Trick play gives 1A No. 6 Regals the lead at halftime, then they pull away for 28-10 win
K.J. Pilcher
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IOWA CITY — Iowa City Regina got a jump on Halloween.
The Regals turned trick into treat, using an unorthodox play for a key score and a swing in momentum.
Wide receiver Drew Greve hit quarterback Kyle Tracy on a 43-yard touchdown pass with 13 seconds before halftime and Class 1A No. 6 Regina dominated after the break for a 28-10 victory over rival West Branch Friday night at Regina High School. The Regals topped the Bears for the first time since 2021.
“It’s been two years for these guys,” Regina Coach Dustin Elsbury said. “I know they really wanted to get this one this year. I’m so proud of them, the work they put in and the leadership they’ve had this year.
“To be able to respond and come back in the second half and make some big plays, it’s just a gritty win for these guys.”
The pass back to the quarterback was the power boost the Regals needed and it came at a perfect time. Regina took over with 1:35 left in the second quarter. A penalty moved them back to their 9 before they moved the ball 91 yards in four plays. A couple runs moved the chains before Tracy hit Tate Wallace for a 32-yards gain into Bears territory.
The Regals emerged from a timeout and conjured the magic play. Tracy tossed a backward pass to his left across the field to Greve, who looked downfield and then returned it to Tracy. A wall was set up for Tracy and he split two defenders to get into the end zone, making it 14-10 at the half.
Tracy was confident the play would be a success.
“When I threw the ball, I was like, ‘Don’t drop it” and I looked up with no one in front of me,” Tracy said. “I’m like ‘let’s score this touchdown.’”
Greve was a quarterback as a freshman. He was the right one to execute it, delivering a perfect ball.
“I was hoping for a big play,” Greve said. “Some of our guys were confused on the play call but we got them over. I think our linemen ran it the best.
“I was watching from the 50-yard line. I saw Kyle take off. He ran really fast.”
Regina implemented the play Tuesday and walked through it Thursday. It paid dividends. The reward was much greater than any risk.
“I don’t think I ever jumped so high in the air or yelled so much,” Elsbury said. “That was a huge play right before half.”
Regina dominated the second quarter. The Regals controlled the time of possession, running 18 plays to West Branch’s eight. They melted more than six minutes off the clock on the first possession of the third and then got the ball right back when Leren Fernandez recovered a muffed punt at the Bears 37.
Savion Miller scored on a 30-yard run for a 21-10 lead with 5:25 to go in the third.
The Regals (6-0) adjusted at halftime.
“We talked about it all week that they owned us up front,” Elsbury said. “We made it a motivational tool for our guys that cannot happen this year if we want to win this game. When we needed tough yards and take some time off the clock they worked together, fired off low and finished the game up front.”
Tracy connected with Will Aitchison on two big receptions. The first was a 37-yard gain to West Branch’s 13 and the next was a 15-yard TD strike where Aitchison powered his way across the goal line to cap the scoring.
Tracy finished with 179 yards passing, including an 8-yard pass to Greve to open the scoring.
West Branch (2-4) answered with a safety in the first and a 12-yard TD pass from Connor Rios to Brandon Pedersen for a 10-7 lead with 6:33 left before halftime.
Regina’s defense stymied the Bears for the last two quarters, allowing no points and just three first downs.
“Overall, in the second half, we stopped the run,” Greve said. “We made fixes to the defense. Everyone just played lights out in the second half.”
Tracy has stepped in after Regina quarterback Gentry Dumont graduated. He has passed for almost 1,100 yards and 13 TDs. He has rushed for five and added a TD catch to his resume. Regina is unbeaten, too.
“Stepping into the role, the best part about it is it’s really fun,” Tracy said. “I get to play with my brothers. We’re 6-0, so far.”
IOWA CITY REGINA 28
WEST BRANCH 10
AT IOWA CITY
WB ICR
First Downs 11 14
Rushes-yards 26-79 39-53
Passing yards 77 222
Comp-att-int 15-29-1 14-18-0
Total yards 156 275
Fumbles-lost 2-1 1-1
Punts-avg. 6-44.5 4-33.0
Penalties-yards 6-70 10-74
West Branch 2 8 0 0 -- 10
I.C. Regina 7 7 7 7 -- 28
ICR – Drew Greve 8 pass from Kyle Tracy (Gabriel Hegelheimer kick)
WB – Team safety
WB – Brandon Pedersen 12 pass from Connor Rios (Rios pass to Cooper Gates)
ICR – Tracy 43 pass from Greve (Hegelheimer kick)
ICR – Savion Miller 30 run (Hegelheimer kick)
ICR – Will Aitchison 15 pass from Tracy (Hegelheimer kick)
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING – West Branch: Gates 12-47, Rios 12-33, Team 1-4, Keaton Gates 1-(minus 5). I.C. Regina: Miller 16-68, Tracy 19-6, Edwin Gangba 1-1, Team 3-(minus 12).
PASSING – West Branch: Rios 15-29-1-77. I.C. Regina: Tracy 13-17-0-179, Greve 1-1-0-43.
RECEIVING – West Branch: Pedersen 4-30, Oliver Trepanier 3-24, Conner Capper 3-18, Jarrett Ellyson 1-12, C. Gates 3-2, Rios 1-(minus 9). I.C. Regina: Aitchison 4-73, Tate Wallace 4-53, Miller 4-45, Tracy 1-43, Greve 1-8.
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