The Trojans found a way to limit the big plays for Iowa Falls-Alden and a determined rushing attack put the Cadets out of reach in a 38-21 victory at West Marshall High School.

West Marshall and IF-A are now both 2-4 overall and 2-1 in district play.

“It builds confidence when you see guys playing together,” West Marshall head coach Cody Hackett said. “When you see 11 guys around the ball carrier, it gets the guys playing harder.”

Ben Gonzalez had 43 carries for 226 yards and three touchdowns for the Trojans. Kinnick Geers added seven carries for 95 yards and a touchdown.

T-R PHOTO BY JAKE RYDER - West Marshall junior Cash Johnston, right, forces a fumble with a tackle of Iowa Falls-Alden quarterback Jaden Damiano during Friday’s football game in State Center. The fumble was returned for a touchdown by Josh Pinnick.

“I have to always give credit to my line,” Gonzalez said. “Kinnick and I just do our best running the ball, but we can’t do anything without our line.”

The Trojans were coming off a tough 8-0 loss to Jesup the week prior in a game that finished after a 2.5-hour rain delay.

“As a coaching staff, we had to figure out ways to keep the guys’ heads up and let them know that if you guys do the right things, we’re going to be alright,” Hackett said. “Throughout the week, they believed in each other and we came out tonight as a team.”

IF-A went three-and-out on the opening drive and bobbled the punt attempt and Gonzalez immediately made the Cadets pay with a 27-yard score on the first play from scrimmage and a 7-0 West Marshall lead less than two minutes into the game.

“That just makes us way better when we’re scoring first,” Gonzalez said, “it makes us want to come out here and do it all again.”

The Trojans struck again 80 seconds later when Cash Johnston took IF-A’s Jaden Damiano to the ground, resulting in a loose ball scooped by Josh Pinnick for a 38-yard touchdown return.

Geers’ touchdown run made it 21-0 Trojans before Damiano finally responded for the Cadets with a 90-yard scamper up the IF-A sideline with 3:33 left in the first.

Damiano almost got loose again before halftime but was tripped up just past midfield and West Marshall held for a 21-8 halftime lead.

“We just had to get guys in the right place at the right time,” Hackett said. “Our DB’s had to play man-to-man, and know where he was going to be. … He’s a heck of a player and made some explosive plays tonight.”

Damiano gave the Trojans a taste of that shortly after a 27-yard field goal from Andrew Tollefson made it 24-8, scurrying 37 yards for a score before the end of the third quarter and returning an interception 72 yards for a touchdown on the next West Marshall drive to make it 24-21 Trojans.

“We just had to keep our heads on straight,” Gonzalez said of trying to limit Damiano. “He’s good, he’s fast, but we can’t let that get in our heads. We just had to do what we had to do to win.”

West Marshall continued their best method of limiting Damiano by chewing at the clock on offense, and Geers broke free for a 48-yard run that set up Gonzalez’ second touchdown with just under four minutes to play.

A fumble on the ensuing kickoff was picked up by the Trojans, and Gonzalez was in 7 plays later for some extra insurance.

Next up for the Trojans is a trip to PCM, currently undefeated in Class 2A District 6.

“We’ve got to work hard all week, no sloppy practices,” Gonzalez said. “Have our head on straight and do it all again next week.”