Kennedy.

Coming into Friday night’s game against Class 5A No. 4 Linn-Mar, the Cougars knew what type of team they had.

“We had two tough games before this one,” said Kennedy senior wide receiver Cyrus Courtney about his team’s losses to No. 2 West Des Moines Dowling and Pleasant Valley to open the season. “We had already had some dogfights so we were ready for this.”

The Cougars were more than ready. Coach Brian White’s team piled up 412 yards of total offense and held the Lions to 233 yards en route to a convincing 34-0 victory before a near-capacity crowd at Linn-Mar Stadium.

“We took this week personal,” said Courtney, who had seven catches for 139 yards and a touchdown. “The week of practice we had was probably the hardest one I can ever remember and it paid off. We just beat the No. 4 team 34-0 on their field.”

» Read the game story from Gazette correspondent Mike Condon

4A No. 5 Cedar Rapids Xavier 22, 4A No. 3 Western Dubuque 20

Cedar Rapids Xavier Coach Duane Schulte said one of the halftime messages to his team was to play to win.

He had witnessed a tendency to play “not to lose” at points this season. The Saints turned that around after the break and avoided two straight losses for the first time in 12 years.

Ronan Thomas passed for two touchdowns and rushed for another in the second half, helping Class 4A No. 5 Xavier to a 22-20 victory over No. 3 Western Dubuque in a slobberknocker of a non-district prep football game Friday night at Saints Field.

“It’s not like we changed the play calling,” Thomas said about the second-half turnaround. “We changed the mentality. People started going as hard as they could. They started getting angry on the field but not at themselves. They were going as hard as they could.”

The Saints trailed 7-0 at the break with Western Dubuque connecting on a 59-yard pass from Tanner Anderson to Brock Carpenter, who hauled in a bubble screen, found a seam and bolted for the second-quarter score.

The Saints manufactured three straight scoring drives after intermission. Thomas helped lead the Saints on drives of 80, 70 and 66 yards. The first lasted six plays, concluding with a 57-yard scoring strike to Carter Hoffmann.

» Read the game story from The Gazette’s K.J. Pilcher

3A No. 2 Mount Vernon 19, Benton Community 7

A pair of top-five defenses lived up to their reputation. A couple of big breaks and a little versatility made the difference.

Class 3A second-ranked Mount Vernon outlasted Benton Community in a battle of unbeatens, 19-7, Friday night at Mount Vernon.

“That’s a very good football team,” Mount Vernon Coach Lance Pedersen said of Benton Community. “I think they’re probably underrated.”

The Mustangs (3-0) came into the night third in Class 3A, giving up 3.0 points per game. The Bobcats came in tied for fourth at 3.5 points per game. In a game where yards were tough to come by, a couple of big Benton Community mistakes bookended the first half, allowing the Mustangs to seize control.

The first Benton Community (2-1) snap got away from quarterback Owen Tjelmeland and Cole Thorn emerged with the ball in the end zone to put Mount Vernon up 7-0 with 10:39 left in the first.

With time running out in the half, Benton Community lined up to punt from its own 48. Nova Lane broke through the line, blocking the kick. On fourth-and-4 from the 15, Joey Rhomberg threw a perfect strike to Evan Brase as the Mustangs reached the locker room with a 19-7 lead.

» Read the game story from Gazette correspondent Culley Kline

Marion 34, Center Point-Urbana 19

The lights flashed. The wolf howled. The home team won.

You couldn’t have scripted a better debut for Marion Stadium. For three quarters, at least.

Marion spotted Center Point-Urbana the first touchdown, then scored on five consecutive drives and christened its new on-campus stadium with a 34-19 non-district football win Friday night.

“It was electric,” quarterback Kaleb Diers said. “I liked when the lights (flashed) after our touchdowns.”

It wasn’t an uncommon occurrence. The Wolves (2-1) piled up 384 yards of offense in the first half and finished with 512.

» Read the game story from The Gazette’s Jeff Linder

Cedar Rapids Jefferson 41, Des Moines North 8

They’re going from being continuous clocked to continuous clocking opponents. Continuously.

That’s how stunningly rapid this football turnaround has been for the Cedar Rapids Jefferson J-Hawks.

Jefferson won a third straight game to open a 2023 season that’s turning into an incredible metamorphosis Friday night at Kingston Stadium, pummeling Des Moines North, 41-8.

The J-Hawks, as you may know, ended a 26-game losing streak when they beat Muscatine two weeks ago. They pummeled Marshalltown last week, 40-0.

Here they ran out to a 35-0 halftime lead. Jefferson scored two touchdowns in the first quarter and three more in the second.

Jefferson has Des Moines East on the road next week, which lost to North. Could 4-0 be in the offing?

“It’s a full team effort,” said Jefferson quarterback Jeremiah Peiffer. “Offensively, defensively, as a team tonight we came out and did our personal jobs, and got what we needed to get done, done. The amount of players who have bought in this year is tremendous. There’s a lot more numbers this years, so the amount of guys bought in, the team we have and the team we’re rolling with is just great.”

