Grundy Center football lets it fly in 40-0 win

GRUNDY CENTER – Logan Knaack threw for five touchdowns and the Grundy Center defense posted its third shutout of the season in a 40-0 drubbing of Nashua-Plainfield at Spartan Stadium on Friday night.

The Spartans (5-1, 4-0 Class A District 3) travel to BCLUW on Friday. Nashua-Plainfield (2-4, 1-3) welcomes AGWSR.

Continue reading this article for free thanks to this local supporter of Grundy Center Athletics!

Dexter Whitehill hauled in three scores, touchdowns of 25, 20 and 29 yards out, respectively. Whitehill, a senior, is now up to seven touchdown catches this season.

Austin Betts added a 21-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter; Tate Jirovsky started the scoring with a 12-yard touchdown catch in the first quarter. Dayne Zinkula contributed a 5-yard scamper for a third-quarter touchdown.

“Logan’s made better decisions in the last couple of weeks,” Grundy Center head coach Travis Zajac said, “and our receivers have been playing with a renewed sense of urgency and we’ve just been able to get some big chunk plays. And our pass protection has improved quite a bit. It all softens up the box a little bit for us to continue trying to run the ball like we want to.”

The Spartans also had to move around some pieces in the lineup to keep players healthy. Zajac notes the team isn’t dealing with any serious long-term injuries that have hurt the team in recent seasons, however.

“These are kids that are playing really, really hard and not coming off the field often,” Zajac said. “That’s the normal attrition of a season, especially when we’re talking week six going into week seven. You want them coming back as close to healthy as possible and just roll with the punches.”

The Week 7 opponent is a winless BCLUW team, but also a next-door neighbor that Zajac doesn’t want the team to overlook, even as on paper it appears the Spartans are destined for a Week 8 clash with North Tama for the district title. The Redhawks blanked BCLUW 36-0 on Friday.

“I know [the Comets] are really going to be excited to play us regardless of their record,” Zajac said. “We’ve got to worry about getting ourselves healthy and improving within.”

Grundy Center 40
Nashua-Plainfield 0

First quarter
GC--Tate Jirovsky 12 pass from Logan Knaack (Colin Gordon kick)
GC--Dexter Whitehill 25 pass from Knaack (Gordon kick)

Second quarter
GC--Whitehill 20 pass from Knaack (kick failed)

Third quarter
GC--Dayne Zinkula 5 run (kick missed)
GC--Austin Betts 21 pass from Knaack (Gordon kick)

Fourth quarter
GC--Whitehill 29 pass from Knaack (Gordon kick)