By: Matt Scher, matts@977thebolt.com
Hampton, IA – The Humboldt Wildcats football team won their 3A-2 district opener at Hampton-Dumont-CAL 28-10 over the Bulldogs Friday night.
Humboldt opened the scoring on their first drive that started on their own 45-yard line and was capped off when quarterback Coen Matson found wide receiver Valley Davis.
The Wildcats led 7-0 after Karson Rubel’s PAT with 9:16 remaining in the first quarter. Hampton-Dumont-CAL on their first drive would take the rest of the first quarter and end the drive with a 23-yard field goal by Hunter Reiken to cut into the deficit 7-3 with 11:59 in the second quarter.
On the next drive, the Wildcats took over on their own 35-yard line and with the ball at midfield, Matson would again find Davis.
The second touchdown pass between the two and Rubel’s made PAT put Humboldt up 14-3. After the Bulldogs turned the ball over on downs, Humboldt began their next drive on their own 25-yard line, finishing the drive on a handoff to Jaxson Kirchhoff.
The sophomore’s first rushing touchdown at the varsity level and Rubel’s PAT put Humboldt up 21-3 with 1:45 remaining in the first half. Hampton-Dumont-CAL would turn the ball over on downs again to end the first half.
The Bulldogs would receive the second half kickoff and with the drive starting on their own 21-yard line, would take the clock down to 3:24 when quarterback Ryder Strother found the end zone on a four-yard scramble to cut into the Humboldt lead 21-10. Humboldt and Hampton-Dumont-CAL would both punt on their next drives.
The Wildcats following the Bulldogs punt would find the end zone for the final time in the game. Sophomore running back Cash McIntire would cap off the drive.
McIntire’s five-yard score would give Humboldt the 28-10 lead. The Bulldogs would take over on their own 38-yard line on the next drive, but Mason Van Pelt would intercept Strother’s pass to give Humboldt the ball on their own 33. Humboldt was unable to capitalize on the takeaway, punting on the drive. On Hampton-Dumont-CAL’s final drive of the game, they would turn the ball over on downs for Humboldt to kneel out the clock.
Humboldt Head Coach Derrick Elman on the victory in the district opener.
Humboldt improves to 4-1 (1-0 3A-2) and will host Charles City in their homecoming game on Friday, Oct. 4 at Mason Maach Field. Kickoff is at 7:00 p.m.