Iowa high school football Class 3A semifinals: Bishop Heelan back in final, Williamsburg cruises

CEDAR FALLS – Sioux City Bishop Heelan’s seniors entered their final season of high school football with a goal to play for a state title. 

It may have seemed far-fetched for a group that was part of a program that won one game their freshman season, none the following year, and just two games last season.

Yet Saturday night inside the UNI-Dome, Bishop Heelan punched its ticket into the Class 3A state championship game with a 16-13 victory over Creston. Heelan will play Williamsburg, a 45-14 winner over Solon, at 1 p.m. Friday.

“All our guys kept grinding and didn’t quit,” Heelan senior running back and linebacker Ricky Feauto said. “We believed it. We were told that we were going to win a state championship last year and now you see us.”

HEELAN IS BACK

Jon LaFleur, a former Bishop Heelan and University of Iowa football starter in his second season as head coach after working as an assistant, couldn’t be prouder of the manner in which his team has found breakthrough success. Heelan reached the semifinal round with a triple-overtime victory, and held on to win Saturday night despite being held scoreless in the second half.

While football success had eluded Heelan’s senior class until this fall, many of the Crusaders were part of a basketball team that reached the state tournament and participated in state track.

“It’s amazing the way these kids have rallied around each other and played throughout the course of this year,” LaFleur said. “From winning three games in the last three years to be where they’re at now says something about these kids and their character.”

Heelan scored on three of its first four drives and that was enough as the Crusaders’ defense shut down a Creston offense that featured 2,740-yard passer Cael Turner.

Feauto led Heelan’s offense with 99 rushing yards and a touchdown on 16 carries. Quarterback Quinn Olson passed for just 34 yards on 13 attempts, and rushed for 67 yards and a score, and Kasen Thomas added 66 yards rushing on five carries.

Heelan missed a couple of shots at the end zone on a 14-play, 53-yard drive that ended with a 34-yard field goal from George Tsiobanos in the opening quarter. Feauto broke a 37-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. After a quick defensive three-and-out, Thomas raced 63 yards on the opening play of the Crusaders' next drive to set up a 5-yard touchdown run by Quinn.

Turner finished 24 of 35 passing for 253 yards and a touchdown versus no interceptions and running back Brennan Hayes added 136 rushing yards on 26 carries, but Creston ended just two drives in the end zone.

The Panthers completed an 11-play, 80-yard march on a 2-yard run by Hayes late in the first half. With Creston pinned on its own 1-yard line, the Panthers put together an eight-play, 99-yard drive that took only 2:51 off the clock to cut its deficit to 16-13 with six minutes remaining.

Turner hit Brennan Hayes over the middle for a 54-yard gain on the first play of that impressive series. Hayes added a 23-yard run and Turner later rolled out to Brandon Briley for a 6-yard touchdown.

After the 99-yard drive, LaFleur’s message to his team was simple. “We’re still ahead,” LaFleur related. “We’re still winning, and they’ve got to prove themselves. We made the plays when we had to.”

Creston got the ball back on its 20 with 3:10 remaining, but that drive stalled at midfield and Heelan ran out the clock.

“It was definitely a big exhale by everybody – in the stands, on the field, everybody,” Feauto said, reflecting on that winning moment. “It was a very heartwarming feeling for me and all of my guys.”

Creston finished 11-1. This marked Creston's first trip to the UNI-Dome since the program's 2014 team also lost to Heelan in the semifinal round.

“They battled tonight and had a shot,” Creston coach Brian Morrison said. “We just didn’t finish it.

“When it comes down to it, our kids played the game extremely well, extremely hard. We can hang our hats on that as a football team this year.”

TURNOVERS LIFT WILLIAMSBURG

Williamsburg, a runner-up in Class 2A last season, earned a return to the championship game after bumping up a class.

The Raiders took advantage of an 8-1 victory in the turnover battle to avenge a 21-14 loss to Solon from Week 7 of the regular season. Williamsburg picked off four passes and recovered four fumbles.

Williamsburg receiver Rayce Heitman finished with six catches for 165 yards and two touchdowns while adding an interception, a pass breakup, a team-high 13 tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss from his linebacker position.

Heitman’s 19-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter may have been the top reception of this tournament’s semifinal round. He kept his feet in play while hauling in a pass from quarterback Derek Weisskopf lofted over a defender to the back corner of the end zone.

“I was in awe,” Weisskopf said, reflecting on that play. “I’ve never thrown a ball like that. The line gave me enough time to throw that ball to him. I just put it in the right place and he got the toe drag and touchdown.

“I trusted him every time I threw the ball. I knew he could jump and go up and get the ball.”

Following that highlight-reel catch, Heitman glanced at the nearby video board on the south end zone for the replay.

“It’s a great feeling having a catch that you look up and it’s pretty good on the video board,” Heitman said. “It feels great just to help out the team in any way I can, offense, defense, special teams, whatever they need.”

Heitman later answered Solon’s first score by elevating for an 18-yard touchdown reception in the back of the end zone with 9:53 left in the fourth quarter.

Williamsburg’s Weisskopf finished with 366 passing yards and four touchdowns on just 12 completions. Braylon Wetjen added four catches for 158 yards and two scores, including a 75-yard reception, as the Raiders hit big play after big play.

Solon quarterback Tyler Bell completed 15 passes for 224 yards and a touchdown. Grant Knipper had six receptions for 139 yards and a score.

Scoring summaries

BISHOP HEELAN 16, CRESTON 13

Bishop Heelan;3;13;0;0 - 16

Creston;0;6;0;7 - 13

BH – George Tsiobanos 34 field goal

BH – Ricky Feauto 37 run (George Tsiobanos kick)

BH – Quinn Olson 5 run (Tsiobanos kick)

Creston – Brennan Hayes 2 run (pass failed)

Creston – Brandon Briley 6 pass from Cael Turner (Hayes kick)

WILLIAMSBURG 45, SOLON 14

Williamsburg;7;17;0;21 - 45

Solon;0;0;7;7 - 14

Williamsburg – Rayce Heitman 1 run (Logan Rethwisch kick)

Williamsburg – Braylon Wetjen 68 pass from Derek Weisskopf (Rethwisch kick)

Williamsburg – Heitman 19 pass from Weisskopf (Rethwisch kick)

Williamsburg – Rethwisch 26 field goal

Solon – Conlan Poynton 6 run (Grant Knipper kick)

Williamsburg – Heitman 18 pass from Weiskopf (Rethwisch kick)

Williamsburg – Wetjen 75 pass from Weisskopf (Rethwisch kick)

Solon – Knipper 78 pass from Tyler Bell (Knipper kick)

Williamsburg – Cael Moore 52 fumble recovery (Rethwisch kick)

--Nick Petaros 

Williamsburg players celebrate Saturday night after defeating Solon in the 3A semifinal round. (Photo by Nick Petaros)