Prep football rewind: ‘Resilient’ Prairie takes down Cedar Falls

Cedar Rapids Prairie’s Makelle Taylor (26) runs the ball in opposition to Cedar Falls final season. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

CEDAR FALLS — After a tough season-opening loss, Cedar Rapids Prairie has bounced again with two robust victories.

The Hawks’ rebound intersected with some revenge.

Prairie misplaced a heartbreaker to Cedar Falls final season, taking the lead within the last minute solely to permit the decisive landing with seven seconds remaining in a 24-21 thriller. This time, the Hawks left nothing to probability, main all through and dropping Class 5A sixth-ranked Cedar Falls, 24-7, Friday night time on the UNI-Dome.

It was Prairie’s first win at Cedar Falls since 2013.

“Our youngsters have been fairly resilient,” Prairie Coach Mark Bliss stated. “They got here off the ball and did some good issues. They have been targeted.

“I feel that style was nonetheless of their mouth (from final yr). They wished to ensure they removed that style. We went into their place, which Cedar Falls has over a 90-percent successful proportion of their constructing, and we have been lucky to come back away with a win.”

Cedar Falls hadn’t given up some extent by the primary two weeks. Makelle Taylor cracked that goose egg with a 76-yard landing run within the first quarter. He posted his second straight 100-yard sport, dashing for 113 yards on 12 carries and rising his season whole to 350 and 55. Taylor has additionally scored in all three video games this yr.

Prairie’s rush assault amassed 279 yards with 170 earlier than halftime because the Hawks constructed a 17-7 lead on the break.

“I used to be excited we have been in a position to try this to them due to the 2 shutouts,” Bliss stated. “We knew it was going to be bodily. We knew it was going to be a battle. For us to exit and do what we did was a great factor. Hopefully, we will construct off that and hold getting higher.”

Prairie’s protection stifled the Tigers, who outscored Johnston and Waterloo West by a mixed 71-0. The Hawks protection stored Cedar Falls out of the top zone and allowed simply 141 yards of whole offense, together with 67 on the bottom. The lone Tigers landing was from a kickoff return.

“Our largest factor is controlling the road of scrimmage on each side of the ball and that’s sort of our credo,” Bliss stated. “We attempt to get motion on the road on offense and management the road of scrimmage, getting penetration.”

Prairie performs at Bettendorf (0-3) in Week 4. Muscatine’s Ty Cozad rushed for 391 yards in a 37-34 win over the Bulldogs Friday.

Marion Wolves win

Marion notched its first victory over the season, knocking off a 3A No. 7 Benton Neighborhood, 38-14, at Thomas Park. The Wolves snapped a seven-game dropping streak and claimed their first win since beating DeWitt Central on Sept. 17, 2021 at residence.

The Wolves matched their win whole from final season and they’re targeted on continued progress.

“The largest factor we have to do is to know that we haven’t arrived or completed in our journey,” Marion Coach Michael Joyner stated. “We have to hold getting higher as a result of the ultimate rating and our effort was actually superior, however there are nonetheless little issues that may assist us going ahead.

“Make certain we’re nonetheless taking the right steps, recognizing formations and masking kicks. It’s cliché, nevertheless it’s all a course of however constructing on wins is rather more gratifying than looking for it after a loss.”

Marion (1-2) pulled away because of 14 factors in each the second and third quarters, constructing a 17-6 lead at halftime. The Wolves held the Bobcats to only 104 yards of offense and one dashing TD.

The Wolves gained the battle between their offense that scored a mere 13 factors and a Benton protection that allowed simply seven factors previous to Week 3. Marion tallied its highest level whole since a 46-0 win over Clinton two years in the past.

“(Friday) night time was a fruits of the exhausting work the gamers and coaches have been placing in for the final 10 months,” Joyner stated. “We noticed glimpses of a great soccer staff all camp, however we didn’t actually have an id. We tried to be an RPO (run-pass choice) staff and use our playmakers on the sting and that didn’t work as we foresaw.

“So, we went again to the fundamentals and doubled down on creating an id of being a hard-nosed, robust, working soccer staff. We’ve good soccer gamers who actually purchased into the philosophy and the proof is how we performed Friday.”

Alburnett’s robust begin

Alburnett moved to 3-0 this season behind one other staunch defensive effort. The Pirates recorded their second straight shutout, beating host Lisbon, 14-0, Friday night time. Alburnett downed Pekin, 42-0, final week and hasn’t enable some extent for the reason that fourth quarter of its 16-13 season-opening victory over North Linn.

Alburnett has posted its greatest begin in seven seasons. This marks the primary time the Pirates have gained their first three video games since beginning 6-0 in 2015. They face East Buchanan (2-1) subsequent week at residence.

Montezuma Braves battle again

Montezuma produced an enormous comeback for a 54-50 victory over ninth-ranked BGM in 8-Participant motion Friday at Brooklyn.

The Braves (3-1) trailed 44-22 at half and have been down 20 coming into the ultimate quarter. Montezuma erupted for twenty-four factors and shut the Bears out within the fourth.

Owen Cook dinner powered Montezuma with 270 yards passing and 5 touchdowns. He added 30 yards and a rating on the bottom and contributed two conversions for 40 whole factors. Garrett Watts and Masin Shearer have been Cook dinner’s prime targets. Watts completed with 172 receiving yards on six catches, together with 4 TDs. Shearer had 94 yards on seven receptions with a rating.

Late heroics elevate Western Dubuque

Western Dubuque wanted some late-game magic and freshman Brett Harris conjured up the go-ahead landing with 19 seconds remaining in a 36-30 victory over Class 4A No. 6 Iowa Metropolis Liberty in Epworth.

The Bobcats trailed by 5 and confronted fourth-and-6 from the 46 with 30 seconds left. Harris, in his first varsity begin, scrambled to his proper and flung a move downfield. Huge receiver Daviyon Gaston broke free and made a diving catch in the long run zone behind two Lightning defenders for the go-ahead rating.

The play got here close to the top of the seesaw affair within the fourth that included three lead modifications within the last 2:12.

Western Dubuque (1-2) earned its first win of the season, whereas Liberty dropped to 2-1 total.

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