Darboh returns, same result: Maroons win 43-3 against Ames

BILL NEIBERGALL/THE REGISTER After scoring Dowling Catholic's first touchdown on a pass reception against Ames, #15 Amara Darboh, right, celebrated with #67 T. J . Palme, left, and #76 Mark Kenkel, center, in Class 4A first round playoff football game played at East High School Williams Stadium on Wednesday night Oct. 26, 2011.

West Des Moines Dowling Catholic started slow but finished fast against Ames in an opening round win in the 2011 Iowa High School football playoffs. The Maroons improved to 8-2 with a 43-3 victory to Ames’ season at 4-6.

Amarah Darboh returned to action to grab his longest TD of the season with a 45 yard catch and set the pace for the night. He grabbed 4 during game worth 81 yards. If not a huge stat line, it was a morale boost to a team that went 3-1 since his departure at Southeast Polk on September 23rd.  The Michigan, Florida, Notre Dame, Wisconsin and Iowa recruit will be a vital part of the Maroons march to defend their 4A football title.

Since that SE Polk game, the Maroons have built depth at receiver with Matthew Haack and Brandon Ogden. The pair was used heavily in Coach Tom Wilson‘s game plan with Ogden catch 5 passes and scoring a 14-yard TD just before halftime. Haack was used more in the running game, carrying it 4 times and 25 yards. The Maroons would finish with 267 yards rushing and 190 yards passing.

Dowling Catholic also developed a double QB/TB combination with the emergence of freshman Ryan Boyle and Chase Dowell. Boyle would run the option style attack with Dan Hartlieb used more in the passing offense. Boyle provided a spark in the regular-season finale at Indianola and did so again against Ames. His 7 carries were worth 87 yards. A couple of those jaunts set up touchdowns and the freshman did put the last points on the scoreboard of the game on a 1 yard plunge.

BILL NEIBERGALL/THE REGISTER Dowling Catholic's #11 Jon Wisnieski, right, looked up in thanks as touchdown was signaled after a minute delay, after his 70 yard interception return against Ames. A flag had been thrown on the play, but was against Ames.

Dowell put his head down and popped a few Little Cyclones during the contest. He finished with 10 carries for 75 yards and a blocked punt.

Ben Goaley started, played and continued to carry the load, but he’ll likely be used as needed to keep him as healthy as long as possible. He finished with 9 carries and 56 yards.

Jon Wisnieski played primarily on offense, but he made the most of his defensive opportunities when he stepped in front of a Alex Brammer pass and ran it back 70 yards for a score. Wiz would grab a score in the north endzone on a pass only he could catch for a 22-yard score on a drive that went 98 yards on 6 plays.

BILL NEIBERGALL/THE REGISTER Dowling Catholic quarterback #3 Dan Hartlieb dropped back to pass against Ames.

Dan Hartlieb would get a TD following 2 great runs by Boyle in the no-huddle offense. That drive changed the tempo of the game and the firmly put the momentum in Dowling’s corner.

Michael Gillotti picked of a pass in the next drive to add to his season of accomplishments at cornerback. That defense held a beat up Ames team to 38 yards rushing on 22 carries and 102 yards passing on 35 attempts and 10 completions.

The Maroons advance to Monday’s game at Des Moines Lincoln. The Rails advanced with a 52-14 victory against DM East.

Our KWKY broadcast begins at 6p with kickoff slated for 7p on 1150 AM or KWKY.com.

Less intensity, same result, a win for DCHS

Lee Navin / Special the Register Dowling Catholic senior quarterback Dan Hartlieb (#3) sprints to a 11-yard first-half touchdown as the Johnston Dragons (4-2) battle against the tenth-ranked Dowling Catholic Maroons (5-2) in a CIML Central Conference Class 4-A game at Drake Stadium in Des Moines. Dowling won 27 to 14.

A lot of factors were in the corner of the Johnston Dragons coming into Friday night’s matchup against West Des Moines Dowling Catholic.