» Read the game story from The Gazette’s Jeff Johnson

Decorah 34, Crestwood 6

Dakota Johnson rushed for 142 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 15 carries as the Vikings moved to 3-0.

Decorah scored on its first possession of the game when quarterback Tommy Sexton ran the ball in from the 6-yard line. Gavin Groux then intercepted a Crestwood pass and ran it back 22 yards, making it 14-0.

Johnson scored his first TD of the game on a 3-yard run in the first, putting Decorah up 20-0.

It was 27-0 at halftime after Jeron Feuerhelm scored on a 3-yard run. Johnson added a 76-yard run on the first play of the fourth quarter .

— Randy Iverson

West Delaware 42, Union Community 12

Brent Yonkovic passed for two touchdowns and ran for three as the Hawks notched their first win of the season.

Yankovic completed 12 of 21 passes for 183 yards and rushed 17 times for 150, scoring on runs of 16, 24 and 10. Both TD passes went to Conrad Smith, covering 17 and 14 yards.

Macoy Roling added a 10-yard TD run.

— Bill Logan

A No. 10 North Linn 27, Starmont 0

Jake Van Etten passed for 145 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 87 more and another TD as the Lynx rolled at home.

Van Etten completed 9 of 14 passes and rushed 14 times. Landon Helmrich scored two rushing TDs.

Drew Ries led the defense with 10.5 tackles.

Anamosa 21, Vinton-Shellsburg 7

The Vikings outgained the Raiders, 316-221, in total yards, but a muffed punt, a blocked punt and an interception turned into points for the hosts.

Following a Tayte Peterschmidt blocked punt, Austin Scranton scored on a 1-yard run before the muffed punt led to Hudson Scranton scoring on a 6-yard run.

A Nate Fischer interception led to a 36-yard TD pass from Anamosa quarterback Vince Diers to Fischer, extending the Raider lead to 21-0 with 3:52 to play in the third quarter.

Austin Scranton powered Anamosa, rushing 27 times for 119 yards.

Brant Dickinson scored the lone TD for the Vikings, hauling in an 8-yard pass from quarterback Zach Staab with 1:50 to play in the game.

— Daryl Schepanski

2A No. 5 Monticello 35, Cascade 0

Monticello quarterback Preston Ries threw for 314 yards and four touchdowns, three of them to Peyton Schilling, as the Panthers controlled things at home.

Ries also rushed 13 times for 123 yards and a score. The Panthers scored all of their points in the first half.

Defensively, Monticello (2-1) held the Cougars (0-3) to 65 yards of total offense.

— Pete Temple

West Branch 30, 1A No. 4 Waterloo Columbus 23

Logan Wright rumbled 39 yards on an interception return as the Bears completed a dramatic comeback for their first win of the season.

West Branch quarterback Brennen Dale threw for 169 yards and a score, and added two more TDs on the ground. Joe Hamann hauled in six passes for 101 yards and the lone receiving touchdown.

West Branch enters the district season next Friday at home against Cascade.

— Jason Miller

How the ranked teams fared

Here’s a look at how all the teams ranked in The Gazette’s poll fared in their Week 3 games.

Statewide Week 3 Iowa high school football scores

Akron-Westfield 20, Hinton 13

Alburnett 33, Dyersville Beckman 6

Algona 33, Estherville-Lincoln Central 28

Algona Garrigan 49, North Iowa 13

Anamosa 21, Vinton-Shellsburg 7

Anita CAM 76, East Mills 14

Ankeny Centennial 42, Cedar Falls 13

Aplington-Parkersburg 35, South Hardin 26

Audubon 62, Exira-EHK 34

Baxter 35, Fort Dodge St. Edmond 34 (OT)

Bedford 41, Lenox 30

Bellevue 49, North Cedar 8

Bettendorf 48, Urbandale 10

Boyer Valley 56, West Harrison 14

Burlington 18, Keokuk 13

Calamus-Wheatland 30, HLV 24

Carroll Kuemper 21, Avoca AHSTW 14 (OT)

