Area Football Recap - Sept. 15 games

Area football results from Sept. 15

Mount Ayr vs. Central Decatur

The Raiders (2-2) hosted the Cardinals (3-1) Friday for a homecoming matchup. Though Mount Ayr got out to a fast start, putting up 14 unanswered in the first quarter, they couldn’t find the end zone again, falling 31-14.

Mount Ayr sophomore running back Tate Dugan made it in on a 25-yard rushing touchdown with eight minutes left in the first quarter. Tyler Martin missed the point after kick.

Dugan logged 21 carries for 135 yards and a touchdown in the matchup. On defense, he had five tackles.

Senior Dalton Barnes led the defense with 13 total tackles including a sack, but for him, the highlight of the game was his sister Abigail coming to watch him. Abigail is recovering from a deadly crash in July.

Martin broke away for a 68-yard rushing touchdown and quarterback Jackson Ruggles connected with Jaize Frost for a two-point conversion. Martin logged nine rushes for 100 yards and a touchdown.

After the first quarter, Central Decatur ran away with the game, putting up 22 first downs to Mount Ayr’s eight. Quarterback Sam Boothe threw for two touchdowns and ran for one.

With the loss, the Cardinals jump to third in Class A District 6 while the Raiders fall to four. Also with a 2-2 record is Wayne. Madrid, undefeated, leads the division.

The Raiders return to action Friday as they travel to North Mahaska.

Murray vs. Lamoni

In their second victory in a row, Murray (3-2), took down Lamoni (2-2) 49-32 despite a comeback attempt by the Demons.

Quarterback Caden Page leveraged his run game to put up a 49-yard and a 20-yard touchdown run both in the first quarter. Page threw to receiver Kace Patton for both two-point conversions, one successful. Page also put up a 7-yard rushing touchdown for the final score of the game.

Also finding two touchdowns for the Mustangs was running back Nolan Gannon who had a 29-yard run in the second and a 22-yard reception in the third.

“Our running game had a good night with Gannon going for 141 yards and a touchdown, Page 95 yards and three touchdowns and Mastin 35 yards and a touchdown,” Murray Coach Shawn Oaks said. “Ambrose Savage got stronger as the game went on for Lamoni. He turned a couple of busted plays into touchdowns. He had 25 rushing attempts for 219 yards and five touchdowns, he also completed 5-9 passes for 91 yards. He gives Lamoni a fighting chance every night. He kept Lamoni close with 132 yards and two touchdowns in the fourth quarter.”

The Demons got within 9 points of the Mustangs, but couldn’t close the gap. Gannon also led the defense with 10 total tackles. Austin Peterson and Titus Barber each logged two tackles for loss.

With the win, Murray sits at fifth in 8-man district 8 while Lamoni falls to sixth. Undefeated Bedford leads the division.

“It is good to come away with a win, but we still have many areas where we can improve,” Oaks said. “We have big games the next two weeks with Southeast Warren (2-2) at home and then traveling to Lenox (3-1).

Lenox vs. Mormon Trail

The Tigers (3-1) blew out Mormon Trail (1-3) 66-8 for their homecoming matchup.

The Saints were scoreless through the first half while the Tigers put up 40 points in the first quarter alone.

While Lenox quarterback Gabe Funk threw for 111 yards and three touchdowns on four passes, a majority of the yards were earned on the ground.

Senior Dalton Kitzman had four carries for 50 yards and three touchdowns. Also scoring rushing touchdowns was Caden Kaufman, Jordan Martin-England and Wyatt Leonard. The team combined for 253 rushing yards and six touchdowns.

On defense, homecoming king Donald Bashor led the defense with five total tackles, two and a half sacks and three and a half tackles for loss. Keegan Smith had four tackles for loss.

The Tigers sit at second place in 8-man district 8 behind undefeated Bedford. Lenox returns to action Friday at East Union for the Eagles’ homecoming week.

Nodaway Valley/OM vs. Woodward-Granger

Nodaway Valley/O-M (0-4) held its own, giving up just one score in the first quarter, however Woodward-Granger (1-3) stormed to a larger halftime lead and won 46-0 in a Class 1A, District 7 football game at Woodward.

The Hawks led 32-0 at halftime and by their final tally after the third quarter.

W-G quarterback Talan Fuson found the end zone four times — twice on a 7-for-8 night passing and twice in the run game, on three carries for 41 yards.

The Wolverines had four turnovers on offense in the game.

The NV/OM defense enjoyed individual bright spots from Caleb Christensen, who had a couple of tackles for loss, as well as Ashton Honnold and Trent Warner, who finished with six and eight tackles, respectively, as well as two tackles for loss. Charles Rudolf received his first start on both sides of the front line.

“The biggest thing for us right now is we are building kids’ football IQ and trying to learn fundamentals and basics of the game while playing, which isn’t the easiest thing to do,” NV/OM head coach Brad Honnold explained. “We have to look at small victories, such as blocking schemes, assignments defensively, staying positive and working as a team.”

NV/OM now turns its attention to a game Friday, Sept. 22 at South Hamilton (Jewell). The Hawks are 3-1 coming into the game, fresh off a 56-8 win at West Central Valley Sept. 15. All of South Hamilton’s offense came on the ground in the game — the Hawks rushed for eight touchdowns.

“A culture of lack of trust or consistency wasn’t established in one year, it has been established over several years of one and done coaches, so this won’t be totally rebuilt in a year,” Honnold said. “We are growing and kids are slowly buying in. The good thing is kids are still out here grinding every day and they aren’t quitting or giving up because things are tough. That will take them so much farther in life than anything else.”

East Union vs. Bedford

The Bulldogs (4-0) remain undefeated after a 52-6 blowout against the Eagles (2-2) in an 8-man district 8 matchup.

The Eagles’ only points came in during the fourth quarter from Senior quarterback Austin Lack while the Bulldogs put up 27 in the second quarter.

Senior Silas Walston dominated the Bedford offense, putting up 101 rushing yards, three rushing touchdowns, 73 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns.

Lack also led the Eagles’ defense with eight total tackles. With the loss, the Eagles sit at fourth in 8-man district 8 behind Southeast Warren (2-2).

The Eagles return to action Friday for homecoming as they host the Lenox Tigers (3-1) in a division matchup.

Southwest Valley vs. Earlham

The Timberwolves (2-2) lost big on the road, falling 60-14 to the Cardinals (3-1) after Earlham put up 35 points in the first quarter.

The Cardinals almost exclusively utilized the run game, junior running back Caleb Smith rushing for 199 yards and five touchdowns.

Southwest Valley senior Evan Timmerman brought in 54 rushing yards and one touchdown.

Sophomore Wyatt Mendenhall led the Timberwolves defense with six tackles and a fumble recovery.

Cael Hogan also scored a rushing touchdown for Southwest Valley.

The Timberwolves are ranked fifth in Class A District 7. Undefeated ACGC leads the division with Earlham right behind. For homecoming next week, Southwest Valley hosts Panorama (2-2) in a district matchup.