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Tigers Take Rails Off Track, Roll 62-0 In Regular Season Finale

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Action during the third quarter of the Lincoln vs Valley football game, as the fog started to roll in.

Many coaches will tell you stats don’t matter, but they know wins and player development are part of the job. But when a running back is just short of a 1,000 yards for the season, there is a little incentive to break that milestone.

Senior running back Drew Gray was 100 yards shy of hitting 1,000 yards heading into this evening’s game against Lincoln. Gray needed only two series to break that threshold, scoring on the Tigers’ first two drives, en route to a 62-0 win at Valley Stadium Friday night.

Gray capped a 6-play, 72 yard drive, with a 6-yard touchdown run, and would add a 4 yard score on the next drive. Gray would finish the night with 12 carries for 147 yards. Freshmen Javon Mason continued to turn heads with a 5 carry 38 yard night, with 29 of them coming on one play.

In the second quarter, Mr. Versatility, Blake Salsbury, would add a running and receiving touchdown to push the Tigers’ lead to 28-0. In a night featuring two underclassmen quarterbacks, the elder Rocky Lombardi (10-13, 242 yards) shined brighter, tossing three straight touchdown passes, two to Dominique Dafney (6 rec, 160 yards) and one to Salsbury as Valley took a 49-0 lead into halftime.

Lincoln was able to move the ball in the second half, but freshmen Will McElvain’s (20-38, 3 interceptions, 207 yards) pass was intercepted by the Tigers’ Turner Scott, and he weaves 80 yards for a pick-six. The Tigers ended the scoring with a 3-yard touchdown run by Jake Griffiths. Valley finished with 555 total yards, 302 on the ground. Darius Shumpert carried the ball 23 times for 80 yards and hauled in 8 receptions for 93 yards. Logan Garrels, fresh from a record performance versus Hoover last week, made 8 catches for 90 yards.

Lincoln finishes the season at 3-6, as Valley completes the season 8-1 and District 1 champions. Valley will learn of their 1st round opponent early Saturday morning.

Central Iowa Sports Network will provide audio only coverage of the Valley Tigers’ beginning Wednesday night, starting a 6:50 pm on CentralIowaSportsNetwork.com. Paul Yeager, Dar Danielsen, and Keith Borness, and Jim Kirby will have the call.

 

 

Week 2: CenturyLink Game of the Week: Iowa City West @ WDM Valley

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Last week, one team got a last-minute win…the other team was outplayed. On Friday, one team looks to shrug off a slow start, and one team looks to even up their record with some home cooking.

Your Century Link Game of the Week this Friday returns to Valley Stadium as Iowa City West (1-0) faces West Des Moines Valley (0-1) in another big Class 4A east vs. west non-district showdown.

Valley opened the season at Waukee. Though both teams mirrored each other statistically, two Tigers interceptions and mustering two field goals proved to be Valley’s undoing, falling to the Warriors, 28-6. In his first start at quarterback, Rocky Lombardi completed 13 of 24 pass attempts for 154 yards and was picked off once. Returning starting running back Drew Gray shouldered the rushing game load for 16 carries for 117 yards, and wide receiver Dominique Dafney hauled in 8 catches for 86 yards, even after an awkward landing after a catch on his neck.

The Trojans of Iowa City West, on the other hand, were on their way to losing their home opener to Cedar Rapids Kennedy. With 1:59 left in regulation, West quarterback Aaron Bleil’s 4th-and-15 pass to Gabe Huniker for a 33-yard touchdown gave the Trojans a 12-9 win over the Cougars. Bleil was 15-31 for 201 yards and had a rushing touchdown in the Trojans first score of the night. Oliver Martin caught 7 receptions for 106 yards to spark the West offense, as the rushing game sputtered.

Who: Iowa City West (1-0) at West Des Moines Valley (0-1)

Where: Valley Stadium, West Des Moines

When: Friday, September 5th, 7:30pm kickoff

The Facts: Iowa City West escaped with a 12-9 win over Cedar Rapids Kennedy, after a 4th down touchdown pass from Aaron Bleil to Gabe Huniker. Valley fell to Waukee, 28-6, only mustering two field goals and having two passes intercepted by Waukee’s defense.

Things to watch:

  • Will West mix up their defense to confuse Valley QB Rocky Lombardi?
  • Can the Trojans play all 4 quarters?
  • Will Valley’s sophomores step up and make a difference?
  • Will the injuries hamper the Tigers?

Valley – Project Starting Lineups

Offensive starters – QB Rocky Lombardi, RB Drew Gray and Austin Koch, WR Dominique Dafney and Austin Hronich, TE John Gliniecki, T Cody Genzen and Sam Rogers, G John Rairdon and Zachary Matt, C Brady Smith

Defensive starters – NG Trey Walsh, DT Dan McCoy, Caleb Herrick, and JC Yates, RE Austin Turner, CB Matt Vertin and Noah Barr, LB Zach Downs and Ben Campos, S Gabe Honnold and Keller Prien

Special Teams – P Zach Downs, K Cole Hahn

Iowa City West – Projected Lineups

Offensive starters – QB Aaron Bleil, FB Mason Koch, TB, Kevin Dowell, WR Oliver Martin and Tyler Eads, TE Conner Greene, T Alex Kleinow and Carter Parker, G Blake Moser and Logan Stevens, C Mitch Boxwell

Defensive starters – DL Kevin Dowell, Blake Moser, Mitch Yoerger, and Chase Blatz, LB Conner Greene, Mason Koch, and Xavier Koch, C Tyler Eads and Gabe Huinker, SS John Milani, FS Oliver Martin

We will have a live blog of the game (Twitter hashtag #CISNliveblog). Check in to see any story lines develop and stats as they become available, and we’ll keep you updated on other happenings as the night progresses.

Paul Yeager, Keith Borness, and Jim Kirby will have the call of the game. Follow us on Twitter @CISportsNet

Our Audio Game of the Week, presented by Scheels, will be Des Moines Roosevelt (1-0) @ Ankeny Centennial (1-0), with Dar Danielson doing the play-by-play on CISN.  As an added bonus, our partners at High School Cube will have the live online stream of  #2 Waukee (1-0) at Southeast Polk (0-1).

 

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