Cedar Rapids Kennedy hands Bettendorf first loss: ‘This is Kennedy football, and this train isn’t gonna stop for nobody’

CEDAR RAPIDS — After an 0-2 start, they’re back on the rails, picking up steam.

And, according to Trevor Scott ...

“This is Kennedy football, and this train isn’t gonna stop for nobody.”

Class 5A seventh-ranked Cedar Rapids Kennedy spotted No. 3 Bettendorf the first touchdown, then dominated from there for its fourth consecutive victory, 34-14, Friday night at Kingston Stadium.

“I’m very happy,” Kennedy Coach Brian White said. “Bettendorf is a very good, physical football team. They’re back.

“But we made a lot of plays. Our running backs were dynamite. Our offensive line was dynamite. Our quarterback was dynamite.

“Our defense gave up some stuff, but we made some corrections and played a lot better in the second half.”

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Photos: Cedar Rapids Kennedy vs. Bettendorf football

Jacob Doyle ran for 150 yards on 16 carries and scored a touchdown. Scott added 105 yards on 12 totes and three TDs.

Vincenzo Gianforte completed his first nine passes, finishing 11 of 14 for 150 yards.

Yeah, dynamite, dynamite, dynamite.

The key stretch was the first 5 minutes of the second half.

Leading 14-7, Kennedy (4-2) forced a three-and-out on the Bulldogs’ first possession after intermission, but a 62-yard punt pinned the Cougars at their own 8-yard line.

Doyle ran for 12 yards. Doyle got loose for 65. Then Scott finished it off with a 15-yard touchdown run.

“That was huge,” Scott said. “That was the moment we just pounded them into the dirt.”

On Bettendorf’s next drive, Cyrus Courtney picked off a pass and returned it all the way to the Bulldogs 3.

“I saw the quarterback scramble, and he was eyeing my guy,” Courtney said. “I cut under it.

“Textbook, I guess.”

Scott scored again two plays later on a 3-yard run to make it 27-7, and that was the dagger.

Kennedy opened the season with losses to West Des Moines Dowling and Pleasant Valley, and has answered with four consecutive decisive victories.

“I really want to say this,” White said. “What the (Iowa High School Athletic Association) did, taking the ‘haves,’ lumping them together ... it’s great for high school football.

“Yeah, we’re playing the toughest schedule we’ve ever played, but it’s going to make us better.”

Bettendorf (5-1) struck first, on an 11-yard run by Gavin Barta. But the Cougars answered immediately on Gianforte’s 47-yard TD pass to Pierce McCrary.

The Bulldogs drove to the Kennedy 38, then were denied on fourth-and-1. The Cougars marched 62 yards in 10 plays, with Doyle’s 2-yard run putting them in front for good.

Gianforte’s only mistake gave Bettendorf the ball at the Kennedy 37 with less than a minute left in the second quarter, but the Cougars held three straight times at the 3, and a missed field goal kept it 14-7 at halftime.

Kennedy enjoyed a 409-234 advantage in offense, including 218-93 in the second half.

The Cougars host Dubuque Hempstead next Thursday; Bettendorf welcomes Davenport Central next Friday.

Cedar Rapids Kennedy 34, Bettendorf 14

At Kingston Stadium

TEAM STATISTICS

First downs: Bett 16, CRK 19

Rushes-yards: Bett 43-188, CRK 35-259

Passing yards: Bett 46, CRK 150

Passing: Bett 5-18-1, CRK 11-14-1

Total yards: Bett 234, CRK 409

Fumbles-lost: Bett 1-0, CRK 1-0

Punts-average: Bett 4-45.0, CRK 2-26.0

Penalties-yards: Bett 4-20, CRK 4-40

SCORING SUMMARY

Bettendorf 7 0 0 7 — 14

C.R. Kennedy 7 7 13 7 — 34

BETT — Gavin Barta 11 run (Caden Buhr kick)

CRK — Pierce McCrary 47 pass from Vincenzo Gianforte (Dylan Augustine kick)

CRK — Jacob Doyle 2 run (Augustine kick)

CRK — Trevor Scott 15 run (Augustine kick)

CRK — Scott 3 run (kick failed)

BETT — Charlie Zimmerman 5 run (Buhr kick)

CRK — Scott 24 run (Augustine kick)

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Rushing

Bettendorf — Charlie Zimmerman 18-74, Gavin Barta 9-74, Jacob Whipple 14-45, Amari Washington 1-0, Koen Fleming 1-(minus 5). Kennedy — Jacob Doyle 16-150, Trevor Scott 12-105, Calvin White 1-11, Anthony Franklin 1-9, Brayden Alber 1-1, Vincenzo Gianforte 2-(minus 13), Team 2-(minus 4).

Passing

Bettendorf — Zimmerman 5-16-1-46, Team 0-2-0-0. Kennedy — Gianforte 11-14-1-150.

Receiving

Bettendorf — Hayden Morrison 2-28, Washington 1-13, Jake Schulz 2-5. Kennedy — Cyrus Courtney 7-87, Pierce McCrary 2-55, White 1-8, Franklin 1-0.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com