(Cedar Falls, IA) — Class 1A Semifinals Recap
Grundy Center 42, Wilton 7
The top ranked Spartans will be looking for their third straight state title, 2nd in Class 1A as they chucked the Beavers. Grundy Center built a 21-0 lead — Judd Jirovsky threw 2 TD passes, a 23 yarder to Brody Zinkula and a 4 yarder to Tiernan Vokus and Zinkola added a 4 yard run. Wilton got on the board just before the end of the first half — Drew Keith found Owen Hassel for a 21 yard TD pass with 18 seconds left to make it 21-7. However, on the ensuing kickoff, Zinkula raced 89 yards to the house and the Spartans led 28-7 at the half.
Grundy Center had the ball to start the 3rd quarter and went on a 7 play 71 yard drive and Jirvosky hit Devin Hinders for a 39 yard TD pass to make it 35-7. Wilton’s first drive of the 2nd half went all the way to the GC 20 and on 4th and 5, Keith was sacked by Hinders for a loss of 10. Grundy gave it right back on a fumble at midfield, one of their few mistakes of the day but Keith was picked off by Jacob Hoy early in the 4th quarter and he returned it 57 yards for a TD to put the game away.
The Spartans won the Class A title in 2022 and last year moved up to Class 1A and got another championship. A win next week and Grundy Center will earn their 9th career state title. Judd Jirovsky was 17-18 passing for 170 yards and 3 TD. He also added 49 yards rushing. Brody Zinkula had 12 carries for 49 yards plus had 4 receptions for 47 yards and a TD as the Spartans go to 12-0.
Wilton was led by Owen Hassel with 15 carries for 74 yards plus 4 catches for 36 yards and a TD but the Beavers end their season at 10-2.
Complete Box Score, Click HERE
Dike New Hartford 24, Hinton 18
The Wolverines withstood a furious rally by the Blackhawks and took advantage of two Hinton offsides calls on 4th down to advance to the 1A Finals. Dike New Hartford would convert two 4th downs on their first drive of the game — one of them an offsides by Hinton at the Hinton 12. Colin Meester scored on a 1 yard plunge. The Blackhawks first drive ended in an 18 yard punt and Dike scored again on a Meester 6 yard TD to make it 14-0. Hinton would get on the board just before halftime on a 13 yard TD pass from Gabe Anderson to Logan Kempema with 32 seconds left. It was 14-6.
The third quarter was a battle of punts but DNH started a drive at their own 47 and early in the 4th quarter, converted a 3rd and 10 on a 14 yard pass from Meester to Jack Seversen to the Hinton 14. On a 4th and 7, Hinton was offsides again but the Wolverines decided to take a short 23 yard field goal by Keegan Bolhuis to make it 17-6. After a Hinton 3 and out, Tyson Bennett of Dike broke a 49 yard TD run to make it 24-6 with 3:12 to go.
Hinton finally got going and scored quickly — in about a minute and a half on a 11 yard TD from Anderson to Kyle Leary. The Blackhawks would recover an onside kick and Anderson would connect on 4 of his next 5 passes, the last being a 2 yard TD to Kempema to cut it to 24-18 with 45 seconds left. This time though the Wolverines pounced on the onside kick and ran out the clock.
The Blackhawks were led by Gabe Anderson who was 18-30 passing for 197 yards, 3 TD, and 1 INT. Hinton was held to just 30 yards rushing and their season ends at 10-2.
Dike New Hartford was led by Noah Borcherding with 36 carries for 119 yards. Colin Meester was 7-9 passing for 97 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT. Tyson Bennett had 4 carries for 49 yards and a TD. The Wolverines are now 11-1 and will face Grundy Center in the Class 1A state championship game Thursday November 21 at 4:00 pm
Complete Box Score, Click HERE
