Douglas Miles

Your Prep Sports

BETTENDORF – The West High defense was tasked with defending a unique offense in one week’s time.

The triple-option, run-heavy attack of Class 4A No. 4 Pleasant Valley has given its opponents fits all season. And against the seventh-ranked Trojans, the Spartans unexpectedly popped some long passes early and predictably ground out the clock late.

“It is a well-oiled machine,” West High Coach Garrett Hartwig said after a 38-24 loss in a state quarterfinal playoff game Friday night at Spartan Stadium. “They are well-schooled in it and it is difficult to prepare for a team of that magnitude in a short amount of time and I thought we really did a good job of it. They made plays and we didn’t at times, but that is the way it goes.”

Pleasant Valley junior quarterback Barrett Lindmark – a first-year starter under center for the Spartans – averaged just 62.3 passing yards per game before Friday night, yet accumulated 172 by halftime with completions of 17, 35 and 53 yards, plus a screen pass to senior tailback Caden Kipper that went for a 67-yard touchdown on the first drive of the game.

“Yes and no,” Hartwig said when asked if the early aerial assault was a surprise. “We knew that we had to take one of the two away and if you focus on the wrong one first, they can beat you through the air and they did that tonight.”

Pleasant Valley built a 24-13 lead late in the first half with points on each of its four first-half possessions.

The Trojans never led in the game, but got as close as a field goal when senior quarterback Marcus Morgan caught a five-yard touchdown toss from senior receiver Grahm Goering on 4th and 4 and just four seconds left until halftime.

“Marcus is a winner,” Hartwig said. “He works as hard as he is talented. It is going to carry forward in life. He will be successful wherever he is, whatever he does.”

West High (6-1) was on the verge of taking the lead on the first possession of the second half when its defense forced a Pleasant Valley punt that traveled just seven yards.

With the ball at the Spartans’ 32-yard-line, West was unable to pick up a first down and had a 25-yard touchdown run by Morgan called back due to a penalty.

Two plays later, an attempt at a fourth-down conversion was unsuccessful.

Pleasant Valley (10-0) took over with 8:17 left in the third quarter and held the ball for 15 and a half of the remaining 20-plus minutes in the game.

The Spartans clinched their first trip to the state semifinals at the UNI-Dome since 1996 with touchdown drives of 15 and 13 plays, respectively, during that crucial span.

“Against a team like this, you have got to win first down,” Hartwig said. “They got to us on first down that is right where they needed to be. They stayed on schedule. Our guys fought like hell. I wouldn’t trade any team in the state for them.”

West managed just three points and 100 yards of offense in its limited second-half chances.

“The guys stuck with it all year and overcame so much adversity,” Morgan said. “I would not have wanted to do it with any other group of guys. We went through so much, we came together and we made it all the way here. I am proud of them and I love them like my brothers.”

Morgan finished the game with 246 passing yards and the aforementioned touchdown reception from Goering.

His Trojans’ career ends with 5,264 passing yards and 53 total touchdowns, including 43 through the air.

Morgan will now turn his attention to boys’ basketball this winter, during which he hopes to have a college destination selected. He is a Division-I prospect in all three of his sports (baseball, basketball, football).

“You are not going to find a better group of guys, a better group of coaches than these guys right here,” Morgan said. “My development over the last three years is big-time due to them.”

Kipper ran for 121 yards and three total touchdowns via 25 of Pleasant Valley’s whopping 56 rush attempts, while Lindmark finished a perfect 6-of-6 passing for a season-high 203 yards.

“They are pretty big,” West senior outside linebacker Ian McAreavy said. “We really haven’t seen the triple-option that much this past year.”

West senior tailback Trey King ran for 86 yards, including a 33-yard scoring scamper. In addition to a touchdown pass, Goering rushed for a 13-yard score and led all receivers with eight receptions for 139 yards.

“This is one of the more talented teams we have ever had,” Hartwig said. “And they had to go through more than any team we have ever had. Stops, starts, never knowing if they were going to get to the next game. They hung together and it was their team from start to finish. I appreciate everything that the seniors did. I am going to miss them and it is up to the young guys to continue the history and tradition.”

AT BETTENDORF

                                     ICW                PV

First Downs                14                    19

Rushes-yards              24-112             56-240

Comp-Att-Int              15-27-1           6-6-0

Passing yards              246                  203

Total yards                  358                  443

Punts-avg.                   2-51.0              1-7.0

Fumbles-lost               0-0                   1-0

Penalties-yards           5-50                 5-40

West High                    7    14   0   3  –  24

Pleasant Valley          14   10   7   7  –  38

PV – Caden Kipper 67 pass from Barrett Lindmark (Rhys Ward kick)

PV – Barrett Lindmark 4 run (Ward kick)

ICW – Trey King 33 run (Owen Smith kick)

PV – Ward 30 Field Goal

ICW – Grahm Goering 13 run (Kick blocked)

PV – Barrett Lindmark 1 run (Rhys Ward kick)

ICW – Marcus Morgan 5 pass from Goering (Morgan run)

PV – Kipper 3 run (Ward kick)

ICW – Owen Smith 20 Field Goal

PV – Kipper 3 run (Ward kick)

Individual Statistics

RUSHING – West High: Trey King 16-86, Marcus Morgan 7-13, Grahm Goering 1-13. Pleasant Valley: Caden Kipper 25-121, Barrett Lindmark 21-67, Caden McDermott 4-20, Makhi Wilson 2-26, Matthew Meyer 4-6.

PASSING – Wes High: Marcus Morgan 14-26-1 246, Grahm Goering 1-1-0 5. Pleasant Valley: Barrett Lindmark 6-6-0 203.

RECEIVING – West High: Trey King 2-8, Grahm Goering 8-139, Damarion Williams 3-61, Eric Torres 1-33, Marcus Morgan 1-5. Pleasant Valley: Matt Mickle 1-35, Caden Kipper 1-67, Caden McDermott 2-70, Ryan Mumey 1-27, Matthew Meyer 1-4.

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