Ames tops City  High to  open new rivalry

IOWA CITY - Iowa fans have to hope the Big Hawks do a better job controlling the Big Cyclones' offense than did their Little Hawk brethren last night.

In the first regular-season meeting between Ames and City High on the eve of the Iowa-Iowa State game, the Little Cyclones' offense moved the ball up and down the field at will using a no-huddle offense and an effective short passing game and finished with a 44-20 victory. Ames took home the new trophy designed for this rivalry that will be played in conjunction with the Cy-Hawk game.

'It was nice. It's a fun week,” Ames Coach Bruce Vertanen said. 'We've been playing the same teams for ever and ever. It's nice to come over here and play another team and a great program. I hope we keep this going.

Ames quarterback Michael Frankl had a number of targets and found most of them. He connected on 15 of 22 passes in the first half for 204 yards to five receivers. Ames also rushed for 121 first-half yards en route to a 24-14 halftime lead.

'He had a couple key runs there, a couple key scrambles,” Vertanen said.

Ames didn't need any help, but City provided some late in the second quarter when Coach Dan Sabers gambled on fourth down and three at the Little Hawks' 27-yard line. Nate Wieland rolled out under pressure and his pass was incomplete along the sideline, giving Ames great field position with 1 minute, 24 seconds left in the half.

Ames (2-1) converted the opportunity immediately when Frankl found Sam Rathe wide open over the middle and he ran left and into the end zone.

City (0-3) had cut the Ames margin to 17-14 in the second quarter courtesy of a 70-yard Bryson Runge dash. Runge scored City's first TD on a 75-yard run in the first period. His 70-yarder set up the second TD, which he scored on a 1-yard smash. Runge finished the half with 165 yards.