CEDAR FALLS - Marshalltown saw its state championship dream stomped out by the defense of Iowa City High.
The Little Hawks scored 28 unanswered points after the game was tied 14-all in the second quarter on their way to winning 42-14 Friday in the Class 4A title game of the state football playoffs at the UNI-Dome.
"We had a great season. One game doesn't make a season," said Marshalltown head coach Dave Holdiman. "It's too bad the turnover bug kind of bit us tonight.
"(Iowa City High) played better than we did tonight and they deserved to win the title. When you make turnovers against a great team like that, the odds are against you."
Top-ranked Iowa City High (14-0) came into the game leading Class 4A in defense by allowing only 10.8 points per game. The Little Hawks proved it on the field this night.
Fourth-ranked Marshalltown (13-1) turned the ball over four times - two interceptions and two fumbles - and didn't score on its final nine possessions. The Bobcats had been averaging 32.4 points per game.
"They played lights out I thought," Holdiman said of Iowa City High's defense. "We knew they had great speed defensively and it showed out there, particularly up front. (Quarterback) Chanse (Creekmur) got harassed quite a bit, chased out of the pocket. You've got to give City High credit, they had a great plan and their kids executed it well. They took us out of our rhythm, and in a passing offense rhythm is really important."
Little Hawk quarterback A.J. Derby scored on an 8-yard run at the 5:35 mark of the second quarter to put Iowa City High up for good, 21-14.
The Bobcats went three-and-out on the next series and the Little Hawks returned to the end zone on a 28-yard touchdown pass from Derby to David Koehnke.
Marshalltown's 47-yard field-goal attempt on the final play of the half came up short, and the Bobcats had the ball to start the second half but saw their drive stall at midfield.
"We played well, there's no question," said Iowa City High head coach Dan Sabers. "Once we got adjusted to Marshalltown and what they do, their quarterback and stuff, I thought we got after it well."
The Little Hawks used a key fake punt from its own 8 in the third quarter to kill a possible momentum swing. Then they put the game away with a pair of touchdowns in a span of 20 seconds in the fourth quarter, both scores were set up by Bobcat turnovers.
Iowa City High struck first with Ellis Jordan scoring on a 41-yard touchdown run, while Marshalltown answered with Ty Steffensen's 24-yard touchdown reception of a pass from Creekmur.
Jordan again got loose later in the quarter, breaking several tackles on the way to a 68-yard touchdown run.
"He's one of our strongest kids, so he can make plays like that," Sabers said. "That was huge, it wasn't like we were just pounding and getting 5, 6 yards a pop, they (Marshalltown) were playing tough."
The Bobcats came right back down with a 10-play drive, capped by Creekmur hitting Jarred Carlson for a 15-yard score in the first minute of the second quarter. Carlson took a short pass across the middle and dove past a defender to reach the goal line.
"We had all the confidence in the world after the two (scoring) drives," Creekmur said. "Then their pressure started getting to us."
Iowa City High finished with seven sacks.
"Our athleticism up front gave them a lot of problems," Sabers said. "Then we were able to disguise the coverages once we got squared away."
Creekmur finished 20-for-30 passing for 273 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. His 20 completions set a Class 4A title game record. Creekmur had 19 rushes for 12 yards.
"They were just bringing the pressure and they made some nice tackles in the open field," Creekmur said. "We couldn't get a throw off. It sucks now, but when we look back at the season it was something special."
Mark Duncan led MHS with six catches for 88 yards. Nick Thimesch finished with four receptions for 73 yards, Steffensen four grabs for 58 yards and Carlson's three catches netted 34 yards. Darius Zeigler had a team-high 33 rushing yards.
Jordan turned his 16 rushing attempts into 174 yards and three touchdowns for the Little Hawks. Derby ended the night 10-for-19 passing for 119 yards and two scored. He also rushed 15 times for 45 yards.
Jon Vance's 11 tackles (eight solo and six assists) led the Bobcat defense. Chris Allen had eight tackles and two sacks.
Marshalltown was in the state championship game for the first time in school history. Before the 2009 playoffs started, the Bobcat program had never won a postseason game. Iowa City High claimed its fourth state championship, its first since 1996.
