Pregame Outlook —

Work for Newton High’s Cardinals this week has been on eliminating penalties. The Cardinals focused on how to be better on offense and defense going into their second football game.

The Cardinals also focused on Marshalltown’s Bobcats. Two 1-0 teams meet Friday in Marshalltown for a non-league contest. NHS head coach Ed Ergenbright said the Cardinals are expecting to face a tough Bobcat team on a sloppy natural grass field.

“We learned the Marshalltown field was torn up pretty good last week in the first game after all the rain. We have rain forecasted for this week and it could be a sloppy field Friday night,” Ergenbright said.

Marshalltown recorded a 31-0 win over Waterloo East at Leonard Cole Field, while Newton was decking Knoxville 41-7 at H.A. Lynn Stadium last week. Kickoff on Friday is 7:30 p.m.

Ergenbright said Newton and Marshalltown used to be in the same conference years ago. This is a renewed rivalry between the Cardinals and Bobcats, both teams in the original CIC. Newton is a Class 3A team which went 4-5 a year ago and Marshalltown is a 4A team coming off a 1-8 season.

Newton survived 17 penalties in its opener. Both Ergenbright and players recognized the fact the Cardinals needed to “clean up” the infractions — most came on the offensive side with false starts along the offensive line and holding penalties.

“Marshalltown is a really solid football team. We’ve been concentrating on fixing what we can fix of what we do,” Ergenbright said. “Marshalltown had very good skilled athletes at the receiver spot and its quarterback does a good job of getting the ball out to players. Their running backs run hard.”

Marshalltown’s offense is led by quarterback Austin Kluver, who threw two touchdown passes in the opening week win for the Bobcats. Kluver went 8-of-13 for 62 yards. Luke Severson and Jordan Smith caught touchdown passes.

John Espinoza and Joe Rebik powered the Bobcat running attack against Waterloo East. Espinoza rushed for 92 yards on 20 carries with one touchdown and Rebik had 35 yards on 10 carries. Rebik had a touchdown run and returned a punt 61 yards for a score.

“Defensively, we have to shift gears because Marshalltown is a spread offense. They spread you out sideline to sideline to help create running lanes. We have to be disciplined and sound against the run, mix up our coverages and blitz packages,” Ergenbright said.

Newton will bring its offense of working the perimeter with its speed through the running and passing game. Ergenbright said the Cardinals continue to work to develop an inside running game.

“We want continuity along our offensive line. Our run blocking needs to improve so we can run the ball between the tackles as well as to the outside,” Ergenbright said. “Keys for us against Marshalltown are to eliminate the penalties, move the football and score points and play solid defense.”

Contact Sports Editor Jocelyn Sheets at (641) 792-3121 Ext. 6535 or jsheets@newtondailynews.com.