The Maroons were coming off an upset win of previously unbeaten Ankeny, it was senior night meaning a break in the pregame routine, and the sophomore game ran long and kickoff moved back to just before 8 PM. Players and the head coach said they were playing uninspired football.

But good teams find ways to win and Dowling Catholic did that in a 27-14 win at Drake Stadium Friday night.

The Maroons continued to unveil wrinkles in their offense. Last week, it was the use of freshman QB Ryan Boyle doing his best Connor Bravard impression. This week it was Boyle throwing a pass, Dan Hartlieb running the ball and an extended use of the no-huddle offense in the football game.

Dowling still tried running the ball, employing Ben Goaley for 25 carries worth 112 yards and Boyle’s 5 rushes worth 17 yards. The Hartlieb run was a called pass play, but with good Johnston pass coverage, Danny improvised for an 11-yard run to the endzone. The Maroons finished the night with 181 yards rushing on 38 attempts.

Lee Navin / Special the Register Dowling Catholic senior wide receiver Addison Bennett (# 84) hauls in the 39-yard touchdown pass as the Johnston Dragons (4-2) battle against the tenth-ranked Dowling Catholic Maroons (5-2) in a CIML Central Conference Class 4-A game at Drake Stadium in Des Moines.

The passing game also looked really good on a couple of plays Friday night. The game’s first score was a Hartlieb to Addison Bennett for a 34-yard TD pass. The catch was Bennett’s first touchdown of the season.

Johnston tied the game on a 1-yard run by Connor Yocum at the 10:17 mark in the 2nd quarter. The drive was set up after the Dragons recovered a Dowling fumble and only had short, 37-yard field to play with.

The next drive for Dowling would feature big plays on an something-out-of-nothing run by Goaley for 31 yards and a Boyle’s first varsity pass, a nice, into the wind toss to Matthew Haack for 33 yards. Two plays later, Hartlieb was back in the game and in the endzone.

Hartlieb was throw another beautiful pass to Brandon Ogden for a 13-yard score to give the Maroons a 20-7 halftime lead.

Johnston QB Michael Kinning would find Cullen Maahs for a 13-yard TD strike to pull the Dragons within 6 at the 7:53 mark in the 3rd Quarter.

The next drive featured the play of the night. Dan Hartlieb, one of 37 seniors playing in his final regular season home game, would make the highlight reel on a 52-yard TD pass to Haack. Haack had 7 catches worth 141 yards. Hartlieb would finish the night 10-18 passing for 209 yards.

Lee Navin / Special the Register Dowling Catholic senior linebacker Sam Herold (#49) puts the pressure on Johnston junior quarterback Michael Kinning (#1) as the Johnston Dragons (4-2) battle against the tenth-ranked Dowling Catholic Maroons (5-2) in a CIML Central Conference Class 4-A game at Drake Stadium in Des Moines. Dowling won 27 to 14.

The defenses would hold up the rest of the night and the score would hold up at 27-14.

Dowling Catholic had 422 yards of total offense while Johnston had 285. The run game of the Dragons did not yield much fruit with only 40 yards on 26 carries. Yocum had 54 yards on 18 carries. The difference in yardage total is due to a couple of QB sacks and a snap that went over the QB’s head.

The Maroons improve to 6-2 with a regular season finale at Indianola on Friday. Johnston is now 4-3 and faces Ankeny this week with Southeast Polk to follow.

Maroons air attack knocks out the Fort (Dodge)

Cool evening at Dodger Stadium in Ft. Dodge.

The West Des Moines Dowling Catholic Football team has a reputation for running the football. Last week in a 30-14 win at Urbandale, they used Ben Goaley37 times.

This week it was 4 touchdown passes from QB Dan Hartlieb that led the Maroons to a 47-7 thumping of Fort Dodge Dodgers.

