Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: The Humboldt football team stands with their team trophy after playing in the Class 3A state championship game on Friday in Cedar Falls. The Wildcats fell to Dubuque Wahlert. It was Humboldt’s third trip to the UNI-Dome in the last four seasons, and its first finals appearance since 2006. For more photos, visit CU at messengernews.net

CEDAR FALLS — Before the Humboldt football team emerged from an emotionally-drained locker room and went their separate ways on Friday afternoon at the UNI-Dome, head coach Derrick Elman and his staff requested one last moment of undivided attention with them behind closed doors.

Elman didn’t want the sting of a setback in the state championship game to be 2024’s lasting image.

“We told them that we loved them,” Elman said. “They needed to know just how proud we were. Nothing that happened (on the field) was going to change how we felt about what they had accomplished.

“Obviously, you play to win. But they also had to understand there’s a bigger picture to all of this. And I know that someday, they’ll see it.”

The Wildcats were forced to settle for runner-up honors in Class 3A, as Dubuque Wahlert was too big, too fast and simply too good in an impressive 49-14 victory. Playing in the finals for the first time in 18 years, Humboldt (11-2 overall) was never able to get its footing as thousands of adoring Wildcat fans vociferously cheered them on and tried to will them across the finish line.

“But again, I truly felt like our crowd was there for more than just (the end result),” Elman said. “Our community embraced these kids and this team. I’ve never been a part of something quite like this. And they wanted to experience it one last time, no matter the outcome.

“I just don’t think any of us wanted it to end.”

The unbeaten Golden Eagles (13-0) — searching for the program’s first ever state crown — scored 28 unanswered points to take total control after Humboldt’s Cash McIntire sprinted 80 yards to paydirt early in the first quarter. Wahlert had its way up front – an area the Wildcats had controlled nearly all year long — and reversed Humboldt’s previously-advantageous penchant for timely turnovers.

“We’ve been winning at the line of scrimmage and by forcing opponents to make mistakes,” said Elman, who has guided Humboldt to at least the state semifinal round in three of the last four seasons. “Unfortunately (on Friday), we were on the other side of that (committing two fumbles and throwing an interception).”

The Golden Eagles racked up 349 of their 491 yards in the first half. Michael Bormann, a 6-foot-1, 225-pound bowling ball on the ground, carried the ball 21 times for 126 yards. Meanwhile, Wahlert’s Tom Scherr — 6-3 and 200 himself — caught five passes for 128 yards and a pair of scores.

Even trailing by a seemingly-insurmountable four touchdowns at halftime, Humboldt was out to prove it wouldn’t go away quietly. The Wildcats opened the third quarter with a 17-play, 82-yard scoring march, capped by a Coen Matson touchdown pass to Valley Davis.

Humboldt wasn’t able to muster another first down the rest of the way, though, and had negative net yards from scrimmage on its final four drives combined.

Adding insult to injury was the fact that Wahlert scored 21 points off of three Wildcat turnovers.

Matson had 159 passing yards in his final football game wearing a Humboldt uniform. Last season, the senior southpaw had only five passing touchdowns as the starting quarterback for a 5-5 squad. The TD toss to Davis on Friday was Matson’s 28th of 2024.

“I’m extremely proud of what we were able to accomplish,” Matson said. “We had this (reaching the finals) as a goal from day one of camp…obviously with a different result, but going from that being just a crazy dream to reality was special.

“I’m incredibly thankful for my years of being a Wildcat football player. Knowing that every single game day, we had the whole community behind us whether we won or lost is something I’m extremely grateful for.”

Elman called his 14 seniors — Matson, Mason Van Pelt, Keegan Groat, Parker Sleiter, Syler Brown, Trey Al-Hameed, Landon Halverson, Cyler Cirks, Isaiah Busick, Owen Heider, Jackson Dodd, Peyton Pedersen, Alex Armitage and Carter Nostrom — “one special, incredible group.”

“Talk about the whole being greater than the sum of its parts,” Elman said. “They set the tone. As a result, we had 50 dudes out there who were willing to work and sacrifice for each other. They bought in, and the community recognized it. That’s what I want this program to stand for every year: hungry, hard-working guys who bust their tails for each other, regardless of what happens on that field.

“You can accomplish amazing things when you hold each other accountable and are selfless about the program. We have kids coming up who are now hungry to be a part of it. To me, that’s the lasting legacy of the senior class. Like previous classes before them, they helped pave the way.”

Matson admitted it was going to be hard to say goodbye.

“My teammates mean the world to me,” Matson said. “They are my brothers and I’d do anything in an instant for each and every last one of them.

“This year was a special one. I’m just so thankful to have been a part of it all.”

H DW

First Downs 10 20

Rushes-Yards 25-112 45-280

Passing 15-24-1 11-17-0

Passing Yards 159 211

Total Offense 271 491

Punts-Avg. 6-39.8 3-37.0

Fumbles-Lost 2-2 0-0

Penalties-Yards 5-30 8-60

Wahlert 14 21 0 14 — 49

Humboldt 7 0 7 0 — 14

Scoring Summary

Wahlert — Michael Bormann (11-yard run), 9:43 left first quarter. Nathan Schiesl kick.

Humboldt — Cash McIntire (80-yard run), 9:31 left first. Karson Rubel kick.

Wahlert — Tom Scherr (45-yard pass from Drew Reilly), 8:09 left first. Schiesl kick.

Wahlert — Reilly (1-yard run), 8:38 left second. Schiesl kick.

Wahlert — Scherr (38-yard run), 6:01 left second. Schiesl kick.

Wahlert — Scherr (14-yard pass from J.P. Elbert), 0:57 left second. Schiesl kick.

Humboldt — Valley Davis (3-yard pass from Coen Matson), 5:09 left third. Rubel kick.

Wahlert — Will Webles (4-yard run), 5:21 left fourth. Schiesl kick.

Wahlert — Reilly (12-yard run), 0:58 left fourth. Schiesl kick.

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Rushing — Humboldt: Cash McIntire 7-85, Jaxson Kirchhoff 5-13, Peyton Pedersen 2-7, Coen Matson 11-7. Wahlert: Michael Bormann 21-126, Tom Scherr 6-49, Tate Schope 5-35, Drew Reilly 4-23.

Passing — Humboldt: Coen Matson 15-24-1-159. Wahlert: J.P. Elbert 8-12-0-131; Drew Reilly 3-5-0-80.

Receiving — Humboldt: Chase Flaherty 4-64, Jackson Dodd 2-30, Valley Davis 3-29, Cash McIntire 3-15. Wahlert: Tom Scherr 5-128, Tate Schope 3-55, Greg Smith 1-15, Michael Bormann 2-13.