GRIMES — Four second-quarter touchdowns erased any questions as to the eventual outcome of Friday’s Class 3A District 2 opener between DC-G and visiting Perry.
The Mustangs (4-1, 1-0) are ranked seventh in some polls and had little trouble enforcing their will on the Bluejays (0-5, 0-1) who found themselves trailing, 41-0, at the intermission, the score remaining unchanged under a continual clock in the second half.
Ty Walker connected with Chantz Finley for a 22-yard scoring strike only 76 seconds into the game for a swift 7-0 lead. Walker connected with Owen Curtis for a 21-yard touchdown with 5:40 to play in the opening frame, starting the celebration early for the Homecoming crowd.
Bluejay defensive lineman Cole Snyder recorded an eight-yard sack to help turn away a Mustang drive at the Perry 32 early in the second period.
The spark was quickly extinguished by the first of three Perry interceptions, with Blake Willey racing 37 yards for a DC-G TD and a 21-0 lead.
Tailback Luke Busby burst free for a 23-yard TD run moments later, with Nic Lawton snaring the third interception in the period and returning it 33 yards to push the lead to 34-0.
The hosts had yet another interception in the period, but a personal foul on DC-G and unsportsmanlike flag on Perry negated the play. It mattered little, as Perry promptly fumbled away the ball on their next snap. Busby dove in from a yard out in the waning moments to cap the scoring at 41-0.
DC-G went to their reserves early in the second half, with Perry slowly doing to same. Perry simply does not the numbers to have a full second string capable of varsity action, but the coaching staff did what they could and many players saw either their first, or most, playing time of the season.
Neither team was sharp, and time swiftly ran away, leaving the score at 41-0 after a second half that required little more than a half-hour to play.
Jacob Nelson was 2-6-3 for 15 yards for Perry, with Jeremiah Baker 4-8-1 for 1 yard. Kato Dougan caught four passes for 17 yards, with Ever Tobar losing a yard on two grabs.
Wilber Ramirez (13-49), Dougan (4-31), Nelson (13-15) and Cori Alamina (1-14) carried the ball for the Jays.
Walker was 5-of-8 for 106 yards and two scores for DC-G while rushing four times for 34 yards. Busby led the ground attack with 91 yards and two scores on 13 rushes, with A.J. Jahangin adding 29 yards on nine hauls.
Perry will celebrate Homecoming 2019 Friday with a visit from Webster City (3-2, 0-1). The Lynx started 3-0, but then dropped a 34-33 contest to Algona and a 28-13 district opener to Carroll Friday, both games on their home turf.
