Wildcats too much for Pirates

ALBURNETT - The first game of the year was no snap for Alburnett.

A slick field, a few gusts of wind and top-ranked Maquoketa Valley stormed into town, providing the Pirates all they could handle last night. Ultimately, the Wildcats proved too tough for the Pirates, winning 28-14, in prep football.

'Our team confidence is high,” said senior Kolton Rose. 'We played as a unit.”

Then, there was the long snap.

On the first four Pirate punts, the balled sailed through the hands Rose. The scene of several Wildcat defenders bearing down rattled Rose a little, but he managed to get the ball away.

'It was very tough holding on to the ball,” Rose said. 'It's tough when you can't hold on to the ball and you have to look at three guys coming at you that weight 250 pounds.”

The Pirates held stout against Wildcat Ryan Parmely, holding the senior to 132 yards on 29 carries with one touchdown. Parmely finished third in the state last season with 2,544 yards and 24 touchdowns.

'It could have been the conditions, but our guys played well,” said Pirate Coach Chris Evers. 'We just made too many mistakes early.”

Down 7-0, the Pirates drove into Wildcat territory. Senior Dillon Caves scrambled 19 yards to the Maquoketa Valley 40-yard line. But the Pirates lost the ball on the next play, and the Wildcats Trevor Koopman scooped it up and wan 55-yards to put the Wildcats up 14-0.

A Maquoketa Valley fumble late in the first half gave the Pirates new life. Caves hit Jordan Stewart for a 31-yard completion, setting up first-and-goal for the Pirates. Caves connected with Connor Shulista three playes later for the Pirates first score.

The Wildcat running game stole the majority of the second half clock, securing the win.

'We didn't capitalize on the open things we needed to,” Evers said. 'The whole idea is to get better, and we will get better.”