Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: Iowa Central linebacker Taylor Schaefer tracks down Independence’s Nathan Neal for a sack on Saturday at Dodger Stadium. For more photos, please visit CU.messengernews.net

Jesse Montalto saw the forecast a few days ago and began altering his strategy accordingly.

“We started preparing them both physically and mentally around the middle of the week as far as what we had ahead of us weather-wise,” the Iowa Central football coach said following his team’s 30-0 whitewashing of Independence inside the snow globe that was Dodger Stadium on Saturday. “We had different hints and tips in order to be ready (for adverse conditions).”

The 12th-ranked Tritons embraced the grind of a steady struggle due to adverse field conditions. Instead of complaining or making excuses, Iowa Central (6-3 overall) made the most of the situation and braved the elements to dispatch the Pirates (4-6) behind a stout defensive performance.

“The weather was definitely a cool challenge to face,” said ubiquitous Triton linebacker Taylor Schaefer, who had 15 tackles, two sacks and two tackles for loss. “You don’t get to play many games in weather like this. The main thing going in was just staying locked in on the task at hand and being able to find our footing the best we could in pregame.”

The Tritons did so both literally and figuratively. With the field already packed in wet, slushy snow at kickoff and more falling throughout the afternoon, Iowa Central did just enough at the right times offensively, got one huge special-teams play, and let the defense handle the rest.

Ty Purdy threw a pair of perfect-strike touchdown passes, finding Kamare Williams and Marcellus Chandler on a day in which yards were otherwise tough to come by for both teams. Chandler also returned the opening kickoff of the second half 90 yards for a touchdown to put the Tritons comfortably ahead at 17-0.

Independence managed just 132 yards of total offense against Schaefer and his teammates.

“I’m really proud of our defense and the way we’ve gotten after it this year,” Schaefer said. “Obviously there are some things we need to iron out and continue to work on, but it’s honestly been great playing with these guys at such a high energy level.”

Schaefer, a 6-foot-4, 240-pound native of Brussels, Wis. who has offers from over two dozen Div. I schools, added he didn’t even hesitate to return to Iowa Central for a second season in 2025 after a standout freshman campaign a year ago.

“It wasn’t that hard of a decision at all to come back for another semester,” Schaefer said. “They’ve given me so many opportunities to grow as a player and as a person. And the coaches are great…they aren’t the type of people who only care about your on the field, but also, off of it.”

The Tritons recorded eight tackles for loss and forced two turnovers in recording its third shutout of the season. Jayden Wilson-Abrams recovered a fumble and Malik Johnson intercepted a pass.

Jaden Turner also blocked a punt for Iowa Central.

“We had the right mindset, and everyone was on the same page,” Montalto said. “The linebackers were awesome. Taylor, Mason (Chandler, 14 tackles), Christian (Barney, 13 tackles) and a lot of other guys were flying around making plays. Very active and aggressive.”

Quarterback Damarcus Creecy had the other Triton touchdown on a short run. Despite the poor conditions – yard markers were cleared for visibility purposes in five-yard increments and temperatures held steady around the freezing mark with no letup in snowfall – Iowa Central didn’t turn the ball over and committed only two penalties, compared to 11 infractions for the Pirates.

The Tritons improved to 6-0 against unranked foes this season, with each victory coming by at least 30 points.

“We’ve handled our business in that aspect,” Montalto said. “Now we finish with back-to-back games against ranked opponents (at No. 14 Garden City this Saturday and at home against No. 11 Butler on Nov. 22). If we want to be considered a Top-6 team, we have to finish the year the right way.

“We still have so much to play for and a lot of football still ahead of us. And that’s the number one message to our team: to finish the year strong and leave the right kind of legacy (for 2025).”