Senior flanker Amara Darboh scored a pair of those from 10 and 20-yards out. Matt Haack had one and Brandon Ogden had the other.

The KWKY crew expected a lot of passing, but from Ft. Dodge. Afterall, they had the second-best passing attack coming into the game. Dodger QB Sam Edwards was running most of the night, just trying to get away from the Maroon defense. Edwards finished 15-26 for 223 yards, 1 interception and 1 touchdown pass. He was also sacked 9 nine times.

Again, the Matt Miller-led squad struggled to run the football for positive yardage. The Dodgers rushed it 34 times for only 17 yards.

The Maroons controlled the game from the first series of the game going 88 yards on 12 plays capped by the Darboh pass from Hartlieb.

KWKY analyst Dave Marcoullier said during the broadcast that film review after Urbandale showed other receivers were wide open when defenses would give double coverage to Darboh. This week in practice, the senior signal caller worked on looking to other receivers on those plays. The drills paid off as Hartlieb located a wide-open Matthew Haack on the right side for a 29-yard scoring play, 14-0 Maroons with 1:48 remaining in the first quarter.

The second quarter started sloppy with a sack, fumble and an interception by Alex Heckman. The Maroons regained composure to find Darboh again, this time for a 20-yard play to put Dowling Catholic up 21-0.

Just before half, coach Tom Wilson‘s team worked on the 2-minute drill, mostly looking for Brandon Ogden. He would get his first TD with :55 left before half to make it 28-0.

Dan Hartlieb would score on a 5-yard run to get the continuous clock going just before the end of the 3rd quarter. Hartlieb finished with 13-21 passing and 197 yards passing.

The Dodgers would find the end zone on a Edwards to Isaac Lehman 36-yard passing play.

Then backup QB Anthony Denkinger would run the boot for 80-yards and a touchdown. Then Ethan Grace would get his first varsity touchdown to end the game’s scoring at 47-7.

The Maroons finished with 262 rushing yards, 197 passing for a 459 total. That put the Maroons over the 1,000 yard mark for rushing yards, but just 27 shy of 1,000 passing.

Ben Goaley still carried the ball 13 times for 92 yards. Haack, Darboh and Ogden all had 4 catches in the victory.

The Maroons put on the road jerseys again next week at Southeast Polk who was idle Friday night. The Rams lost last week at Ankeny and carry a 3-1 mark. The Maroons sport a 4-1 record.

The Dodgers play Ames next week to open CIML conference play with a record of 1-3.

We go on the air at 6p on 1150 KWKY and KWKY.com.

Maroon Machine Fires Up a 44-7 Win

Amarah Darboh scored 3 TDs Friday against CB TJ. (Des Moines Register photo)

The Maroon Machine ist still a work in progress, but they upgraded their ride Friday night in a 44-7 victory of visiting Council Bluffs Thomas Jefferson at Valley Stadium.

Last year, the Maroons rode like a Cadillac most of the season, many nights, cruising to victory. This year, the vehicle is different. Some parts of the car returning are the envy, even the target, of many. Defenses know where Amara Darboh is at all times. He scored 3 touchdowns in the second game of his senior season to bring his season total to four. But they weren’t big play catches from QB Dan Hartlieb, but running ones. Darboh is playing the flanker position in Coach Tom Wilson’s offense. (Here’s a link to a great story on Darboh by Randy Peterson of the Des Moines Register)

Number 15′s first score was the game’s first. The offense looked impressive in the Maroon’s first drive moving 56 yards in two plays following Ben Goaley’s 39-yard run and Brandon Ogden’s 17-yard catch. 3 plays later, Darboh was in the end zone on a 2-yard run.

The defense turned in a stingy 1st quarter performance, forcing the Yellow Jackets 3 and out the first three series of the game. Quarterback Dominic Wilson looked to run the ball many times, but instead turned to the air, to look for positive yardage. But Wilson didn’t get much help in the field position game, starting drives on his own 16, 24 and 10 in this same three series stretch. The Maroons would only allow -6 yards in total offense in the first half.

