A rare win, and a night of celebration for Anamosa

Homecoming is still down the road at Anamosa High School.

But why wait to dance?

The Raiders snapped a 19-game losing streak Friday night with a 21-18 victory over Jones County archrival Monticello. And when they returned from their short trip home on Highway 151, a large welcoming committee awaited.

"I told the students at our pep assembly earlier in the day that after we beat the Panthers, they were all invited to join us back in our gym to do the Hokey Pokey," said second-year coach Derek Roberts.

"I'll be (darned) if there weren't 300 or 400 people there when we got back."

Forgive the jubilation; this is a program starved for success. Anamosa's previous win was a 39-20 decision over Vinton-Shellsburg on Oct. 17, 2008, and the Raiders had won just four games in the previous six seasons before breaking through Friday.

"It's an indescribable feeling for this team, this school and this community," Roberts said. "It felt like we'd won the Super Bowl."

Nik Schulte passed for 220 yards and two touchdowns. Anamosa (1-0) scored an early safety and built a 21-6 lead before Monticello (0-1) made it interesting late.

"The safety gave us a lot of confidence. The momentum was a steady thing. We kept marching," Roberts said. "Everybody was feeling like it was our time."

When Roberts shifted to double duty -- he's also the school's athletics director -- he said the first step was changing the football program's mentality. It appears to be happening.

"We needed to learn to work before we could compete, then we needed to learn to compete before we could see success," he said. "A win like this makes all the days in the weight room worthwhile."

Anamosa hosts Tipton next week.

Countdown to showdown

The place to be next week? That would be Iowa City Regina.

Two defending state champions collide Friday when Regina hosts Solon.

The Regals ended Solon's 42-game winning streak last season, 21-15, at Solon. Regina went on to grab the Class 2A championship and finish 14-0. The Spartans regrouped, won 12 straight games and snagged the 3A title after winning three straight 2A crowns from 2007 through 2009.

Both teams are ranked second in their respective classes.

Solon (1-0) had to rally to get past DeWitt Central, 28-21, Friday. J.J. Hanus scrambled 48 yards for the go-ahead touchdown with 58 seconds remaining. The Spartans trailed, 21-14, midway through the fourth quarter.

Regina (1-0) had no such suspense in a 48-0 win over BGM at Brooklyn.

Upset near-misses

Solon wasn't the only area heavyweight to escape on opening night. The overall area theme for Week 1 was that of giant upsets that almost happened, but didn't.

* Class 1A third-ranked West Branch needed a touchdown and two-point conversion in the final minute to edge West Liberty, 21-20, at home.

Brandon Young hit Bo Bower for a 36-yard touchdown pass with 35 seconds left, then Cade Jones tacked on the two-point run.

A 13-yard scramble by Young on fourth-and-9 from the West Branch 21 kept the winning drive alive.

* Mount Vernon gave Marion all it could have possibly wanted -- and much more than expected -- before the Indians slithered away, 14-10, at Mount Vernon.

The Mustangs were winless last season, but broke to a 10-0 lead before the Indians rallied. Marion led 14-10 at halftime, and that's how it ended.

"We made too many mistakes, fumbles, penalties, lack of execution," said Marion Coach Tony Perkins. "Those are the things that great football teams don't do."