It was a mighty turn of the tides from last year’s meeting, when MHS mauled the J-Hawks 48-0.

Instead, the Bobcats were shut out for the first time since 2020. MHS hasn’t yet scored a touchdown this season.

Marshalltown (0-2) was limited to 136 yards of total offense as Cedar Rapids Jefferson (2-0) won its second straight after dropping 26 games in a row.

After a scoreless first period, Jefferson broke out for a trio of touchdowns in the second period. It all started with disheartening pick-six as J-Hawk defensive back Tyler Houston picked off an errant Xayvion Anderson pass and returned it 58 yards for the icebreaking score.

PHOTO BY NICK ROHLMAN/THE GAZETTE - Marshalltown’s Cory Smith (17) runs with the ball as Cedar Rapids Jefferson’s Eli Szabo (33) and Anthony Petit-Frere (22) defend during a football game Thursday night at Kingston Stadium in Cedar Rapids.

Sherman Hopkins III punched the ball across the goal line from 2 yards out for Jefferson’s second score, and a late interception by Bradley Cable allowed the J-Hawks to tack on before the halftime horn. LJ Nyenow Jr. got behind the Bobcat defense and ran free for an 80-yard touchdown catch with 28 seconds left in the half.

Down 20-0, the Bobcats were unable to counterpunch. Instead, the J-Hawks scored three more times, including Anthony Snodey III’s 17-yard return of a muffed punt snap. Marshalltown had three punt snap snafus in the game.

The Bobcats ran for 88 yards and threw for 48 more. Tre Brooks led the MHS ground game with seven carries for 32 yards, and Jacob Hayes added 23 yards on five totes as the second-string quarterback. Hayes was 3-for-6 passing for 36 yards, most of them coming on a 26-yard completion to Talon Halsted.

MHS will play its long-awaited home opener on its new field next Friday night against Davenport North.

PHOTO BY NICK ROHLMAN/THE GAZETTE - Marshalltown’s Xayvion Anderson (1) scrambles for a fumble during Thursday's football game in Cedar Rapids.