IOWA CITY - Cedar Rapids Washington quarterback Mitch Blades put together a great game on Friday night. The problem for the Warriors, though, was that Iowa City West signalcaller Nate Boland’s performance was a step above great.

Boland lit up the humid air and passed for 340 yards and three touchdowns as No. 6 Iowa City West pummeled the Warriors, 62-37, at Trojan Field.

In the first half alone, Boland racked up 294 passing yards as the Trojans (2-0) built up an insurmountable 48-17 lead at the break. As it was shown, West is the beneficiary of a great offensive scheme and dangerous weapons.

Washington (1-1) handed West one of its three losses a year ago, a 66-37 thumping at West.

“Those guys were going to come out smoking tonight, I knew they were,” said Washington Coach Tony Lombardi. “They have good matchups and teams are never going to completely stop them.”

Jeremy Morgan and Dondre Alexander, both all-state basketball players, are Boland’s primary targets at receiver. Let’s just say that Boland can get away with airing one out once in a while.

"They have a couple of very good receivers, they protect their quarterback, and they create one-on-one matchups,” said Lombardi.

But when nothing else was working for West, they went to a deadly screen game and moved the ball at will. West started right away with this form of offense, throwing quick wide receiver screens, running back screens and hitches.

Alexander had eight catches for 158 yards and Morgan had five grabs for 52 years. These huge chunks of yardage led to easy touchdown runs from near the goal line for Micah Kelsay and Colin Baker.

Washington managed to put the first points on the board. After it recovered an Iowa City West fumble on the game's first drive, the Warriors moved the ball into field goal range. Riyad Ajram  nailed a 42-yarder to put his team up 3-0.

That lead was short lived. In the blink of an eye, the Trojans pulled out to a 28-3 margin, thanks in part to their special teams. They scooped up a blocked punt and returned it for a touchdown, and later in the second quarter Reid Bonner took a kickoff return 95 yards to the house.

“You can't give up a blocked punt because then games will just get away from you and turn into a mess,” said Lombardi.

The Warriors did have a constant, however. They ran the ball 41 times for 361 yards.

Blades tore through West’s defense almost at will. He rushed for 172 yards and two touchdowns. There were times when he singlehandedly resuscitated Washington’s life.

After a debilitating screen pass touchdown by West late in the second quarter, Blades immediately dashed for a 50-yard score. He later ran for a 72-yard touchdown.

“He is a versatile athlete, so we try and put him in a position where he can put some pressure on the defense either with his feet or with his arm,” said Lombardi. “And I think as the season progresses he is going to be a formidable threat in our league.”

But Boland and his talented crew kept their foot on the gas pedal and coasted through the third quarter. Replacements were ushered in for the Trojans for the fourth period.

Despite the oppressive humidity and the Trojan aerial attacks, the Warriors played hard until the end.

“We know what type of ballclub we have, but I think they still have to get a feel of the speed of high school football,” said Lombardi. “But we are right there, we are not far off.”

The Warriors host No. 2 Cedar Falls (2-0) next Friday at Kingston Stadium.

Iowa City West 62, Washington 37

CRW        ICW

First Downs        13         19
Rushing            41-361     30- 115
Passing Yards      91         340
Passing            5-14-1     21-32-2
Punts              4-39.0     1-32
Fumbles/Lost       0/0        1/1
Penalties          2-15       4-25

Washington        3   14   6  14 - 37
Iowa City West      14  34   14  0 - 62

SCORING PLAYS

CRW - FG Riyad Ajram 42
ICW - Micah Kelsay 1 run (Jeremy Morgan kick)
ICW - DeVaughn McCullough 30 yard blocked punt return (Morgan kick)
ICW - Colin Baker 2 run (Morgan kick)
ICW - Ezra Reiners 28 pass from Nate Boland (Mueng Sunday kick)
CRW - Mitch Blades 50 run (Ajram kick)
ICW - Reid Bonner 95 kickoff return (Sunday kick)
ICW - Dondre Alexander 45 pass from Boland (missed kick)
CRW - Blades 72 run (Ajram kick)
ICW - Morgan 23 pass from Boland (Sunday kick)
CRW - Shundell Williams 72 run (Ajram kick)
ICW - Kelsay 2 run (Sunday kick)
ICW - Kelsay 15 run (Sunday kick)
CRW - Mitch Bredeson 23 run (Ajram kick)
CRW - Robert Miley 2 run (Ajram kick)

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING

Washington

Mitch Bredeson 27-117, Mitch Blades 10-172, Shundell Williams 1-72.

Iowa City West

Ezra Reiners 8-10, Micah Kelsay 9-39, Colin Baker 4-13, Nate Boland 4-19,
Devin Raffensperger 2-22, Orion Phillips 3-12.

PASSING

Washington

Blades 5-14-1, 91 yards.

Iowa City West

Boland 21-29-1, 340 yards.

RECEIVING

Washington

Jason Oney 5-91.

Iowa City West

Alexander 8-158, Morgan 5-52, Raffensperger 1-17, Reid Bonner 3-55, Connor
Greene 2-9, Reiners 3-50

Sophomore Game -- Iowa City West 26, Washington 21