Newton football cruises past Hoover, clinches 4A playoff berth

A fast start paired with a dominant defensive effort helped the Newton football team clinch a playoff berth on Friday.

The Cardinals scored four touchdowns in the first 5 minutes of the game and a big first-quarter advantage resulted in a 49-7 home victory over Des Moines Hoover at H.A. Lynn Stadium.

Newton capped its Senior Night and the Class 4A District 4 finale with 202 rushing yards. The defense held the Huskies to 48 total yards and just 17 yards on 20 carries.

“A lot of times It’s harder to be pumped against teams who have struggled,” Newton head football coach Andy Swedenhjelm said. “So we talked about creating our own energy and being locked in from the start. Our guys did a nice job executing from the start.”

The victory helped Newton get to a sixth win for the second straight season, and the Cardinals clinched a third straight playoff berth.

The Cardinals open the playoffs against third-ranked and undefeated Decorah at 7 p.m. on Friday in Decorah. The other two teams in their 4A playoff pod are No. 7 North Scott and No. 10 Western Dubuque.

Caden Klein rushed for two scores and threw for one more to lead the offense.

He opened the scoring with a 16-yard touchdown run and ended the quarter with a 9-yard TD run.

The Cardinals scored three more TDs in the first. Klein connected with Finn Martin for a 17-yard TD with 8:57 to go in the period and then Colton Northcutt snagged a pick and returned it 24 yards for a TD.

It was the first career interception and defensive TD for Northcutt.

The final TD of the first came on a 15-yard run by Skyler Milheiser, who is one of the team’s 18 seniors. It was his third rushing touchdown of the season.

“Skyler can run the ball well, and it’s a position we intended to have carry the ball more,” Swedenhjelm said. “We have lots of guys who can do damage with the ball in their hands and it went Skyler’s way a little more tonight.”

Swedenhjelm and his coaching staff began to pull starters after the first quarter.

And backup quarterback Creighton Andrew tossed a 28-yard TD pass to Martin with 7:10 to go in the first half. It was Andrew’s first career touchdown pass.

Newton (6-3, 3-2 in the district) led 42-0 at halftime. Hoover got on the board in the third when Justice Parkey picked off Andrew and took it back 94 yards for the touchdown.

Isaiah Hansen scored from 8 yards out later in the third to cap the scoring.

The Cardinals finished with a 15-3 advantage in first downs and went a combined 1-of-1 on third and fourth down.

Newton out-gained the Huskies 329-48 and did not punt in the victory.

Klein finished with five carries for 36 yards and two scores and completed 4-of-5 through the air for 68 yards and one TD. He finished the regular season with 1,061 rushing yards and 1,308 passing yards, which both rank in the top 11 in 4A.

Milheiser led the rushing attack with a career-high 68 yards on five carries. Qhjuan Coley also gained 63 yards on six carries, Hansen rushed for 27 yards and one TD on four carries and Reilly Trease sprinted 14 yards on his only carry.

“Our seniors are a great bunch of kids,” Swedenhjelm said. “They take care of business on and off the field and are a great representative of our community. I’m excited we can extend their season, and we want to make the most out of our opportunity.”

Andrew was 3-of-4 through the air for 58 yards, one TD and one pick. Martin led the receivers with 76 yards and two scores on four catches. Cade Bauer caught two passes for 25 yards and Braydon West’s first career varsity reception went for 25 yards. Hansen also returned a kickoff 24 yards and Bauer brought back a punt 14 yards.

“It’s important to reward guys who have put in the work,” Swedenhjelm said. “Our seniors have put a lot of blood, sweat and tears into the program, and it’s nice to send them off right.”

Coleby Revell led the defense with five tackles and two fumble recoveries. Nick Milburn finished with four tackles, Aiden Robson and Asher Rhoads each had three tackles and Jace Auen collected 2.5 tackles.

Milburn’s 92.5 tackles rank second in 4A and the three tackles from Robson were the first three of his career.

Samuel Zay Zay threw for 31 yards to lead Hoover (0-9, 0-5), while Parkey caught two passes for 25 yards. Keki Koko had six tackles to lead the visiting defense.

Notes: The Cardinals finished 15th in the final Iowa High School Athletic Association’s RPI. Decorah sits second in the final RPI. The Vikings are one of two 9-0 teams in 4A. “We weren’t too surprised by it and can’t control it,” Swedenhjelm said. “Since it’s a numbers formula there’s no context to it. Doesn’t really matter who you beat or lose to. You could lose to the worst team in the state or the best, and it’s weighted the same. They are trying to do the best they can, but any solution is going to leave people upset.”