Jack Wallace’s record night (and some serious defense) lifts Iowa City West past Cedar Rapids Jefferson, 48-6

IOWA CITY — You knew Iowa City West could score, and score a lot.

On this night, the Trojans proved they could stop an opponent. Or at least slow it down.

“Our defense stepped up tonight,” quarterback Jack Wallace said after West smashed Cedar Rapids Jefferson, 48-6, in a Class 5A football battle Friday night at Trojan Field.

“They’ve been called to step up. They got in the quarterback’s face and forced some interceptions. This was a full team effort.”

Wallace broke the West single-game record with six touchdown passes, completing 11 of 14 throws for 271 yards (and one interception).

Four previous players had thrown five TDs.

“Just wanted to get the ball to our best playmakers,” Wallace said. JuJu (Julian Manson) stepped up big-time.

“Get the ball to the playmakers and let them cook.”

They cooked, all right. Most of West’s passing yards were yards after catch.

But let’s revisit that defense, which had allowed 36.4 points through the first five games.

Friday, the Trojans (3-3) surrendered just 157 yards and blanked the J-Hawks (4-2) for the final 46 minutes.

“It’s a long season, and it’s a process,” West Coach Garrett Hartwig said. “Part of it is us as coaches putting players where they are comfortable.”

West recovered quickly after spotting Jefferson the game’s first score.

The Trojans fumbled the opening kickoff, the J-Hawks recovered and scored on their fifth play, a 3-yard touchdown run by Ishara Kalolero.

The remainder of the half was all West, and it was 34-6 by intermission.

Wallace hooked up with Mason Woods (44 yards) for the tying score, then with Manson (76 yards) to put the Trojans ahead for good.

Then it was an 18-yard TD to Woods, 29 to Manson and 32 to Ethan Headings.

Wallace was 9-of-11 (with one INT) for 229 yards by intermission, and the Trojans went to the locker room with 331 total yards.

“Jefferson is a good team,” Hartwig said. “One of my mottos is that it’s hard to win in 5A football, and it doesn’t matter who you’re playing. I give a lot of credit to (Jefferson Coach Ed Miles) for the culture they’re continuing to build.”

Wallace’s record-breaking TD pass was a 30-yarder to Henry Elser early in the second half.

Both teams turned it over three times.

West faces Cedar Rapids Washington next week at Kingston Stadium; Jefferson is at Cedar Rapids Prairie.

Iowa City West 48, Cedar Rapids Jefferson 6

At Trojan Field

TEAM STATISTICS

First downs: CRJ 11, ICW 18

Rushes-yards: CRJ 27-60, ICW 27-133

Passing yards: CRJ 97, ICW 286

Passing: CRJ 13-30-2, ICW 13-18-2

Total yards: CRJ 157, ICW 419

Fumbles-lost: CRJ 1-1, ICW 1-1

Punts-average: CRJ 2-26.0, ICW 1-35.0

Penalties-yards: CRJ 8-70, ICW 6-61

SCORING SUMMARY

C.R. Jefferson 6 0 0 0 — 6

Iowa City West 13 21 14 0 — 48

CRJ — Ishara Kalolero 3 run (kick failed)

ICW — Mason Woods 44 pass from Jack Wallace (run failed)

ICW — Julian Manson 76 pass from Wallace (Adam Salem kick)

ICW — Woods 18 pass from Wallace (Salem kick)

ICW — Manson 29 pass from Wallace (Salem kick)

ICW — Ethan Headings 32 pass from Wallace (Salem kick)

ICW — Henry Elser 30 pass from Wallace (Salem kick)

ICW — Butali Butali 1 run (Salem kick)

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Rushing

Jefferson — Ishara Kalolero 15-49, Uweza Kalolero 4-14, Vernon Benda 5-14, Dawins Charles 1-0, Team 2-(minus 17). West — Campbell Janis 10-65, Butali Butali 7-36, Jack Wallace 5-30, Nazareth Shaw 2-3, Neil James 2-0, Team 1-(minus 1).

Passing

Jefferson — Benda 13-30-2-97. West — Wallace 11-14-1-271, James 2-4-1-15.

Receiving

Jefferson — L.J. Nyenow Jr. 5-42, Osten Robertson 3-25, Dayten Guy 3-17, Lucas Ranard 1-15, I. Kalolero 1-(minus 2). West — Julian Manson 3-114, Mason Woods 3-71, Henry Elser 2-34, Ethan Headings 1-32, Nick Caylor 1-12, Janis 1-12, Chase Ropp 1-9, Ethan Truman 1-3.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com