It’s Breaking News and a Developing Story – at the same time!
Montezuma senior quarterback/kicker Owen Cook booted a 46-yard field goal with 26 seconds left, lifting the Braves to a 44-42 playoff victory over Iowa Valley on Friday evening, Oct. 21, at Badger-Gabriel Field.
It was Cook’s third field goal of the game, to go with four touchdown runs and a touchdown pass.
The first round Class 8 match-up pitted two great quarterbacks. The other was Iowa Valley’s Evan Kearney, who came close to pulling out this game for his team with a huge play on defense.
The Braves will get another home game in the second round of the playoffs! They’ll host 7-1 Easton Valley on Friday night, Oct. 28.
The Braves appeared to have grabbed control of this game in the second half by making long drives to keep Iowa Valley’s potent offense off the field.
Cook scored on a 15-yard run with 8:51 left to play, then kicked the PAT to give the Braves a 41-26 lead. But Iowa Valley came all the way back, and then some.
Clayton Kinzenbaw got open over the middle and Kearney passed 24 yards to him for a touchdown. The Tigers converted a two-pointer, and it was 41-34 with 3:40 left.
The Braves drove steadily, then Garrett Watts made a catch in heavy traffic for a 12-yard gain and a first down. Now, just 1:24 was left and Montezuma was a first down away from sealing the win.
Fullback Brett Plants appeared to have that first down, but the football got away from him on the tackle. Kearney, on defense, scooped it up and ran 55 yards for a touchdown. Another two-point conversion put Iowa Valley ahead 42-41 with 1:06 left to play.
It turned out that was more than enough time for Cook and the Braves to work with. Two passes to wide receiver Masin Shearer and sound clock management put the ball on Iowa Valley’s 25 with 48 seconds left.
Iowa Valley sacked Cook at the 29. Cook missed an end zone shot to Garrett Watts. Now there were 26 seconds left, but it was fourth down and 13.
Cook then split the uprights with his 46-yard missile.
There were heroes aplenty on both sides in this one. Defensive backs Carter Michalek and Brady Boulton knocked down passes in the closing seconds, then several Braves clustered and batted down Kearney’s final shot at the end zone.
Masin Shearer was huge as a control receiver for the Braves, going into double figures in receptions. He had eight in the first half alone and battled some serious cramping during second half play on a warm October evening.
Caden Knapp caught a pair of passes for 70 yards as Iowa Valley led 12-7 after one quarter, but fell behind 22-20 by halftime.
Iowa Valley led 20-14 late in the second quarter, but Cook drove his team during the final minute and scored on a 21-yard run on a scramble to knot the score at 20-20.
The Braves lined up for Cook to kick the point after, but holder Shearer pulled the ball and raced for a two-pointer.
Cook’s field goal from 30 yards out put Montezuma up 25-20 with 8:20 left in the third quarter.
Cook then executed an onside kickoff, which Montezuma recovered.
Watts caught a 19-yard pass from Cook, then the quarterback rolled 21 yards on a keeper, then ran it over from 6 yards out. It was 31-20 with 6:46 left in the third quarter. Iowa Valley was about to get its first possession of the second half.
The Tigers got a score on Kearney’s 20-yard pass to Pierce Kienitz. But the score remained at 31-26 after Boulton knocked down a pass attempt for a two-point conversion.
Cook’s 38-yard field goal put the Braves up 34-26 late in the third quarter.
Montezuma’s defense made a big stop late in the first quarter when, on fourth-and-one from the four, Braves tackle Landon Morrison broke through and and tackled Smith, who had taken the ball on a direct snap.
Morrison made another fourth-and-two stop six minutes later.
The win pushed the Braves to 8-2 on the season and into a second round game next week that will be announced Saturday morning.
Iowa Valley closed a 6-4 campaign.
THANKS TO – Al Rabenold and KGRN’s Craig Arendt for their communication about the action on the field.
UP NEXT – The Braves will get another home game in the second round of the playoffs! They’ll host 7-1 Easton Valley on Friday night, Oct. 28.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Iowa Valley 12 8 6 16 – 42
Montezuma 7 15 19 3 – 44
Passing – Owen Cook 21-34, 224 yards, one touchdown.
Rushing – Owen Cook, 29-129, four touchdowns; Brett Plants, 10-48, Broox Stockman 2-12, Masin Shearer 1-1.
Receiving – Masin Shearer 14-129, Garrett Watts, 4-80, one touchdown; Brett Plants 1-10, Cruz De Jong 1-5, Brady Boulton 1-0.
Tackles – Brett Plants, 9.5, Kennen Roadcap 8.0 (2.0 for loss); Carter Michalek 5.5, Brady Ogan 3.5, Eli Bustamante 3.5, Landon Morrison 3.0 (1.0); Marty Knox 2.5, Tod Geiger 2.0, Brady Boulton 1.5, Broox Stockman 1.5, David Rose 1.0, Garrett Watts 1.0, Cruz De Jong 1.0.
Interceptions – Broox Stockman 1-16.
Kickoff returns – Brady Boulton 2-25, Masin Shearer 1-4.
Kicking – Owen Cook 9 kickos, 3 touchbacks, 314 yards. Field goals 3-3, PATs 3-4.
Punts – Owen Cook 2-71.
Iowa Valley leaders
Rushing – Evan Kearney, 23-140, one touchdown.
Passing – Evan Kearney, 11-23, 161 yards, two touchdowns.
Receiving – Caden Knapp, 4-81, one touchdown.
Tackles – Zane Keim, 15.0.