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Class 4A state championship: North Polk denies Pella behind Nathan Feldmann, BJ Tate

North Polk secures first state football title in program history with 24-14 victory

Dana Becker

Nathan Feldmann led North Polk to the Class 4A state title Thursday night over Pella.
Nathan Feldmann led North Polk to the Class 4A state title Thursday night over Pella. / Cody Scanlan/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

CEDAR FALLS - Nathan Feldmann has had plenty of big rushes in his career at North Polk. But none were bigger than his final one.

Feldmann put the finishing touches on a lengthy, time-consuming drive with a 10-yard run, leaving the clock to expire and give the Comets the Class 4A state title here Friday night inside the UNI-Dome vs. Pella, 24-14. 

The senior rushed 21 times for 117 yards and accounted for all three North Polk (13-0) touchdowns, as BJ Tate added 152 yards on 31 carries. As a team, the Comets rushed 56 times for 311 yards, holding the clock for over 16 minutes of the second half.

"Winning the state championship is incredible," Tate said. "We're going to celebrate, get a good night's sleep and live in the moment."

When they didn’t have the ball, Pella (11-2) was making a comeback, erasing an early 14-0 deficit. Colin Kerndt hit Harrison Mullens on an 89-yard touchdown pass while Bailey Shetterly had a 39-yard pick-6 to make it 21-14 with just under five to play in the third quarter.

From there, though, the Comets controlled the ball. A 14-play, 81-yard drive took up over eight minutes of game time and ended with a 21-yard field goal by Liam Triplett. After picking off a pass with 6:25 to play, North Polk drained the clock out and celebrated its first state title in its second appearance in the finals all-time.

Kerndt, part of a group of seniors who watched back in 2017 as Pella played for the state title as fifth graders, was 10 of 17 passing for 132 yards. Emmanuel Diers was held to just 43 yards of total offense on 15 touches. 

The Dutch were looking to hoist the trophy for the fourth time in program history and first since finishing off a three-peat in 2016. 

"This isn't the way we wanted to go out," said Pella head coach Jay McKinstrey, who is retiring. "This isn't the way we wanted to go out, but I'm glad we made it this far."

CLASS 4A CHAMPIONSHIP GAME STATS

RUSHING - Pella: Emmanuel Diers 11-35, Colin Kerndt 8-32. North Polk: BJ Tate 31-152, Nathan Feldmann 21-117 (3 TDs), Henry Christensen 4-42.

PASSING - Pella: Colin Kerndt 10-17-1-132 (1 TD), Tyson Barnes 0-1-0-0. North Polk: Nathan Feldmann 3-4-1-32. 

RECEIVING - Pella: Emmanuel Diers 4-8, Bailey Shetterly 2-16, Tyson Barnes 2-16, Harrison Mullens 1-89 (1 TD), Lake Cowman 1-3. North Polk: BJ Tate 2-8, Henry Christensen 1-24.

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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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