The Marshalltown Bobcat football team got their season started Friday night as they took on the Ames Little Cyclones in the Highway 30 Rivalry at Leonard Cole Field. The Cats won last year in Ames, their first win of the series since 2019, and they had their sights set on back-to-back wins in the series for the first time since 2011-2012. Running back Tyler Englund and quarterback Jamison Niehouse made sure that was exactly what would happen. Combining for 30 carries, 327 yards, and 5 TDs, the duo ran rampant on the Little Cyclones as the Cats picked up their biggest win in the series since 2011 at 40-14.

The rest of central Iowa also kicked off their season Friday night in a tremendous slate of week one games. East Marshall got into the win column as they rolled over BCLUW 42-20, while West Marshall was not so successful against South Hardin, falling 28-7. There were also premiere matchups in the Des Moines area as Valley topped Dowling 20-19, Southeast Polk rolled over Centennial 30-14, and Waukee Northwest squeaked by Ankeny, 25-24.

David Braga – KFJB News Reporter