By: Matt Scher, [email protected]
Humboldt, IA – The Radio Iowa No.6 (3A) Humboldt Wildcats football team fell 26-17 to the No.4 (4A) North Polk Comets in a battle of two top-10 teams at Mason Maach Field Friday night.
The game was scoreless through the first quarter of play, as Humboldt would turn the ball over after quarterback Coen Matson’s pass was intercepted by Brady Cathcart, which led to a drive that stalled on a turnover-on-downs. Humboldt and North Polk would punt on the next three drives to end the first quarter.
The second quarter contrasted with the first as the Comets scored on their third drive of the game with a 9-yard rushing touchdown by Henry Christiansen with 10:21 left in the half. The Wildcats would respond with a 29-yard field goal by Karson Rubel to cut the Comets’ lead to 7-3 with 6:29 remaining in the second quarter. At the 5:39 mark, Comets’ quarterback Nate Feldmann broke free for a 57-yard rushing touchdown to put North Polk up by two scores at 14-3. Both teams would continue to trade scores as Humboldt answered back with Matson connecting with Chase Flaherty for a 2-yard touchdown pass to bring the score to 14-10 North Polk at the 1:19 mark of the second quarter. North Polk would turn the ball over on downs and along with a penalty, would give Humboldt the ball in Comet territory with five seconds remaining in the half. Humboldt kicker Karson Rubel attempted a 55-yard field goal, but came up short to end the half.
The second half saw the Comets set the tone with a drive that took 7:07 off the clock to begin the third quarter, with a 10-yard touchdown run by B.J. Tate to cap it off. A missed PAT by North Polk kicker Lima Triplett would put the score at 20-10 Comets. A Humboldt punt followed by a North Polk turnover kept the game at a 10-point deficit going into the fourth quarter.
With 5:59 to play in regulation, Matson found Flaherty for a second time in the end zone, this time a 33-yard touchdown pass to bring the deficit to three at 20-17 North Polk. Just over a minute later on the next drive, Feldmann dashed 68 yards for his second rushing touchdown of the game and after a second missed PAT by Triplett, led 26-17. Humboldt would turn the ball over on downs in their final possession.
With the loss, Humboldt wrapped up the non-district portion of their schedule at 3-1 and heads to Hampton-Dumont-CAL on Friday to begin 3A-2 play. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m.