‘Most complete game’ pushes Alburnett to 5-0

For the Alburnett Pirates, the fork in their road this season popped up before the season even started.

'This could have rolled a different direction very easily, but it didn't,” said Coach Ken Kasper. 'The kids weren't going to let that happen.”

In what Kasper termed 'our most complete game yet,” Alburnett moved to 5-0 with a 56-14 victory at Durant on Friday.

'Like I told them in practice this week, I'm not sure these guys realize how good they can be,” Kasper said Saturday morning. 'I think we can play even better than we've been playing. I think there's another level out there for them.”

Kasper was hired as the school's principal and athletics director before the school year. And after Charlie Feller resigned suddenly in early August - just 16 days before the Pirates' season-opener - Kasper added another layer to an already full load.

'Our success has nothing to do with me,” Kasper said. 'It's all about these kids and these assistant coaches. They haven't missed a beat since the first day. Everybody has worked as one.”

'It's fun being along for the ride.”

Ryan Hemphill is the Pirates' offensive coordinator while Jason Martin runs the defense.

Alburnett opened the season with a somewhat-surprising, tone-setting 28-14 victory over Maquoketa Valley.

Friday at Durant, Dillon Caves threw for 286 yards and five touchdowns (three to Jordan Stewart), and ran for another score. Connor Shulista ran for 104 yards on nine carries.

'A lot of really good things happened,” Kasper said. 'We had more than 450 yards of total offense. Our special teams were very good; five of (Joey Philipp's) kickoffs were for touchbacks.”

Mason Grant led the defensive effort with 11 tackles.

Alburnett hosts Wapello next week. And if you don't mind looking ahead, it's possible that the Pirates and West Branch could both be unbeaten for a Week 9 showdown at Alburnett on Oct. 23.

PLENTY TO GO AROUND

The BGM Bears didn't merely share the wealth Friday. They shared a fortune.

Nine different players scored as Class A No. 1 BGM blasted Garwin GMG, 81-0, at Garwin, moving to 5-0.

Eight players scored touchdowns, led by three by Tanner Jansen, who rushed for 101 yards on just five carries.

Colton Massengale ran for a pair of TDs. He ran for 155 yards on 11 attempts.

Three of the Bears' touchdowns came on returns. Kevin Kilmer and Eric Weiss brought back interceptions for touchdowns, and Jayce Knight returned a punt 63 yards for a score. The Bears forced six GMG turnovers.

Knight also caught a touchdown pass, as did Austin Keller.

Ulises Felix and Price Hall both ran for touchdowns, and Andrew Crady converted eight PAT kicks.

BGM has scored more than 60 points in each of its last four games. The Bears host Lynnville-Sully next week.

COMPUTER LIKES C.R.

It may be worth nothing, or maybe something. But according to the most recent B.C. Moore computer rankings, all three Cedar Rapids public schools are ranked in the top 10 in Class 4A.

Washington (4-1) computes at No. 2, behind West Des Moines Valley. Kennedy (5-0) is No. 5, Jefferson (3-2) is No. 10.

The 'Kingston trio” is 12-3, with all three losses to one another. Kennedy defeated Jefferson, 35-7, Friday night.

l Comments: (319) 368-8857; jeff.linder@thegazette.com