VAN METER, IA — Second ranked Van Meter had little trouble in dismissing Woodward-Granger from the Class 1A Round of 16 playoffs Friday.
The Bulldogs (9-1) were 42-0 winners over the Hawks, who finish 6-4. Van Meter has wins of 42-0 (2021 playoffs), 41-0 (2020 regular season), 42-0 (2019 playoffs), 41-0 (2018 playoffs and 31-3 (2017 regular season) over the past three years.
The hosts amassed 232 rushing yards on 33 carries and scored four times on the ground. With yards lost to sacks deducted, W-G had 11 rushes for a loss of 24 yards.
Ben Gilliland was 10-of-14 for 178 yards and two touchdowns through the air for Van Meter. with Carter Moran 23-of-34 for 261 yards while being intercepted twice. Ben Gordon dominated on the ground, carrying the rock 21 times for 220 yards and three scores.
Moran never threw a pass until his junior year but finishes with 3,509 career yards, 30 TDs and seven interceptions. He was 147-232 for a school record 1,960 yards this year (currently second in 1A).
The hosts led, 7-0, after the first quarter before putting the game away with four unanswered TDs in the second frame. A third quarter score provided the final margin.
Brody Nardini had nine catches for 94 yards and finishes as the career reception leader with 98 snags for a second-best 1,123 yards.
Dane Polich departs with what is believed to be the school record in career TD catches with 15. He caught five ball Friday for 89 yards.
Max Dalton (4-35), Dylan McCaulley (2-22) and Nick Rees (2-21) also grabbed aerials for the Hawks.
Oliver Potter had a sack, 1.5 tackles for a loss and 12 total denials, four more than currently second-best in 1A. Kade Seeman had 4.5 stops, with McCaulley and Moran each making four tackles. McCaulley also recovered a fumble.
W-G head coach Cory Crnkovich will have to replace 10 seniors who played their final games for the Hawks. Departing are Kolby Fogarty, Ethan Moats, Carter Moran, Dylan McCaulley, Brody and Collin Nardini, Dane Polich, Kaden Seeman, Brayden Simons, and Jalen Trudeau. The class was 24-14 overall.
