Cyclones season comes to an end with 42-13 loss to Des Moines Christian

URBANDALE - Harlan Community’s 2026 football season came to a close Friday night, as the Cyclones fell 42-13 to undefeated Des Moines Christian in the opening round of the Class 3A playoffs.

The Cyclones finished the season with a 5-5 overall record, while the Lions improved to 10-0 and advanced to the next round of the postseason.

Des Moines Christian established control early, scoring twice in the opening quarter to build a 13-0 advantage.

The Lions opened the scoring with an explosive 65-yard touchdown run by Davis Tokheim with 11:34 remaining in the quarter.

The extra point was blocked, leaving the score at 6-0.

The Lions continued to find success on the ground, adding another touchdown when Henry Gorter scored from six yards out with 5:54 remaining.

A successful extra point extended the lead to 13-0.

HCHS struggled to establish momentum offensively in the opening quarter, and a fumble on its second possession gave the Lions another opportunity.

The Cyclones had a promising possession early in the second quarter, highlighted by a big completion to Cade Nelson that moved the ball to the Des Moines Christian 32-yard line.

However, HCHS was unable to convert on fourth down.

Des Moines Christian capitalized on the field position, putting together another scoring drive. Quarterback Tate Olsen connected with Malachi Osborne for a 23-yard touchdown pass with 5:45 remaining in the first half, extending the advantage to 20-0.

The Lions continued to take advantage of their offensive opportunities. Olsen broke loose for a 48-yard rushing touchdown with 4:23 remaining, making it 27-0.

Des Moines Christian added one more score before halftime when Olsen connected with Osborne on a 64-yard touchdown pass with 3:45 remaining.

The Lions converted the two-point attempt to take a commanding 35-0 lead into the break.

Cyclone head coach Todd Bladt said the Lions’ early success and the Cyclones inability to capitalize on its opportunities made for a difficult situation.

“They came out and kind of hit us in the mouth with that big run right out of the gate, and then they got another score. We were marching down the field, and then we put the ball on the ground. Those are things you can’t do in playoff ball. We kind of got ourselves in a tough spot there and got our backs up against the wall. They’re a good football team, and we had our opportunities, but we weren’t able to get the dang skat back on the ground. He was pretty shifty and very elusive,” Bladt said.

The Lions continued their momentum early in the third quarter, as Olsen scored on a 34-yard rushing touchdown with 4:17 remaining in the period to make it 42-0.

Despite the deficit, HCHS continued to battle and eventually found its offensive rhythm.

The Cyclones put together a scoring drive late in the third quarter, highlighted by a 30-yard reception from Foxx Argotsinger that moved Cyclones inside the 10-yard line.

Boggess then connected with Colton Schneider for a six-yard touchdown pass.

Jacob Spangenberg added the extra point, cutting the deficit to 42-7.

The Cyclones defense also produced important stops in the second half. The Cyclones stopped the Lions on fourth down early in the fourth quarter before Jackson Ahrenholtz came up with an interception to give HCHS another possession.

The Cyclones took advantage of the opportunity, as Boggess connected with Argotsinger for a 23-yard touchdown pass with 1:54 remaining.

The two-point conversion attempt was unsuccessful, leaving the final score at 42-13.

Boggess finished the contest completing 10 of 20 passes for 141 yards and two touchdowns.

Argotsinger led the receiving corps with two catches for 58 yards and a touchdown, while Schneider added two receptions for 16 yards and a score.

On the ground, sophomore Levi Shields led HCHS with 68 yards on 12 carries.

Brody Bendorf added 34 yards on eight attempts.

Bladt was pleased with the development Shields showed throughout the season and believes the sophomore has plenty of potential moving forward.

“He looked really tough tonight. Really, really good runs, hard runs and tough runs. He just needs to keep developing and getting better, and he’s going to be pretty special, I think,” Bladt said.

Defensively, Cade Neve and Sam Shields each recorded five tackles. Joshua Erlemeier added four tackles, one tackle for loss and a sack, while Ahrenholtz recorded an interception.

Des Moines Christian was led by Olsen, who completed 14 of 19 passes for 178 yards and two touchdowns while adding 92 rushing yards and two more scores. Tokheim rushed for 118 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries, while Osborne finished with three receptions for 82 yards and a touchdown.

The Lions finished with 431 total yards of offense, including 253 rushing yards and 178 passing yards.

HCHS totaled 245 yards, with 111 rushing yards and 134 through the air.

Friday’s loss also marked the end of the high school football careers for the Cyclones senior class.

Bladt reflected on the group’s bond and the impact the seniors had on the program.

“These guys, they’re tight friends. It’s an interesting group. They’re really close with each other. They kid with each other and do all of those things, but they’re pretty tight. They’ve played for years together, and it’s a sad moment to see these guys go. Two of them have been four-year starters in a lot of ways, and it’s been fun to watch them come through. It’s always sad to watch the seniors go,” Bladt said.

Despite the disappointing postseason exit, Bladt said he was proud of how his team responded to a difficult start to the season and battled its way into the playoffs.

“Gosh, it is tough. You’re in that scenario, and you know you’re going to have a tough road because the RPI system is going to put you down toward the bottom. But they battled and showed some resiliency, did what they had to do to get those wins and put together a four-game winning streak to make the playoffs. It’s just unfortunate that we couldn’t get it done tonight,” Bladt said.

The Cyclones close the 2026 campaign with a 5-5 record, ending a season that saw them overcome a challenging start, put together a four-game winning streak and return to the Class 3A postseason.