IHSAA Football Playoffs: First Round

The high school football playoff began tonight, which was a nice midweek treat for us football lovers.

A few years ago the IHSAA revised the playoff format, adding another round to include more teams. I think the increased inclusion is great, but the unfortunate downside is that teams with a losing record are now making the postseason. Lucky to sneak in, some may be completely overmatched in their first round games. But others, as City High found out tonight, can present quite a challenge — at least for part of the game.

The Little Hawks were matched with 4-5 Davenport Central, not your typical 15th seed. The P-C’s game preview painted the Blue Devils as being talented and unlucky. Central almost toppled MAC powerhouses Bettendorf and North Scott, and lost five fourth-quarter leads this season. If all the breaks had gone their way, Central could have been undefeated during the regular season. The bundled-up fans who braved the stiff wind and cold tonight a Bates Field were in for a battle.

Man, it was fucking COLD tonight. Though the temperature was in the mid-40s, a moist and stiff wind from the west chilled me to the bone. Despite wearing my winter Triclimate, a stocking hat, and covering my legs with a blanket, I still shook from the cold. I definitely have a lot of acclimatizing to do.

The Little Hawks scored first but missed the PAT. Central marched down the field and took a 7-6 lead. City High’s one weakness is a porous defense. They cannot contain the run to save their lives, and they count on their opponent’s miscues to stop drives. The teams traded missed field goal attempts and TDs, but CHS was able to take the slimmest of leads to halftime after a successful 2-point conversion and failed Central PAT. It was 14-13 at the break.

In every game I have seen, City High has come out in the second half like a different team. After getting lucky when the Central QB fumbled a fourth-and-one attempt, the Little Hawks stormed down the field for six and another 2-point conversion to push their lead to 22-13.

After that, Central collapsed. Their punter fumbled the snap on their next drive and a CHS defensive back scooped and scored. The Blue Devils’ QB threw a pick on the next drive and the Little Hawks capitalized three plays later to make it 35-13. Central fumbled the ensuing kickoff and City High’s running back scored his fourth TD of the night a few plays later, pushing the lead to 42-13.

In just eight minutes of play, the Little Hawks scored 28 points.

With the game in hand, my old man and I left a few minutes into the fourth quarter. I could not stand the cold any more. The final score was 49-13, and City High now faces a rematch against the potent Linn-Mar Lions on Monday night. I have a feeling Linn-Mar will exact their revenge when it matters.