Key in the Bobcats’ victory was the run game, which accumulated 300 yards. At the helm of the run game was Kabba Pins, who totaled 160 yards and averaged 10 yards a carry.

“It was my offensive linemen,” Pins said. “They were doing great. Carson [Beals] picked up reads on the outsides so I could cut off them easier and when (Jordan) Anderson and (Tristan) Weir pulled it was just easy. We watched film enough to know that they don’t like to tackle. They’ll back off and tackle so it makes it easier to block.”

Marshalltown quickly developed its run game with Pins setting up Malik Haynes’ 11-yard touchdown run to give the Bobcats the 7-0 lead.

“Kabba did outstanding,” Goodvin said. “He played real tough tonight. I think he will be the first to tell you that the offensive line played their best game of the year and for a lot of those juniors the best game of their lives to date. Very proud of those guys. Very proud of Malik Haynes. He stepped up when he came in the ballgame and ran hard. I think that the toughness that we are trying to develop in these kids is really paying off. It’s fun to watch.”

T-R PHOTO BY ANDREW ABADIE - Marshalltown running back Kabba Pins (9) breaks free of a would-be Ames tackler during Friday’s game at Leonard Cole Field. Pins had 16 carries for 160 yards and also threw a touchdown pass in the Bobcats’ 28-7 victory.

Despite Pins’ success on the ground, it was his arm rather than his legs that scored a touchdown. Midway through the second quarter, Marshalltown called a trick play where Pins threw a 7-yard touchdown to Will Van Buren.

“We worked on that all Thursday,” Pins said. “I was pretty pumped about that and so were Will and Carson. I was kind of nervous when Will bobbled it but I’m glad he caught it so it was [my] first varsity throw for a touchdown.”

After halftime, Marshalltown continued to stay hot as quarterback Brendan Bates connected with Casey Linsenmeyer for a 22-yard touchdown.

From there, Ames’s passing game developed better drives and had a 44-yard catch set up a 7-yard touchdown run in the third quarter to make the score 20-7.

Marshalltown answered back with another touchdown from Bates, who found Carson Williams for a 16-yard touchdown pass and extended the Bobcats’ lead to 28-7. Bates finished the night 7-for-13 for 107 yards and two touchdowns.

T-R PHOTO BY ANDREW ABADIE - Marshalltown running back Malik Haynes (27) turns the corner on Ames defenders Diego Alvarez (33) and Caleb Grawe (53) on his way to an 11-yard touchdown run in the first half of Friday’s football game at Leonard Cole Field in Ames.

Meanwhile, the Little Cyclones found life behind quarterback Cooper Downs as Ames went to a no-huddle offense.

“We weren’t prepared for that at all,” Justice Richardson said. “I know a couple of our guys were really tired but we powered through it. We had some good conditioning during practices so we were ready for [the passing game].”

Downs kept multiple plays alive on scrambles and either took off for a run or found a receiver open in the middle of the field, which is what set up Ames’ second touchdown in the fourth quarter.

The Little Cyclones managed to stop Marshalltown’s offense late and attempted to make it a one-score game midway through the fourth quarter.

“It’s tough especially when we are not bringing a lot of linebacker pressure,” Goodvin said. “We had a lot of faith in our defensive line to pressure Downs. Our linebackers struggled a little bit to get their hands on those slot receivers and they got a lot of what they wanted there for a bit so bend but don’t break.”

T-R PHOTO BY ANDREW ABADIE

Marshalltown stopped Ames on a fourth-and-7 in which Downs came up a yard short on a scramble. Downs finished the night 25-for-37 with 210 passing yards and 42 rushing yards.

“[Downs] is an outstanding athlete and extended plays,” Goodvin said. “At times, it was tough to stop. We knew that coming up and we knew that their record didn’t reflect the type of football team that they were.”

“The Downs kids is an outstanding kid. He’s a player. We’re very fortunate that he is a senior. [He has a] good release [and] good strong arm. We played disciplined football on the defensive side. That’s what we told them pregame: play disciplined and be physical.”

The win over Ames was is the first time MHS has beaten Ames in Marshalltown since 2007 and it is the fewest points the Little Cyclones have scored in the series since 2001.

“It’s been three years that we have been waiting to beat Ames and it finally happened,” Pins said. “It feels great [to be undefeated]. Last year we started off hot and stuff like that but hopefully we can still keep this up and not have a repeat of last year. It’s unbelievable to talk about right now.”

T-R PHOTO BY ANDREW ABADIE

Next week Marshalltown will host Ankeny Centennial at Leonard Cole Field.

Marshalltown 28, Ames 14

At Marshalltown

Marshalltown 7 7 6 8 — 28

Ames 0 0 7 14 — 28

T-R PHOTO BY ANDREW ABADIE

First Quarter

MHS — Malik Haynes 11 run (Kabba Pins kick), 2:17.

Second Quarter

MHS — Will Van Buren 7 pass from Pins (Pins kick), 8:36.

Third Quarter

MHS — Casey Linsenmeyer 22 pass from Brendan Bates (kick failed), 8:37.

AMES — Derek Papin 7 run (Will Orth kick), 6:26.

Fourth Quarter

MHS — Carson Williams 16 pass from Bates (Carson Beals run), 11:54.

AMES — Papin 7 run (Orth kick), 9:04.

TEAM STATISTICS

MHS AMES

First Downs 23 13

Rushes-yards 52-300 22-71

Passing yards 114 210

Comp-Att-Int 8-14 25-37

Total Offense 66-414 47-281

Fumbles lost 2-1 1-1

Penalties yards 4-50 6-65

INDIVDIUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING — MHS: Pins 16-160, Beals 16-65, Haynes 6-50, Justice Richardson 8-21, Patrick Landeros 5-5; AMES: Cooper Downs 10-42, Papin 11-26.

PASSING — AMES: Downs 25-37-210-0; MHS: Bates 7-13-107-0, Pins 1-1-7-0.

RECEIVING — AMES: Papin 5-75, Gabe Ante 9-50, Corey Philips 4-29, Jonah Strawhacker 4-28, Nate Withers 2-27, Andrew Canon 1-4; MHS: Linsenmeyer 3-48, Van Buren 3-47, Carson Williams 1-16, Beals 2-3.