Dominant first half propels Regina to quarterfinals

IOWA CITY - How well did the first half go for Iowa City Regina?

The Regals spent only three plays and 22 seconds on their side of the field in the first 21 minutes.

Jake Brinkman ran for three first-quarter touchdowns and led Regina to a 57-13 blowout over Panorama Monday night in a Class 1A playoff game at Regina Stadium.

The Regals (10-1) racked up 437 yards and scored points on their first eight possessions in arguably their most impressive offensive half of the season.

'We're striving on them playing their best football,” Regina Coach Marv Cook said. 'If it's 20 snaps or 60 snaps or 80 snaps, it doesn't matter.

'Every practice is the same way. We're grinding hard and coaching hard. The kids respond to it.”

Regina advances to a quarterfinal round game Friday in pursuit of a record fifth straight state championship.

Quarterback Drew Cook completed 7 of 10 passes for 210 yards and a touchdown - a 93-yard strike to Nathan Stenger. Cook left the game late in the second quarter with the Regals ahead 44-0.

The rushing attack accounted for most of Regina's scoring.

Brinkman rushed for 86 yards on 11 carries. None were harder earned than his second 4-yard TD.

A pair of Panorama defenders wrapped up Brinkman at the line of scrimmage. Brinkman continued to drive his legs, even as another tackler or two grabbed on.

Brinkman, somehow, carried the group into the end zone.

'I didn't want to go down,” Brinkman said. 'I was kind of tired out there, and I just wanted to get in and get a little break. I wanted to do whatever I needed to do to get into the end zone.”

Panorama (7-4) managed only 54 yards in the first half. The Regals forced three turnovers.

'We played a really sound game,” said linebacker Justin Hunter, who intercepted a pass in the first quarter. 'Everyone was doing their job well and it showed.”