WEBSTER CITY – Remembering the upset loss it endured a season ago against the Panic, the Midwest Rampage took the field and performed with a chip on its shoulder Saturday afternoon.

There was no reason to panic this time around.

It took the Rampage just three plays to find the end zone and the black and orange never trailed, as it improved to 4-0 for the second time in franchise history with a 28-13 victory.

Coming off a bye week, there was some rust on the aging shoulders of the players, but not enough to throw the team off its winning streak.

“I had reservations about this game for the fact that not only were we coming off a bye week, but last year the Panic beat us,” Rampage head coach Matt Girdley said. “It was a bit sloppy on both sides, although I felt we controlled the entire game.”

The offensive trio of quarterback Ben Jass, running back Ross Haren and wide receiver Gunnar Wyatt were again catalysts to the victory. Jass completed 16 of 24 passes for 209 yards and three touchdowns – all to Wyatt. Haren churned out 144 tough yards on the ground on 19 carries.

Wyatt, who hauled in nine catches for 129 yards, put the Rampage in front early on a 26-yard toss from Jass.

Haren broke free on a 75-yard scoring sprint in the second quarter to up the lead to 14-0.

Panic defender Dustyn Davis gave his team some life later in the second by picking off Jass and returning it 45 yards to the house to cut the Rampage lead in half. But Jass answered before the half, finding Wyatt on a 40-yard pass to give his team a 21-7 edge at the intermission.

The Panic again pulled to within one score in the third on a 15-yard pass from Garrett Mensing to Kolton Barker, but the Rampage defense buckled down the remainder of the way.

Wyatt’s third touchdown covered 20 yards in the fourth quarter.

The Rampage limited the Panic to just 158 yards of total offense. The defense also forced five turnovers; Tyler Mosbach picked off Mensing twice, while Andy Sowle and Shon Osborn each had one interception. Eric Walechka recovered a fumble.

Osborn was everywhere defensively, as he collected a game-high 11 tackles. Joe Cason registered nine, two of which were sacks. John Elkin and Brian Miller both recorded seven stops and Sowle finished with six.

The stage is now set for Saturday’s showdown between the Rampage and fellow unbeaten Southern Plains Football League team, the Southwest Huskerz.

Something will have to give in the 3 p.m. showdown in Webster City. The Huskerz are powered by a run-dominated offense, while the Rampage defense has yet to give up a rushing touchdown this season.

“The Huskerz bread-and-butter is their run game and that’s something my guys take pride in defending,” Rampage defensive coordinator Marty Hart said.