Iowa City High extends win streak to 4 in convincing fashion

IOWA CITY — Iowa City High decided to skip the drama Friday.

The Little Hawks (4-2), powered by three touchdowns apiece from sophomore Dawson Kahl and Bobby Bacon, won their fourth consecutive game, 49-7, over Davenport Central (2-4), in a Class 5A prep football game on Homecoming Night at Bates Field.

After late-game two-point conversions propelled City High to victory the previous two weeks, Bacon and Co. cooled the theatrics and controlled Friday’s game from the start.

“It’s definitely nice to be back at home on Homecoming and just give the people who came out to support us a nice, comfortable win,” Bacon said. “It was great to get a big lead and ride it out. That’s what we want to continue to do in the future.”

Kahl capped an opening five-play, 80-yard drive with an impressive 41-yard touchdown run.

Kahl surpassed the 100-yard rushing mark on his seventh carry just five minutes into play. Five rushes later, he found paydirt from a yard out.

“We knew really early in fall camp he (Kahl) was going to be a big player,” City High head coach Mitchell Moore said. “He’s going to be a superstar. He’s just learning now how to be a running back in our system and how holes open up and the patience it takes.”

Gabe Egeland scored next, a 6-yard scamper at the 2:20 mark of the first quarter.

Early in the second, Kahl powered through an arm tackle and spun past a Blue Devil defender for a 37-yard TD.

“Dawson’s toughness physically and mentally, I just haven’t seen it in a sophomore before and it’s really impressive,” Bacon said. “His ability to rush hard and then mentally, when things aren’t going well just to stick with it … he’s got the same attitude for literally 48 minutes.”

Kahl ran 13 times for 156 yards, all in the first half.

With 7:21 left in the second, Bacon got in on the fun, rolling out and finding Parker Sutherland for a 4-yard touchdown. The score put City High up 35-0 as the continuous clock rule came into effect.

Late in the second, Bacon connected with Iyon Harris for a 31-yard TD, giving City High some a 42-0 halftime lead.

“My job tonight was really just to get the ball in the hands of our playmakers and let them make plays,” Bacon said. “Davenport Central is a great program and we just wanted to come out and give them our best shot.”

City’s defense was dominant, allowing the Blue Devils just two first downs and 89 yards of offense.

“Defensively, I like how we played and got off the field tonight on third down,” Moore said.

On the final play of the third, Bacon found Jack Lampe for a 5-yard TD.

Bacon completed 13 of 19 passes for 175 yards.

Carson Williams had the lone score of the game for Davenport Central, a 79-yard rushing touchdown early in the fourth.

The Little Hawks will look to make it five straight next Friday at home against Davenport North, while Davenport Central hosts Bettendorf.

“I think this definitely gave us a big confidence boost going into next week, and then after that the next two (Linn-Mar and Bettendorf) are pretty big,” Kahl said. “We have to be playing at our best level to give ourselves a chance before we head into the playoffs.”