T-R PHOTO BY ROSS THEDE - Marshalltown running back Nick Rebik is met by a host of West Des Moines Valley defenders on a run during the second half of Friday’s Class 5A football game at Leonard Cole Field. Rebik rushed for 48 yards in the Bobcats’ 42-12 loss to the fifth-ranked Tigers.

For all the game-planning and the guts the Marshalltown football team put into Friday’s showdown with Class 5A No. 5 West Des Moines Valley, there was one facet the Bobcats simply couldn’t overcome with strategy and effort.

“That’s a damn good football team,” MHS head coach Adam Goodvin said.

Valley running back Danny Rankins ran for 107 yards and a touchdown as the Tigers’ road-grader offensive front paved the way to a 42-12 victory on Friday night at Leonard Cole Field.

The Tigers churned out 354 yards of total offense and capitalized on some short fields to find their way to 4-1. Marshalltown fell to 1-4 on the season after a third-consecutive loss that was bespeckled with more injuries and inconsistent play.

On the whole, however, Goodvin liked the way his club competed against one of the state’s perennial football powerhouses.

T-R PHOTO BY ROSS THEDE

“We challenged the guys on Monday and for the rest of the season to attack each play individually and win the play,” he said. “That’s our motto, and to just absolutely compete our faces off, that’s what I’m asking of them, and I thought we took a step forward in that aspect tonight no doubt.

“I think a positive of it is I see a lot of growth left in us. I think we’re a night-and-day difference of a football team compared to Week 1 to where we are right now and that’s definitely a positive.”

Marshalltown was not without positive plays. The Bobcats hit a home run in the second quarter to cut into Valley’s 14-0 advantage when Dalen Huston dropped a perfect pass into Malachi Holmes’ hands along the right sideline, and Marshalltown’s junior running back finished off a 61-yard touchdown catch. A failed two-point conversion run left MHS down 14-6 with 2 minutes, 46 seconds left before halftime, but the moment was a reminder of the Bobcats’ capabilities when they put everything together at the same time.

Valley, however, wasn’t impressed. The Tigers took the ensuing drive 61 yards on seven plays in just 1:50 and regained a two-score advantage on a 4-yard touchdown run by Raskins with 50 seconds left before intermission.

The Tigers received the kickoff to start the second half as well, and Dion Hutch’s second touchdown plunge put the Tigers up 28-6.

T-R PHOTO BY ROSS THEDE

Valley scored on three of its four second-half possessions to put the game away despite a pair of prolonged Marshalltown drives and a successful onside kick by the Bobcats.

Holmes found his way into the end zone again with 8:45 remaining to cap a 12-play, 72-yard march by MHS that devoured 5:34 off the block. Nick Rebik recovered Richard Toe’s ensuing onside kick, but the Bobcats eventually gave the ball back to Valley on a fumbled exchange in the backfield

The Tigers tallied their final score two plays later, as quarterback Mason Morrow connected with Eli Raridon for 28 yards and then Ayden Price for a 31-yard touchdown.

“They’re a great football program, we all know that, it’s no secret and our kids came out and competed well,” Goodvin said. “You don’t get opportunities like this every single week and I think they really enjoyed it and it’s good to see great competition.”

Valley outgained MHS 354-268 in total offense, and Marshalltown’s lost fumble was the game’s only turnover. The Bobcats were led by Holmes with 69 yards on 13 carries, and Rebik rattled off 48 yards on eight carries. Seven different players caught a pass from Huston, though the 61-yard wheel route by Holmes was the only pass to exceed 16 yards. Huston finished 12-for-23 for 106 yards with no interceptions.

T-R PHOTO BY ROSS THEDE

“Obviously we look to be a little more consisent on both sides of the football, but I had all the confidence in the world we’d be able to get some things to work,” Goodvin said. “But again we’re just looking to be more consistent.”

After back-to-back home games, Marshalltown will have to find its way back into the win column from the road. The Bobcats play three of their final four regular-season contests away from Leonard Cole Field, including consecutive trips to Des Moines to face Lincoln on Oct. 1 and Roosevelt on Oct. 8.

“We’ve got to take care of our bodies this weekend … and mentally be back in it on Monday,” Goodvin said. “We’ve got plans to win quite a few football games here this second half of the year.

“Their minds are right, their minds are much improved compared to where we were at the beginning of the year, and it’s fun to see the growth that they’ve made.”

Valley 42, Marshalltown 12

At Marshalltown

Score by Quarters

VALLEY 7 14 14 7 — 42

MHS 0 6 0 6 — 12

Scoring Summary

First Quarter

VAL — Mason Morrow 1 run (Dawson Stine kick), 3:08.

Second Quarter

VAL — Dion Hutch 3 run (Stine kick), 10:32.

MHS — Malachi Holmes 61 pass from Dalen Huston (run failed), 2:46.

VAL — Danny Rankins 4 run (Stine kick), :50.

Third Quarter

VAL — Hutch 2 run (Stine kick), 8:42.

VAL — Eli Raridon 18 pass from Morrow (Stine kick), 2:26.

Fourth Quarter

MHS — Holmes 3 run (run failed), 8:45.

VAL — Ayden Price 31 pass from Morrow (Stine kick), 6:13.

TEAM STATISTICS

VAL MHS

First downs 17 13

Rushes-yards 30-178 35-162

Passing yards 176 106

Comp-Att-Int 12-16-0 12-23-0

Total offense 46-354 58-268

Fumbles-lost 1-0 2-1

Penalties-yards 7-76 8-70

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING — VAL: Rankins 14-107, Hutch 7-63, Omarion Ballard 3-9, Caleb Scott 1-1, Morrow 5-(minus-2); MHS: Holmes 13-69, Nick Rebik 8-48, Mannie Kparyea 9-30, Dominick Garth 3-12, Huston 2-3.

PASSING — VAL: Morrow 11-15-161-1, Quintin Loeb 1-1-15-0; MHS: Huston 12-23-106.

RECEIVING — VAL: Price 2-58, Raridon 3-54, Cade Grevengoed 2-28, Bryce Anderson 1-15, Reid Schilb 1-8, Rankins 1-8, Chase Hutchinson 1-8, Jay Moore 1-7; MHS: Holmes 1-61, Gannon Williams 2-19, Keaghan Gorsuch 1-16, Garth 3-13, Rebik 3-1, James Reed 1-(minus-2), Jackson Bowie 1-(minus-2).