Iowa high school football 8-player semfinals: Algona Bishop Garrigan, Bedford advance

CEDAR FALLS – Unranked Algona Bishop Garrigan’s belief never faded against top-ranked Winfield-Mount Union.

Untested kicker Kase Coleman delivered for No. 2 Bedford against Gladbrook-Reinbeck.

A pair of second-half comebacks highlighted the opening day of Iowa’s state football playoffs Wednesday inside the UNI-Dome as Bishop Garrigan and Bedford reached the 8-player football championship game in thrilling fashion. They’ll square off for the title at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 16.

Each school advanced by overcoming two-score deficits in the second half. Bishop Garrigan handed Winfield-Mount Union its first loss, 34-20. Kase Coleman kicked a 24-yard field goal with 13 seconds remaining to give Bedford a 31-30 victory over Gladbrook-Reinbeck.

Bedford fights back

Bedford (12-0) will compete for its first state title since 1992 after reaching the playoffs this season for the first time since 2016. The Bulldogs have now overcome halftime deficits in three consecutive playoff games.

“We kept fighting,” Bedford quarterback Conner Nally said. “Our motto from the beginning of the year is, 'How much dog do you got in you?' It showed a lot right there. We went down two scores and we just had to fight through it and believe in each other.”

Garrison Motsinger led Bedford’s run-heavy offense with 134 yards on 26 carries. Silas Walston added 84 yards on 25 attempts and a touchdown.

Nally completed 6 of 7 passes for 36 yards and a touchdown. He also ran for two scores. The Bedford QB capped an 11-play, 65-yard drive with a goal-line scoring run with 8:44 remaining, and he recovered a fumble on Gladbrook-Reinbeck’s ensuing possession at the Rebels’ 13. Four plays later, Nally scored from 2 yards out, cutting the deficit to 30-28.

Gladbrook-Reinbeck punted the ball back to Bedford with 5:10 remaining. The Bulldogs’ ensuing drive stalled when Drew Eilers hit Garrison Motsinger in the backfield for a 4-yard loss.

On came Coleman from the 14-yard line with the game's outcome hanging in the balance. The sophomore kicker hadn’t attempted a field goal all season, and he was 14 of 17 on extra point attempts. Coleman’s holder Braydon Hensley returned from injury after missing the previous nine games.

“I just tried to shut off my mind completely and not think about anything at all,” Coleman said. “It was a beautiful snap, beautiful hold, the line blocked super well. It just went through well.”

Bedford’s senior quarterback was thrilled to see his younger teammate step up when it mattered most.

“At practice every day, we get there and he’s always working on kicking field goals for whenever we needed it,” Nally said. “He was needed tonight, and he stepped up big.”

Gladbrook-Reinbeck (10-2) was paced by Isaac Clark, who completed 16 of 20 passes for 164 yards. The Rebels took a 16-8 lead 14 seconds prior to intermission when Clark found Drew Eilers in the side of the end zone from the goal line.

Bedford opened the second half with a methodical 12-play, 53-yard drive, but the tied score would be short-lived. Gladbrook-Reinbeck freshman kickoff returner Trey Herron found space along the sideline and raced 73 yards for a touchdown as the Rebels regained the lead.

Gladbrook-Reinbeck added a 9-play, 53-yard drive that culminated in Clark’s touchdown run from the goal line to open the fourth quarter with a 30-16 advantage.

Bedford continued to fight and eventually prevailed.

“The kids just kept grinding and grinding,” Bedford head coach Jeremy Nally said. “They never gave up. They didn’t point fingers at each other. We just waited for that one opportunity. We got a fumble and were able to make something happen.”

GARRIGAN REACHES FIRST 8-PLAYER TITLE GAME

This fall’s run to the finals marks a return to prominence for a Bishop Garrigan program that completed a 42-4 record over a four-stretch from 2015-2018. The Golden Bears finished their first two seasons of 8-player football with losing records before turning the corner this season.

Veteran head coach Marty Wadle credits the leadership of his seven-man senior class as a key to success.

