On Oct. 27, Kennedy Varsity Football took on Cedar Falls for the first round of playoffs at the UNI dome. Just two weeks prior, Cedar Falls beat Kennedy by three points in a defense-dominated game, ruining Kennedy’s undefeated score.
The pregame coin toss was won by Cedar Falls who chose to defer, giving Kennedy the ball to start the game. Kennedy came out of the gate looking for revenge, scoring their first touchdown in nine plays on a diving pylon reached by senior running back Trevor Scott.
Following Kennedy’s kickoff, a handoff was fumbled and recovered by junior defensive back Sam Adams, starting the Cougar drive at their own 40-yard line. Pushing their way down the field, but failing to put six on the board, senior kicker Dylan Augustine drilled a 24-yard field goal and put Kennedy up 10-0.
Following the start of the second quarter, Cedar Falls gained their first seven points on the board with a two-yard rushing touchdown. Not backing down, the dominant Cougar offense clapped back with a second-quarter touchdown of their own. This time, a seven-yard punch through the secondary by senior captain and fullback, Calvin White. Following the six-point score boost, Augustine missed the extra point, kicking wide right and totaling the score at 16-7 for Kennedy.
Before halftime, the teams traded field goals finalizing the first half score of 19-10.
Coming out of halftime, Cedar Falls flipped the script coming out with a 67-yard kick return, starting their drive around the Cougar’s 25. Cougar defense only allowed 15 yards of offense this drive, stopping a red zone Tiger touchdown and forcing a field goal. While the Tiger offense lacked in moving the chains, Kennedu’s penalties made up for it. Following, a line judge called a controversial defensive pass interference on senior defensive back Courtney and during the field goal attempt, missed a “12 men on the field call” which caused repeated disagreements between head coach Brian White and the line judge that escalated quickly to loud yelling.
Shutting out Kennedy for all of the third quarter, taking on two field goals and putting the Tigers within three points of Kennedy, their shortest amount to trail all night.
Opening the fourth quarter, a breakaway 23-yard run by junior Jacob Doyle put the Cougars in position for a 25-yard strike to junior Pierce McCrary. Following an extra point by Dylan Augustine, Kennedy took a ten-point lead, 26-16.
Fourth quarter primetime, Cedar Falls turned up the heat at their final home game at the UNI dome.
Though may have been stopped, Courtney ended up on the wrong side of a questionable incomplete pass call, nearly intercepting quarterback Tate Hermanson.
Punching through the Kennedy defense, Cedar Falls senior Drake Gelhaus, averaging a 5.8 YPC through 30 carries, got down the field in no time. Delivering a touchdown and bringing back a one-score game, 26-23.
With seven minutes to go in the fourth, all the Cougars needed was the clock running and to keep the ball moving. After running the ball proved to not be working, a third and 14 pass to senior Davarion Harris fell nine yards short of the first down marker, causing the Cougars to punt.
This turnover allowed the Tigers ample time to rush down the field for their first lead of the game, a rushing touchdown by senior Corin Fuchtman, sealing the win for Cedar Falls.
With three minutes left and a four-point deficit to overcome, a pressured throw led to a game-ending interception by junior quarterback Vincenzo Gianforte. Sealing the game around the 50-yard line and ruining Kennedy’s revenge game against the Tigers.
