Colin Gordon rushes for 2 TDs, passes for 1 in Spartans’ 42-0 win; MFL MarMac finishes 11-2 with first finals appearance
K.J. Pilcher
CEDAR FALLS — Colin Gordon was called on to do a lot for top-ranked Grundy Center.
Often than not, he answered and produced on offense, defense and special teams.
Gordon recovered a fumble on the Spartans’ first defensive play that set up the first of two first-half rushing touchdowns, passed for another and added extra points, leading Grundy Center to a 42-0 victory over No. 4 MFL MarMac in the Class 1A state football championship Thursday afternoon at the UNI-Dome.
“It’s incredible,” Gordon said. “This was the goal after we won last year to get back to this game and win it again. To accomplish those goals is really special.”
The Spartans (13-0) won their second straight title and fifth in school history, recording their fourth shutout of the season and second of this postseason.
MFL MarMac was a finals newcomer, finishing at 11-2. The Bulldogs had ended the last four seasons in the quarterfinals, beating Iowa City Regina to get over the hump. They were successful in their semifinal debut, beating No. 2 Underwood, 41-28, here last week.
“This season has meant the world to me,” MFL MarMac’s Tristan Koehn said. “It’s not the ending I hoped for but it is one of the best ways it could possibly go. Only one team ends with a win on the season.
“With this group of guys, this group of brothers, I couldn’t be prouder. I couldn’t be happier.”
MFL MarMac Coach Dan Anderson said he was so occupied with his duties that he didn’t allow himself to soak it in as it happened. He has time to look back and appreciate the special season.
Sign up for Prep Sports
Subscribe now and receive weekly rankings, highlights and commentary on Iowa high school sports coverage.
“Now, I can sit back, reflect and be proud,” Anderson said. “We can go back and watch the game. Maybe not this one but the other ones. Be proud of what we accomplished this year.”
Senior quarterback Carver Blietz-Bentien echoed Koehn’s sentiments. He added that the bar has been raised for the program and the school. This senior class reached the quarterfinals or better every season.
“We set this tone and a tradition for the rest of the school,” Blietz-Bentien said. “That expectation of winning. I’m looking forward to the future and seeing other (MFL MarMac) teams get down here.”
The Bulldogs defense stifled Grundy Center on the game’s opening possession, forcing a three-and-out. On MFL MarMac’s first offensive play, however, running back Bryce Radloff was fighting for extra yards when the ball popped out and bounced on the turf.
Gordon snagged the loose ball and returned it to the Bulldogs’ 18. Three plays later, the 6-foot-1, 195-pounder scored on a 1-yard QB sneak for a 7-0 lead less than three minutes into the game.
MFL MarMac’s backfield was already hindered by injury with Wyatt Powell out due to a hand injury. Bryce Radloff, who still led the Bulldogs with 40 rushing yards, tried to play through an early injury but left the game. He was seen using crutches on the sideline.
Blietz-Bentien had 38 rushing yards and Quinn McGeough added 35, but it was too much to overcome.
“Our game plan really changed, obviously,” Anderson said. “We’re down two of our top running backs, but they battled the whole game.
“They’re warriors. I’m proud of them.”
Read More: Photos: MFL MarMac vs. Grundy Center in Class 1A state football championship
MFL MarMac struggled to rebound from the early setback. The Bulldogs ran just 22 first-half plays to the Spartans’ 34. MFL MarMac managed 127 yards of total offense, including just 18 passing yards.
It was the first time the Bulldogs had been shut out in 57 games, dating back to 2018. Grundy Center allowed just 19 points in four postseason games, outscoring foes, 124-7, in the last three games.
“All through my high school career, we’ve always gotten better at the end of the year,” Grundy Center’s Brody Zinkula said. “I couldn’t imagine it being this good. We came together and our defense shut people out, our offense got rolling and our line moved everybody. For the running backs, it was easy.”
The Spartans turned MFL MarMac away at midfield on the ensuing possession. Grundy Center showed it could grind out a drive, going 67 yards on nine plays and burning 3:11 off the clock.
Gordon completed all three pass attempts for 41 yards, setting up first-and-goal from the 3 with a 15-yard strike to Tiernan Vokes. Gordon followed with a 3-yard keeper for the score and 13-0 lead with 5:04 left in the opening quarter.
Gordon finished with 242 yards and two scores on 11-of-17 passing. He connected with five receivers for 180 yards in in the first half.
Grundy Center added two short, quick scoring drives in the second quarter for a 27-0 halftime lead.
Gordon led the Spartans 59 yards on five plays that ended with a Zinkula 1-yard TD run. Gordon’s 37-yard gain to Judd Jirovsky set up the score.
Gordon added a 26-yard TD pass, delivering under pressure into the arms of Tate Jirovsky with 3:31 before the break.
The teams exchanged possessions in the third. Bryce Christofferson intercepted a Gordon pass on MFL MarMac’s first defensive series of the third.
Grundy Center was able to get the ball back, capitalizing on good field position again. The Spartans went 46 yards on four plays, ending in a Justin Knaack 9-yard TD pass from Gordon, who hit Vokes on the 2-point conversion to make it 35-0 and enact a running clock with 1:59 to play in the third. Knaack added a 6-yard TD run in the fourth.
Grundy Center made its fifth straight finals appearance, capturing the Class A title last season. The Spartans moved to 1A and didn’t skip a beat, extending their win streak to 26 games over the last two seasons.
“We pretty much all came back from last year,” Gordon said. “When we get rolling, we’re pretty hot. We’re almost impossible to beat. I know it’s crazy to say but when we get rolling, we’re on our game and it’s tough to beat us.”
Grundy Center 42, MFL MarMac 0
AT UNI-DOME
MFL GC
First Downs 0 16
Rushes-yards 35-109 27-85
Passing yards 18 242
Att-comp-int 10-2-0 25-17-1
Total yards 127 327
Fumbles-lost 3-1 1-0
Punts-avg. 7-27.0 3-45.7
Penalties-yards 4-17 4-35
MFL MarMac0000 -- 0
Grundy Center131487 -- 42
GC – Colin Gordon 1 run (Gordon kick).
GC – Gordon 3 run (kick failed)
GC – Brody Zinkula 1 run (Gordon kick)
GC – Tate Jirovsky 26 pass from Gordon (Gordon kick)
GC – Justin Knaack 9 pass from Gordon (Tiernan Vokes pass from Gordon)
GC – Knaack 6 run (Gordon kick).
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING – MFL MarMac:Bryce Radloff 5-40, Carver Blietz-Bentien 13-38, Quinn McGeough 14-35, Carter Stoddard 2-3, Elias Hatt 1-(-7). Grundy Center: Knaack 10-64, Zinkula 8-43, Gordon 7-(-8), Team 2-(-14).
PASSING – MFL MarMac: Blietz-Bentien 1-5-0-9, Hatt 1-5-0-9. Grundy Center: Gordon 17-25-1-242.
RECEIVING – MFL MarMac: Brandon Christofferson 1-9, McGeough 1-9. Grundy Center: Dylan Knaak 4-39, J. Knaack 4-39, Jirovsky 3-53, Vokes 3-44, Judd Jirovsky 2-51, Tanner Laube 1-16.
Comments: [email protected]