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Class 3A state championship: Dubuque Wahlert claims first-ever state title to finish undefeated

Dubuque Wahlert puts cap on perfect season by earning school’s first football title, 49-14

Dana Becker

Tom Scheer of Dubuque Wahlert had three touchdowns Friday afternoon as the Golden Eagles won the Class 3A state title over Humboldt.
Tom Scheer of Dubuque Wahlert had three touchdowns Friday afternoon as the Golden Eagles won the Class 3A state title over Humboldt. / Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

CEDAR FALLS - The Dubuque Wahlert football team proved too much for even Humboldt here Friday afternoon, as the Golden Eagles won their first-ever state title with a 49-14 victory in the Class 3A final.

Behind a five-touchdown first half, Dubuque Wahlert (13-0) made the most of its first trip to the finals inside the UNI-Dome. 

Tom Scherr had three total touchdowns and over 225 yards of total offense to lead the way, while Drew Reilly ran in two scores and added a passing TD. Michael Bormann rushed for 124 yards and also found the end zone while Will Welbes had a rushing score and J.P. Elbert had a passing TD.

“The last six years of hard work hit me,” Dubuque Wahlert head coach Jamie Marshall said. “I said that we were going to win a state championship and here we are. Without any of the support, this wouldn’t have been possible.”

The Wildcats (11-2) were looking for their second state title having won it all in 2006. They answered a early Bormann TD after a mistake with an 80-yard score by Cash McIntire on the first play from scrimmage. 

From there, though, Dubuque Wahlert reeled off four unanswered touchdowns to make it 35-7 at the break. 

Humboldt got on the board on the first possession in the third quarter, stringing together a 16-play, 82-yard drive that resulted in a 3-yard TD pass from Coen Matson to Valley Davis. Again, though, the Golden Eagles answered with back-to-back scores.

Scheer had five receptions for 128 yards as Elbert was 8 of 12 passing for 131 and Reilly was 3 of 5 for 80. 

For the Wildcats, McIntire ran for 85 yards and Matson was 15-for-24 for 159. Chase Flaherty had four receptions for 64 yards. 

CLASS 3A CHAMPIONSHIP GAME STATS

RUSHING - Humboldt: Cash McIntire 7-85 (1 TD), Jaxson Kirchhoff 5-13, Coen Matson 11-7, Peyton Pedersen 2-7. Dubuque Wahlert: Michael Bormann 21-124 (1 TD), Tom Scheer 6-49 (1 TD), Tate Schope 5-35, Will Welbes 3-23 (1 TD), Drew Reilly 4-23 (2 TDs), J.P. Elbert 4-17, Brody Schumacher 1-7, Ben Francis 1-2. 

PASSING - Humboldt: Coen Matson 15-24-1-159 (1 TD). Dubuque Wahlert: J.P. Elbert 8-12-0-131 (1 TD), Drew Reilly 3-5-0-80 (1 TD).

RECEIVING - Humboldt: Chase Flaherty 4-64, Valley Davis 3-29 (1 TD), Cash McIntire 3-15, Jackson Dodd 2-30, Keegan Groat 1-16, Mason Van Pelt 1-3, Jaxson Kirchhoff 1-2. Dubuque Wahlert: Tom Scheer 5-128 (2 TDs), Tate Schope 3-55, Michael Bormann 2-13, Greg Smith 1-15.

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Dana Becker
DANA BECKER

Dana Becker has been a sports writer in Iowa since 2000, writing for The Fort Dodge Messenger, Mason City Globe-Gazette, Cedar Rapids Gazette and others. Dana resides in northcentral Iowa and started as a writer with SB Live Sports in 2022 focused on the state of Iowa. Along with providing coverage of football and wrestling, Dana also spotlights cross country, swimming, basketball, track and field, soccer, tennis, golf, baseball and softball. He began writing for High School on SI in 2023.

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