42-41 thriller nets City High a home playoff game

MUSCATINE – The Iowa City High defense was getting gouged early, got gouged late, but bowed up when it mattered most.

City High running back Bryce Frantz ran for 186 yards and a tie-breaking 15-yard touchdown with 4:16 to go, and the Little Hawks' defense stuffed a two-point conversion attempt with 39 seconds left for a 42-41 victory over Muscatine in a Class 4A District 6 game on Friday.

'To have a game like this, what a tremendous high school football game this was,” City High Coach Dan Sabers said. 'We were fortunate to win. Both teams deserved to win.”

The win means City High (6-3, 4-1 Class 4A District 6) will host a playoff game at Bates Field by virtue of finishing runner-up in the district.

City High will host Linn-Mar (4-5) in a first-round playoff game Wednesday at 7.

'It's just a big weight off our shoulders,” Frantz said. 'To come back, play at home with a little bit of momentum. I think we're going to be coming out pretty hot.”

Muscatine junior tailback Alphonso Soko continually knifed through the Little Hawks defense for 240 yards and four touchdowns, the last with 39 seconds left to pull the Muskies within 42-41. Muscatine tried to win the game by going to Soko again on a two-point conversion attempt, but a collection of City High defenders led by end Jason Jones forced Soko to bounce outside and hemmed him against the sideline for the game-saving stop.

'It was really digging down deep, really having to execute our job,” Jones said. 'We hadn't really done that all night, but we had to step it up on that last play and make sure we win that game.”

City High quarterback Jared Taylor started his fourth-consecutive game in place of injured Nate Wieland. The junior has directed the Little Hawks to three wins over that span, and opened Friday night's game with 97 yards passing and a pair of first-half touchdowns.

'Our front five and our O-line did a great job establishing a run game,” Taylor said. 'We hit them with a deep ball now and again.”

Taylor finished with 156 yards passing and the two touchdowns, and also ran for 63 and a score as the City High offense grinded out four scoring drives in the first half. Frantz carried the ball 17 times for 137 yards in the first half. When he needed a breather, Rajay Rodney entered the game and sprinted 27 yards to tie the game at 14-14 early in the second quarter.

From there, the City High defense stiffened. Junior defensive back Vance Dillon intercepted a Luke Wichers pass at his own 37-yard-line. Eight plays and 63 yards later, Taylor found streaking tight end Will Noack down the middle for the Little Hawks' first lead of the game, 21-14, with 3:27 left until halftime.

'As the games go along, I get more comfortable,” Taylor said. 'Just getting more of a rhythm with all my teammates out on the field. ... Staying ready and trying to execute like we do, that's just the biggest thing for us.”

The City High defense forced a four-and-out on their next defensive possession, and Taylor orchestrated a seven-play, 66-yard drive – capped by a 12-yard TD pass to Jones – and the Little Hawks led by two touchdowns at halftime. Muscatine (6-3, 2-3) was held scoreless for the final three possessions of the first half.

Muscatine began the second half by intercepting Taylor and blocking a punt, both times starting at the City High 15-yard-line. Touchdown runs of 15 and 16 yards by Soko tied the game at 28-28.

The teams exchanged touchdowns and the game was tied for the fourth and final time, 35-35. Frantz's only touchdown of the game gave City High the lead for good.

Iowa City High 42

Muscatine 41

AT MUSCATINE

ICH MUS

First downs 19 14

Punts-avg. 1-38.0 2-24.0

Fumbles-lost 0-0 1-1

Penalties-yards 1-5 7-60

Iowa City High 7 21 0 14-42

Muscatine 7 7 14 13-41

MUS-Isiah Smith 29 pass from Luke Wichers (Logan Nugent kick)

ICH-Jared Taylor 1 run (Sarrive Rukakiza kick)

MUS-Alphonso Soko 19 run (Nugent kick)

ICH-Rajay Rodney 27 run (Rukakiza kick)

ICH-Will Noack 34 pass from Taylor (Rukakiza kick)

ICH-Jason Jones 12 pass from Taylor (Rukakiza kick)

MUS-Soko 15 run (Nugent kick)

MUS-Soko 16 run (Nugent kick)

ICH-Erick Fletcher 3 run (Rukakiza kick)

MUS-Smith 14 pass from Wichers (Nugent kick)

ICH-Bryce Frantz 15 run (Rukakiza kick)

MUS-Soko 3 run (run failed)

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Rushing - Iowa City High: Bryce Frantz 31-186, Jared Taylor 11-63, Rajay Rodney 2-31, Erick Fletcher 4-13, Nick Moioffer 1-6. Muscatine:

Alphonso Soko 35-240, Drew Greenhaw 2-20, Luke Wichers 3-10, Brandon Kovach 4-7.

Passing - Iowa City High: Jared Taylor 7-19-1-156. Muscatine:

Luke Wichers 7-14-1-84.

Receiving - Iowa City High: Jason Jones 4-89, Will Noack 1-34, Erick Fletcher 1-20, Nick Moioffer 1-13. Muscatine:

Isiah Smith 2-43, David Summers 2-21, Drew Greenhaw 2-18, Alphonso Soko 1-2.

l Comments: douglas.miles@thegazette.com