Class A semifinals: West Hancock moves closer to repeating; Tri-Center knocks off Saint Ansgar

Defending champion West Hancock uses quick start to best Madrid while Tri-Center advances with win over Saint Ansgar

Tri-Center will play for its first state football title after knocking off Saint Ansgar. / X/IHSAA

Before Madrid could catch its breath here Thursday, defending Class A state champion West Hancock had control of a Class A semifinal contest. 

The Eagles used a 22-0 start inside the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls to advance to their fifth title game in the last six years, 50-35. 

Using their incredibly effective Wing-T offense, West Hancock did not attempt a pass and held off a spirited rally by the Tigers, who fell behind 36-7 before closing to within eight points late. 

Less than two minutes in, Brady Bixel broke free for a 41-yard touchdown to make it 7-0 in favor of the Eagles. Gustavo Gomez added a 73-yard TD run and Teague Smith scored from 18 yards out with over two minutes left in the quarter. 

Bixel and Gomez each added two more touchdowns as West Hancock rushed 46 times for 450 yards, averaging almost 10 yards per carry. Bixel finished with 27 carries for 240 yards and three scores while Gomez had nine for 149 and three TDs.

The Eagles did not lose a single yard rushing on the day outside of a pair of kneels that resulted in negative two yards. 

Preston Wicker did everything he could to lead a Madrid comeback effort. He ran 35 times for 219 yards with three trips to the end zone while completed 10 of 17 for 199 and a score to Loken Velky. Emerson Bridgewater caught five passes for 104 and Velky finished with three for 60.

West Hancock forced four turnovers and scored on all seven possessions outside of ones that ended when the first half and game came to a conclusion.

Tri-Center stuns Saint Ansgar to reach finals

Thanks to Tri-Center, there will be no district rematch for the title.

The Trojans used a balanced offensive attack to eliminate Saint Ansgar, 42-14. The Saints were the last team to defeat West Hancock, doing so in the regular season a year ago. They also met this past season as district rivals.

But Tri-Center would have none of it, as the duo of A.J. Harder and Carter Kunze went to work early and often. Harder passed for 286 yards and two touchdowns while Kunze ran for 195 yards and found the end zone four times. 

Harder got the Trojans on the board with a 31-yard TD strike to Cael Witt. Saint Ansgar answered back on a short run to the end zone by Korben Michels. 

From there, though, Tri-Center took over behind Kunze. He ran in scores from 3, 13 and 1 yard out to turn an 8-7 deficit into a 28-8 lead. Even after the Saints gave themselves a little life on a Jayce Schwiesow TD, Kunze broke it open again, darting to paydirt from 57 yards.

Harder would put it away when he capped a quick three-play, 32-yard drive with another touchdown toss to Witt, who finished with seven receptions for 146.

Michels ran for 192 to lead West Hancock. 

What’s Next

West Hancock, the defending champion, will try for its six state title all-time when they square off with Tri-Center on Thursday, Nov. 21. The game will kick at 1 p.m.

The Eagles have won three titles since 2019 but have yet to go back-to-back.