(Cedar Falls) Top ranked Harlan advanced to their third straight state championship game with a 49-35 win over #4 ADM on Saturday. The Cyclones used a dominant 3rd quarter to pull away.
Aidan Hall’s big game included four rushing touchdowns in the first half alone. The senior ran 21 times for 238 yards. He added seven catches for 74 yards and another score. Hall has 11 TD’s in the last two weeks. William Kenkel carried 16 times for 82 yards. Harlan outgained ADM 482-449. Teagon Kasperbauer went 15/20 for 138 yards and a TD. Cade Sears caught seven balls for 58 yards.
ADM quarterback Aiden Flora posted a big outing to keep his team close, at least for a half. 170 of the junior’s 238 rushing yards came before the break as the Tigers hung within 28-21 at half. Flora connected on 12/25 passes for 149 yards with two 4th quarter touchdowns and one interception. Harlan defensive lineman Gunner Schmitz snagged a screen pass for the game’s only takeaway.
Flora capped off the opening possession of the game with a 27 yard scoring run. It was a nine play, 80-yard drive, that took 2:33 off the clock. The PAT was blocked by Matthew Sorfonden and ADM led 6-0. Harlan marched the ball down the field on their first drive and scored with a three yard run by Hall. Stephen Leinen’s point after put Harlan in front for the first time at 7-6 with 5:59 to go in the 1st.
Hall added a two yard scoring run early in the 2nd to move Harlan’s advantage to 14-6, but Aiden Flora broke free on a 36 yard run and kept it himself on the 2-point conversion to even things at 14-14 with 8:50 remaining in the half.
Hall and Flora would exchange touchdowns yet again in the 2nd quarter with Hall scoring on a 14 yard catch from Kasperbauer and Flora accelerating for a 77 yard rushing score. The game was tied at 21-all with less than five minutes to go in the 2nd quarter. Harlan took possession of the football and scored with 1:37 left in the half on a Hall five yard run to lead 28-21 going into the locker room.
Harlan got the ball to start the 3rd quarter and set the tone with their rushing attack. Aidan Hall ripped off a 56 yard run to set up a 1st and goal. Kasperbauer extended the lead to 35-21 with his 1-yard sneak and then Hall scored on a 62-yard run to give Harlan even more breathing room. Noah Schmitz’s seven yard TD run early in the 4th quarter pushed Harlan’s edge to 49-21.
ADM got on the board a couple of times in the 4th quarter to snug up the final margin. Brevin Doll caught TD passes of 32 and 37 yards from Flora. The Tigers bow out at 10-2. Each of their losses were to Harlan. They played the Cyclones much tighter in the dome compared to their 42-7 setback in the regular season.
Harlan will play for their 14th state title in school history next week. They have won eleven straight games. This is the first time since September 9th that an opponent has hung within 35 points of the defending champs.
