Fifth-ranked Mustangs rout Albia on Homecoming

MONROE — A big first quarter and a dominant night on the ground powered the PCM football team to a 54-0 win over Albia on Homecoming.

The Class 2A No. 5 Mustangs led 28-0 after the first quarter and cruised from there in the 2A District 7 contest on Friday night. It was the team’s first shutout of the season.

PCM clinched a playoff berth following the victory. The hosts ran for 259 yards on 26 carries and eight different players have now scored a rushing touchdown this season.

Lewis Daye Jr. started the scoring with a 20-yard touchdown run early in the first. A 37-yard TD pass from Chase Wagaman to Gavin Steenhoek made it 14-0.

The same three guys scored later in the quarter. Daye Jr. went in from 7 yards out with 5:12 to go in the period and then Wagaman found Steenhoek again, this time for a 22-yard TD.

Easton Morris scored on a 14-yard TD run 7 seconds into the second, and Wagaman contributed a 45-yard pick 6 to cap the first half scoring 1 minutes, 23 seconds later. It was Wagaman’s first career defensive touchdown and his sixth career interception.

Ryker Clark made it 48-0 with a 48-yard TD run in the third and then Chase Masterson’s 3-yard TD run in the fourth capped the scoring. It was the first career varsity touchdowns for both players.

PCM (5-1, 3-0) is 8-4 against Albia since 2008. The Mustangs have won six in a row in the series and scored at least 50 points in five of those wins.

Wagaman finished 2-of-6 through the air for 59 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran for 13 yards on his only carry and had the pick 6 on defense.

Both completions went to Steenhoek for touchdowns. Steenhoek grabbed two passes for 59 yards and two scores and returned a punt 22 yards.

Wagaman’s 19 touchdowns are tied for fifth in 2A and his 13 passing TDs are tied for seventh. His five picks are tied for the 2A lead.

Steenhoek ranks fourth in 2A with 533 receiving yards but is only tied for 14th with 25 catches. His 21.3 yards per catch leads the class, and his eight receiving TDs are tied for second.

Daye Jr. rushed for 78 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries. Clark gained a career-best 102 yards on seven carries, Morris ran for a career-high 64 yards on four carries and Clark, Morris and Masterson all had one rushing TD.

Gavin Gibbs led the defense with a career-best seven tackles. Dylan Beyer and Clark each contributed a career-high five tackles and Kyler Cushman, Gracen Lust, Mason Hjortshoj and Dominic Lester all had three tackles.

Colby Vriezelaar chipped in a career-high four tackles, Keegan Fenton collected 3.5 tackles and Braedyn Lester and Alex Wendt each totaled 2.5 tackles.

Wendt also finished with a sack, and Cushman, Lust and Lester all produced a varsity career high for tackles in a game.

Dominic Witt booted all eight of his kickoffs for touchbacks and leads 2A with 37 touchbacks this season. He also was 6-of-6 in PATs and Lust returned a punt 15 yards.

Albia (3-3, 1-2) rushed for 139 yards but needed 35 carries to get there.

Parker Hemann rushed for 71 yards on 13 carries and Isaac Helm threw for 51 yards and one interception. Fletcher Mick led the Blue Demons with six tackles.