DAVENPORT — Davenport North quarterback Kasimir Levalcak ran for a touchdown and caught two more passes as the home Wildcats improved to 3-0 with a 28-14 win over Marshalltown football team on Friday night.
The loss dropped the Bobcats to 0-3 on the season despite a strong fourth quarter. Marshalltown led 28-0 before scoring twice in the final 4 1/2 minutes of the game.
“I think what I liked most was the fighting spirit they showed,” MHS head coach Adam Goodbin said, “But we can’t let that spirit go down. I told my players at the end of the game that they have to keep fighting for their teammates and their best friends.”
“You have to have a warrior attitude and just keep going. You can’t do it whenever you want. The light switch has to be on at all times. When you’re between the white lines, you can’t take a break.”
The Bobcats struggled to move the ball in the first half and led just 7-0 at halftime. Davenport North lost a touchdown opportunity when running back Mason Vaughan fumbled on his way to the end zone after being hit by Ethan Gorsuch, then Sam Griesel recovered the ball to give Marshalltown the ball back with 15 seconds left in the first half.
“I thought they had more of a bend but don’t break attitude,” Goodbin said of the defense. “I’m really proud of their effort. Only allowing seven points was a solid job. I felt good coming out of the first half.”
MHS got the ball to start the third quarter but couldn’t move it and the Wildcats had an opportunity shortly thereafter: a four-play, 57-yard drive capped off by Derrick Peña’s 37-yard touchdown run on third down and two to give Davenport North a 14-0 lead.
The Wildcats reached the end zone on each of their next two attempts to seal the game, with Rivercuck completing an 82-yard touchdown pass to Quanell Burlage and a 4-yard touchdown pass to DeAndre Smith early in the fourth quarter.
The best offensive play of the game for Marshalltown came when the Bobcats launched a 13-play, 73-yard drive that took 5 minutes, 45 seconds and ended with a 25-yard touchdown pass from Jacob Hayes to Zane Moore.
Hayes overstepped a Wildcat defender for a 15-yard touchdown run with 18 seconds left in the game.
The Bobcats finished with 216 total yards of offense on 48 plays, gaining 4.5 yards per play, while Davenport North gained significantly more yards. The Wildcats gained 387 total yards on 51 plays, averaging 7.59 yards per attempt.
Marshalltown was led by running back Tyler Englund with 65 yards on 15 carries, Davis Ragland had 48 yards on nine carries and Hayes ran for 14 yards and a touchdown.
Hayes completed 6 of 13 passes for 71 yards, all of which came in the second half. Moore and Gorsuch each had two catches for 28 yards and Kyle Smith had two catches for 15 yards.
“There’s a learning curve with this,” Goodbin said of his team’s new offensive scheme, “We’ll get there. I know that and the kids know that. But once they have that baseline of expectations — the confidence to go out there and execute and make plays and want the ball — I think things will fall into place.”
The Wildcats were led by Levalcak, who completed 11 of 15 passes for 175 yards and two scores. Bogan rushed 25 times for 106 yards and Peña ran five times for 63 yards and a touchdown. Levalcak added 43 yards and a touchdown on the ground.
Marshalltown will be on the road for the second straight week, taking on Newton at 7:30 p.m. next Friday at HA Lynn Stadium.
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