Prairie tops Jefferson, 17-14

CEDAR RAPIDS - One team produced just enough for a win.

The other did too many things that kept them from being in that position.

In the end, Cedar Rapids Prairie recorded its first win of the season and bragging rights in the West side of Cedar Rapids, beating Cedar Rapids Jefferson, 17-14, Friday night in a non-district prep football game at Kingston Stadium. The Hawks haven't lost to the J-Hawks since 2000.

The demeanor of both coaches told the story. Prairie Coach Mike Morrissey smiled and seemed relieved to come out on top after the game.

'The effort is what we preach to our kids,” Prairie Coach Mike Morrissey said. 'It's a total effort philosophy that we buy into and we had that tonight.”

Jefferson Coach Brian Webb was direct with his frustration about the J-Hawks letting the opportunity for victory slip past them due to costly mistakes, including 10 penalties for 80 yards.

'There's nothing to sugarcoat,” Webb said. 'We had too many penalties. We couldn't block.

'We had spurts and moments when we were good,” Webb added.

The Hawks received a big boost from running back Keagan Pinter. He rushed for 148 yards, including a 78-yard touchdown on the second play of the third quarter, powering Prairie to the victory.

Pinter began making an impact last season, seeing more action toward the end. Morrissey knew he had a talented runner.

'He is such a big playmaker for us,” Morrissey said. 'We try to find different ways to get him the ball in space to make sure he gets as much as possible.”

Pinter showed the ability run hard in traffic and the burst to hit the edge, showing it by outrunning defenders on the long score that broke a 7-7 tie at half.

'He is so shifty and his hips are smooth when he runs,” Morrissey said. 'He's elusive. His body bends different ways, allowing him to slip out of tackles, adjust and make a cut.”

Pinter put Prairie in position for a go-ahead score and the Hawks took advantage of good field position to take the lead for good. After getting the ball on the Jefferson 45, the Hawks reached the Jefferson 6. Sam Drysdale connected on a 23-yard field goal for the decisive score.

'We had opportunities to make plays here and there, but really tonight was about two football teams giving a total effort with everything they have to represent their schools, coaches and teammates,” Morrissey said. 'It was a fun game to be a part of.”

The J-Hawks have been susceptible to big plays and Prairie burned them with one to open the scoring. Junior wide receiver Jalen Rima got behind the Jefferson defense and Trey Beckman connected on a 65-yard touchdown pass for a 7-0 lead with 2:39 left in the first.

Beckman threw for 172 yards, hitting Rima five times for 108 yards. Morrissey said he thought they could take advantage of aggressive J-Hawk safeties for long plays. It worked once.

'When you draw things up, everything has the potential to be a big play,” Morrissey said. 'We thought we could get over the top on them in the secondary.”

Prairie's defense pressured Jefferson quarterback Furrow consistently, preventing him from getting set. The Hawks tallied seven sacks. Half of them came from Jomaryon Simpson, who even ended a J-Hawk drive on 4th-and-goal from the 29 with a sack. Jefferson, which was missing starting lineman Dalton Kuehl to injury, had a hard time matching Simpson.

'He's tremendous,” Morrisey said. 'As an athlete, it's rare that you get a kid like that who weighs 250 that can bend, run and do the things he can do.”

Morrissey praised the defense, which also snagged two interceptions, including a ball that deflected off a Jefferson receiver with about two minutes left that sealed the win. The Hawks game plan was to disrupt timing and mixing up tactics at the line of scrimmage. It was necessary to disrupt Furrow's timing.

'We were slanting, going outside and widening,” Simpson said. 'We were just giving them different looks.

'Once he gets settled he can find guys, just like the two touchdowns he threw,” Simpson added. 'We had to get pressure on him.”

Despite the sacks, Furrow displayed the ability to avoid the rush. It helped him get the J-Hawks on the board, tying the game at 7-7 early in the second.

Furrow stepped up in the pocket on 3rd-and-15 and threaded a pass on the left hash between two Prairie defenders. Bryce Lund crossed behind, catching the ball and dashing for an 85-yard touchdown.

'He's probably one of the best high school scrambling quarterbacks I've ever been with,” Webb said. 'He scrambles so well (and) finds receivers so well.”

Furrow, a highly touted transfer from Indiana, found a favorable target in Lund and hit him for a 40-yard touchdown late in the third, tying the game at 14-14. Furrow showed a skill of eluding the rush at times, stepping up in the pocket and throwing on the run to hit a wide open Lund.

Furrow finished with 250 yards passing with 144 and both scores to Lund. Tavian Rashed led Jefferson with 61 yards rushing.

'Lund made some great plays,” Webb said. 'Jesse is back there making plays, stepping up in the pocket and making fantastic throws,” Webb said. 'I don't know what more you can say about that kid and the competitor he is.”

The J-Hawks were stung by some familiar miscues. They had two rushing touchdowns called back on penalties, including one that would have been the go-ahead score with six minutes left in the fourth. Prairie's defense added to Jefferson's woes, blocking the following 26-yard field goal attempt, which would have tied it at 17 apiece.

Webb said the little things make a difference, noting the slim margin that affected the result.

'The kids want to know why I ride them hard when they come down the hill at 3:33 for practice instead of 3:30,” Webb said. 'It's the little things in life. It's the half yard. It's showing up on time. It's turning in your homework on time. It's everything in every facet of your life. You've got to do it correct and the right way. You don't cut corners and you've got to have disciplined. Tonight exemplified why you have to have discipline. We didn't have it.”

Jefferson (0-2) travels to face Davenport North next Friday. Prairie (1-1) plays at Dubuque Senior in Week 3. The Hawks will look to maintain the success.

'It's a big momentum boost for us,” Simpson said. 'Next week we have a tough Dubuque Senior team. This builds momentum for them.”

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