Cyclones facing 3-time champion Dutch in 3A semifinal game
CEDAR FALLS (Nov. 9) -- Two of Class 3A’s powerhouse football programs will clash at the UNI-Dome Thursday when sixth-ranked Harlan Community meets fifth-ranked Pella in a semifinal matchup of 10-1 teams. Kickoff is set for 5:36 p.m.
HCHS is the state’s all-time leader with 92 playoff wins, 12 state titles and eight runner-up finishes, but will be playing its first game in Cedar Falls since bowing out to Decorah in the 2011 semifinals.
Pella, meanwhile, has been one of Iowa’s top teams in recent history, winning three consecutive 3A state championships and going 51-1 since the start of the 2014 season. The Dutch are just the third 3A school to pull off a championship three-peat, matching the Cyclone dynasties of 1982-84 and 2003-05 and Decorah’s run of titles from 1987-89.
Pella’s 42-game winning streak ended in Week 2 this fall with a 10-7 loss at Dallas Center-Grimes, but on Friday the Dutch avenged the 2nd-ranked Mustangs 35-18 in a playoff quarterfinal at DC-G. HCHS also took down an unbeaten team Friday, defeating No. 4 Sergeant Bluff-Luton 41-15.
The opposite half of the 3A bracket will feature a semifinal between top-ranked Solon (11-0) and No. 3 Cedar Rapids Xavier (11-0) at 8:21 p.m. Thursday. The 3-A title game is set for Thursday, November 16, at 7:06.
HCHS head coach Curt Bladt said that while it’s a great accomplishment for the Cyclones to get back to the UNI-Dome following last year’s 4-5 (non-playoff) campaign, they cannot show up just happy to be there on Thursday.
“Getting there is one thing, winning there is another,” said Bladt. “Like I told the kids at practice (Sunday), ‘If our goal was just to make the Dome, then we’ve achieved the goal. If our goal was a little loftier than that, then we’ve got work to do,’ so judge yourself accordingly getting ready this week.”
Harlan Community (10-1) vs. Pella (10-1) • 3A Playoff Semifinal • Thursday, Nov. 9, 5:36 p.m. • UNI-Dome
Series History, Playoff Comparison
The Cyclones have won all three previous meetings vs. Pella, most recently defeating the Dutch 35-14 in the 2009 state championship game. HCHS also beat Pella 30-0 in the 1987 quarterfinals (at Pella) and 24-18 in the 1997 semifinals (at Harlan).
Harlan Community sports an impressive 92-23 record in 36 trips to the playoffs, leading the state with 12 championships and eight runner-up finishes. This is the Cyclones’ 27th appearance in the semifinal round.
Pella is in the playoffs for the 29th time and has a postseason record of 41-25. The Dutch have won the last three state championships in Class 3A and were the state runner-up in 2009 (to Harlan).