Highland opens with big road triumph

Two area teams faced off in a high school football game in Columbus Junction Friday and Highland came away with a 55-6 win.

Connor Grinstead completed 4 of 7 passes for 100 yards that included a 65-yard touchdown to Mason McFarland.

Owen Donovan ran 17 times for 143 yards and three touchdowns while Cole Adamson had 144 yards rushing on 12 carries and three touchdowns.

'I thought we did a pretty good job of executing our offense for installing some new looks this year,” Highland coach Joe Donovan said. 'We need to sustain our blocks longer and cut down on penalties.”

Cael Yeggy recovered a fumble and Huskies teammates Caeden Harbison and Bryce Waters each had an interception.

'I thought our defense pursued the football really well,” Donovan said. 'Things will get much tougher this week.”

Highland plays host to Alburnett Friday.

'We got beat at the fundamentals by a talented Highland team,” Columbus coach Tyler Kibbe said. 'We saw moments of success on both sides of the ball, we adjusted to the coachable moments.”

Bawi Uk went 5 for 13 for 63 yards passing and Will Schwab had 15 carries for 70 yards and the touchdown.

Kibbe said the Wildcats will work on staying on the positive side of the line of scrimmage on offense, getting better run fits on defense, and not having miscues on special teams to give opponents momentum.

'We saw success moving the ball in the second half and thought our kids really responded well to our halftime adjustments of playing together,” Kibbe said.

Columbus plays at GMG of Garwin Friday.

Grinnell 47, Mid-Prairie 20

The Golden Hawks lost at home.

Kayden Reinier ran 16 times for 86 yards and a touchdown. Keegan Gingerich caught a 63-yard pass for a score. Brad Tornow was 7 of 15 passing for 153 yards. Jack Baker caught three balls for 24 yards.

Justice Jones had nine tackles while Hawks teammate Josh Wallington also had nine and a sack.

Mid-Prairie hosts Pekin Friday.