UPDATE: Warriors Defeat the Bobcats

With the Warriors 0-2 on the road this season, it might have seemed like the odds were stacked against them Friday night in Marshalltown.

However, after back-to-back wins over Ottumwa and Mason City in which the Warrior offense erupted for 102 points, the boys are more confident then ever. It showed Friday night as the Warriors claimed a win over the Bobcats, 50-28.

"I just really think that they're playing with a great deal of confidence right now," said head coach Scott Carlson. "The kids call it swagger, or swag, whatever. They're playing with a very positive vibe and they're very workmanlike at practice. It's a great thing to see as a coach."

For a team that scored 48 points total in its first three games of the season, the 102 points in the past two have been a welcome change of pace.

"We're not really surprised," said Carlson. "But if you would have told me we could've scored that many points in the last couple weeks, I would've been a bit skeptical. We knew we had it in us, it just happened a lot faster than we anticipated."

Senior running back Jordan O'Daye is averaging 5.1 yards per carry and has three touchdowns this season. He says it's the offense's turn to start winning some games.

"Our coaches and us included, we all expect big things out of the offense," said O'Daye. "In the past it's been a lot of pressure on the defense, expecting them to win games. And now we're putting the pressure on ourselves to step up and win some."

It will take plenty of that newfound offenssive prowess for the Warriors to leave Marshalltown with a win. 

Integral to the Bobcats' averaging 47 points per game this season is quarterback Blake Gimbell. He leads the state in passing with a whopping 1,922 yards through five games; that includes all classes.

"They've got a very special team and they're a top 10 caliber team," said Carlson. "They're setting some marks with their passing game. That would make it even more special, to beat a top-flight Marshalltown team."

The abundance of confidence can't hurt the Warriors as they head into another tough road test.

"The team motto this year has been new season, new swag," said O'Daye. "And these last few weeks it's been more like we got our swagger back. We're feeling pretty good."

Kickoff is set for 7:30 Friday night at Marshalltown.