Iowa high school football scores: All the Week 1 area updates

Friday night football is back. Week 1 of the Iowa high school football season is here.

Find scores, stats and more from Gazette area games below. And here’s how the ranked teams fared.

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5A No. 8 Cedar Rapids Kennedy 27, Iowa City West 20

At the end, Jeron Senters was an eye guy. And an instinct guy.

“We were going against a young quarterback, and he didn’t look anybody off,” Senters said. “I just jumped on what I saw.”

Senters’ interception with 1:58 left sealed Cedar Rapids Kennedy’s 27-20 win over Iowa City West on Friday at Trojan Field.

Jazan Williams ran for 179 yards and two touchdowns, the second of which (a 2-yarder) gave Kennedy (1-0) the lead for good with 2:47 to go.

» Read the full story from The Gazette’s Jeff Linder

4A No. 4 Cedar Rapids Washington 79, Cedar Rapids Jefferson 0

Very few, if any, of the previous football games between these longtime Metro rivals have been more one sided than this 79-0 Warriors victory. Honestly it was kind of expected considering Wash’s No. 4 ranking in Class 4A and Jeff’s lack of players.

The J-Hawks dressed just 21 guys for this game, a lack of numbers for a variety of reasons that initially threatened the varsity season. You’ve got to give those hardy 21 a plethora of credit, despite the outcome.

“Who wants to be in that situation?” said Washington Coach Mo Blue. “Their kids played their butts off. But they’ve got 21. I don’t know what the hell is going on over there, but the problem is much bigger than them (the coaches).”

What was learned about Washington in this blowout? It was kind of hard to tell, though it seems the Warriors, who dropped down from the largest class in Iowa this season because of dwindling school enrollment, have the potential to be pretty darned good.

» Read the full story from The Gazette’s Jeff Johnson

4A No. 6 Cedar Rapids Xavier 28, Western Dubuque 14

Two big drives late and one big victory.

Cedar Rapids Xavier produced two drives that lasted a total of 20 plays for 160 yards for two fourth-quarter scores and a 28-14 win over Western Dubuque in the season opener Friday night at Saints Field.

“We challenged them to do their job and execute,” Xavier Coach Duane Schulte said. “I’m very proud of the way our offensive line, our tight ends and fullback Christian Stanek helped pave the way for some of those holes.”

Alex Neal scored on a 1-yard QB sneak with 8:57 to go for a 21-14 lead.

» Read the full story from The Gazette’s K.J. Pilcher

1A No. 4 Iowa City Regina 16, 2A No. 7 Williamsburg 14

Iowa City Regina relied on its game plan to run the ball straight to victory on Friday night in its home opener against Williamsburg.

In a matchup of Class 1A No. 4 Iowa City Regina and Class 2A No. 7 Williamsburg, the Regals rode their ground game to a 16-14 victory.

“Williamsburg ran some stuff we didn’t see in the first half, so we made some adjustments defensively,” Iowa City Regina head coach Jason Dumont said. “But it’s just next play, that’s our motto here, things are going to go wrong, especially first game of the year and you’ve just got to move on.”

The Raiders had no answer for the Regals’ ground game backed by junior Daniel Levi, who rushed for 116 yards and one touchdown in the first half of play. Levi finished the game with 190 yards on 20 attempts, averaging 4.75 yards per carry.

» Read the full story from The Gazette’s Leah Vann

5A No. 7 Cedar Rapids Prairie 27, 5A No. 4 Pleasant Valley 21

Prairie senior Caden Striegel had himself a night to remember.

Striegel had the game-sealing interception with 38 seconds left in the fourth quarter as the Hawks defeated Pleasant Valley, 27-21, on Friday at John Wall Field.

It was a tough start for Prairie before the game even kicked off. The Hawks had multiple starters out because of their conduct detrimental to the team and breaking team rules, Coach Mark Bliss confirmed.

Junior running back Makelle Taylor had three touchdowns and 118 total rushing yards. His three touchdowns all came in the second quarter.

» Read the full story from Gazette correspondent Mahlon Steepleton

Iowa City High 41, Iowa City Liberty 0

Welcome to Iowa City High, Coach Moore.

The Mitch Moore era at City High (1-0) got off to an explosive and victorious start Friday night at Iowa City Liberty.

The Little Hawks dominated all four quarters en route to a 41-0 victory over the Lightning at Iowa City Liberty (0-1). With the win, the Little Hawks reclaim the Battle for Zeus title and Clash for the Titans trophy.

“To me, this is about as big of a community win as I’ve ever been a part of,” Moore said. “To come and really set the tone for the season felt pretty good.”

