Regals rout the Rebels 69-0 in first round of Class 1A football playoffs

IOWA CITY — A 58-yard touchdown was wiped out by an illegal shift penalty in the first quarter.

That was about the extent of what didn’t go Iowa City Regina’s way Friday night.

In a Class 1A first-round home playoff game, the third-ranked Iowa City Regina (9-0) needed just 11 offensive plays to rack up 49 first-half points on their way to a 69-0 rout of Northeast (3-6).

“Our guys were playing at another level tonight,” Regina Coach Dustin Elsbury said. “They understood that nothing’s guaranteed now. We’ve got to earn another week of football. They were focused, locked in and excited to play meaningful football again.”

Regina set the tone early, intercepting a pass on Northeast’s opening drive at the Rebels’ 36-yard line.

Three plays later, Savion Miller powered in for a 2-yard touchdown.

“My line was amazing today and they helped me see holes,” Miller said. “Once that happens, all I’ve got to do is make a couple cuts, and I usually can do something good with it. I really love them for that.”

On the first play of Regina’s next drive, Gabriel Hegelheimer broke loose for a 51-yard score.

At the 4:53 mark of the first quarter, the illegal shift penalty negated a 58-yard touchdown pass from Kyle Tracy to Drew Greve.

It hardly mattered. Miller sprinted 63 yards for another score on the next play.

“Our guys up front are improving every week,” Elsbury said. “My brother Tyler (Elsbury) coaches them hard. He challenges them, because he knows how special this group can be. And there's always room for improvement. But I think it's starting to click for group of five, six, seven guys that are playing up front.

“Then when you've got a running back like Savion that can follow his blocks and make a couple guys miss, that's when you have a dangerous night and can light up the scoreboard.”

Aaron Honore’s interception on the next Northeast drive gave Regina the ball at the Rebel’s 43. Moments later, Tracy connected with Greve for a 43-yard touchdown — redemption for the earlier penalty.

“We just have so many athletes that we can spread the ball to,” Elsbury said. “It's hard to double-team just one guy and stop our offense, which I think is what makes this group so special.”

Miller completed a first-quarter hat trick with a 27-yard TD run, putting the continuous clock rule into effect with 2:08 left in the opening period.

“He’s just an unbelievable person,” Elsbury said of Miller. “Right after school today, he was in the weight room getting a game-day lift in. That’s just the type of person he is. He’s a leader, one of our captains. The guys gravitate toward him not only because he’s a good football player, but he does the right things off the field.”

The Regals scored five touchdowns on just seven offensive plays in the first quarter.

“I think our guys were really focused during the week,” Elsbury said. “My coaches put together just a great game plan and put our guys in a great position to make plays.”

Early in the second, Regina capitalized on another short field after the defense forced a turnover on downs at the Northeast 21. Two plays later, Tracy ran it in from five yards out.

The Regina defense dominated, forcing six turnovers — five interceptions and one fumble recovery.

“What stood out to me is our guys' effort,” Elsbury said. “On defense, just running to the football, making their quarterback get the ball out of his hands fast. Even if we had some missed tackles here and there, we had one, two or three more guys running to the football, to have their back.”

Miller added a 14-yard touchdown on a pitch from Tracy just before halftime.

Carter Slager hauled in a 59-yard touchdown from Tracy in the third, and Paul Weiner added TD runs of 3 and 51 yards to close out the scoring.

Regina advances to the Class 1A round of 16 and will host a second-round playoff game next Friday.

“Since I've been at Regina, as an assistant and head coach, this is one of the most close-knit groups I've been a part of,” Elsbury said. “They're just such a close group, and that pays off. That's what builds that culture on the field.”

Iowa City Regina 69, Northeast 0

At Iowa City Regina High School

NE — ICR

Northeast 0 0 0 0 — 0

Iowa City Regina 35 14 14 6 — 69

ICR — Savion Miller 2 run (Gabriel Hegelheimer kick)

ICR — Gabriel Hegelheimer 51 run (Gabriel Hegelheimer kick)

ICR — Savion Miller 63 run (Gabriel Hegelheimer kick)

ICR — Drew Greve 43 pass from Kyle Tracy (Gabriel Hegelheimer kick)

ICR — Savion Miller 27 run (Gabriel Hegelheimer kick)

ICR — Kyle Tracy 5 run (Gabriel Hegelheimer kick)

ICR — Savion Miller 14 pass from Kyle Tracy (Gabriel Hegelheimer kick)

ICR — Carter Slager 59 pass from Kyle Tracy (Jackson Kopecky)

ICR — Paul Weiner 3 run (Jackson Kopecky kick)

ICR — Paul Weiner 51 run (PAT no good)

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING — Northeast: Maxzen Eskildsen 9-28, Jade Melk 10-49, Gavin Burken 4-18, Team 4-(minus 23). Iowa City Regina: Savion Miller 4-108, Kyle Tracy 1-5, Gabriel Hegelheimer 1-51, Aaron Honore 1-49, Zachary Poe 1-11, Paul Weiner 5-69, Team 1-(minus 8).

PASSING — Northeast: Maxzen Eskildsen 19-35-108-5. Iowa City Regina: Kyle Tracy 5-5-145-0, Zachary Pe 1-1-5-0.

RECEIVING — Northeast: Jade Mielk 8-50, Cael Kluever 4-29, Brody Dellit 4-21, Sam Ugarph 3-8. Iowa City Regina: Tate Wallace 2-29, Drew Greve 1-43, Savion Miller 1-14, Carter Slager 1-59, Holt Hinkel 1-5.