John Naughton

Your Prep Sports

ALTOONA – When West High played on Friday the 13th under a full moon, bizarre things happened on the football field, too.

The Trojans scored a touchdown with no time on the clock that put them in a position to attempt a game-tying two-point conversion that would have forced overtime at 4A Ninth-ranked Southeast Polk.

The conversion pass attempt went incomplete, and West High fell 23-21 in a Class 4A football game at Altoona.

West (0-3) scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter. Junior quarterback Marcus Morgan threw for 365 yards without an interception and ran for a touchdown. Grahm Goering caught 14 passes for 189 yards, unofficially.

The Trojans drove downfield in the final moments that created confusion for players and fans alike.

When the clock reached zero and West trailed 23-15, some Southeast Polk players ran on the field in apparent celebration.

But the game wasn’t over.

The officials set the football near the goal line after a clutch catch by Goering and restored order on the field.

There was a penalty, and it was ruled that West still had a play left – despite the 0:00 on the scoreboard clock.

“It was definitely a crazy moment,” West senior center Matthew Karwal said.

It was West’s second attempt at a two-point conversion. The Trojans had another attempt with 10:19 left in the game and Southeast Polk leading 16-15.

Grant Henderson ran for a 5-yard touchdown and West’s pass attempt failed on the point after try.

Karwal said West never gave up.

“It was definitely a testament to who this team is,” Karwal said.

West played its most productive offensive game of the year.

Owen Smith kicked three field goals – one in each of the first three quarters. They covered 26, 38 and 37 yards.

Morgan spread his passes across the field he completed 28-of-43 attempts.

Five receivers had catches. Tate Crane caught six for 53 yards. Eric Torres-Castro and Marchaun Hoover both had four receptions.

“Marcus has really progressed since the start of the season,” Karwal said.

This young team is maturing, coach Garrett Hartwig said. Seven starters are back from last season, and juniors and sophomores make up most of the roster.

“I’ve seen us grow up incrementally this season,” Hartwig said. “We’re 0-3, but we’re not an 0-3 team.”

The Trojans stayed poised despite the end-of-game confusion.

“We knew the game wasn’t over,” Hartwig said. “And we had a play ready to go.”

West’s Smith kicked two field goals in the first half and the Trojans trailed 16-6.

Southeast Polk (2-1) took the opening kickoff and went on a 74-yard drive for a score. Sophomore Xavier Nwankpa ran for a 7-yard score with 6:23 left in the first quarter.

Logan Sunvold kicked the extra point for a 7-0 lead.

West High followed with its own scoring drive. Smith kicked a 26-yard field goal with 3:18 left in the first quarter.

The Trojans were called for holding in the end zone on their next possession. Southeast Polk led 9-3 with the safety, then followed that with a 24-yard touchdown run by Titus Christianson that gave the Rams a 16-3 lead.

Smith kicked his second field goal of the game, a 38-yarder, with 1:55 left in the second quarter.

The junior added a third field goal in the third quarter, a 37-yarder.

West High’s Henderson rushed for a 5-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter to cut the lead to 16-15. A two-point conversion pass went incomplete.

Southeast Polk drove 68 yards in a touchdown drive that took nearly seven minutes off the clock. Christianson’s second touchdown run of the game made the lead 23-15.

West High rallied once again. Morgan completed eight passes on a scoring drive that started with 3:29 left in the game.

It was the Trojans’ closest game of the season.

West High will host Dubuque Senior next Friday, then open district play Sept. 27 against Pleasant Valley.

“We’re going to be ready for districts,” Karwal said.

SEP – Nwankpa 7 run (Sunvold kick)

ICW – Smith 26 field goal

SEP – Safety, West High holding in end zone

SEP – Christianson 24 run (Sunvold kick)

ICW – Smith 38 field

ICW – Smith 37 field goal

ICW – Grant Henderson 5 run (pass failed)

SEP – Christianson 3 run (Sunvold kick)

ICW – Morgan 1 run (pass failed)

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