PCM football dominates West Marshall, wins second straight district title

STATE CENTER — Another dominating effort on the gridiron for the PCM football team clinched a second consecutive district championship on Friday.

The Class 2A No. 2 Mustangs rushed for 282 yards and the defense collected three sacks, eight tackles for loss and one interception during a 49-7 road win over West Marshall.

Adrien Robbins rushed for four touchdowns and Gavin Van Gorp threw for three TDs and still hasn’t recorded an interception this season.

PCM led 14-0 after one quarter and scored 49 straight points before the Trojans reached the end zone in the fourth.

It was the first time the Mustangs (7-0, 4-0 in the district) were held to fewer than 50 points during the 2A District 6 season, but they are outscoring their district opponents 209-29 this fall.

Robbins scored on a 52-yard TD run early in the first and then added touchdown runs of 10 and 15 yards later in the half.

Van Gorp tossed TD passes of 15 and 13 yards, respectively, to Harlan Shannon and Gavin Steenhoek in the final 39 seconds of the first half to go up 35-0 at the break.

Robbins scored his fourth touchdown on a 3-yard run in the third and Van Gorp’s 27-yard TD pass to Steenhoek with 37 seconds to go in the quarter capped the Mustangs’ scoring.

Van Gorp finished 12-of-15 through the air for 120 yards and three TDs and rushed for 20 yards on six carries. He has 865 passing yards this fall and ranks tied for second in 2A with 17 TD passes.

Robbins gained 221 yards and scored four times on 26 carries and had a 9-yard reception. His 1,285 rushing yards rank second in 2A. He also ranks tied for third with 17 rushing TDs and leads the class with a yards per carry average of 11.

Steenhoek finished with 86 yards and two scores on seven catches, Shannon grabbed two passes for 20 yards and one TD and Sawyer Bouwkamp gained 41 yards on five carries.

Steenhoek’s six receiving TDs this fall ranks tied for sixth in 2A.

Trenner Van Dyke led the defense with five tackles and one fumble recovery. Keegan Fenton registered four tackles, Alex Wendt tallied three tackles, one sack and two tackles for loss and Danson Drake contributed three tackles. Bouwkamp posted 2.5 tackles.

Kaden Clark and Tate Birkenholtz each finished with one sack and two tackles for loss and Carson Hansen snagged an interception.

Dominic Witt made all seven of his PATs and booted six of his eight kickoffs for touchbacks. His 45 touchbacks leads 2A and ranks fifth in Iowa.

The PCM defense limited West Marshall (5-2, 3-1) to 72 passing yards and 72 rushing yards. The unit has allowed 57 points this fall but only 28 have come before the fourth quarter of blowouts.

Ben Gonzalez came into the game with more than 700 rushing yards but was held to 27 yards on 12 carries.

Vincent Clawson threw for 72 yards, one TD and one pick and rushed for 44 yards on 14 carries.

Holden Simms caught five passes for 61 yards and one touchdown and Michael Lechnir led the Trojan defense to 10.5 tackles.