Maroons successfully defend their title, win school’s 5th Championship
Cameron Mellor (@CamMellor)
Originally published: January 30, 2015
All season long in 2014, the Dowling Catholic looked like a team on a mission. With one goal in mind, that mission was completed when the Maroons defeated Washington, 49-14 and hoisted the Iowa 4A State Championship trophy for the second consecutive year, and fifth time overall.
Senior quarterback, Iowa commit and undisputed Dowling leader Ryan Boyle led the charge in 2014 as he led the Maroons to the single greatest season in Iowa 4A history. The 697 points put on the board for Dowling last fall set the highest mark for points in a season in Iowa history.
On the other side of the ball, Dowling’s defense did more than its share while special teams also helped to set the Dowling offense in prime position all season long.
All three units were so good for the Maroons in 2014 that 11 of Dowling’s 13 victories, at one point or another, saw the 35-point, running-clock mercy rule take effect.
Boyle finishes his career at Dowling as one of the more decorated quarterbacks in Iowa history as well, throwing for nearly 8,000 yards (7,887) and nearly 100 touchdowns (97). His 2014 numbers nearly equaled his numbers from his junior season, throwing for 1,924 yards and 17 touchdowns while rushing for 1,082 yards and another 18 scores.
His senior year followed up an incredible 2013 season in which he threw for 1,751 and 18 touchdowns while he ran for 1,138 yards and 22 touchdowns. He finished his career with back-to-back State Championships.
He was named as the 2014 Gatorade Iowa Football Player of the Year to boot. The 6-foot-2, 215-pound quarterback is committed to the University of Iowa and was rated on nearly every list as one of the top players across the entire state.
The 2014 season for Boyle and the Maroons may not have had as much success, had it not had a minor setback in September.
On September 19, 2014, Dowling traveled to rival Valley High School for a rematch of 2013’s state semifinals matchup. The Maroons found themselves trailing at halftime however, 24-7, as a Boyle pass was intercepted and returned for a touchdown for the Tigers that stole any momentum at the break.
Despite Boyle’s best comeback efforts, Dowling found themselves on the losing end of a game for the first time since November of 2012, dropping the game to Valley, 24-21.
After the loss, head coach Tom Wilson rallied his troops and used the defeat at the hands of their rival as a wake-up call, a time to reflect and ideally, win-out.
Dowling did just that, ripping off 10 straight victories, and doing so in impressive fashion.
The Maroons tore in to Lewis Central a week after the loss to Valley, defeating the Titans, 51-10. They defeated Sioux City East by the same 51-10 margin a week later. Continuing the tear, Dowling finished the regular season with big wins over Johnston (50-13), Roosevelt (70-21) and Des Moines North (77-7).
Entering the postseason at 8-1 gave the Maroons the fourth ranked seed in the 4A Playoffs. They simply continued their impressive play, defeating Indianola, 62-21 to start the playoffs.
Dowling advanced to the state quarterfinals after defeating Ames, 59-24 and then advanced to the state semifinals by cruising past Ankeny, 48-14.
In their slimmest margin of victories in 2014, the Maroons jumped out to a 24-0 lead over Waukee before the Warriors would close the gap to 24-14. However, that would be the closest Waukee would get, as Boyle led two quick scoring drives before halftime, increasing the lead to 34-14 at the break.
Dowling would defeat the Warriors, 41-28 to advance to the state championship.
Undefeated Cedar Rapids Washington would await the Maroons in the 2014 Iowa 4A State Championship game. The Warriors, winners of every game in 2014 by double-digits, would prove to be no match for Dowling in the season’s biggest game.
Boyle would lead two scoring drives early in the first quarter to jump out to a quick 14-0 lead. Despite allowing a Washington touchdown before the second quarter, Boyle would lead two more scoring drives and give the Maroons a 28-7 advantage at halftime.
The onslaught wouldn’t stop there however as all three units, offense, defense and special teams would fire on all cylinders for the Maroons in the second half. Gray Gochenour would score just 1:59 in to the third quarter and Max Kasap would punch in a 22-yard touchdown with 7:11 left in the third, starting the mandated mercy rule’s running clock.
Gochenour would score again in the early stages of the fourth quarter to push the lead to 49-7, and all but ensure a continued running clock to the end.
The Dowling defense allowed just six yards through the air against the Warriors, a season-best.
The Maroons moved the ball with ease against Washington, partly because of Boyle’s control, but also because they started six of their 10 drives in Warrior territory.
Dowling, in the end, defeated Washington 49-14 behind four touchdowns accounted for. He carried the ball 19 times for 144 yards and three scores on the ground. Gochenour finished the game with 50 yards rushing and two touchdowns while Kasap finished with 42 yards and his score.
The Maroons repeated as champions and will surely go down in Iowa football history as one of the more prolific teams in the state’s prestigious prep school football history. Dowling is now 27-1 the past two seasons under the helm of Coach Wilson.
Graduating a player like Boyle, who will continue his playing career with the Iowa Hawkeyes, will be a tough task for Coach Wilson and his staff, however, the winners of five State Championships since 2000 should be up for the challenge.
Offensive stat leaders
Rushing: Ryan Boyle (1088 yards)
Passing: Ryan Boyle (1924 yards)
Receiving: Eric Fardel (811 yards)
All-Purpose: Ryan Boyle (1088 yards)
Touchdowns: Ryan Boyle (18)
Rush attempts: Ryan Boyle (166 carries)
Receptions: Eric Fardel (49 catches)
Defensive stat leaders
Interceptions: Dante Campero (8)
Interception TD: Dante Campero (2)
Fumbles forced: Cole Deskin (2)
Team statistics
Total scoring: 697 points
Opponent scoring: 208
Total offense: 6090 yards
Total rushing yards: 4102 yards
Total passing yards: 1988 yards
Opponent offense: 3002 yards
Opponent rushing yards: 1491 yards
Opponent passing yards: 1511 yards
Third down conversions: 43.4% (62/143)
Opponent third down conversions: 32.8% (61/186)
Turnover Differential: +21 (17 INT, 14 FR)
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