Cedar Rapids Jefferson 41, Des Moines North 8

Cedar Rapids Kennedy 34, Linn-Mar 0

Cedar Rapids Xavier 22, Western Dubuque 20

Central City 42, Edgewood-Colesburg 20

Central Decatur 35, North Mahaska 16

Central Lee 17, Durant 10

Central Lyon/George-Little Rock 70, West Sioux 7

Cherokee 42, Ridge View 21

Clarksville 36, Janesville 15

Clayton Ridge 38, Postville 6

Clear Lake 63, Iowa Falls-Alden 6

Colfax-Mingo 20, Saydel 14

Coon Rapids-Bayard 47, Collins-Maxwell 6

Council Bluffs Lincoln 40, Des Moines East 20

Council Bluffs Jefferson 26, Storm Lake 24

Creston 48, Ballard 28

Dallas Center-Grimes 35, Fort Dodge 0

Davenport North 35, Marshalltown 21

Davis County 23, Eldon Cardinal 12

Decorah 34, Crestwood 6

Denver 35, North Fayette Valley 14

Des Moines Christian 44, Clarke 35

Dubuque Hempstead 28, Dubuque Senior 7

Dubuque Wahlert 63, Clinton 14

Dunkerton 66, Garwin GMG 32

Earlham 40, IKM-Manning 33

East Buchanan 39, Maquoketa Valley 21

East Sac County 24, Missouri Valley 12

Eddyville EBF 36, East Marshall 29

Emmetsburg 46, Sheldon 20

Fairfield 23, Washington 20

Forest City 41, Eagle Grove 14

Fremont Mills 47, Stanton 24

Gilbert 27, Mason City 15

Gladbrook-Reinbeck 90, Meskwaki 0

Glidden-Ralston 22, Colo-NESCO 18

Greene County 41, Atlantic 6

Grinnell 46, Oskaloosa 6

Grundy Center 38, Pella Christian 6

Guthrie Center ACGC 55, Panorama 44

Harlan 17, Glenwood 14

Harris-Lake Park 34, Northwood-Kensett 27

Hudson 22, Jesup 21

Indianola 30, Pella 21

Interstate 35 21, Woodward-Granger 20

Iowa City High 49, Ames 28

Iowa City Regina 45, Mediapolis 7

Iowa City West 42, Muscatine 20

Iowa Valley 68, New London 22

Knoxville 34, South Tama 7

Lamoni 50, Mormon Trail 22

Lawton-Bronson 33, Sioux Central 7

Le Mars 49, Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley 42

Le Mars Gehlen 28, Alta-Aurelia 7

Lewis Central 38, Adel ADM 31

Lisbon 34, Columbus Community 28

Lone Tree 49, Midland 30

Maquoketa 43, Northeast 34

MFL MarMac 43, New Hampton 31

MOC-Floyd Valley 41, Okoboji 6

Montezuma 67, Melcher-Dallas 20

Moravia 53, Belle Plaine 46

Madrid 35, Mount Ayr 34

Marion 34, Center Point-Urbana 19

Monticello 35, Cascade 0

Mount Vernon 19, Benton Community 7

Murray 69, Twin Cedars 6

Nashua-Plainfield 46, Conrad BCLUW 6

Nevada 27, Monroe PCM 7

Newell-Fonda 54, Woodbine 46

North Butler 25, West Fork 0

North Linn 27, Starmont 0

North Tama 34, Ackley AGWSR 18

North Union 46, Belmond-Klemme 0

Ogden 20, Perry 14

Osage 15, Dike-New Hartford 14

Pekin 36, Danville 13

Pleasant Valley 56, Iowa City Liberty 39

Red Oak 30, West Central Valley 28

Roland-Story 29, South Hamilton 20

Saint Ansgar 24, West Hancock 15

Sergeant Bluff-Luton 48, Sioux City, West 14

Shenandoah 45, Nodaway Valley 8

Sibley-Ocheyedan 29, South O’Brien 13

Sidney 52, Griswold 14

Sigourney-Keota 41, Mid-Prairie 35

Sioux Center 41, Unity Christian 8

Sioux City Heelan 29, Sioux City East 21

Solon 41, DeWitt Central 6

South Central Calhoun 34, Oakland Riverside 28

Southeast Polk 42, Cedar Rapids Prairie 7

Southeast Valley 28, Clarion CGD 20

Southeast Warren 52, East Union 14

Southwest Valley 32, Grand View Christian 28

Spirit Lake 48, Spencer 21

Springville 51, Easton Valley 40

Sumner-Fredericksburg 58, Oelwein 6

Tipton 35, Mount Pleasant 7

Treynor 34, Clarinda 28 (OT)

Tri-Center 49, West Monona 0

Tripoli 32, Elkader Central 24

Underwood 45, Council Bluffs St. Albert 0

Van Buren County 28, Highland 22

Van Meter 52, Humboldt 14

Wapello 16, Louisa-Muscatine 14

Wapsie Valley 27, South Winneshiek 0

Waterloo East 39, Charles City 36

Waukee 42, Sioux City North 0

Waukon 28, Independence 19

Wayne 30, Martensdale-St. Marys 26

Webster City 21, North Polk 20

West Branch 30, Waterloo Columbus 23

West Delaware 42, Union Community 12

West Des Moines Dowling 35, Ankeny 14

West Liberty 27, West Burlington/Notre Dame 7

West Lyon, Inwood 49, Ida Grove OABCIG 0

Western Christian 41, Pocahontas Area 0

Williamsburg 49, Clear Creek Amana 20

Wilton 26, Camanche 6

Winfield-Mount Union 34, WACO 8

Woodbury Central 39, Logan-Magnolia 14