Iowa high school football notebook: Final homecoming game at Thomas Park Field memorable one for Marion

By Kevin White

The derecho that devastated the Midwest in August 2020 inflicted plenty of damage on Thomas Park Field in Marion. The facility already was in need of significant upgrades. 

In January, the Marion Independent School District approved construction of a new stadium with a price tag of more than $6 million.

That meant Marion’s game against Decorah last Friday would be its final homecoming matchup in the facility’s 86-year history. The Wolves made sure it would be a memorable one, as Iowa recruit Alex Mota’s 80-yard touchdown run with 5:20 remaining gave them a 14-13 lead.

Marion (3-4, 1-2) made two defensive stands in the final five minutes, and when Erik Hjelle’s field-goal attempt with 10 seconds left was short, the Wolves celebrated their final homecoming with a victory. Decorah dropped to 2-5 and 0-3.

Marion has one final game on its venerable field, Oct. 21 vs. Waterloo East (0-7, 0-3).

“We really like it down here,’’ Marion coach Michael Joyner told the Cedar Rapids Gazette. “We got a chance to send Thomas Park out in style.’’

* * * *

It’s somewhat rare for an anticipated matchup of 8-player powers to live up to the hype.

Don Bosco vs. Gladbrook-Reinbeck lived up to the hype.

Trailing 26-21 at the half, Don Bosco’s Myles McMahon ran for touchdowns of 33 and 49 yards to put the Dons back up 35-26. McMahon finished with 37 carries for 243 yards and three scores.

The Rebels pulled within 35-32 on Isaac Clark’s 25-yard touchdown pass to Hudson Clark with 6:44 left. They got the ball back with 2:19 remaining on their own 32, but Ty Purdy sealed the win for Don Bosco with an interception.

* * * *

Ar-We-Va’s 8-player football season has ended a week early.

The Rockets (3-4, 3-2) would have had only 12 available players for Friday’s expected regular-season finale with Newell-Fonda (7-0, 5-0), so they have decided to forfeit. Among those 12 players were five freshmen, four sophomores, two juniors and only one senior.

Co-coaches Austin Stoelk and Isaac Schaefers made the decision with the support of Ar-We-Va administration.

“They're with the kids every day at practice and know the situation better than any of us," Ar-We-Va activities director Chris Petersen told the Denison Bulletin and Review.

The Rockets lost 75-0 to Remsen St. Mary’s last week.

* * * *

Nolan Mosier became Davenport North’s career passing leader on Friday night.

The 6-foot-4, 220-pounder completed 9-of-13 for 264 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions in a 39-0 win over Davenport Central. That brought his career total to 2,762 passing yards, which moved him past Jack West for the school record.

* * * *

In a game featuring four lead changes, Marshalltown had the final word in a 30-26 victory last week over Des Moines Roosevelt at Drake Stadium.

Down 20-8 at the half, Marshalltown rallied behind quarterback Dalen Houston. His fourth TD run of the game, from 3 yards out, put the Bobcats up 30-26 with 5:04 left. Brayden Weatherly then intercepted Roosevelt in the red zone, and Marshalltown ran out the clock to improve to 3-4 overall.

Huston finished with 13 carries for 114 yards and the four scores. Dominic Wade threw for 178 yards and two scores for Roosevelt (3-4).

* * * *

Denver trailed 14-2 to perennial Class 1-A power Dike-New Hartford last week, but rallied for a 30-20 victory to improve to 5-2 overall and 3-1 in District 3, while dropping the Wolverines to 5-2 and 3-1. Aplington-Parkersburg also is 3-1 in District 3 heading into the final week of the regular season.

Ethan Schoville ignited Denver’s second-half charge. He carried 28 times for 251 yards for the Cyclones in all, scoring all three of his touchdowns in the second half. His 38-yard score gave Denver its first lead of the second half, and teammate Evan Dorn recovered a Dike fumble on the ensuing kickoff. That led to Schoville’s 20-yard TD burst, and he added a 60-yarder for good measure.

Dike-New Hartford was playing without leading rusher Jerek Hall (865 yards), who is expected to miss the rest of the season after breaking his foot in last week’s win over Aplington-Parkersburg.

* * * *

Ryan Greenfield of Newell-Fonda scored four different ways in a 62-6 win 8-player win over Glidden-Ralston.

Greenfield caught touchdown passes of 29 and 41 yards, ran for a 43-yard score, returned a punt 49 yards to paydirt and brought an interception back 18 yards for six as the Mustangs improved to 6-1 overall and 4-1 in district play.