Ed-Co enjoys a breakthrough

Maybe it was hunger pangs. More likely, it was anticipation."I had some pretty bad heartburn in the third quarter," Edgewood-Colesburg football coach James Rochford said. "I didn't eat before the game ... and it had been a long time."A long time since his team had experienced victory.Ed-Co snapped a 25-game losing streak Friday night in convincing fashion, handling North Linn, 39-15, at Troy Mills.The Vikings' previous win was Oct. 1, 2010, against Don Bosco.So when Rochford assembled his team before the postgame handshakes, they probably looked at him with quizzical looks when he told them, "Act like you've been here before."Some of them hadn't."You see some teams running and jumping around and doing snow angels in the grass, and I didn't want any of that," said Rochford, in his fourth season as head coach after serving as an assistant for 11 years. "They were excited, and I wanted them to enjoy the win. But I wanted them to be respectful to (North Linn's) players, coaches and field."The Vikings led 16-7 at halftime before pulling away."Paul Olinger, when we needed some tough yards, he got them. Sawyer Amling ran extremely hard," Rochford said. "When I watched the film, every kid had a great play here or there. I really applaud the kids for coming together and not quitting."Ed-Co nearly halted the streak in Week 2 before dropping a 12-6 decision to MFL MarMac. The Vikings were beaten 48-6 last week by defending Class A state champion Wapsie Valley, but Rochford took some positives out of that game."Sometimes when you're losing, you don't feel like anything you say or do is making a difference, but a felt pretty excited after last week," he said. "Then we had a good week of practice and came ready to play."I told them to enjoy the win, but we've got a season to finish."

JEFFERSON'S MYSTERY MANCedar Rapids Jefferson broke its own double-digit losing streak Friday, thanks to the double duty of quarterback Layne Sullivan.The senior rushed for 159 yards and threw for 167 as the J-Hawks downed Waterloo East, 37-20, at Memorial Stadium in Waterloo.As a result, Jefferson's 10-game skid is dust.Sullivan accounted for two big plays, hooking up with Chaney Floyd on a slant pass that turned into an 86-yard touchdown play. He also got loose for an 83-yard touchdown run."Layne's a mystery to me," Jefferson Coach Brian Webb told the Waterloo Courier after the win. "I get frustrated at his mistakes that we go over on film, then he then turns around and makes big play."For him to really become that complete package -- he's a great athlete and he makes great plays -- but now he's got to be more consistent with some of other reads and things like that. He's just a great athlete. He makes great plays and he's just a competitor, one of the most committed kids we have."

WEEK 6 SHAKEDOWNSAfter a couple weeks in which the area schedule has included few games of major appeal, it's about to get real next week.Six games match teams with unbeaten district records:* Williamsburg (4-1, 3-0) is at Washington (4-1, 2-0) in a game that surely will decide the Class 3A District 7 champion. The Raiders and the Demons are more than one level above their 3A-7 peers.* Union (4-1, 2-0) plays at No. 1 Waukon (5-0, 3-0) in Class 2A District 3. Union suffered a 30-21 upset loss to Cascade on Friday. Waukon has outscored its opponents, 241-19.* Mediapolis (5-0, 2-0) travels to West Liberty (3-2, 2-0) in 2A District 5. The Bulldogs were state runners-up last year.* South Winneshiek (5-0, 3-0) meets North Fayette Valley (5-0, 2-0) at West Union in 1A District 4. South Winneshiek's offense (50.8 ppg) leads 1A; so does NFV's defense (5.0 ppg allowed).* Tipton (3-2, 2-0) is at North Cedar (5-0, 3-0) in 1A District 5. Knights have posted a dramatic turnaround after last year's 0-9 mess, one which included a 77-18 loss to the Tigers.* Easton Valley (3-1, 3-0) is at Springville (6-0, 4-0) in 8-Man District 4. The Orioles have been a wrecking crew, averaging 66.7 points per game and allowing 7.0.