Sweet and sour weekend

ATLANTIC — The high of the best performance of the year on the field was followed by the low of missing a playoff spot by the narrowest of margins for the Creston football team over the weekend.

The Panthers wrapped up a 6-3 season — the first winning season since 8-2 in 2016 — in a dominant 49-19 victory at Atlantic Friday night.

Later that evening, word was received from the Iowa HIgh School Athletic Association that Creston finished 17th on the Ratings Percentage Index (RPI). Sixteen teams qualify for the playoffs.

Algona, Sioux Center, Hampton-Dumont/CAL and Ballard, each 5-4 for the season, finished just ahead of the Panthers in the RPI scoring to grab the four at-large playoff berths. Teams that finished first or second in their district were automatic qualifiers and accounted for 12 playoff spots. Harlan and ADM represented District 6 as automatic qualifiers at 5-0 and 4-1 in district play, respectively. Creston was 3-2 in the district.

The RPI is based on a team’s record along with records of opponents and records of opponnents’ opponents. None of Creston’s non-district opponents won Friday night and coach Brian Morrison said at least one victory was needed for his team to finish in the top 16. Gilbert and Denison-Schleswig were heavy underdogs and lost to Ballard and Webster City. The closest that Creston came to having a favorable outcome was Winterset’s 38-37 loss to Lewis Central.

Also, Sioux Center nearly lost to MOC-Floyd Valley, hanging on for a 17-14 win. In a loss at 4-5, Sioux Center would have lost its at-large position.

“We knew the issues coming in and that it might be tough for us, because anyone who had played 2A or 1A teams in non-district had those spots locked in, because those classes were already playing playoff games Friday,” Morrison said. “Of those that were playing, our non-district teams went 0-3 Friday and we just needed one of them to win.”

Since the continuation of the season was still undetermined after Friday’s victory, there was no moment of closure among coaches and players.

“We’re going to have a team dinner with the seniors to kind of wrap things up,” Morrison said, “and we’ll be back to normal this year with a team banquet. Typically, you know when you’ve played your last game, so it was a weird night, no doubt.”

Best performance

In reviewing the videotape of the game Saturday, Morrison said it was the Panthers’ best performance of the season overall.

Creston outgained Atlantic 328 to 12 yards in rushing. Atlantic passed for 285 yards, but two of the touchdowns were in the fourth quarter against Panther reserves after the outcome was determined.

“The kids were locked in all year, and played their best game against Atlantic,” Morrison said. “We wish we could still be playng, but it was a fun year.”

Creston led 21-7 at halftime as senior running back Briley Hayes had three of his five rushing touchdowns before the break. Hayes, who often ran out of the “Tank” formation taking a direct snap, ran for 165 yards on 16 carries. Brennan Hayes added 83 yards on the ground and Will Bolinger picked up 75 yards, including a touchdown, before suffering an undetermined knee injury late in the game.

The mercy rule running clock with a 35-point margin was enacted when tight end Derek Paup caught a 42-yard touchdown pass from Kyle Strider with 1:46 left in the third quarter.

“It was a crossing route over the middle and Kyle rolls to his right,” Paup said after his first touchdown of the season. “I was open and I just prayed to God that he (defender) didn’t catch me.”

Strider also connected with wide receiver Bryce Briley for a 42-yard pickup earlier in the third quarter and finished with 110 yards on five completions. But, for the most part it was a steamrolling performance by the Panther rushing attack. Paving the way were center Jagger Luther, guards Chris Wilson and Owen Richards, tackles Max Chapman and Avery Fuller and Paup at tight end.

“Creston has some big old boys up front, but that’s nothing new,” said first-year Atlantic coach Joe Brummer, a Harlan native who played at Morningside College with former Panthers Alan Smith and Briar Evans. “I thought we did a pretty good job for most of the first half, but then they really leaned on us and wore us down. We couldn’t quite get our running game going tonight, but they are big and pretty good up front.”

Paup and Fuller are the defensive ends for Creston and Andre Davis alternated with Chapman at the noseguard position. Gage Skarda was the leading tackler with 4.5 official tackles and Briley Hayes had an interception.

“We were concerned about their wide receivers,” Morrison said. “They have good speed and their quarterback throws a good ball. They were definitely capable of staying in the football game. We knew that we could not play sloppy and expect to win. I thought we played a clean game and our defense shut down the run. For the most part our secondary held their own.”

Departing seniors

While many of the starters were juniors and sophomores, Morrison was especially pleased that 12 Creston seniors finished with a strong performance in a turnaround season for the program.

“I’m so proud of those 12 guys,” Morrison said. “Without their leadership, this wouldn’t have happened.”

Closing their career were Kayleb Howard, Skyler Wilson, Aidan Anderson, Briley Hayes, Gage Skarda, Joseph Huston, Lucas Veatch, Owen Richards, Andre Davis, Chris Wilson and Derek Paup.

Creston 49, Atlantic 19

First quarter

Cr — Briley Hayes 11 run (Aiden Anderson kick), 7:59

Second quarter

Cr — Briley Hayes 20 run (Anderson kick), 9:52

Atl — Colton Rasmussen 14 pass from Caden Andersen (Lane Nelson kick), 1:35

Cr — Briley Hayes 3 run (Anderson kick), 0:30

Third quarter

Cr — Briley Hayes 3 run (pass failed), 7:59

Cr — Briley Hayes 4 run (Briley Hayes run), 4:41

Cr — Derek Paup 42 pass from Kyle Strider (Anderson kick), 1:44

Fourth quarter

Cr — Will Bolinger 35 run (Anderson kick), 11:35

Atl — Rasmussen 76 pass from Andersen (kick blocked), 9:52

Atl — Carter Pellett 27 pass from Andersen (run failed), 1:27

Rushing — Creston: Briley Hayes 16-165, 5 TD; Brennan Hayes 12-83; WIll Bolinger 5-75, 1 TD; Cael Turner 1-9; Kyle Strider 6-(-4). Atlantic: Dante Hedrington 9-15; Tanner O’Brien 6-4; Easton O’Brien 2-3.

Passing — Creston: Kyle Strider 5-9-0 for 110 yards, 1 TD. Atlantic: Caden Andersen 16-29-1 for 285 yards.

Receiving — Creston: Brandon Briley 3-57; Derek Paup 2-53, 1 TD. Atlantic: Colton Rasmussen 5-159, 2 TD; Carter Pellett 4-47, 1 TD; Jayden Proehl 3-30; Dayton Templeton 1-17; Tanner O’Brien 1-13.

Tackles (solo) — Gage Skarda 4.5 (2), Gannon Greenwalt 4.0 (3), Briley Hayes 3.0 (2), Cael Turner 3.0 (3), Ty Morrison 3.0 (1), Andre Davis 3.0 (1), McCoy Haines 2.5 (2), Austin Evans 2.5 (1), Derek Paup 2.5 (1), Trey Chesnut 2.0 (2). Atlantic: Easton O’Brien 5.5 (5), Jarrett Armstrong 4.5 (4).

Tackles for loss — Creston: Paup 1.0. Atlantic: Easton O’Brien 2.0, Keith Archibald 1.0, Armstrong 1.0, Miles Mundorf 1.0.

Interceptions — Creston: Briley Hayes 1.