Meanwhile, the Maroons couldn’t take advantage of the short fields after the first score, managing only a 34-yard field goal by Avery Mason with 3:25 remaining in the first quarter to increase the lead to 10-0. The much-improved Coach Mark Puev squad played good defense on Darboh and others, making one-on-one open field tackles in most cases, especially on Darboh.

Dowling Catholic opened the door on a T-J punt that the return man never seemed to have a handle on from the beginning. TJ took over on the Dowling 28. The drive got as close as the 8 when the snap from center went over Wilson’s head. The Maroons picked up the loose ball.

Then the engine started to purr.

Alex Heckman was slated to play more wide receiver and defense this season. Now he will now see more time at tailback following the first play of the season that injured Michael Palme. Heckman spelled Goaley for a play and he made the most of his opportunity. Alex took the ball 46 yards to the TJ 9. Two plays later, Darboh was in the end zone again for 17-0 lead.

Clemon would get his second turnover, picking off a Wilson pass and return it to the TJ 15. Then Jon Wisnieski would get the call on a pass from Hartlieb to make it 24-0.

Ben Goaley added a score from one yard out before Darboh caught a nice page as Dowling Catholic would practice the 2-minute drill before half to go into the locker room up 38-0. Coach Wilson told our Brian Morris at halftime he was pleased with the effort, but execution could have been better. Goaley ran the ball 14 times for 112 yards.

The second half brought a continuous clock and mostly the second, third and fourth teamers. The Maroons finished with 284 yards rushing and 425 yards of total offense. The Yellow Jackets had 74 total yards, 32 rushing, 59 yards passing.

Back up QB Anthony Denkinger (yes, nephew of that Denkinger Cardinal and Royals fans) through a nice pass to Matthew Haack from 7-yards out to make 44-7.

Thomas Jefferson would score late in the 4th quarter on a pass from Wilson to former QB Michael Wallace.

One interesting side story that developed late in the game was the debut of freshman QB Ryan Boyle for Dowling Catholic. This is noteworthy as freshman traditionally don’t play for DCHS in football. According to unofficial DC historian Mark Amadeo, he goes all the way back to the early 1960s when Tommy Formaro came in to a game. He would be the a 3-year starter after that.

Andrew Clemon and TJ Palme appeared in our KWKY post-game show saying Monday’s practice certainly helped set a tone for the team’s preparations this week. Palme added that a few guys had not realized the speed of the game is much different at the varsity level than in sophomore or JV games.

“We’re not settled yet in our 11 guys,” Coach Tom Wilson told Brian Morris in our post-game show meaning the second and third string guys who saw the field Friday night are still playing for a spot in the starting line-up.

The Maroons improve to 1-1 while the Yellow Jackets fall to 0-2. Dowling hosts DM East at East on Friday night. Our webcast on DowlingWebcasting.com begins at 6p. As always, join us on AM1150 KWKY or KWKY.com. Be sure to submit your question for the “Ask The Announcer” segment around 645p in our pre-game show. Just send an @Reply to our @KWKYSports Twitter feed and we’ll read it on the air.

Tigers turn the tables and tame the Maroons, 28-21

BILL NEIBERGALL/THE REGISTER West Des Moines Valley's #2 Trey Lewis, right, bounced off Dowling Catholic defenders, kept his balance and stayed in bounds as Lewis scored the winning touchdown on a long run.

Every football coach tells his players turnovers are one major difference maker in a football game. Tom Wilson is in that camp.

For a team that committed only single digit turnovers over 14 games, West Des Moines Dowling Catholic almost committed their season’s allotment in one night at Drake Stadium. An interception, a fumble and a turnover on downs contributed to the 28-21 loss to West Des Moines Valley in the 2011 season opener for both teams.

