LAST MEETING — Bad blood remains from a 34-33 roadrunner win, as I-35 scored three times in the fourth quarter, including in the last minute, to steal a victory. Brayden Egli threw for 308 yards and Richie Griglione caught 12 passes for 197 yards and two touchdowns. Both return for I-35. Brendan Bird had 188 passing yards and two TDs for W-G in the loss.
ABOUT THE HAWKS — Aside form a 31-3 loss to No. 4 Van Meter, W-G is outscoring the opposition 130-20.
Bird is 19-43-3 for 333 yards and two TDs, with J.P. Nixon catching 12 passes for 175 yards and Josh Saak three for 81 yards. Both have a TD reception.
The Hawks have rushed for 899 yards and 14 scores, with Payton Tague (46-249, 4 TDs) and Austin Scharlau (42-209, 3 TDs) leading the way. Saak has four scores and 186 yards on 32 carries, with Bird rushing 20 times for 182 yards and a score.
Scharlau’s 32 tackles leads the defense, with Cole Carmen having 27.5 stops and Bryce Achenbach 26.
W-G has recovered six fumbles and picked off four passes, with Tague returning two for scores.
ABOUT THE ROADRUNNERS — Interstate 35 opened with home wins of 49-16 over Martensdale-St. Marys and of 55-13 against Nodaway Valley. The Roadrunners have spent the past two weeks in the butcher shop, as it were, falling 22-0 at No. 5 Pleasantville before suffering a 45-10 home setback to No. 2 Pella Christian last week.
Egli is 30-56-3 for 517 yards and five TDs through the air. He is not a threat to run, having only seven carries for 21 yards.
The 6-5, 200 pound Griglione has five catches for 123 yards and a score while 6-2 receiver Carter Bussanmas has 12 grabs for 144 yards and a TD while Tanner Daniels has two TDs and 121 yards on six snares.
Mason Cassady (67-429, 6 TDs) and Logan Messenger (11-86, 1 TD) lead the ground attack.
Elgi has picked off three passes and has 110 return yards and one score, with the rest of the team adding three INTs. I-35 has recovered three fumbles. Joey Bregar (32.5) and Cassady (24) are the top tacklers.
Bussanmas is the kicker and is 15-of-16 on PAT boots and is 1-of-1 (28 yds) on field goal tries.
OUTLOOK — Both teams have quickly grown to dislike each other, and with the way the 2016 game ended and Friday being Homecoming, the W-G coaches will likely be looking to keep the Hawks level-headed.
Griglione feasted against a much-shorter Hawk secondary last season, so pressure on Egli will be key. W-G had the game under control and it is unlikely — should they take command Friday — to forget what happened last season.
DISTRICT 5
| District | Overall | Point Diff Avg |
|||||
| Win | Loss | Tie | Win | Loss | Tie | ||
| Pella Christian | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 17.00 |
| Pleasantville | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 17.00 |
| Woodward-Granger | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 17.00 |
| Mount Ayr | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2.00 |
| Central Decatur, Leon | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | -2.50 |
| Woodward Academy | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | -16.50 |
| Des Moines Christian | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | -17.00 |
| Interstate 35 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | -17.00 |
Friday’s Games
Interstate 35 at Woodward-Granger (HC)
Des Moines Christian at Central Decatur
Mount Ayr at No. 2 Pella Christian
Woodward Academy at No. 5 Pleasantville
Sept. 28 Games
Woodward-Granger at Des Moines Christian
Central Decatur at Interstate 35
No. 2 Pella Christian at Woodward Academy
No. 5 Pleasantville at Mount Ayr
Very good story.
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