By: Matt Scher, [email protected]
Cedar Falls, IA – The 2024 Humboldt Wildcats will play for a 3A State Championship. The top-ranked RPI 3A team extended their magical season one more week after a thrilling 28-25 victory over the fifth-ranked Mount Vernon Mustangs in the 3A Semifinal Round at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls.
In a rematch of the 2022 3A Semifinal which saw Mount Vernon win 14-6, the Mustangs would take an 11-0 lead early in the game scores on back-to-back drives.
Mount Vernon broke the scoreless tie with a 32-yard field goal by Bennett Harp at the 5:39 mark of the first quarter and quarterback Kellen Haverback found wide receiver Watson Krob for a 29-yard touchdown pass with 1:38 left in the first quarter. A Jase Jaspers rush on a two-point conversion attempt was successful to give Mount Vernon the 11-0 start.
The second quarter saw the Wildcats respond with a seven-yard run by Cash McIntire with 9:44 remaining to cut into the Mount Vernon lead. Less than three minutes later, Humboldt would take the lead for good in the game with a seven-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Coen Matson to tight end Keegan Groat to take a 14-11 lead with 6:59 left in the first half.
The second half started with another Humboldt score as Matson would connect with Groat for a second touchdown pass, this time four yards, to give Humboldt the 21-11 lead with 5:50 remaining in the third quarter. The Mustangs would trim the Humboldt lead to 21-18 with a three-yard touchdown run by Cooper Hird with 11:18 to go in the fourth quarter.
After a botched snap by Mount Vernon resulted in a turnover at the Mustangs 41-yard line, Humboldt would find the end zone on a Matson 23-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Valley Davis with 3:44 remaining in regulation to increase their lead to 28-18. The Mustangs would counter with a quick-strike score on a four play drive that culminated in a 21-yard touchdown pass from Haverback to wide receiver Michael Ryan at the 2:54 mark of the fourth quarter. After Mount Vernon took over their next drive, Humboldt’s Isaiah Busick came up with a strip-sack of Haverback with Syler Brown recovering the ball with 1:51 remaining in regulation. The fumble recovery allowed Humboldt to run out the clock.
With the win, Humboldt improved to 11-1 on the season and will face third-ranked Wahlert Catholic, Dubuque in the 3A State Championship on Friday, Nov. 22 at 1 p.m. in the UNI-Dome. The appearance is Humboldt’s second in a championship game and the first since the 2006 State Championship. Wahlert Catholic held off second-ranked Sergeant Bluff-Luton 17-16 in the other 3A Semifinal, advancing to their first appearance in a championship game.