Iowa high school football rewind: For East Buchanan, a 3-hour wait was worth the reward

They were going to play, and they were going to finish, no matter what.

“(North Linn Coach Jared) Collum and I decided that were going to get this in, regardless,” East Buchanan football coach Jerry Alden said.

“They were a 15-minute drive away, and they didn’t want to come back if we could get it in. The officials were willing to stay, and we were going to get it finished.”

Early in a scoreless game at Winthrop, lightning and rain interrupted play for three hours. Play resumed at 11:05 p.m., and at 12:54 a.m., it was over.

Behind 232 rushing yards and five touchdowns from Tanner Thurn, East Buchanan rolled, 41-14, further muddling the Class A District 4 race.

It was a major departure from the previous week, when the Buccaneers (3-2 overall, 3-1 A-4) were routed at Starmont, 46-0.

“We put our mental and physical game together for the first time this season,” Alden said. “The first quarter (Friday), we had the ball three plays. We gave up an early score, but the big difference this week is that we answered.”

After spotting North Linn (4-1, 3-1) the first touchdown, the Buccaneers scored the next 41 points against a Lynx defense that had allowed one touchdown in its first four games.

When play was suspended, the assumption was a stoppage of a half-hour.

“We went to the bus barn, where we always go at halftime,” Alden said. “We were keeping in contact with other schools that were waiting it out.

“But that red dot (on the radar) didn’t move off Winthrop for a long time. A half-hour led to two hours, which led to three.

“The kids didn’t have their phones with them, but they found ways to entertain themselves. It was loud, that’s all I know.”

And when it came time again to play, they were ready.

Four of Thurn’s touchdowns came on the ground. The other, he blocked a punt, scooped it up and scored.

With three weeks left, five teams — East Buchanan, North Linn, Starmont, Maquoketa Valley and Bellevue — are knotted at 3-1 in the district.

East Buchanan has the advantage now, because its final three games are against non-contenders North Cedar, Clayton Ridge and Postville.

The other four co-leaders have at least one game against one another.

The game at Winthrop was one of several, mostly along the Highway 20 corridor, that were affected by weather.

Among them:

* Marion waited out a 2 1/2-hour delay and cruised at Waterloo East, 45-16. The Wolves (4-1 overall, 1-0 4A-2) raced to a 31-0 halftime lead, accumulated 485 yards of offense and forced three turnovers, setting up a home opportunity against No. 1 Western Dubuque next week.

* At Manchester, West Delaware built a 28-0 halftime lead on Maquoketa before all parties agreed to end it because of the conditions. Brent Yonkovic contributed scores on the first three drives and Sawyer Krogmann added a defensive touchdown.

* After a 2 1/2-hour mid-game delay, Jesup scored a first-half safety and finished off an 8-0 victory over West Marshall.

* Central City’s home game with Calamus-Wheatland never got started. The Wildcats will host the Warriors on Monday.

Zero offensive plays, yet 27 points

With seven minutes elapsed in its Class 3A District 5 opener, Williamsburg hadn’t run an offensive play.

And the Raiders led, 27-0.

“Never seen anything like it,” Coach Curt Ritchie said.

Rayce Heitman scored four touchdowns — punt returns of 52 and 44 yards, interceptions of 20 and 25 yards — to ignite the Raiders early.

“Our defense stepped on the field and got a big three-and-out,” Heitman said. “Then I got the punt return.”

On the interceptions:

“They like to go to their tight end on third downs. I trusted my read and was able to go make a play,” he said.

Heitman later scored on a 7-yard reception, and the 3A top-ranked Raiders (5-0) rolled, 61-6. They scored touchdowns on five of their 25 offensive plays.

Williamsburg is one of only three remaining area unbeatens. Iowa City Regina won at Cascade, 49-14; Lisbon picked up a road victory over Pekin, 17-7.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com