GRINNELL — Newton's football team limited the state's leading rusher Wyatt Hunter to 134 yards, but Cole McGriff threw for a season-high 216 yards and three touchdowns as Grinnell eliminated the Cardinals from the Class 3A postseason.
McGriff also rushed for 86 yards and two more scores at T.T. Cranny Field as the Tigers downed Newton 44-23.
Grinnell won the first meeting 57-13 H.A. Lynn Stadium. Hunter had more than 250 rushing yards in that one.
Newton (0-8) trailed 16-0 after one quarter and trailed 28-0 before Adam Mattes booted a 30-yard field goal in the closing seconds of the second quarter.
After Grinnell went up 34-3 early in the third quarter, Brody Bauer connected with Keith Moko for a 20-yard TD on third and goal.
The Cardinals stopped the continuous clock when Nate Maki scored on a 12-yard run midway through the fourth quarter. Maki added a 20-yard TD catch from Bauer as time expired in the game.
Maki rushed for a career-high 106 yards and a TD on 16 carries and had 38 yards and a TD on three catches.
Zay Arguello added 18 passing yards, 14 receiving yards and 75 rushing yards on 12 carries. Bauer threw for 77 yards and two TDs.
Baxter 64, Iowa Valley 20
MARENGO — Baxter's football team rushed for more than 400 yards, led 42-0 at halftime and cruised past Iowa Valley on Friday night to open the Class 8-man postseason.
It was the first playoff win for the Bolts since joining 8-man four years ago.
Rory Heer rushed for 180 yards and four TDs on 11 carries, Cody Damman gained 149 yards and scored two TDs on nine carries and Nick Nelson ran for 67 yards and a score on two carries.
Jake Travis also had a 20-yard TD run on his only carry.
Damman threw for 44 yards and a TD on two completions and had 10 tackles on defense.
Nate McMinamen also had 10 tackles and Heer recovered a fumble.
The Bolts (4-4) face No. 7 Gladbrook-Reinbeck (8-0) in the second round next week. Iowa Valley ends its season at 3-5.
Belle Plaine 44, Lynnville-Sully 6
BELLE PLAINE — Belle Plaine scored 32 points in the first quarter, rushed for 255 yards and eliminated South Iowa Cedar League rival Lynnville-Sully's football team during Class A postseason action on Friday night.
The Plainsmen held the Hawks to minus-6 yards on 11 carries, but L-S threw for a season-high 225 yards in the loss.
Luke DeMeulenaere returned the opening kickoff 82 yards to put Belle Plaine (6-2) on the board and then rushed for a 50-yard touchdown a little more than a minute later to put the Plainsmen up for good.
Connor Timm also had a pick-6 in the first quarter, Ean Allie recorded two rushing TDs and Ethan Hamilton scored on 39-yard run in the third quarter.
Lynnville-Sully (1-5) scored its six points in the second quarter on a 2-yard touchdown run by Kyle Squires. He finished with 22 yards passing, a rushing TD and a team-high seven tackles on defense.
Bryce Richards was 13-for-42 through the air for 186 yards and two interceptions. Ryan Annee caught six passes for 104 yards and Dakota Seastrom hauled in three passes for 37 yards.
L-S had a 12-9 advantage in first downs and committed only two penalties.
Chance Stock had five tackles on defense, while Lane Fisk and C.J. Nikkel each had four tackles.
Woodward-Granger 51, Colfax-Mingo 14
WOODWARD — Woodward-Granger led 51-0 at halftime and ended Colfax-Mingo's season with a 51-14 win at Hawk Stadium.
The Tigerhawks scored all 14 of their points in the fourth quarter.
Woodward-Granger scored two defensive TDs, opening the scoring with a pick-6. The Hawks also recovered a fumble in the end zone.
Kade Polich rushed for a pair of TDs in the first half and Trevor Simmons threw two touchdown passes.
W-G improved to 6-2, while Colfax-Mingo ended its season at 0-8.
