Whoa Baby: State Champs again

Dowling Catholic 38, City High 31. (image by Paul Yeager)

“Whoa Baby.”

That’s the way my broadcast parter Dave Marcoulier described Friday’s Class 4A football final that saw West Des Moines Dowling Catholic lay claim to their 3rd State Football title. It was the 10th time in the finals for DCHS. Prior to 2000, the Maroons were 0-7. Now they’ve won the last three championship games they’ve played in.

The “Whoa Baby” came after the 4th and goal pass from the line of scrimmage at the 19 was intercepted by Eric Lee. At that moment the City High players, who had outgained the Maroons until the last frame, and up until the third play of OT, left the field in defeat. Their 27 game win streak was snapped, but they played in one whale of game. (live blog review)

City High was very successful in running the ball in the first half. They were also able to run it very well for most of the second half as well, racking up 238 yards on 49 carries.

Justin Hayworth/The Register Dowling quarterback Connor Bravard runs away from Iowa City City High's Ryan Kroeze in the first quarter during the Class 4A Championship football game at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls Friday night. (Justin Hayworth/The Des Moines Register)

Dowling came close to that by the end of the game, but it just didn’t feel that the Maroons gained 208 yards on 38 carries. It was the passing game that put Dowling in the championship round of the 4A playoffs and it was the passing game that coach Tom Wilson called on several times for key catches in the 4th quarter with Connor Bravard throwing for 269 yards passing on 25 attempts and 18 completions. Bravard would have 20 carries for 153 yards or 422 total yards (Passing + Rushing). The Maroons would win the total yardage game 477-400.

The big target for the Maroons was their go-to receiver, Amara Darboh. His 6 catches for 94 yards came mostly in the 4th quarter in clutch situations. Darboh was get open just enough to warrant a throw. We’ll get to Darboh’s other big play later in this story.

Justin Hayworth/The Register Dowling's Ben Boesen jumps over Iowa City City High's Andrew McNulty and into the end zone for a second quarter touchdown during the Class 4A Championship football game at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls Friday night. (Justin Hayworth/The Des Moines Register)

Ben Boesen was the earlier target for Bravard, as Boesen, the senior TE caught 2 touchdowns in the first half, both well-executed plays. Boesen finished the game with 75 yards, 2 TDs over 5 catches.

But the real big catch was made by Andrew Pick in the overtime frame. Bravard rolled to his right and round Pick on a simple out route. It was his only catch of the game, but those 9 yards set the table for Dalton Parrott to put his head down and get his 3rd touchdown of the game. I was pulling for Pick to get his first TD of the season, but he’ll have to settle for knowing his catch set up the win.

The play call to Pick seemed to be stolen from City High’s play sheet as Andrew McNulty found fullback Adam Prybil 2 times for 32 yards. Not big in yards, but big in situations. Prybil also ran the ball 6 times for 22 yards and a score in the 3rd quarter that gave the Little Hawks a 21-13 lead with 8:06 remaining.

City High’s biggest weapon was Cedric Readus. The senior running back finished with 171 yards rushing yards and a TD catch. The receiving grab put the Little Hawks up at half 14-13. Readus gained 76 yards on a right haymaker to DCHS. The Maroons has just tied the game behind a 7 yard TD run by Parrott that was set up by huge runs by Bravard of 16, 9, 6 and two passes of 15 and 18. Dowling seemed to have the swagger back, but then Readus ran wild to the south endzone making the score 28-21 City High.

The Maroons went 3 and out and followed up with a 14 yard punt by Bravard. The Maroons bit their own lip on the drive.

But then the defense held City High on a short field and three plays from ten before Drew Cornwell kicked a 27 yard field goal to give the Dan Sabers bunch their biggest lead of the game with :33 left in the 3rd Quarter.

Dowling’s defense was on the field twice as long in the first half, but made ground up by putting the City High D on the UNI-Dome turf for most of the 3rd quarter. That to me and Mr. Marcoulier would be a telling tale.

Crowded House at the UNI-Dome. The visiting team was getting nervous.

The Maroons were driving on the first series of the 4th quarter behind All-State quarterback Connor Bravard. But a fumble at the 10:39 seemed to have many Maroon and White faithful grabbing for air.

The defense forced City High to punt after 3 plays.

Then Bravard found Darboh for passes of 21 and 15 yards. Bravard run of 11, Parrott for 16 and maroons were again marching to the goal line. When Parrott scored at the 6:03 mark the score was 31-28.

The biggest series of the season saw City High move the football 14 yards and the drive appeared to have stalled out. City High was facing a 4th and 8 from their own 49. With some confusion on 4th down, City took a time out. McNulty rolled to the right on a fake punt looking for Connor Alberhasky. Incomplete. Dowling takes over on downs 49 yards short of the endzone with 2:30 to play. If you punt the football, the Maroons are likely having to drive, at the best case scenario, 80 yards with 3 timeouts and under three minutes to play.

