By: Nathan Bloechl — [email protected]
Humboldt, Iowa — The scoreboard might not have shown it. Nor the players reactions after the Mason Maach Field clock hit 0:00.
But, make no mistake.
Humboldt belongs with the best of the best in the district.
The Wildcats fell last Friday, 27-24, to now district champion Carroll, but the game almost impossibly, was closer than the scoreboard indicated.
Humboldt jumped out to the early lead 7-0, as senior fullback Lucas Volf capped off an 80-yard drive with a three-yard touchdown plunge.
Carroll tied it up in the second quarter, when their senior play-making wide receiver Isaiah Badding shook loose for a 20-yard catch and run, it was the first of two touchdowns for Badding on the night,.
The Wildcats looked poised to take a halftime lead following a Jamison Heinz interception, but after two red-zone penalties, Humboldt tried a 40-yard field goal that missed wide left, keeping the game squared at 7 into the break.
Out of the break, Humboldt would take a touchdown lead, when senior quarterback Joey Busse hooked up with sophomore Sam Fischer on a 20-yard touchdown pass with a little over 7 minutes to play in the quarter.
A drive later, the Wildcats would up their lead to 17-7, with place-kicker Lucas Volf converting a 26-yard field goal.
Then the game got topsy-turvy.
Carroll would strike for two touchdowns in less than :57 seconds of game time. The first being the second touchdown pass from quarterback Colby Vincent to Badding.
Then, Abraham Dirkx intercepted Busse, Dirkx returned the interception to the one-yard line, setting up a one-yard touchdown run for Draven Williamson, giving Carroll a 21-17 lead.
On the ensuing kick-off however, Jamison Heinz dusted the Tigers up the middle, beating the kicker around the Wildcat sideline for a 90-yard kickoff return, allowing Humboldt to regain a 24-21 lead.
It was Heinz’ 5th return touchdown on the season.
Humboldt looked in control following that score, after Wildcat senior Sawyer Savery intercepted Vincent for the second time in the game, but Carroll’s defense bristled up and forced a punt.
Following the punt — and good field position — Abraham Dirkx swept right edge, found a seam and bursted for 34-yards.
Two plays later, Williamson found paydirt to give Carroll a 27-24 lead.
The Wildcats would have one final chance with no timeouts to try to take the lead. Joey Busse connected with Heinz over the middle on a deep in, Heinz stayed on his feet, got a block and jetted to the end-zone, sending Mason Maach into a frenzy.
Flag.
Holding.
No touchdown.
Heart-break.
Two plays later, Busse was intercepted to the end game for good.
Humboldt was eliminated from playoff contention with the loss.
Carroll clinches a spot in the 3A playoff field.
Humboldt will close their regular season this Friday at home versus the win-less Perry Bluejays, kick-off is set for 7:30 p.m.