Brendan Bates

OTTUMWA — Marshalltown senior quarterback Brendan Bates threw for 190 yards and a career-high four touchdowns as the Bobcats bounced back from consecutive close losses with a comfortable 42-21 victory over Ottumwa on Friday night at Schafer Field.

Marshalltown (2-3) overcame an abysmal start to the contest thanks to the Bobcat defense pitching a shutout in the second half. Marshalltown’s first play from scrimmage resulted in a fumble and Ottumwa (0-4) capitalized on its very next play, as Tanner Schark connected with tight end Trae Swartz for a 14-yard touchdown pass.

Nine seconds into the game, Marshalltown trailed 7-0, but the Bobcats bounced back as they have done all season.

Bates connected with Carson Williams for a 13-yard touchdown pass, and Malik Haynes capped the Bobcats’ next possession with a 7-yard touchdown run.

Ottumwa pulled even on a 14-yard touchdown run by Kie Glosser and used another MHS turnover to retake the lead. The Bulldogs converted a fumble into a 53-yard reverse run for touchdown by Colton McKinnon to make it 21-14 with 1:14 left in the half.

Without any timeouts, Marshalltown marched 80 yards in 58 seconds thanks to three big runs by Malachi Holmes, who gained 49 yards to get the Bobcats across midfield with getting out of bounds each time. MHS reached paydirt as Bates found Williams again, bringing the Bobcats back to even, 21-all, with 16 seconds left in the half.

Marshalltown turned the tides in the second half with its defense, as a punt block by Austin Close gave the Bobcat offense the ball at the Bulldog 8-yard-line. Two plays later, Bates rolled out and found Gannon Williams for a diving catch along the back of the end zone to break the tie for good.

MHS fullback Patrick Landeros added a 1-yard touchdown plunge and Auron Greenwood took a screen pass 34 yards for another fourth-quarter score, bringing the Bobcats to their final margin of victory.

Bates was 13-21 passing for 190 yards with no interceptions, and he found Carson Williams nine times for 109 yards and two TDs. The Bobcat ground game gained 351 yards on 33 carries, with Haynes going for 208 yards on 14 attempts as reported by KFJB radio.

Greenwood added 58 rushing yards, Holmes had 53 and Landeros 32 as Marshalltown moved the chains on the ground and through the air.

Glosser finished with 68 rushing yards to lead Ottumwa.

The Bobcats play their final regular-season home game next Friday night, entertaining Class 4A No. 3 Dowling Catholic at 7 p.m. at Leonard Cole Field.

Marshalltown 42, Ottumwa 21

At Ottumwa

MHS 7 14 14 7 — 42

OTT 7 14 0 0 — 21

First Quarter

OTT — Trae Swartz 14 pass from Tanner Schark (Bryan Carapia kick), 11:51.

MHS — Carson Williams 13 pass from Brendan Bates (Jake Vaughn kick), 1:33.

Second Quarter

MHS — Malik Haynes 7 run (Vaughn kick), 8:16.

OTT — Kie Glosser 14 run (Carapia kick), 5:22.

OTT — Colton McKinnon 53 run (Carapia kick), 1:14.

MHS — C. Williams 17 pass from Bates (Vaughn kick), :16.

Third Quarter

MHS — Gannon Williams 6 pass from Bates (Vaughn kick), 9:42.

MHS — Patrick Landeros 1 run (Vaughn kick), 1:26.

Fourth Quarter

MHS — Auron Greenwood 34 pass from Bates (Vaughn kick), 9:05.

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

RUSHING — MHS: Haynes 14-208, Greenwood 5-58; OTT: Glosser 18-68.

PASSING — MHS: Bates 13-21-190-0; OTT: Adam Denniston 6-12-82-0, Schark 2-9-36-0, McKinnon 1-1-34-0.

RECEIVING — MHS: C. Williams 9-119, Greenwood 1-34, Haynes 1-15, Landeros 1-13, John Loney 1-9, G. Williams 1-6; OTT: Blaze Rominger 2-74, Swartz 3-54, Glosser 4-42.