OTTUMWA — Reports of gunfire in the vicinity of Schafer Stadium brought an end to Friday’s football game between Marshalltown and Ottumwa, but not before the Bobcats had officially earned their first win of the season.

School officials, coaches and referees met at midfield coming out of the halftime break and came to a decision to call off the second half after reports of gunshots in the area. The Bobcats, who led 44-7 at the half, were rewarded the victory by the same score.

“The decision was made to end the game prematurely out of concern for safety, in light of heard gunshots near the vicinity of the stadium,” MHS athletic director Ryan Isgrig said in a statement.

The win was the first of the season for Marshalltown, and the third victory for head coach Adam Goodvin head-to-head against his father, Brian. Goodvin is 4-0 against his alma mater overall, though this one was uniquely unconventional for the circumstances under which it ended.

“I’m really not sure what all happened at half, but it seems like there were some things happening outside of the stadium,” Goodvin said. “For everyone’s safety, the officials and Ottumwa administration made the decision to call the game then.”

The Bobcats (1-4) needed just more than one quarter to play to match their scoring from the first four games combined. On the first play from scrimmage, former starting quarterback Xayvion Anderson took a handoff from Jacob Hayes and threw a long pass to Cory Smith, who scampered the rest of the 77 yards to paydirt for the go-ahead touchdown 20 seconds into the game.

Big plays were the theme for Marshalltown on this night.

The Bobcat defense forced Ottumwa (2-3) into a three-and-out on their first possession, Davis Ragland blocked the Bulldogs’ punt. Junior defensive end Johan Gomez, playing in his first game after being academically ineligible, scooped up the loose ball and hustled it into the end zone for a 14-0 lead.

Luis Monge, who went 5-for-6 on extra-point kicks in the game, added a 25-yard field goal after a long reverse run by Tre Brooks put the Bobcats in scoring range on their next drive.

On the first play of the second quarter, Tate Riang found daylight for a 31-yard touchdown run to give Marshalltown a 24-0 lead. Hayes hit Brooks on a short out route on the next possession, and the speedster turned it into a 40-yard touchdown reception.

Already leading 31-0, the Bobcats dug into their bag of tricks on the next possession. Hayes hit Brooks on a 5-yard pass and Brooks lateraled the ball to a Anderson, who was at full speed when he took possession for a 52-yard touchdown run. The hook-and-ladder play put MHS in front 38-0 with 5:39 remaining in the half.

Ottumwa’s ensuing drive chewed up some clock and most of the field as the Bulldogs finally found momentum, capped by quarterback Matthew Mitchell’s pass over the top to Javen Rominger for a 39-yard touchdown with 51 seconds left.

Another big play followed for the Bobcats, however, as Brooks took the ensuing kickoff back 91 yards for a touchdown.

MHS managed to get the ball back before half when Ignacio Macias hit Mitchell from behind, forcing a fumble that Gomez recovered, but time expired on the play.

In one half of football, the previously winless Bobcats racked up 145 yards passing and 154 yards rushing. Anderson completed his only pass attempt for a 77-yard touchdown, while Hayes was 5-for-10 for 68 yards. Smith finished with five receptions for 100 yards, while Brooks had two grabs for 45 yards.

Brooks led Marshalltown on the ground with his 67-yard reverse run, and Anderson had five carries for 64 yards buoyed by the 52-yard lateral for a touchdown. Riang added 37 yards on five carries as well.

Mitchell was limited to 3-of-7 passing for 38 yards with an interception, reeled in by MHS sophomore Juan Perez Mendoza. Fullback Cameron Manary led the Bulldogs’ flexbone rushing attack with eight carries for 39 yards, but Manary was ejected for kicking a Marshalltown defender in the facemask after a play in the second quarter.

Ottumwa gained 119 yards of total offense and just four first downs.

“Very proud of our kids,” coach Goodvin said. “We talked all week about having elite effort, attitudes and toughness, and they showed that tonight in all three phases of the game. We got momentum on our side from the first play of the game and our kids stuck with it.

“We are excited to get back Monday to improve and build off what we did tonight.”

The Bobcats go back out on the road next Friday with a game against Waterloo West at Memorial Stadium. Kickoff is slated for 7:30 p.m.