(More stats added Monday)
The Iowa Falls-Alden Cadets burst into the Greene County homecoming football game with 21 first quarter points, including two defensive touchdowns, but they didn’t score again until the fourth quarter. In between, Ram senior Trey Tucker crossed the goal line twice. Final score was 28-13.
The homecoming loss leaves the Rams at 0-5 on the season. Iowa Falls-Alden is now 3-2 overall and 1-2 in Class 3A District 2 play.
The Iowa Falls-Alden Cadets went out on downs on their first possession but scored a defensive touchdown on the Rams’ first possession.
When the Cadets punted the Rams didn’t run it out and their possession started on their own 10 yard line. Linebacker Trey Tucker carried the ball out the 18 yard line on the first play from scrimmage but a penalty against the Rams for holding moved the ball to their own 4 yard line. A Ram fumble in the end zone was recovered by Cadet Grayson Cutler for a Cadet TD. With the kick for extra point good, the Cadets were up 7-0 with 8 minutes to play in the first quarter.
The Rams received the kick off and started on their own 30 yard line. The Rams achieved three first downs with a 12-yard rush by Nick Schroeder, a 21-yard carry by sophomore quarterback Clint Dennhardt, and a 15-yard run by Tucker taking the Rams to the Cadets’ 28 yard line. Then the offense stalled. Rather than punting, they attempted a pass play that failed and the Cadets had the ball on their own 28 yard line.
It took the Cadets eight plays and just longer than four minutes to move the ball the 72 yards needed for another touchdown. The drive was capped by a 24-yard run by Michael Kent. The PAT was good and with 1:50 to play in the first quarter the Cadets led 14-0.
The Rams’ next possession ended when Cadet Logan Ward intercepted a Dennhardt pass and ran 41 yards to score. The PAT was good and the first quarter ended with the score 21-0.
Ram Nick Schroeder returned the second half kick-off 15 yards and the Rams started on their own 25 yard line. The Rams put together a seven play, 75-yard drive to score. It was Tucker who carried the ball across the goal line at the end of a 28-yard run. The drive also included a 15-yard Tucker carry on which the Cadets were pegged with a 15-yard penalty on a face mask violation. Schroeder’s PAT was blocked and the score was 21-6 with 9:55 to play in the second quarter.
The Cadets punted, the Rams punted, and the Cadets punted again.
The Rams started their last possession of the first half on their own 38 yard line. With the aid of a 15-yard penalty against the Cadets for unsportsmanlike conduct and some good rushing the Rams made it down to the Cadets’ 13 yard line. On fourth and 6 Dennhardt passed to Logan Lansman but the pass was dropped. The Rams’ homecoming luck held and the Cadets were called for a targeting and the Rams had a first down with the ball on the 6 yard line. There was a 5-yard penalty against the Rams for off sides, Tucker was dropped for a loss, and Dennhardt threw two incomplete passes to put the Rams at fourth and 14. The Rams attempted a 31-yard field goal; Schroeder’s kick went wide right.
The first half ended with the Cadets ahead 21-6, although the Rams had 125 yards of total offense in the half and the Cadets had 119 yards.
The Rams received the opening kick-off for the second half. That possession and the Cadets’ possession ended with punts.
The Rams started their next possession on their own 26 yard line with a 10-yard Tucker kick-off return. They kept the ball on the ground, attempting no pass plays. Dennhardt and Tucker took seven plays and combined to move the ball the 74 yards for a touchdown. The drive was helped along with a 15-yard personal foul penalty against the Cadets. Tucker again scored the touchdown on a hard-fought seven yard run. Schroeder’s PAT kick was good and the Rams narrowed the gap to 21-13 with about three minutes to play in the third quarter.
The Cadets went out on downs on their next possession and the Rams had the ball on their own 45 yard line with 1:57 to play in the third quarter. The drive ended with Tucker carrying the ball 38 yards to the end zone, only to have it called back on a penalty against the Rams for holding. The ball was moved back to the Cadets’ 48 yard line. Schroeder punted the ball 48 yards, all the way into the end zone, and the Cadets started their offense on their own 20 yard line.
The Rams had the ball back again on their own 48 yard line when the Cadets went out on downs and punted. Dennhardt kept the ball on the first play but passed on second and 9. His pass was intercepted by Nick Hamilton, who ran it back to the Ram 43 yard line.
Seven plays later Kent scored his second touchdown with a four yard run across the goal line. The PAT was good and with 7:31 to play in the game the Cadets were up 28-13.
The Ram offense was held on downs in the next possession. At fourth and 9 on their own 36 yard line the Rams attempted a pass play, but the pass was incomplete and the Cadets had the ball on the Ram 36 yard line with 5:25 to play in the game. The Ram defense held. A short punt gave the Rams the ball on their own 26 yard line.
The possession ended with a 58-yard Schroeder punt and the Cadets had the ball on their own 20 yard line. The Rams got the ball back with 40 seconds to play. The game ended 28-13.
Unofficially, the Rams had 282 total yards of offense with 253 yards of rushing, 110 of which were Tucker’s. Dennhardt was five of 23 passing for 29 yards. Dennhardt rushed for 96 yards. Jake Berns added 28 yards, Schroeder added 13 yards of rushing, and Joe Towers had nine yards.
Towers led on defense with eight solo tackles and three assists. Berns and Bryce Hoyle both had five solo tackles and four assists. Charlie Gunn and Trey Hinote both had four solo tackles and one assist. Gunn and Anthony Jacobsen were both credited with solo sacks.
Anthony Jacobsen had two solos and one assist, Logan Lansman had two solos and two assists, Kyle Peters had two solo tackles, Hunter Ruth had two solos and one assist, Schroeder had two solo, Calvin Skalla had two solos and one assist, and Chase Stoline had two solo tackles and one assist. Dylan Davis had one solo tackle and Thomas Jacobsen had one assist.
The Cadets had 209 total yards of offense with 151 yards rushing. Quarterback Ben Scadden was five of 13 passing for 58 yards.
It was turnovers that made the difference in the game. The Cadets scored on a Ram fumble and two pass interceptions, for 21 points in a game they won by 15.
The Rams travel to Boone next Friday for District 2 play.
