By: Matt Scher, matts@977thebolt.com
Cedar Falls, IA – The magical run for the 2024 Humboldt Wildcats football team came to an end Friday afternoon after a 49-14 victory for the Wahlert Catholic Golden Eagles over Humboldt.
Coming into Friday afternoon’s game, Wahlert Catholic was attempting to win their first state championship in program history and the first by a school in Dubuque since Dubuque Hempstead in 1978, having made their first appearance ever in a title game. For Humboldt, the Wildcats were making their second appearance in a state championship, having won their only state title in the other appearance in 2006.
The Golden Eagles would capitalize on a Humboldt miscue after a punt on their first offensive drive deflected off of return man Jackson Flaherty, allowing the Golden Eagles to take over at the Humboldt 11-yard line. Senior running back Michael Bormann would score on the first play of the extended drive with an 11-yard touchdown run.
On the next drive, Humboldt sophomore running back Cash McIntire broke free for an 80-yard rushing touchdown to tie the game at 7-7.
Wahlert Catholic wide receiver Tom Scherr would record two touchdown catches, the first giving the Golden Eagles the 14-7 lead, which they would not relinquish for the rest of the game. After a Humboldt fumble, Wahlert Catholic would score touchdowns on their next three drives, holding a 35-7 lead at the half.
Humboldt would cut into the deficit in the third quarter when senior quarterback Coen Matson connected with junior wide receiver Valley Davis for three yards to make it 35-14 Wahlert Catholic. The Golden Eagles would find the end zone twice more in the fourth quarter. Wahlert Catholic recorded rushing touchdowns with four different players in the game with Bormann, Scherr, and senior quarterback Drew Reilly with two.
With the win, Wahlert Catholic closed out a perfect 13-0 3A State Championship run with Humboldt falling short 11-2 and as 3A State Runner-up.