By: Matt Scher, [email protected]
Humboldt, IA – The Humboldt Wildcats trailed 3-0 after three quarters of play in their 3A First Round matchup with Clear Lake, but would outscore the Lions 13-7 in the fourth quarter to advance to the 3A Quarterfinal Round next week.
In the first postseason meeting between the two schools since the 2006 Class 3A State Championship and 77th meeting all-time, the game started off as a defensive struggle for the first three quarters of play. The Lions would eventually score first, scratching across three points at the end of the first half on a 23-yard field goal by Adrian Ros as time expired.
The Wildcats would score their first points of the game as quarterback Coen Matson found Keegan Groat for a seven-yard touchdown pass with 8:10 remaining in the fourth quarter to take a 7-3 lead. After a Clear Lake punt, Humboldt placekicker Karson Rubel would convert a 32-yard field goal with 6:07 left in regulation to increase Humboldt lead to 10-3. The next drive saw the Lions tie the game on a five-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Jaxson McIntire to Sam Dodge at the 2:23 mark in the fourth quarter.
The next Humboldt drive started on the Wildcats’ own 26-yard line, with Rubel sending another 32-yard attempt through the uprights with eight seconds remining to give Humboldt the 13-10 lead. Clear Lake would run one final play after the kickoff from their own six-yard line, unable to score on the final play of the game.
The win was the second in three weeks for Humboldt over Clear Lake, as the Wildcats won the week eight matchup 23-13 to clinch the 3A-2 District Title at Lions Field. Clear Lake’s lead in the all-time series stands at 38-37-2.
With the win, Humboldt is 9-1 and will host No. 9 Solon next Friday in the 3A Quarterfinal Round, the first meeting in program history. Solon knocked off No. 8 Benton Community 34-27 Friday night in a rematch from earlier in the season when Benton won 21-20 over Solon.
The 3A Quarterfinal on Friday at Mason Maach Field kicks off at 7:00 p.m., with the winner advancing to the 3A Semifinal Round at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls.