The Bobcats didn’t capitalize on enough second-half chances, allowing Davenport North to run away with a 35-21 win in Marshalltown’s home opener at Leonard Cole Field.

Marshalltown slips to 0-3, North moves to 1-2 overall.

“I think our kids were dead tired by the end, and they were in there fighting through it,” MHS head coach Adam Goodvin said. “We gave ourselves a chance to win the game, and maybe a couple plays go differently and I think we’d keep momentum on our side and maybe have a different outcome.”

Treshaun Brooks legged out an 82-yard touchdown reception, his second scoring catch of the game, to get Marshalltown within seven, 28-21, with 5:48 to play. Brooks finished with three catches for 122 yards, adding a 34-yard touchdown grab in the first quarter.

T-R PHOTO BY ROSS THEDE - Davenport North quarterback Kazimir Rebarcak (12) is unable to escape the grasp of Marshalltown linebacker Jacob Gudith (14) during the first half of Friday’s football game at Leonard Cole Field.

The Wildcats grabbed the ensuing onside kick and drove down to the Marshalltown 7 before fumbling the ball away, with Owen Eaton falling on the loose ball.

North saved face with a Jaiden Preisser interception two plays later, however, and North running back Mason Bogan barreled in three plays later for his third touchdown of the night.

Another interception with under two minutes to play sealed the Wildcat victory.

Combined with two scoreless third-quarter drives that ended in North territory, the Bobcats didn’t get the key plays needed to dig out of a 21-14 halftime deficit.

“We get the ball back in the second half down a score and stall out on two drives, and we can’t have that,” Goodvin said. “We’ve got to punch at least one of those in.”

T-R PHOTO BY ROSS THEDE - Bobcat running back Xayvion Anderson (1) runs past a pair of Davenport North defenders during the first half of Friday’s football game at Leonard Cole Field in Marshalltown.

After Brooks’ first-quarter touchdown started the scoring, North scored 21 points in a row, including a blocked punt returned for a touchdown to start the second quarter.

The Bobcats got a little momentum back before halftime on a 7-yard pass from Jacob Hayes to Cory Smith with 1:27 left in the half, on a drive that included a 22-yard run from Smith on a fake punt.

“They’re a gritty group, that’s my favorite quality about them,” Goodvin said. “They work hard and the toughness was there, not just physically, but mentally, which is something we’ve taken great leaps so far in the first three weeks.”

Hayes finished 12-of-21 passing with three touchdowns and three interceptions.

Tate Riang led the Bobcat rushing attack with 16 totes for 65 yards; Xayvion Anderson contributed nine carries for 27 yards.

Next up is Friday’s homecoming game with Newton.

“We got better this week because we had a solid week of practice,” Goodvin said. “There’s no magic to it. We could sit and pout about this but that’s not just what we do. The kids know that we’ve got to keep our heads down and get back to work on Monday.”