’Dogs bite ’Cats

The Bobcats weren’t able to consistently stop Ottumwa from doing the same, though, outslugged by the Bulldogs, 42-28, at Leonard Cole Field.

“We didn’t make enough plays,” Marshalltown head coach Adam Goodvin said. “They made more plays than we did and … we were just trying to figure out what we could do to stop them.”

Marshalltown fell to 0-5 for the first time since 2013; Ottumwa improved to 5-0, their best start since 2001, and is one of two remaining unbeaten teams in Class 5A.

The Bobcats’ final touchdown of the night came on a halfback pass from Kyle Smith to Aiden Smitherman for a 54-yard score to make it a two-touchdown game with 8:32 left in the game. Ottumwa drained some clock on its ensuing drive but a fumble recovered by Jamison Niehouse with just under three minutes to play gave Marshalltown a sliver of life.

T-R PHOTO BY ROSS THEDE – Marshalltown’s Jamison Niehouse (15) follows the block of Kyle Smith (7) as Ottumwa’s Charlie Morgan (57) bears down on him from behind during the first quarter of Friday’s football game at Leonard Cole Field.

Ottumwa dashed those hopes with a Parker Derby interception on the very next snap from scrimmage, and after getting the necessary first down to siphon timeouts from the Marshalltown sideline the Bulldogs went on to victory.

Two second-half interceptions and a few too many pre-snap violations throughout the night kept Marshalltown’s offense from finding a flow in between the explosive plays on Friday.

“There was no rhythm whatsoever in this game, it was very tough,” Goodvin said.

Ottumwa scored first on a 4-yard touchdown run for Matthew Mitchell with 5:18 left in the first quarter.

MHS answered with a 91-yard kickoff return by Sam Greazel, who faked a reverse to Smitherman before taking off down the Ottumwa sideline for six.

The Bulldogs returned a haymaker on a 74-yard touchdown run from Koby Chanthalavanh on their next play from scrimmage to make it 14-7.

Marshalltown punched in another score on its next drive, completing a eight-play drive with a 39-yard Tyler Englund run for the sophomore’s first touchdown of the season and a 14-14 tie.

Ottumwa possessed the ball for most of the second quarter, including two touchdown drives to get to a 28-14 advantage at halftime.

Marshalltown’s first offensive drive of the second half ended in a high snap on a punt attempt, followed by a block in the scramble to get the punt off, setting up Ottumwa with short field and another quick touchdown to make it 35-14.

Once again, the Bobcats were quick to respond with a hook-and-ladder play as Jacob Hayes completed a short pass to Zane Moore who made the lateral to Englund for a 46-yard rushing touchdown for Englund and a 52-yard play in total.

Englund finished with seven carries for 93 yards and two scores on Friday.

“We knew we had some plays that were not super-high-risk that could light a fire under us,” Goodvin said. “And it seemed like all of them worked tonight, so I’m proud of how the guys executed those.”

The MHS defense got a punt out of Ottumwa on the next drive, but the Bobcats turned it over with an interception in Ottumwa territory.

The Bulldogs faced 4th-and-long in Marshalltown territory early in the fourth quarter, but a Chanthalavanh run went for 28 yards to inside the Marshalltown 10 and Ottumwa was in two plays later for their final score of the night.

“We really needed to buck up there and make a tackle for a short gain or a loss,” Goodvin said. “I don’t think [Chanthalavanh] was touched for 10, 15 yards. We didn’t always have all 11 guys tonight pursuing the football – we had guys expecting others to make plays, and we can’t have that.”

Goodvin said he was pleased with the grit of the Bobcats to try and make something happen in that fourth quarter, even if it wasn’t enough in the end.

Waterloo West (4-1) comes to town for homecoming next Friday.

“We took a step forward tonight as far as our effort and enthusiasm goes, and what we’re trying to work towards,” Goodvin said, “but we’re not satisfied, the kids aren’t satisfied, and we have to get back to work on Monday.”