High school football rewind: New head coach, same winning ways for Edgewood-Colesburg

CEDAR RAPIDS - In a big football game, you want to start out fast. Especially a big road football game.

That’s exactly what Edgewood-Colesburg did Friday night, scoring 30 points in the first quarter en route to a 58-28 win at Easton Valley. The Vikings came into the game ranked sixth by The Gazette in Eight-Player and Easton Valley seventh.

“We got up two scores, and I don’t think it was ever closer than two scores the rest of the way,” said Ed-Co Coach Alex Hanna.

Sophomore quarterback Jax Steger scored a touchdown and two-point conversion for Ed-Co on the opening possession of the game. Easton Valley returned the ensuing kickoff for a TD but failed to convert its two-point attempt.

Ed-Co went right back downfield and scored again, got a defensive stop, and that was that pretty much. The Vikings led after the first quarter, 30-12.

“Our kids are very good at doing what we tell them to do,” Hanna said. “They accept coaching. And they are tough, hard-nosed kids. Easy to coach.”

Hanna is in his first season as head coach after being a defensive coordinator for James Rochford the previous 16 years. His familiarity with the kids (he’s also activities coordinator at the school) has made for a seamless transition.

Ed-Co (6-0) has scored at least 46 points in each of its games and its closest win was 46-29 back in Week 2 against Springville. The school has qualified for the 8-Player playoffs the previous seven years and is closing in on eight in a row.

It will be heavily favored in its final two games against Calamus-Wheatland and Elkader Central. Ed-Co advanced to the state playoff quarterfinals last season before losing to Algona Garrigan, 51-36.

“Staying healthy is key in 8-man. No one is really deep,” Hanna said. “With the numbers, that’s just how it is. But absolutely if we’re healthy, this team can go as far as it executes. We’ve got weaknesses just like every other team does, but I like our skill-position guys a lot. I think we’re as good as anybody under center, I think we’re as good as anybody on the edges anywhere in (Eight-Man) football. We absolutely have to execute, stay prepared and stay hungry.”

Steger has been the offensive catalyst for Ed-Co, accounting for over 1,700 rushing and passing yards and 27 touchdowns. He is more of a passer than last year’s prolific QB Pryce Rochford.

Senior Carson Ingles has added 11 rushing touchdowns for the Vikings. Seniors Christopher Lange and Carter Battin, and sophomore Jaden Miller have combined for 16 receiving TDs.

“Jax was a starter for us last year on defense, played linebacker as a freshman,” Hanna said. “A lot of people didn’t notice it because he’s not a real flashy kid per se. But he’s the hardest worker on the team, a great leader, incredibly athletic. Even though he’s a sophomore, he’s a captain, runs our offense, does what we need him to do. An excellent young man.”

Eighth-ranked Dyersville Beckman rolls

Dyersville Beckman got 306 yards rushing in knocking off Dubuque County rival Cascade, 48-13, Friday night at Cascade. Beckman is ranked No. 8 in Class 1A by The Gazette.

Jude Kramer ran for 154 yards and a touchdown on just 14 carries for the Blazers (5-1, 3-0). Mack Wolfe added 91 yards and two TDs.

Beckman had a 17-7 lead at halftime and broke the game open with 21 points in the third quarter.

“This was definitely our Super Bowl,” Kramer told the Dubuque Telegraph-Herald. “We were considered the underdogs. The Cougars have been such a good team, but we just kicked them hard and started early.”

Cascade is 4-2, 2-1 in District 5.

“Every phase of our game had to be a little bit better tonight,” Beckman Coach Cole Mather told the T-H. “Our defensive coaches put together a tremendous game plan, and so did our special teams coach. Every phase matters, especially in a game like this.”

Tough schedule benefiting Williamsburg

No one in the state has had a more difficult schedule this season than Williamsburg.

The Raiders lost three times in non-district play: to Class 4A No. 1 Cedar Rapids Xavier, to 3A No. 2 Solon and 2A No. 2 Prairie City-Monroe. Williamsburg began play in Class 3A, District 5 last week against ranked and undefeated Des Moines Christian and won.

Same story, different verse Friday night, as the Raiders beat fifth-ranked Nevada, 26-18. All of a sudden, Williamsburg has a district championship under its own control.

Williamsburg plays Winterset (3-3 overall), Knoxville and Saydel (both 1-5) in its final three games. It’s called survival under first-year head coach Austin Blythe.

“We knew coming in we were going to have a tough schedule,” senior Dylan Weisskopf told the Hometown Current.

He had a 75-yard interception return for touchdown Friday night.

“With a new coach, new plays and getting into a flow with a bunch of younger guys, getting those four games out of the way against good competition set us up for success,” Weisskopf said.

CCA handles Marion

Clear Creek Amana scored a pair of touchdowns in the fourth quarter to pull away from a tight game and beat Marion, 35-13, Friday night at Tiffin.

Sophomore quarterback Texton Bollers threw for 112 yards and a touchdown for CCA (3-3, 1-1 in Class 4A, District 4), which snapped a four-game losing streak. Ian Kelley, Noah Collis and Conlan Poynton each had TD runs.

Marion is 1-5, 0-2.

Comments: (319)-398-8258, jeff.johnson@thegazette.com