By Bob Bakken
Maxpreps.com
FOOTBALL: ONE-VS-TWO MEET IN CLASS 3-A AT SIOUX CITY
The game of the night in Iowa football last week came in Class 3-A, when the number one ranked Harlan Cyclones held off second-ranked Sioux City Heelan on the Crusaders' home field 38-34 last Friday night. It was a match up between two offensive powerhouses, as the Cyclones outgained the Crusaders 356-342.
Reid Murtaugh led the Harlan attack with 99 yards on 22 carries, while the Crusaders countered with Brandon Wegher's 92 yards on 30 carries. In the passing department, Zach MacCabe was 11 of 20 for 234 yards and Jeff Hastert was 14 of 22 for 223 yards. Neither signal caller threw an interception. The difference in the contest before a packed crowd at Sioux City's Memorial Field was two fourth quarter touchdowns by Murtaugh that gave the Cyclones a 10-point lead until Sean Keane's six yard touchdown for Heelan with 1:18 remaining provided the final margin.
For Harlan, the win marked their 39th straight regular season victory. They had a 49-game overall winning streak stopped by Le Mars in the quarterfinals of last year's playoffs. Heelan will open district play with defending district champ Le Mars this week.
FOOTBALL: BETTENDORF REMAINS UNSCORED ON
Iowa's top-ranked Class 4-A football team is still unscored upon after two weeks of the regular season. Heading into Friday's night battle against Davenport Assumption, the Bettendorf Bulldogs have dominated both of their previous opponents, dispatching of Davenport West 62-0 in their season opener on August 31st, and then crushing Davenport North 50-0 last week.
Bettendorf outran North 153-28 in last Friday's game, led by Jarrod Masterson's 62 yards on seven carries, including a touchdown. Meanwhile, quarterback Danny Tharp threw a 52 yard touchdown pass to Billy Rembold for Bettendorf's first score, while racking up 154 yard night in the air (6-14-1 interception). Rembold caught three passes for 98 yards and a touchdown. He also added six points on PAT placements.
A challenge to Bettendorf's defensive streak takes place this Friday night, when they play host to sixth-ranked Davenport Assumption, which is also unbeaten on the season.
FOOTBALL: RUSHING JUGGERNAUTS
Three teams showed their running strength in victories they posted last week. Sioux City North rolled up 403 yards in a 35-0 victory at Mason City. Packwood-Pekin's entire offense was on the ground, getting 441 yards in its 31-14 victory over West Burlington Notre Dame, and Hampton-Dumont ran for 521 yards in a 41-12 win over AGWSR, part of a 530 offensive show.
FOOTBALL: PASS IT, PLEASE
A couple of Iowa quarterbacks earned their air wings in a big way last Friday night. Muscatine's Jon Phillips passed for 423 yards and a score in a 30-27 victory over Pleasant Valley. Meanwhile, Iowa City High's Teddy Stewart set a school record with 352 passing yards in a 21-18 Mississippi Valley Conference loss to Cedar Rapids Kennedy.
GYMNASTICS: JOHNSON STRIKES GOLD AGAIN
Amazing for a state where the sport is not sanctioned at the high school level, but West Des Moines' Shawn Johnson continues to be the "next big thing" in the women's gymnastics world. Johnson recently claimed three gold medals at the World Championships at Stuttgart, Germany, an event that finished last Sunday. Johnson won the gold in floor exercise to complete her trifecta, which places the 15-year old sophomore at Valley High School in a tie with Shannon Miller as the only American women to win three gold medals in one World Championship event.
BASKETBALL: WESTCOTT INKS FOR BRADLEY
Williamsburg senior basketball star MacKenzie Westscott says she'll be signing with Bradley of the Missouri Valley Conference in November. Westscott averaged 16.5 points and 9.8 rebounds for Williamsburg last season, helping the Raiders reach the regional finals. She was a first-team all-conference and all-district pick and was a second-team all-state choice. Westscott chose Bradley over conference rivals Northern Iowa and Drake.