Quick-start Spartans slam E-B-F
GRUNDY CENTER — The top-ranked Grundy Center football team scored touchdowns on five of its six first-half possessions and pounded Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont in Friday’s Class 1A state playoff opener, 55-16.
The Spartans (9-0) scored five first-quarter touchdowns and led 35-0 to cruise into the second round, sparked by an 81-yard kickoff return for TD by Brayden Davie to begin the game.
Davie added a 50-yard dash to paydirt followed by touchdown runs of 11 and 6 yards for Brody Zinkula to put Grundy Center up 28-0 with 51 seconds left in the first quarter.
Three plays and 27 seconds later, Pete Lebo returned an interception 70 yards for a score and the Spartans’ 35-0 rout was well underway.
Brayden Wallis threw a pair of touchdown passes to Cash Combs in the second period, covering 7 and 55 yards respectively, and Grundy Center led 48-0 at the half.
Cooper Keller’s 3-yard touchdown run was the final score for the Spartans in their 35th consecutive victory.
Grundy Center ran for 173 yards and threw for 187 more. Judd Jirovsky was 4-for-6 for 97 yards, while Wallis was 3-for-3 for 74 yards and two TDs. Combs finished with three catches for 70 yards, and Tiernan Vokes had three grabs for 66 yards.
Davie was the team’s leading rusher with his one 50-yard touchdown run. Zinkula had six carries for 47 yards and two TDs, while Keller had nine carries for 45 yards and a score.
Remington Tack led the Spartan defense with six tackles.
Cayel Riley rushed for 95 yards and a touchdown to lead E-B-F (2-7).
Grundy Center’s second-round opponent will be announced on Saturday morning.