“In three years (of 8-player football), I’ve learned a heck of a lot,” said Wadle, who has accumulated a 227-97 record in 32 seasons of coaching. “This group of seniors this year has been incredible. They pull everybody along. We tell them to lead, but not just by example. Grab those younger players by the hand and pull them right along with you.”

Keep turning heads has been the mantra Bishop Garrigan has adopted since first overcoming a two-score halftime deficit in Week 2 against West Bend-Mallard following a Week 1 defeat. The Golden Bears (11-1) have now won their last 10 games, including another second-half reversal on Wednesday.

Bishop Garrigan out-gained Winfield-Mount Union 176 to 147 yards but trailed 20-6 at intermission when it came away from a pair of red zone trips empty-handed.

“These kids are resilient,” Wadle said. “They shake it off. They flush it down the toilet and they come back, and they play again, and they get after it the next time even harder. Our kids played hard, and they played with guts.”

The Golden Bears’ defense came up with a pair of second-half turnovers and running back Caden Roethler recorded four physical touchdown runs over the final two quarters of Wednesday’s victory.

Sam Plathe’s 24-yard reception on fourth down extended a scoring drive to open the third quarter that was capped by Roethler’s first touchdown run. Plathe came up with an interception on the Garrigan 15-yard line to end Winfield-Mount Union’s attempt at a response.

“I could feel on our sideline and in our fans’ section the momentum shifting,” Plathe said. “It’s just awesome when you can feel the energy, and everyone is getting excited – we’re giving high fives and everyone is feeling great. It just snowballs, and every aspect of the game got better.”

Roethler tied the score on a rush from 7 yards out near the end of the third quarter, and he broke four tackles for a 10-yard, go-ahead touchdown run with 9:59 left in the fourth quarter.

Bishop Garrigan’s defense remained relentless down the stretch.

A promising Winfield-Mount Union drive ended in Garrigan territory when Brody Ludwig’s third-down sack generated a fumble recovered by Keaton Helleseth at the Golden Bear 38. Roetlher scored from 5-yards out to set the eventual final score with 6:34 remaining in the fourth quarter.

A Winfield-Mount Union team that featured a pair of NCAA Division I recruits in Cam Buffington (Iowa) and Abram Edwards (Army) saw its season end with an 11-1 record. Quarterback Jake Edwards passed for 212 yards, but he completed just 13 of 30 attempts. The Wolves were held to 10 rushing yards on 23 carries.

Roethler led Bishop Garrigan’s defense with five unassisted and three assisted tackles to go with a sack. Golden Bears’ quarterback Tate Foertsch completed eight passes for 105 yards and a touchdown.

Scoring summaries

BISHOP GARRIGAN 34, WINFIELD-MOUNT UNION 20

Algona Bishop Garrigan 0 6 14 14 - 34

Winfield Mount Union 6 14 0 0 - 20

WMU – Cam Buffington 2 run (pass failed)

WMU – Buffington 7 run (pass failed)

BG – Drew Lappe 24 pass from Tate Foertsch (pass failed)

WMU – Abram Edwards 31 pass from Jake Edwards (Abram Edwards pass from Jake Edwards)

BG – Caden Roethler 5 run (Benjy Trainer pass from Foertsch)

BG – Roethler 7 run (pass failed)

BG – Roethler 10 run (pass failed)

BEDFORD 31, GLADBROOK-REINBECK 30

Gladbrook-Reinbeck;0;16;6;8 - 30

Bedford ;0;8;8;15 - 16

Bedford – Silas Walston 3 run (Conner Nally rush)

GR – Austin Gehring 20 pass from Isaac Clark (Clark rush)

GR – Drew Eilers 1 pass from Isaac Clark (Hudson Clark from Isaac Clark)

Bedford – Graham Godsey 11 pass from Conner Nally (Nally run)

GR – Trey Herron 73 kickoff return (run failed)

GR – Isaac Clark 1 run (Austin Vaverka from Clark)

Bedford – Nally 1 run (run failed)

Bedford – Nally 2 run (run failed)

Bedford – Kase Coleman 24 field goal

Winfield-Mount Union quarterback Jake Edwards is pressured by the Bishop Garrigan defense. (Photo by Nick Petaros)