City High offense comes alive in second half for win over Prairie

CEDAR RAPIDS – Iowa City High coach Dan Sabers didn't have any answer and Cedar Rapids Prairie was one answer short.

The Little Hawks turned a scoreless defensive struggle through the first 32:23 into an offensive track meet for the remainder of the game.

City High won its fourth straight game, scoring all its points in the last 15:37, and defeated Prairie, 28-21, Friday night in Class 4A District 6 action at John Wall Field.

Sabers and the Little Hawks will have to check the game video for how they seemed to click for scores on four straight drives.

'We didn't sit there and say ‘we see this,' ' Sabers said. 'We talked about a few things at halftime, but nothing that was glaring.

'I just think we got somethings going. We got a catch from Jason (Jones) to get in the end zone and I think that got us going a little bit.”

The Little Hawks (4-2, 2-0) received a boost on a third-down conversion on its second possession after halftime. Jones made a juggling catch on quarterback Jared Taylor's pass, advancing to the Prairie 38 and didn't look back.

Taylor hit Jones again on third down for a 7-yard TD pass. Jones stretched out for a diving grab on a ball thrown behind him. They run that play in practice and it all depends on the cornerback's coverage.

'I have trust in my quarterback to put it in a good spot,” said Jones, who finished with 67 receiving yards and two touchdowns. 'If I can get, I'll get it for him.”

Taylor fueled the offensive explosion, completing 10 straight passes and going 10 of 13 in the second half. He had 184 yards passing and three scores.

His second TD pass was a 68-yarder to Will Noack, who broke free down the right sideline to give City High a 14-7 lead less than three minutes after the game's first points.

He connected with Jones again on third down for an 11-yd TD for a 21-7 edge at the start of the fourth. Sabers said Taylor played a good game, taking over for an injured Nate Wieland.

'Just like any quarterback, when you hit a few then you get it rolling,” Sabers said. 'I think he did that, but again he was solid.”

Bryce Frantz led City High with 130 rushing yards, including a 31-yard TD run that secured the win.

'He's a good North-South runner,” Sabers said. 'He sticks a foot in the ground, cut to get North and South, and that's what he does for us.”

The Hawks didn't fold, despite the absence of big-play threat Jalen Rima, who suffered a knee injury in the first half and did not return.

After the game, Rima was on crutches. He said he sprained a ligament and said that he hopes to be back in two to three weeks.

'The thing about us is a percentage of our game plan revolves around Jalen, so when he went down it really threw out about a third of our playbook,” Prairie Coach Mark Bliss said. 'We limited ourselves.”

Hunter Johnson stepped in to make big plays for the Hawks. He got the Hawks on the board with a 16-yard TD run, capping a seven-play, 63-yard drive to tie it, 7-7, with 58 seconds left in the third.

Johnson added a 77-yard reception that set up a 5-yard score, cutting City High's lead to 21-14. Prairie quarterback Tyler Nunemaker hit Johnson for a 31-yard TD to end the scoring.

Johnson led Prairie with 163 total yards, including 115 receiving. Nunemaker finished with 165 passing yards.

'He is a warrior (and) has been since the first day I stepped on campus,” Bliss said of Johnson. 'I just love that kid. He's sort of the glue that keeps our kids going (and) is a great leader. He is a leader by example and is vocal when he needs to be.

'The kids seem to respond to him. I'm very proud of his efforts.”

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