Douglas Miles

Your Prep Sports

MARION – It had been nearly a month since City High had faced an opponent on the football field.

The hiatus produced a host of costly miscues in its return.

“We had some opportunities and we didn’t take advantage,” City High Coach Dan Sabers said after the Little Hawks lost to Linn-Mar, 50-36, in a prep game Friday night at Linn-Mar Stadium. “We didn’t take very good care of the football and that will always get you in trouble.”

Since Iowa City School District athletes were prohibited from competing while the district provided online-only coursework, the contest was the first for City High (1-2) since a 56-20 loss Sep. 4 to crosstown rival West High in the annual Battle for the Boot.

The Little Hawks charged out with a dominant first quarter against Linn-Mar, but were ultimately undone by mistakes.

City High fumbled the ball five times and lost four of them, including one that was returned for a touchdown.

The Little Hawks were unable to convert a snap on either of their two punt attempts and one resulted in a safety. Lastly, both of their onside kick attempts were unsuccessful and the latter was returned for a Linn-Mar touchdown on the final play of the game.

“We still have got to do better at handling some adversity,” Sabers said. “We kind of get down on ourselves a little bit. The kids wanted this game, there is no question about it. Both teams did. They both needed a win.”

The win was the first this season for Linn-Mar (1-3), which has played a rugged schedule with losses to Class 4A No. 7 Dubuque Hempstead, 3A No. 1 Cedar Rapids Xavier and Cedar Rapids Prairie, which is receiving votes in the latest Associated Press 4A rankings.

“Never say die attitude,” Linn-Mar Coach Paul James said. “We got down a little bit early and they scored. They were throwing a little bit different defense at us and it just took a little bit to figure it out and put it together. The defense just rose to the occasion.”

Linn-Mar junior quarterback McKade Jelinek was intercepted twice in the first quarter, once by City High cornerback Jacob Means and then a batted ball found the arms of Little Hawks’ linebacker Ben Kueter.

Jelinek showed impressive resiliency over the final three quarters of the game with four touchdown passes – two to junior receiver Jack Robertson – and no more turnovers.

“I have got to stick with it,” Jelinek said. “Not put my head down. Not get down on myself. Stay up.”

Tailback Bricen White ran for 105 yards with one touchdown on the ground and one touchdown reception for Linn-Mar, which closes the regular season next Friday at Cedar Falls.

City High will host Iowa City Liberty next Friday, and it remains to be seen which players will be available in its offensive backfield.

Leading rusher Jamari Newson did not play against Linn-Mar due to an ankle injury that he sustained during practice.

In Newson’s absence, City High senior quarterback Raph Hamilton shouldered much of the run game burden with a team-high 71 rushing yards and a touchdown.

Through the air, the University of Mary recruit threw for 226 yards and two more scores without an interception.

City High junior receiver Gable Mitchell ran for a touchdown, collected a touchdown reception and threw a touchdown pass.

“Obviously I think it is helpful that we have got Liberty coming in,” Sabers said. “Rivalry game, trophy game and all that. We have just got to continue to work hard. There is no question. We did some good things and we did some very poor things.”

                                     ICH                LM

First Downs                 13                   12

Rushes-yards               33-119            32-217

Comp-Att-Int              12-32-0           13-22-2

Passing yards              297                  129

Total yards                  416                  346

Punts-avg.                   0-0                   3-38.7

Fumbles-lost               5-4                   1-0

Penalties-yards           5-57                 7-75

City High       7   0  15 14  –  36

Linn-Mar       0 14  16 20  –  50

ICH – Gable Mitchell 15 run (Kongalo Mwenemkamba kick)

LM – Bricen White 31 pass from McKade Jelinek (Micah Baumhoefener kick)

LM – Jack Robertson 25 pass from Jelinek (Baumhoefener kick)

ICH – Joivan Harris 71 pass from Mitchell (Mwenemkamba kick)

LM – Robertson 14 pass from Jelinek (Alejandro Archila Notch kick)

LM – Safety, punt snap batted out of end zone

LM – White 28 run (Baumhoefener kick)

ICH – Mitchell 45 pass from Raph Hamilton (Hamilton run)

LM – Jeron Senters 11 pass from Jelinek (Baumhoefener kick)

LM – Mac Watts 26 fumble return (Baumhoefener kick)

ICH – Will Larson 31 pass from Hamilton (Pass failed)

ICH – Hamilton 1 run (Mitchell run)

LM – Clayton Muszynski 50 kickoff return (Baumhoefener kick)

Individual Statistics

RUSHING – City High: Raph Hamilton 11-71, Darren Richardson 11-22, Aaron Stalkfleet 1-(-3), Ben Kueter 6-15, Gable Mitchell 4-14. Linn-Mar: Bricen White 17-105, McKade Jelinek 8-37, Mehki Jackson 2-12, Jeron Senters 2-73, Jack Robertson 1-(-5), Clayton Muszynski 1-(-2) Mac Watts 1-(-3).

PASSING – City High: Raph Hamilton 11-29-0 226, Gable Mitchell 1-3-0-71. Linn-Mar: McKade Jelinek 13-22-2 129.

RECEIVING – City High: Jacob Means 1-5, Kolby Kucera 4-59, Gable Mitchell 4-119, Will Larson 1-31, Ben Kueter 1-12, Jovan Harris 1-71. Linn-Mar: Bricen White 4-36, Andrew Knipper 1-4, Mehki Jackson 2-4, Jeron Senters 1-11, Clayton Read 1-4, Jack Robertson 4-67, Clayton Muszynski 1-3.

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