David Fason takes over in Cedar Rapids Prairie’s win over Jefferson

CEDAR RAPIDS — A good tight end can be a valuable security blanket.

In Cedar Rapids Prairie’s homecoming prep football game, David Fason exemplified that notion by completely smothering Cedar Rapids Jefferson on both sides of the ball.

“Today, the plan was just come out, have fun, play ball, play like there is no tomorrow,” Fason said after Prairie routed the J-Hawks, 56-7, Friday night at John Wall Field. “Our playoffs started this week for us, so we just came out and executed.”

The win snapped a three-game losing skid for Prairie (3-4) and kept its Class 5A playoff hopes alive.

“It gives us a chance,” second-year Prairie Coach Kyle Knock said. “I think we need to win out. We go to Bettendorf next week, which will be a challenge in itself. This gives us a little confidence, a little boost of energy and hopefully we can keep this thing rolling.”

Prairie got rolling early with two touchdowns in the first six-plus minutes of the game. After Prairie tailback Brandon Brune scored with a short touchdown run, Nile Fall recovered a Jefferson fumble in the end zone on the J-Hawks’ first offensive play.

From that point on, Fason took over the game. His touchdown receptions of 10 and 25 yards pushed the Prairie advantage to 28-0 less than two minutes into the second quarter.

On defense, the 6-foot-1, 235-pound defensive end registered a strip sack fumble, two fumble recoveries and a tackle for loss – all before halftime – as Prairie took a 49-7 lead into the locker room.

“All week, my coaches were just saying, ‘Let the dog loose and play like there is no tomorrow,” Fason said. “I am just trying to make it to the next level. That is what it takes.”

In the third quarter, Fason took a short toss from Prairie reserve quarterback Cael Kongshaug and outran the Jefferson defense for his third receiving touchdown of the game and team-best ninth this season.

The multisport standout has not decided whether he will pursue football or baseball in college, but he has taken football recruiting visits to both South Dakota and NAIA-level Grand View this fall.

“He’s probably a better kid than he is a football player,” Knock said. “He is a great one to be around. He brings an attitude and an energy every day. He’s talented enough to make plays on defense and then showed a little speed there at the end on offense.

“I didn’t know he had that in him. He’s an outstanding football player and we need him to be his best for us to be our best.”

Prairie senior quarterback Wyatt Eash threw for 105 yards and two touchdowns – both to Fason – in limited action, while Grand View offer Denzil Green corralled six receptions for 65 yards and scored on a spectacular 80-yard double reverse.

“(Quinton) Alexander, he just pitched it up to me,” Green said. “Gave me the chance. I got around the corner, just saw green grass. Wyatt Eash leading up, got me a block, just went to the crib.”

Jefferson (4-3) has lost three games in a row since a 4-0 start to its season.

Cedar Rapids Prairie 56, Cedar Rapids Jefferson 7

AT JOHN WALL FIELD

CRJ CRP

First Downs 8 13

Rushes-yards 23-98 24-247

Comp-Att-Int 8-19-1 12-16-0

Passing yards 95 185

Total yards 193 432

Punts-avg. 2-29.5 1-32.0

Fumbles-lost 5-3 0-0

Penalties-yards 0-0 3-25

Cedar Rapids Jefferson 0 7 0 0—7

Cedar Rapids Prairie 21 28 7 0—56

CRP – Brandon Brune 3 run (Junior Boxa kick)

CRP – Nile Fall fumble recovery in end zone (Junior Boxa kick)

CRP – David Fason 10 pass from Wyatt Eash (Junior Boxa kick)

CRP – David Fason 25 pass from Wyatt Eash (Junior Boxa kick)

CRJ – Ishara Kalolero 55 run (Bertin Gisubizo kick)

CRP – Denzil Green 80 run (Junior Boxa kick)

CRP – Quinton Alexander 22 run (Junior Boxa kick)

CRP – BJay Bush Jr. 2 run (Junior Boxa kick)

CRP – David Fason 48 pass from Cael Kongshaug (Junior Boxa kick)

Individual Statistics

RUSHING – Cedar Rapids Jefferson: Vernon Benda 4-(-5), Ishara Kalolero 14-92, Jermaine Robinson 2-5, Anthony Snodey III 1-6, Dawins Charles 2-0; Cedar Rapids Prairie: BJay Bush Jr. 7-59, Wyatt Eash 2-26, Quinton Alexander 4-36, Max Patterson 1-11, Brandon Brune 6-33, Denzil Green 1-80, Dane Mai 3-2.

PASSING – Cedar Rapids Jefferson: Vernon Benda 8-19-1-95; Cedar Rapids Prairie: Wyatt Eash 10-13-0-105, Cael Kongshaug 2-3-0-80.

RECEIVING – Cedar Rapids Jefferson: Osten Robertson 1-26, LJ Nyenow 1-5, Lucas Ranard 1-3, Ishara Kalolero 1-10, Dayten Guy 4-51; Cedar Rapids Prairie: Denzil Green 6-65, Drew Bennis 1-7, David Fason 4-81, BJay Bush Jr. 1-32.