City High grinds out a 24-19 victory over Muscatine

IOWA CITY — With rain expected, Iowa City High and Muscatine engaged in a ground-and-pound affair last night that City High won, 24-19, in the first round of the Class 4A playoffs.

City High running back Xavier Washpun was the workhorse, carrying the ball 40 times for 273 yards and three touchdowns. He carried the ball eight times for 82 yards on the opening drive, capping it with a 23-yard TD run for a 7-0 lead.

Muscatine (5-5) responded with a 65-yard touchdown drive, quarterback Matt Weiskamp scoring from 1 yard out. After a missed extra point, it was 7-6.

After forcing the Little Hawks to turn the ball over on downs on their own 42-yard line, the Muskies drove in for the go-ahead score on a 2-yard run by Davonte Ellis for a 13-7 lead.

Washpun answered with a 1-yard TD run to complete a 76-yard drive on the next possession. The workhorse rushed 22 times for 156 yards and two touchdowns in the first half alone, his second score giving the Little Hawks the lead again at 14-13.

'We were all slipping around a little out there, but the line kept opening great holes for me tonight and we all just kept turning our feet,' Washpun said.City High (8-2) capped the first half scoring when senior kicker Drew Cornwell booted a 45-yard field goal right before halftime for a 17-13 lead and padding his state kick scoring record that he'd tied last week.

The Little Hawks drove the ball 64 yards on their second drive of the second half with Washpun scoring from 9 yards out for a 24-13 lead.

'I'm glad he's (Washpun) on our team,' City High Coach Dan Sabers said. 'If you have a back like him, it fixes a lot of your ailments.'The game got sloppy in the second half as each team turned the ball over twice.