Just ask Tiger head coach Gary Swenson about turnovers. Fumbles and interceptions lead to losses to the rival Maroons the previous 3 meetings. This time the turnovers helped propel the West Des Moines Valley Tigers to victory in Week Zero.

The Maroon miscues in the 4th quarter resulted in the game-winning touchdown run by Valley’s Trey Lewis. The second turnover ended the chances of Dowling Catholic keeping their 14-game winning streak alive.

But the Maroons from West Des Moines kept even with the Tigers, even after losing a key player on the first play of the game. Michael Palme was injured on the opening kick-off. Palme was listed as the Rover linebacker and backup tailback and didn’t get to see more action in front of the 9,000+ fans.

That injury shuffled Coach Tom Wilson’s strategy in a hurry. The Maroon’s first offensive series featured two quarterbacks and several formations. The drive was briefly kept alive by a fake punt by Matthew Haack but would eventually stall on the Valley 18.

Valley has a tradition of a big offensive line, strong running backs and excellent linebackers. All of those are visible in this 2011 Valley team. Trey Lewis ran all over the field behind the offensive line for 24 carries and 198 yards. He started to find his groove midway through the first quarter and scored the game’s first points on the third play of the second quarter from 2 yards out.

BILL NEIBERGALL/THE REGISTER Dowling Catholic's #20 Ben Goaley goes to the outside on a run against West Des Moines Valley.

Dowling Catholic would deploy Ben Goaley left and right for a good series that included a nice catch by super prospect Amarah Darboh for 25 yards. Dan Hartlieb would follow a great seal block by Goaley to get his first varsity touchdown from 20 yards out to even the score with 7:53 to play in the 2nd.

The Dowling D responded with a sack and a couple of back of forth series before TJ Palme fell on a fumble. 2 plays later, Hartlieb would hit Darboh from 42 yards out for the score and the Maroon’s first lead of the game.

The Tigers would strike before halftime on the legs of Trey Lewis for a score to tie it at 14.

Alex Heckman, seeing more defensive playing time because of an injury to starting safety Jacob Stacy, would be in on special teams and block a Valley punt. The Maroons would cash that chip in for 6 points on a 7 yard TD run by Ben Goaley.

Later in the quarter, Hartlieb would have to leave the field on an injury, forcing tight end Jon Wisnieski under center. He would throw the interception which the Tigers would later score the touchdown to tie the game at 21. But that Valley drive featured back up tail back Tyus Mason. The sophomore’s fresh legs helped beat back a weakening Maroon defense before QB Jeff Pullen snuck behind his huge offensive line for the score.

Then things got interesting. Dowling was moving the ball behind Goaley’s legs before a blitz by the Valley linebackers disrupted the timing in the backfield and forcing a fumble.

Valley would turn to Mason for a 13 yards, Lewis for 12 before calling on the senior on 4th and 2. He would convert and extend the drive. Then Lewis put on the real show on the next snap, darting left, great cut back right into the endzone with 2:23 remaining in the game. Lewis’ third touchdown of the game came from 24 yards out.

A great kick-off return by Brandon Ogden set Dowling Catholic up for a shorter field. But, a quarterback sneak by Hartlieb was stuff and for the first time in 645 days, the Dowling Catholic Maroons were on the losing end of the scoreboard.

The Maroons ran the ball 31 times for 130 yards, passing was 11-21 for 143 yards for 273 yards of total offense.
The Tigers had 41 carries for 304 yards, 9-13 passing for 65 yards and 369 yards of total offense.

Valley travels to Ottumwa and the Maroons host Council Bluffs Thomas Jefferson. Last season, Dowling Catholic crushed the Yellow Jackets 69-0. TJ dropped their opener to cross-town rival Abraham Lincoln by a similar 28-21 score.

Thanks to those of you who watched the webcast on DowlingWebcasting.com You can see 4 more Maroon home games, including this week’s game. We’ll also be on the radio on the official home of Dowling Catholic Sports, 1150 KWKY. We also stream the audio at kwky.com