Algona 49
Harlan 6
One mistake is all Algona needed to run away from Harlan on Friday night, as the Bulldogs routed the Cylcones 49-6 in the opening round of the class 3A playoffs.
After stopping Algona near midfield on the opening drive, Harlan muffed the ensuing punt, as Algona recovered the ball and began the onslaught. Nathan Manske found Tate Slagle on the very next play for a 31 yard touchdown to put Algona up 7-0 two minutes into the game.
After a Harlan three and out, Algona got the ball back and Manske connected with Slagle for a second time, this time from 38 yards out, and the Bulldogs led 14-0 midway through the first. After a second three and out from the Cyclones, Algona would score in just one play, as Evan Allie took a jet sweep 70 yards to the house for a 21-0 lead with three minutes left in the first.
The Bulldogs then forced a third straight Harlan three and out, then moved down the field with a 36 yard pass to Jack Limbaugh and a 35 yard pass to Slagle, before Limbaugh finished the drive with a two yard touchdown plunge.
Leading 28-0, Tate Garman picked off a Cyclone pass and returned it 57 yards to the Harlan three, setting up a second touchdown run by Limbaugh, giving Algona a 35-0 lead at intermission.
In the second half, Algona added a touchdown pass from Manske to Limbaugh and a touchdown run by Will Weichert, bringing the final count to 49-6.
Manske finished 9/12 for 196 yards and 3 touchdowns, Weichert rushed 19 times for 117 yards and a score, and Slagle caught five passes for 116 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Up next, 9-1 Algona hosts 9-1 Mount Vernon in Friday’s quarterfinal round, after the Mustangs defeated Carroll 42-6 this past Friday night.
Bishop Garrigan 47
Riceville 12
The Bishop Garrigan football team returns to the 8-player quarterfinal round after a commanding 47-12 win over Riceville on Friday night at Conway Field, marking the 22nd straight win for the Golden Bears dating back to last season.
Bishop Garrigan started the game by scoring the first 21 points, as Ethan Marso rushed for a 13 yard touchdown for the only points of the first quarter, giving Bishop Garrigan a 6-0 lead. On the first play of the second quarter, quarterback Tate Foertsch found receiver Michael Joyce for an 11 yard touchdown strike, then connected with Joyce on the two-point conversion to make the score 14-0. On the very next Bishop Garrigan drive, it was Foertsch to Joyce again, this time from 24 yards out to make the score 21-0.
Riceville got their first points of the game on the scoreboard with 7:21 left in the second, as quarterback Jack Adams found running back Andrew Beran out of the backfield on a 35 yard scoring pass to make the score 21-6.
On the ensuing Golden Bear possession, Trayton Cink fumbled the ball on the Bishop Garrigan 35, as the Riceville’s Marco Avila recovered, with a chance for the Wildcasts to make it a one-score game. However, the Bishop Garrigan defense pushed the Wildcat offense backwards, with Keaton Helleseth recording a fourth down sack to snuff out the Riceville drive.
Following the turnover on downs, Bishop Garrigan marched down the field and eventually scored on a three yard run by Marso, his 13th rushing touchdown of the season, to make the score 29-6 at halftime.
In the second half, Cink scored his 21st and 22nd rushing touchdowns of the season, while Isaac DeLange punched in a rushing touchdown as well. Riceville scored one final time on a 75 yard kick return by Johnny Adams, his 7th return touchdown of the season, bringing the final score to 47-12.
The Golden Bears finished with three rushers eclipsing the 70 yard mark, with Foertsch going for 77, Marso reaching 74, and Cink tallying 70. In total, Bishop Garrigan carried the ball 49 times for 270 yards and 5 touchdowns. Foertsch completed 5 of 6 passes for 105 yards and 2 touchdowns, as Joyce had 35 yards receiving and Owen Murphy tallied 56 yards.
On defense, Andrew Lichter led the Golden Bears with 6 tackles, while Helleseth picked up 2 sacks, now leading the 8-player class with 13.
Bishop Garrigan forced Riceville quarterback Jack Adams to throw 30 times, after previously attempting 79 passes in Riceville’s first 9 games, as Adams completed 13 of 30 for 127 yards. Adams was held to 41 yards rushing, averaging 2.9 yards per carry, after entering the game with 1170 yards rushing and an 11.8 average.
The 10-0 Golden Bears are back at Conway Field on Thursday night for a quarterfinal matchup with 10-0 Edgewood-Colesburg, who defeated Janesville 70-48 on Friday.
