J-Hawks win a wild one, 55-37

CEDAR RAPIDS - 'Wild” barely scratches the surface.

Quarterback Jared Eivins rushed for three touchdowns and passed for two more as Cedar Raids Jefferson gained west-side supremacy with a 55-37 triumph over Cedar Rapids Prairie in a Class 4A non-district football game Friday night at John Wall Field.

If the J-Hawks (1-1) proved they could compete and battle last Saturday - they pushed No. 3 Cedar Rapids Washington to a 14-14 deadlock through three quarters before bowing, 27-14 - they showed they could deliver and finish the job this week.

Jefferson ran right at the Hawks (1-1) with a strong and steady line and numerous backs that Brian Webb kept shuttling in and out in an effort to keep them fresh on a warm, muggy night.

The J-Hawks accumulated 445 yards of offense, 349 on the ground. And they got stronger and the game progressed.

'We made some mistakes early, but in the second half, we couldn't have been any better,” Eivins said.

Eivins ran for 107 yards, Tavian Rashed 100, Ayodeji Olutunde 73 as the J-Hawks controlled the line of scrimmage and controlled the ball. Jefferson ran 75 plays from scrimmage and collected 24 first downs. Prairie had the ball for 38 plays.

The pivotal play came as the first half ended. With 6 seconds left and the ball at the Prairie 26, Eivins lofted a pass to the right side of the end zone, with Jalyn Stafford outleaping the defender for the ball and the go-ahead touchdown.

It put Jefferson in front, 27-24, and the J-Hawks led the rest of the way.

Eivins connected with Brock Hunt for a 17-yard touchdown to cap the first drive of the second half, then Jacob Beaton followed with a 24-yard interception return for a 41-24 bulge. The margin never strayed under 10 points again.

Jefferson overcame Prairie strack star Jalen Rima, who scored three touchdowns - on a 21-yard run, a 68-yard punt return and a 94-yard kick return.

The game was tame through the first quarter (which ended with Jefferson in front, 7-0).

Then all heck broke loose - a 44-point, 45-minute second quarter in which the teams combined to score almost every way imaginable - and it became a track meet.

Eivins' 7-yard touchdown run gave the J-Hawks a 14-0 lead, then Prairie answered quickly with Rima's 21-yard scamper.

Prairie lineman Taylor Mehmen got a gift thrown his way from Eivins, and he took an interception 13 yards to tie the game at 14.

Rima's punt return gave the Hawks their first lead (21-14) with 3:15 left in the half, then Jefferson's Ayodeji Olutunde took the ensuing kickoff 97 yards, and it was knotted again, 21-21.

Prairie's Joel Collett put the Hawks back in front, 24-21, with a 35-yard field goal with 46 seconds remaining before intermission, but the J-Hawks weren't content to go into halftime with a whimper.

The J-Hawks went 66 yards in 38 seconds, with Eivins locating Stafford, who got inside position and made the leaping catch.

Jefferson hosts Davenport North on Thursday. Prairie entertains Dubuque Senior on Friday.

l Comments: (319) 368-8857; jeff.linder@thegazette.com