Regals beat Beavers for the 2nd time this season, 33-18
Culley Kline
IOWA CITY — The final score may suggest a competitive game, and for stretches, it was.
But make no mistake. Iowa City Regina took care of business.
Two weeks after blanking Wilton, 35-0, in the regular-season finale, the first three quarters were more of the same. Whatever adjustments the eighth-ranked Beavers (8-2) tried were ineffective as the fifth-ranked Regals started quick, breezing past Wilton again, 33-18, in a Class 1A state playoff Friday night at Regina.
“It’s survive and advance right now,” Regina Coach Jason Dumont said. “We didn’t play particularly good in the fourth quarter, but I’m going to take that. I thought we had something there offensively and I told Genrty (Dumont) to throw the ball and of course it ends up getting picked off, so that one’s on me.
“I thought we played extremely well for three quarters.”
The win puts the Regals (9-1) back into the quarterfinals for the first time since 2020. They’ll visit No. 4 MFL MarMac (9-1) at 7 p.m. next Friday.
Read More: Photos: Iowa City Regina vs. Wilton in Class 1A playoffs
The Regals have made their living through the air this season, a risky proposition in the Midwest when the cold air and wind arrive. Gentry Dumont wasn’t fazed in the slightest. He connected on big passes of 56, 46, and 36 yards on his way to 157 passing yards in the first quarter alone.
“Tough conditions,” Gentry Dumont said. “It’s a different feel, a different way you have to throw it. You gotta play the wind sometimes. Line did a great job protecting me in the pocket. I had time to throw it and receivers made some great plays.”
A big run started the festivities.
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Any hopes the Beavers (8-2) had of hanging with Regina in the rematch were quickly dashed as William Aitchison tore through a gaping hole up the middle for 44 yards on the first snap. Aitchison scored from 7 yards out two plays later to give Regina a 6-0 lead with 10:42 left in the first quarter.
Following a Wilton punt, Dumont went to work. Facing third-and-7, Dumont scanned the field while Andrew Greve lost his defender. Greve hauled in the long pass and ran it in for a 56-yard score and a quick 13-0 lead.
A 36-yard pass to Alex Jensen set the Regals up for Aitchison’s second touchdown run, this from 2 yards out as Regina entered the second quarter with a commanding 19-0 edge.
Facing another third-and-7, Jackson Naeve took it in from 15 yards out to stretch the lead to 26-0.
The Beavers finally had something break their way as Kale McQuillen returned the kickoff 75 yards to the Regina 10, setting up an Owen Hassell 3-yard touchdown run.
Finally stopping the Regals, Wilton looked to seize momentum heading into the break. With 6 seconds left and the ball at the Regals 20, Drew Keith’s pass was picked off by Jensen.
Aitchison’s third touchdown run of the night put the Regals up 33-6 heading into the final frame.
The Beavers kept grinding away, putting up a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns. Owen Hassel’s run from a yard out capped the scoring with 24 seconds remaining.
Dumont finished with 235 yards passing and added 54 on the ground. Aitchison rushed for 107.
The Regals will travel to Monona next Friday to face MFL MarMac with a trip to the UNO-Dome on the line.
“They’re going to be well coached,” Coach Dumont said. “They run the wing T and they run it extremely well. Defensively they’re gonna blitz you and get after you.”
Iowa City Regina 33, Wilton 18
WILTON IC REGINA
First Downs 16, 19
Rushes-Yards 30-122, 31-209
Comp-Att-Int 17-33-1, 15-27-1
Pass Yards 186, 235
Total Yards 308, 444
Penalties-Yards 5-35, 8-62
Fumbles-Lost 0-0, 1-0
Punts-Avg 3-28.3, 0-0.0
Wilton 0 6 0 12 — 18
Regina 19 7 7 0 — 33
ICR — William Aitchison 7 run (kick failed).
ICR — Andrew Greve 56 pass from Gentry Dumont (Emiliano Herrera-Sinnwell kick).
ICR — Aitchison 2 run (kick failed).
ICR — Jackson Naeve 15 run (Cash Hatfield kick).
W — Owen Hassell 3 run (kick failed).
ICR — Aitchison 6 run (Hatfield kick).
W — Drew Keith 2 run (kick failed).
W — Hassell 1 run (kick failed).
Rushing — Wilton: Owen Hassell 21-113, Drew Keith 9-9. Regina: William Aitchison 11-107, Jackson Naeve 4-28, Gentry Dumont 10-54, Savion Miller 6-20.
Passing — Wilton: Keith 17-32-186-1, Hassell 0-1-0-0. Regina: Dumont 15-27-235-1.
Receiving — Wilton: Landyn Putman 3-16, Kale McQuillen 8-67, Cade Souhrada 4-73, Hassell 2-31. Regina: Andrew Greve 1-56, Ty Joss 1-12, Alex Jensen 3-59, Naeve 4-28, Tate Wallace 5-74, Jack Clark.