Bravard again put the team on his shoulders all the way to the City High 5. On 3rd and 3, Bravard is tackled for a one yard loss on the right hash. Out comes Mac Chapman with a hard angle field goal attempt from 23 yards out. The line drive somehow sneaks inside the left goal post and we’re tied at 31 at the end of regulation.

Justin Hayworth/The Register Dowling Dalton Parrott slips past Iowa City City High's Jeremy Johnson to score a touchdown in overtime during the Class 4A Championship football game at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls Friday night. (Justin Hayworth/The Des Moines Register)

The Maroons had seen overtime before, against Valley when the Maroons rallied in the 4th quarter to push the extra time. But City High won the toss, sent their defense out first, which had been on the field for 21 plays. Pick would get that catch and Parrott the TD set up City High’s chance.

Jason McMurray would take a shot on a play and would be forced from the game. The Maroons call time out, put in Amara Darboh, but with the TO keep #15 in and bring back in McMurray. Darboh lined up at right DE on the 3rd down play and team with Josip Juric for the sack.

Justin Hayworth/The Register Iowa City City High quarterback Andrew McNulty kneels dejected on the turf as Dowling celebrates their 38-31 overtime victory during the Class 4A Championship football game at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls Friday night. (Justin Hayworth/The Des Moines Register)

The season came down to a 4th and goal from the 19 and McNulty’s pass came left and Eric Lee stepped in front for the INT and set the celebration motion.

You could make a case that the close games to SE Polk, Valley and Ankeny in the semi’s may have helped build this team. But conditioning may have helped this squad as well. City High had been in that close of a game but once this entire season.

But maybe the demons hanging over the team from the semi-final loss to Marshalltown in 2009 also were waiting to exhale. This time, the Maroons were on offense late and in control and not as tired.

The defensive night for Matt Eganhouse and McMurry were huge. The two had 7.5 tackles and Tommy Miller had 7 with Mathew Formanek with 6.5 and Ty Flood and Luke LaWarne getting 4.5.

Zach Swehla had 8.5 tackles to lead City High. Todd Turney had 8 and Ryan Kroeze and Amos Lavela had 5 tackles each.

Justin Hayworth/The Register Dowling head coach Tom Wilson accepts the championship trophy as his team starts to celebrate their 38-31 victory over Iowa City City High during the Class 4A Championship football game at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls Friday night. (Justin Hayworth/The Des Moines Register)

The state title was the first for Tom Wilson. His three previous trips ended in defeat. It also was the first for Dowling since the 2000 and 2001 campaigns, neither Wilson, or coaching legend Jim Williams were around for.

One fun view for me was see the Dowling team rush the field, including assistant coach Craig McClain do a somersault to midfield.

Dave let the Whoa Baby fly and we were in business for a happy post game show. Thanks to Brian Morris for chasing down the players and coaches from the tunnel and bring than back into microphone range.

The Maroons set a school record for wins at 14.

They open against Valley on August 19 to start the 2011 campaign. We’ll worry about that later. These 31 seniors went out on a big note.

Here’s a look at the No, Its Iowa blog post of the game. Good video by Jesse Gavin and the hoisting of the trophy.

IowaPrepFanatic.com posted this story including some post game interviews as well from this epic battle.

As always, huge thanks to Romelle Slaughter for all the work on Twitter.com/KWKYSports and the in-game stats and spotting. He truly is the man.

Life lessons before a life event

High school athletics are supposed to be about teaching. Some lessons are easier than others. The one City High football coach Dan Sabers had to give last week to his team was one of those he’d not like to do again.

He had to suspend a player for breaking conduct rules on the eve of a semi-final game.

It wasn’t just any player, it was his top offensive performer. Ronald Thompson was averaging almost 7 yards a carry for the Little Hawks. His 1,350 rushing yards were the team’s best. But Thompson did not make the trip from Iowa City to Cedar Falls last week to play Bettendorf and he won’t suit up against Dowling Catholic in the Class 4A final, either.

City High running back Cedric Readus is pictured with coach Dan Sabers on Thursday. Readus returned to bring his talent back to the team for his senior year. (Press-Citizen / Matthew Holst)

But where one student stumbled, another stepped beyond his troubled past and into the spotlight.

Cedric Readus has battled his share of troubles during his time at City High from being the star of teams, to being off those same teams just a few days later. Readus is close to 1,000 rushing yards in his senior season as a Little Hawk and how he’s got the chance to be part of a back-to-back championship run with his other teammates.

Sabers calls Readus a good kid who has learned how to deal with adversity and now is learning how to deal with success. “It is usually the stumbles that get the attention” and Sabers reminds us we’re dealing with high school kids right now. “This is not the first time a student got in trouble and it won’t be the last,” said Sabers.

