116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Home / Sports / Iowa High School Sports / Iowa High School Football
Rivalry renewal: Laken Caves’ two second-half TDs send Alburnett past CPU, 14-0
Big stop on fourth-and-inches enables Pirates to claim the first encounter against the Stormin’ Pointers in 30 years

Aug. 29, 2025 11:04 pm
The Gazette offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
CENTER POINT — Which created the biggest buzz? A season-opener? A rivalry renewal?
“I’ve only been here for seven years,” Alburnett Coach Nick Wooldrik said. “But you hear the parents and the uncles to these kids, they played in this rivalry.
“Center Point was a huge rival to us for years and years. This meant a lot to the community.”
So does this: 1-0.
Laken Caves scored a pair of second-half touchdowns, Alburnett’s defense held on a pivotal fourth-quarter fourth-and-inches at the 7-yard line and the Pirates blanked Center Point-Urbana, 14-0, in a non-district football game Friday night at Rogers Field.
It was the first football meeting between the former Tri-Rivers Conference border rivals since 1995.
“Like Wooldrik said, we don’t lose to CPU any more,” Caves said. “If we’re going to start it, we’re going to finish it.
“We have a lot to clean up, but at the end of the day, a win is a win, and you can’t be mad about a win.”
Caves ran for a hard-earned 93 yards on 20 carries, and caught four passes for 56 yards.
His 33-yard TD catch-and-run off a screen pass from Brody Kaestner broke the ice off a scoreless8 draw with 6:24 left in the third quarter.
CPU drove methodically down the field in quest of the equalizing touchdown, and the Stormin’ Pointers faced fourth-and-inches from the Alburnett 7.
The Pirates stopped Riley Haney at the line of scrimmage, though, and went back to work.
“That gave us a lot of momentum,” Caves said.
Alburnett traversed 93 yards in eight plays, five on rushes by Caves. His 6-yard TD run put the Pirates in control, 14-0, with 7:52 left in the game.
CPU got inside the Alburnett 40 on four occasions, but had nothing to show for it.
“That stop (at the 7) was ballgame,” Wooldrik said. “The kids were pumped and fired up.”
Alburnett prevailed despite 10 penalties for 78 yards. Kaestner completed 8 of 12 passes for 111 yards, and the Pirates outgained CPU by a 233-224 margin.
Haney rushed for 72 yards on 17 carries to lead the CPU attack.
Alburnett hosts Mid-Prairie next week. CPU plays at Marion.
Alburnett 14, Center Point-Urbana 0
At Center Point
TEAM STATISTICS
First downs: ALB 14, CPU 13
Rushes-yards: ALB 33-122, CPU 42-175
Passing yards: ALB 111, CPU 49
Passing: ALB 8-12-0, CPU 4-12-1
Total yards: ALB 233, CPU 224
Fumbles-lost: ALB 2-0, CPU 1-0
Punts-average: ALB 3-34.0, CPU 2-33.5
Penalties-yards: ALB 10-78, CPU 6-60
SCORING SUMMARY
Alburnett 0 0 7 7 — 14
Center Point-Urbana 0 0 0 0 — 0
ALB — Laken Caves 33 pass from Brody Kaestner (Reis Moore kick)
ALB — Caves 6 run (Moore kick)
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing
Alburnett — Laken Caves 20-93, Cooper Franklin 4-31, Owen Henriksen 3-22, Brody Kaestner 4-(minus 16), Team 2-(minus 8). CPU — Riley Haney 17-72, Karter Duffy 2-37, A.J. Maloney 6-32, Bo Lawrence 2-20, Will Griswold 3-11, Brennen Merkle 11-3, Evan Ranbarger 1-0.
Passing
Alburnett — Kaestner 8-12-0-111. CPU — Merkle 4-12-1-49.
Receiving
Alburnett — Caves 4-56, Cash Varner 2-61, Liam Carolan 1-15, Henriksen 1-4. CPU — Kinnick Covington 3-49, Maloney 1-0.
Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com