Energy often fills a high school football stadium for a school’s season opener. Friday’s matchup between Iowa City West and Iowa City Liberty was a different story.

The Trojans dominated the Lightning to open the 2020 prep football season, winning 27-0 in North Liberty in a game that was held with no fans in the stands.

A recent surge in COVID-19 cases in Johnson County pushed the Iowa City Community School District to rule on Thursday that all spectators would be prohibited from all district-hosted athletic events effective immediately.

The home and away bleachers in North Liberty on Friday night were scarcely filled with the sophomore rosters from both schools. A socially distanced Liberty marching band filled the relatively quiet stadium with occasional noise. Parents watched the game from the parking lot.

“I didn’t feel any difference,” West quarterback Marcus Morgan said. “Obviously there’s going to be the home field advantage, but there’s only certain fields these days that are gonna really have that… I thought we handled it well and I don’t think it will make a very big difference in our play at all.”

Morgan threw an interception to end West’s first offensive drive of the season. The multi-sport star didn’t let that linger the rest of the night. The senior finished the game 18-of-27 passing for 201 yards, with two touchdowns and the one interception, while also adding 78 rushing yards and a touchdown on 11 carries.

West running back Trey King opened the game’s scoring on the first play of the second quarter, scampering in for an 11-yard touchdown run. After a failed two-point attempt, the Trojans led 6-0.

Despite West clearly being the better team in the first half, the score was still only 6-0 going into the halftime break. A 43-yard field goal attempt by West kicker Owen Smith fell short to end the half after Morgan led a two-minute drive to get the team in scoring position.

In the second half, West continued to be the better team, and showed it on the scoreboard. Morgan accounted for three scores, including connecting with Boaz Abramoff and Grahm Goering on a pair of  passing touchdowns, in the second half to put even more distance between the Trojans and the Lightning.

The Trojan defense stifled any attempt the Lightning offense made to gain some momentum. Liberty finished with only six first downs and 97 rushing yards on 39 attempts in its class 4A debut. The team did not attempt a pass. West, by comparison, converted 21 first downs and as a team totaled 139 rushing yards on 33 attempts.

West is scheduled to host Iowa City High next Friday in the Battle for the Boot. Liberty hits the road for a Thursday night matchup against Cedar Rapids Jefferson. That’s if those games take place.

On Thursday, the ICCSD received permission to start the school year 100 percent online. The district’s Board of Directors will hold a meeting at 9 a.m. Saturday to discuss its next steps. Moving to fully remote learning leaves the remaining fall sports seasons in question.

West came into this game knowing that the season could end at any point because of COVID-19. But Morgan, and the team’s other seniors, remain hopeful that their high school football careers won’t be shut down prematurely.

“It’s always in the back of our heads,” Morgan said. “Our last year of playing ball together could be taken away just like that. We’re hoping that the board can come together and give us just the opportunity to play. We’re going to take advantage of that. We know that it can be taken at any time. We’re just going out with that mindset. Playing hard, practicing hard every day because we all know it could be our last.”