Shutout tastes sweet for Washington

CEDAR RAPIDS – They gave up 111 points the previous two seasons to Iowa City West, so looking up at the scoreboard Friday night at Kingston Stadium and seeing a big, fat zero wasn't just a relief for the Cedar Rapids Washington Warriors.

It was a heck of an accomplishment.

'This felt really good, especially with the shutout,' said two-way Wash lineman Julian Good-Jones about a 28-0 win. 'I remember both (previous) years, it was just miserable getting whooped by them. We kind of knew we were going to get whooped because they were so good all the time. So it feels really nice to be on the other end.'

Class 4A's fourth-ranked team, Washington (3-0) scored a pair of touchdowns in the first quarter and got 126 yards rushing from Tavian Patrick. The Warriors also forced four turnovers (two interceptions, two fumble recoveries), holding West (0-3) to 196 total yards and out of the red zone the entire game.

The Trojans have scuffled offensively so far this season, so it wasn't like this shutout was a shocker or anything. West beat Washington last season, 49-8, and in 2012, 62-37.

'It just feels really good getting creamed last year by them and coming out this year (and winning),' said Washington fullback-linebacker Connor Vincent. 'It's a great accomplishment.'

'What that tells me is they had a couple classes graduate that were full of pretty good football players, and we've got some kids coming up who have gained experience,' said Washington Coach Paul James. 'It's hard in high-school football to look year to year because of the changes that occur. But I'm really proud of and happy for our players. They stepped up.'

Washington established the run on the opening possession of the game, getting a 51-yard gain from Patrick to set up shop deep inside West territory. On 2nd-and-13 at the Trojans 17, Wash, quarterback Reid Snitker rolled right and lofted a ball to the right corner of the end zone that Vincent outleaped a West defensive back for.

Gunnar Lenzen's extra point made it 7-0 Wash just 2:33 in. A fumbled punt return set up the Warriors at the West 32 later in the quarter, with Vincent taking a handoff on a fullback dive play and running untouched 27 yards for a TD.

Washington got to the West 1 early in the second quarter but was held out of the end zone. It stayed a 14-0 game until very late in the third, when Washington put together a drive that was capped by a 34-yard touchdown pass from Snitker to Landen Akers.

It was a 4th-and-6 play, actually, with Akers wide open over the middle after Snitker rolled left. Reserve fullback Tavion Stewart scored on a 19-yard run in the final minute for the final spread.

'I thought we had our ups and downs tonight,' said Vincent. 'But for the most part, I thought we handled ourselves pretty well. Just kept it going.'

Washington rushed for 264 yards and held a 321-196 overall yardage edge. West quarterback Aaron Bleil completed 11 of 23 throws for 106 yards.

Washington plays at Linn-Mar (3-0) next Friday night in what should be a terrific contest.

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