Iowa City High dominates second half for 26-13 win at Linn-Mar

MARION - There's just something about this Iowa City High football team. A Hunger, you might say.

And a Jones. And a Foster.

Bryce Hunger, Zach Jones and Davonte Foster helped guide the Little Hawks to a 26-13 season-opening win Friday night at Linn-Mar, spoiling Paul James' debut as head coach of the Lions. Foster rushed for two touchdowns in his first varsity start at running back, Hunger threw for 222 yards and a TD in his first varsity start at quarterback, and Jones did all kinds of wonderful things in a two-TD performance.

He's a wide receiver and wasn't making his first varsity start. The senior wide receiver caught a touchdown pass and ran a punt return back, a TD that broke a 13-13 tie early in the third quarter.

City High dominated the second half of a game plagued by turnovers and penalties from both sides. Senior quarterback Trot Carey, a receiver last season, had a touchdown run and pass, finishing with 177 yards through the air for Linn-Mar.

Jones ran up to snag a line-drive punt at his own 35 after Linn-Mar's offensive possession to begin the second half went nowhere, breaking free for a 65-yard score. On City High's first second-half possession, he caught three balls for 46 yards, including a 28-yard touchdown on a post pattern.

He finished with 10 catches for 124 yards, continually beating single and eventually double coverage. Foster had a pair of first-half touchdown rushes to give City High a 13-0 lead early in the second quarter: the first from 26 yards out, the second from 4 yards.

Keep in mind, he had three rushes for 22 yards all of last season.

Linn-Mar came back to tie it at the break, 13-13. Carey, a receiver last season, scrambled for a 48-yard TD, then hit Aaron Nibaur with a 21-yard scoring pass with 1:03 left until halftime.

One team has a new coach and the other a mostly a new team, so you expected mistakes. You sure got them here, with four combined turnovers and 25 combined penalties.

A Nibaur fumble on Linn-Mar's first possession was recovered by City High's Cole Milder and returned to the Lions 21. After a false-start penalty and incomplete pass, Foster was able to beat a Linn-Mar blitz with his first scoring run.

Miles Morrow hit the extra point for a 7-0 Little Hawks edge 2:58 in.

A pass interference on Linn-Mar followed by a 41-yard pass play from Hunger to Keyshawn Christian set up Foster's second TD. Christian was able to catch a pass off a deflection by Linn-Mar defensive back Tyler Hungate, who appeared to have a sure interception.

The extra-point try was blocked.

The athleticism of Carey showed through on his touchdown run. Facing immediate pressure, he stepped up in the pocket, broken into open field and eventually down the sideline for his touchdown with 4:52 remaining in the half.

Foster was stripped in the open field and fumbled inside the Linn-Mar 35 on City High's ensuing possession, negating what had been a 20-plus-yard run. After an exchange of punts, Nibaur atoned for his early fumble by adjusting to a Carey bomb thrown to the outside for 41 yards, then bobbling but catching his touchdown on a post pattern.

The extra-point kick failed.

Linn-Mar had 213 first-half yards to City High's 212. The Lions were penalized nine times for 80 yards to City High's eight for 59

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