Bad memory motivates West

IOWA CITY - A forgettable performance has provided a motivational memory for the Iowa City West football team.

The lackluster loss to crosstown rival Iowa City High on Sept. 9 has ignited the ninth-ranked Trojans, who notched their third straight decisive win Friday night with a 49-19 victory over Cedar Rapids Xavier at Trojan Field.

West (5-0, 5-1) suffered a 42-24 whipping to the Little Hawks in the "Battle for the Boot," giving up 362 rushing yards to Ronald Thompson, who set a City High single-game record. The Trojans are determined not to repeat that experience. West Coach Brian Sauser said that game has turned around the season.

“"We talk about the feeling at halftime of that game," Sauser said. "That was embarrassing. That was humiliating. Every time we think about being tired you think about that feeling back at City High where people were leaving one of our games at halftime.”

It has become a rally cry for West, which fueled a 30-point homecoming win against a solid Saints squad. The Trojans tallied 413 total yards and never trailed.

“We always tell ourselves before the game we will never have the same feeling we had the City High game,” West senior Anthony Brown said. “We try to come out and use that as our motivator. It worked out (Friday night)."

The Trojans have been on fire since that only setback of the season. They have scored 162 points the last three weeks, outscoring those opponents by an average score of 54-14. West's offense continues to be explosive, led by quarterback Charles Rogers, who orally committed to play at Iowa State next year. He has amassed 807 total yards, including 596 passing. He has seven touchdown passes and ran for six more during that stretch.

“We spent a lot more time understanding and reading coverages in practice," Sauser said, "which has got us checking almost every play at the line of scrimmage during games,”

The defense has been just as effective. They have used their fast and athletic talent to amp up the pressure against opposing offenses - a product of that City High loss.

“Our kids understand the type of pressure we're bringing, the coverage and responsibilities behind it," said Sauser, noting they overload a sides and gaps. The way we're doing that it's going to be tough for anybody to get a chance to throw."

West is tied atop the MVC Valley with top-ranked Cedar Falls (6-0, 5-0 MVC Valley), and face Cedar Rapids Kennedy (3-3) Thursday at Kingston Stadium.