The Little Hawks are 13-0, looking to run their way over another opponent. City High is closing in on 4,000 rushing as a team or 7 yards every snap. The 57 rushing touchdowns this season are 84% of their points.

Cedric Reasus runs against Bettendorf. (image from http://www.cityhighathletics.com)

Iowa City advanced to the title game with a 21-7 win over Bettendorf last week.

Quarterback Andrew McNulty has 1,107 yards on the ground and 13 scores to go with his 73 of 137 passing for 1276 yards.

Senior running back Adam Prybil will see the field as will Bobby Millard and sophomore Amos Levala. For Levala, he’ll get some offensive snaps to go along with his full time role on defense where he leads the team with 103 tackles. Coach Sabers calls Levala the strongest on the team, saying he’s quick and tough, especially for his 5-8, 197 pound frame.

The Little Hawk defense is tough as usual. They play a 4-3 base defense, but continue to put in new wrinkles, like new a heavily new defense they threw against Bettendorf. Coach Sabers says they will continue that change-up of strategy Friday against Dowling Catholic.

Zach Swehla is the team’s second leading tackler with 80 from his linebacker position. Thompson was also a defensive player, third best in terms of tackles, before his suspension.

City High's Steve Ferentz. (image from http://www.cityhighathletics.com)

Steve Ferentz will see time on the field Friday night. He’s the third of Coach Kirk’s boys to play at City High. Sabers said Steve is not quite the same build as his brothers Brian and James.

Sabers, a Worthington native who left the dairy farm for teaching and coaching tries to instill some of that hard work ethic to his team. Its worked, so has tradition to help the Little Hawks to their 5th state title, including 27 straight wins. Sabers also is the 7th grade junior high boys track coach, his chance to get to introduce how a little hard work can go a long way.

Former City High coach Larry Brown is still on the football staff at City High and led the team during the titles in the 90′s. He helps keep that consistency in the staff where many of the guys have been together 25 years or more. Sabers is in his 30th year at City High.

City High starting quarterback Andrew McNutt celebrates a 21-7 victory over Bettendorf in the state semifinal game Friday at the UNI-Dome. To see more photos, go to http://www.press-citizen.com. (Press-Citizen / Benjamin Roberts)

Sabers says that staff is trying to figure out how to stop the spread attack of the Maroons. He says there’s good athletes on the field from Connor Bravard, Amarah Darboh, Dalton Parrott. But it may be Eric Lee that certainly has their attention. Sabers says the closest team they’ve faced that’s like West Des Moines Dowling Catholic is Linn-Mar of Marion. A team they beat twice this year.

But where one student stumbled, another stepped beyond his troubled past and into the spotlight.

The Little Hawks average 39.9 points a game, but have yet to score over 50 this season. They’ve scored 40+ in 8 games (5 of their last 6) and the closest game was a 26-24 win over Xavier of Cedar Rapids when their freshman kicker, Drew Cornwell, booted the winning field goal as time expired.

The Maroons are in their 10th title game looking to hoist the trophy for the first time since 2001. This is Coach Wilson’s 4th trip to the title game. The Maroons advance with a 24-21 win over Ankeny in the semi’s last week.

I linked several stories earlier Thursday here. We go on the air at 530 from Cedar Falls and the UNI-Dome. Kickoff is scheduled for 705. We’ll have the coverage on AM1150 KWKY with Dave Marcoulier, Brian Morris and Romelle Slaughter handling the on-line duties at http://www.Twitter.com/KWKYSports. My name is Paul Yeager, we hope you can join us for what should be a great game.

City Hi and Dowling preview later today

STEVE GIBBONS/SPECIAL FOR THE REGISTER Dowling receiver Amara Darboh hauls in a 50-yard pass from quarterback Connor Bravard during Friday's game at Ankeny. (October 1st Game)

I’m working the real IPTV job today, but will have plenty to post tonight on the Dowling Catholic and City High match up.

Our on-air coverage begins Friday at 530p, that’s a different start time, so please be advised. We’ve got some segments that are not the norm, one includes the return of Wahoo Marcoulier.

There’s been a lot of print already this week about various story lines surrounding the game.

Our sideline reporter Brian Morris says he found this state, but so Iowa Prep Fanatic had already posted the story. The story involves the production of QB Connor Bravard.

Here’s the IowaPrepSports.com feature on all the state title games.

The Iowa City Press Citizen posted this story of a comeback kid earlier this week about Cedric Readus and the ups and downs he’s gone through in his high school career.

If you’re looking to review the entire season, here’s the section of the blog to do that.

Tonight’s post will include a conversation I had with City High head coach Dan Sabers. That story is now live here.
And if you’ve got ideas on the top 5 plays of the year, put them in the comments below.