Iowa high school football Class 4A semifinals: Lewis Central, Western Dubuque advance

CEDAR FALLS – A recent Class 4A giant slayer found itself up against too many weapons Thursday night in the semifinal round of the Iowa high school state football playoffs. 

Lewis Central showcased a relentless defense, and a variety of playmakers on special teams and offense to secure its third consecutive trip to the Class 4A title game with a convincing 31-5 victory inside the UNI-Dome. The Titans defeated a North Polk team that was one week removed from eliminating defending state champion Cedar Rapids Xavier from the postseason.

Western Dubuque, a 28-21 winner over Bondurant-Farrar, will face Lewis Central at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 16 in the 4A title game.

TITAN STRONG

Lewis Central won the program’s first championship in 2021 over Xavier before falling to the Saints in last year’s championship contest.

Similar to 2021, this year’s Lewis Central team opened the season with a 2-2 record before making a run to the final game.

“The first time we were here we were sort of in awe,” Titans’ fifth-year head coach Justin Kammrad said. “I thought they came out today and played really well. They understand the day, they understand the routine, so it makes it easier.”

A North Polk defense that had allowed the fewest points in Class 4A at just over 12 per game forced Lewis Central to the air early. Titans’ quarterback Brady Hetzel was up to the challenge.

“They’re the number one defense in the state for a reason,” Kammrad said. “They got after us in the run game and our passing game was there today.

“Brady Hetzel had an unbelievable football game. What he’s doing as a first-year starter is just a tribute to what he’s done in preparation to get to this point. He’s gotten better every game and we relied on him. He played a great game.”

Hetzel, a junior first-year starter, completed 21 of 31 passes to five different receivers for 208 yards and one touchdown.

“Everything has definitely slowed down,” Hetzel said. “I can remember Harlan (Week 1) when everything was moving a million miles an hour. It’s a great group of seniors, a great group of leaders. They help out a lot and make me more comfortable back in the pocket.

“We have so many great athletes out there that they just make everybody’s job easier.”

Lewis Central outgained North Polk 204 to 51 yards in the first half as the Titans took control of the game from the opening kick.

Lual Maker, a 6-foot-7 senior, was one of Hetzel’s top targets with several timely receptions among his six catches for 96 yards. Maker elevated for a 36-yard reception, as the Titans covered 83 yards on 10 plays during the lone scoring drive of the first quarter. Marker added a fourth-down reception, extending a Lewis Central drive that finished with a 30-yard field goal by Daniel Espinoza.

Receptions of 27 yards to Maker and 24 yards to Ryan Ortega set up Kamdyn Cross’ 4-yard touchdown run and Titans took a 17-0 advantage into intermission.

North Polk’s defense stepped up on Lewis Central’s first drive of the second half. Linebacker Brayden Foster recorded a fourth-down tackle in the backfield to give the Comets possession at midfield.

Lewis Central’s defense, however, forced North Polk to settle for a 37-yard field goal by Noah Blomquist to get on the scoreboard, 17-3, with 5:42 left in the third quarter.

Lewis Central responded immediately with a 44-yard kickoff return by Ortega to the Titans’ 46-yard line. Eight plays later, Curtis Witte hurdled a defender and completed a 22-yard touchdown run.

Ortega quickly struck again for Lewis Central when he returned an interception to the North Polk 29 and added an 8-yard touchdown reception from Hetzel.

In addition to his 68 rushing yards and two touchdowns, Cross tied Owen Thomas for a team-high four unassisted tackles as Lewis Central’s defense limited North Polk to seven first downs and 140 total yards of offense on 46 plays.

BOBCATS POWER PAST JAYS

SBLive Iowa’s No. 2-ranked Western Dubuque was tested throughout a back-and-forth tussle with No. 18 Bondurant-Farrar before securing the Bobcats' first trip to the finals since the 2019 team won Class 3A’s title.

Running back Grant Glausser’s drive highlighted a second half in which the lead changed hands three times. The physical, 5-foot-11, 200-pound senior, finished with 204 rushing yards and both of Western Dubuque’s go-ahead touchdowns.

Glausser found quick redemption in this contest. His physical runs helped the Bobcats set the tone for a second half that began tied, but his fumble at the Bondurant-Farrar 10-yard line forced Western Dubuque to wait to take the lead.

Glausser recovered by opening Western Dubuque’s next drive with runs of 14 and 10 yards. He capped the Bobcats’ 54-yard scoring march with a pair of 2-yard runs that put the Bobcats in front, 20-14, after the PAT was blocked with 4:53 left in the third quarter.

“That fumble made me pretty mad so I was ready to run the ball,” Glausser said. “He (Coach Justin Penner) showed faith in me. When I fumbled, he was like, ‘You definitely want the ball back don’t you?’ I said, yeah, and we marched down the field.”

The lead changed hands twice more down the stretch.

Bondurant-Farrar’s Jordan Rial rolled out and found Caleb Moore for a 34-yard, go-ahead reception and Jase Robinson’s extra point made it 21-20 at the 2:05 mark of the third quarter.

Western Dubuque’s Glausser responded by covering the final 11 yards of a 70-yard scoring drive with another go-ahead touchdown run at the 9:25 mark of the fourth quarter. A successful conversion rush by Glausser put the Bobcats up 28-21.

Bondurant-Farrar’s next drive stalled at the Western Dubuque 9. The Bluejays missed a 35-yard field goal following a pair of penalties with 4:34 remaining. A healthy dose of Glausser then allowed Western Dubuque to run out the clock and prevail.

In addition to Glausser’s contributions, Western Dubuque quarterback Tanner Anderson connected with Brandon Decker on touchdown passes of 5 and 27 yards as the Bobcats erased a 14-0 deficit over the final 1:40 of the second quarter.

Bondurant-Farrar quarterback Jordan Rial’s strong arm and poise proved crucial to gaining the upper hand early. Rial connected with Cole Miller on a 37-yard play-action pass that set up Caleb Moore’s 2-yard touchdown run. Rial later took a big hit after throwing a 50-yard deep ball to Batpiny Riak that gave the Bluejays a 14-0 lead.

Rial finished 15 of 24 passing for 264 yards and two touchdowns. Miller (110) and Riak (120) each surpassed 100 receiving yards during the Bluejays’ first-ever trip to the state semifinals.

Summaries

LEWIS CENTRAL 31, NORTH POLK 5

Lewis Central;7;10;14;0 - 31

North Polk;0;0;3;2 - 31

LC – Kamdyn Cross 2 run (Daniel Espinoza kick)

LC – Espinoza 30 field goal

LC – Cross 4 run (Espinoza kick)

NP – Noah Blomquist 37 field goal

LC – Curtis Witte 22 run (Espinoza kick)

LC – Ryan Ortega 8 pass from Hetzel (Espinoza kick)

NP – Safety, punt blocked by Nathan Feldman

WESTERN DUBUQUE 28, BONDURANT-FARRAR 21

Bondurant-Farrar;7;7;7;0 - 21

Western Dubuque;0;14;6;8 - 28

BF – Caleb Moore 2 run (Jase Robinson kick)

BF – Batpiny Riak 50 pass from Jordan Rial (Robinson kick)

WD – Brandon Decker 5 pass from Tanner Anderson (Caden Abresch kick)

WD – Decker 27 pass from Anderson (Abresch kick)

WD – Grant Glausser 2 run (kick blocked)

BF – Moore 34 pass from Rial (Robinson kick)

WD – Glausser 11 run (Glausser run)

--Nick Petaros 

Lewis Central players line up after securing their program’s third consecutive trip to the Class 4A title game. (Photo by Nick Petaros)