» Read the full story from Gazette correspondent Ryan Pleggenkuhle

Clear Creek Amana 36, Marion 35

Matt Haddy might have chosen a more relaxing way to make his Clear Creek Amana coaching debut.

He wouldn’t have chosen a better finish.

The Clippers erased a 12-point fourth-quarter deficit to nip the big-play Marion Wolves, 36-35, Friday night at Thomas Park.

“Our kids kept believing,” Haddy said. “I know it’s a cliché at times, but our kids stayed with it.”

» Read the full story from Gazette correspondent Culley Kline

Linn-Mar 63, Muscatine 14

Tim Lovell just stood back and took it in.

After watching his Linn-Mar football team deliver a 63-14 defeat to visiting Muscatine on Friday night at Linn-Mar Stadium, Lovell watched as his players celebrated with their fellow students in the middle of the field.

“This was just great for the kids, the students and the community,” Lovell said. “For me to come back here and get to celebrate in front of all the kids was great. It felt good and it was good to see this for the kids because it has been a long time since they have had a chance to celebrate like this.

“(The win) validates everything we did in the offseason from the weight room to the accountability to the discipline. We've been preaching buy-in and team first.”

It also was Lovell's first win as the Lions' head coach. He returned to Linn-Mar this season, where he had served as an assistant before becoming the head coach at Marion in 2016.

» Read the full story from Gazette correspondent Mike Condon

3A No. 3 West Delaware 41, Dubuque Wahlert 7

Kyle Cole rushed for 209 yards and passed for 167 more as the Hawks opened with a win in Dubuque.

Cole rushed 18 times, scoring on runs of 18 and 84 yards. He completed 10 of 17 passes, including a 41-yard TD pass to Conner Funk.

Wyatt Voelker rushed for 74 yards and two TDs, scoring on runs of 21 and 3 yards. Funk added a 7-yard TD run as the Hawks piled up 515 yards of offense.

– Bill Logan, correspondent

West Branch 12, A No. 4 Lisbon 6

Andy Henson rushed for 103 yards and a touchdown to help lead West Branch to an opening night road victory.

The junior running back scored from 3 yards out with no time remaining in the first half to put the Bears up 6-0. West Branch's defense held the Lions to just 6 first-half yards.

After halftime, it was back and forth until Cash Woody intercepted a Lisbon pass and returned it 33 yards for a score with only four seconds left in the third quarter.

The defensive showcase continued before Lisbon’s Cohen Kamaus hit Matthias Clark on short out route. Clark did the rest, romping 59 yards for the score with 3:57 left, making the score 12-6.

Henson iced the clock with two first down rushes, and the Bears pulled off the road upset of the fourth-ranked Class A Lions.

– Jason Miller, correspondent

3A No. 5 Independence 50, Maquoketa 7

Marcus Beatty rushed for 249 yards and scored four touchdowns as the Mustangs won at home.

Beatty, who rushed 31 times and averaged 8 yards per carry, scored on runs of 6, 2, 11 and 44 yards.

Mitchell Johnson completed 9 of 17 passes for 157 yards with TD passes to Sawyer Wendling (32 yards) and Keegan Schmitt (38). Brady McDonald caught four passes for 69 yards.

4A No. 8 Cedar Rapids Kennedy 27, Iowa City West 20

Jazan Williams scored the go-ahead touchdown, a 2-yarder, with 2:47 left, then Jeron Senters clinched it with an interception as Class 5A eighth-ranked Cedar Rapids Kennedy outlasted Iowa City West.

Williams finished with 179 yards, 127 in the second half.

The Cougars (1-0) held West (0-1) to 182 yards of total offense.

Dominic Mann started the scoring with a 22-yard interception return for touchdown for the Cougars. West rallied for a 14-7 lead, and it was 14-14 at halftime

– Jeff Linder, The Gazette

3A No. 9 Mount Vernon 47, Anamosa 18

Owen Brase rushed for 113 yards and two touchdowns and passed for 105 and another score as the Mustangs won on the road.

Brase completed 9 of 15 passes. Henry Ryan added 84 yards on eight rushes.

Grahm Humpal competed 15 of 27 passes for 164 yards and two TDs for host Raiders.

– Daryl Schepanski

Monticello 42, 1A No. 10 Cascade 27

Sophomore quarterback Preston Ries and senior receiver Caleb Sauser connected for 219 yards and three touchdowns as the Panthers won at home.

Ries also rushed for 213 yards and two scores.

Jack Menster rushed 29 times for 180 yards and three TDs for Cascade.

Monticello led 20-14 at the half.

– Pete Temple, correspondent

Live scoreboard

Scores from every Gazette area game will be updated here as we get them.