Class A Iowa high school football state championship: West Hancock scores in final seconds to nip Woodbury Central

CEDAR FALLS – West Hancock spent the majority of Thursday’s Iowa Class A state championship game searching for a defensive stop. One defensive play set in motion a late-game reversal that lifted the Eagles to another state title. 

Creighton Kelly elevated his arms and tipped the football near the line of scrimmage. Mitchell Smith secured the timely interception, and then orchestrated West Hancock’s championship drive from his quarterback position to overcome Woodbury Central, 30-28, in the Class A state final inside the UNI-Dome.

West Hancock (12-1), a runner-up last season, led for only the last 37 seconds as it secured the program’s third state title since 2019 against a Woodbury Central team (12-1) that had been defeated in the semifinal round three of the previous four seasons.

“I’m so proud of our team for overcoming adversity,” Kelly said. “We only led for 37 seconds of the game. It shows if you keep pounding and pounding and pounding good things will happen.”

West Hancock’s four-man rushing attack accumulated 295 yards and four touchdowns on 48 carries. Smith completed 8 of 11 passes for 80 yards, including the final go-ahead score from 8 yards out to Brady Bixby.

Woodbury Central quarterback Drew Kluender completed 26 of 42 passes for 274 yards and a touchdown to finish the season with 2,895 yards and 32 passing touchdowns. Running back Zack Butler added three touchdown rushes and 105 yards for a Wildcats’ offense that scored at will throughout much of the game.

“For a while, we were drawing up straws trying to figure out how to stop them,” West Hancock coach Mark Sanger said, after winning his third state title in five seasons at the helm. “You just try and put your kids in position for success and let your playmakers make plays. I think that’s what happened. We came up with the interception, got the stop we needed, and the offense rolled all day.

“They’re a very good football team. They controlled most of the game and we were just able to make a few more plays in the end to get the win.”

Woodbury Central had the ball and a four-point lead when Smith’s interception at his team’s 29-yard line swung momentum into West Hancock’s favor with 7:54 remaining.

“It was like slow motion,” Smith said. “You see it in the air, and it feels like you’re watching it for five seconds, and it’s probably one second in real life. I saw it and I was like, ‘Oh my goodness, it’s right there.’ I grabbed it. I was going to run and then a guy tackled me. That’s probably the most excited I’ve been in a long time.”

Following the pick, Smith and the Eagles covered 71 yards on 15 plays, including a fourth-down conversion and three third-down conversions, to take a 30-28 lead when Bixel dove back for an 8-yard go-ahead touchdown on a third-down pass play over the middle with 37 seconds on the clock.

“It was one of those practice plays that we’ve never run in a game,” Smith said. “They loaded up the box to try and stop the run. … It was honestly a bad pass, thank God he caught it.”

“That’s a big-time drive,” Sanger added. “I credit our offensive coordinator Kevin Eisenman because we never got away from what we do. We got down to under a minute there and we were still running our offense.”

Following the score, Woodbury Central’s explosive attack had a final opportunity to regain the lead. The Eagles drove the ball to West Hancock’s 32 before Jayden Lloyd’s 48-yard field goal attempt came up short as time expired.

“We thought we had a shot at the field goal,” Woodbury Central coach Kurt Bremer said, addressing his decision to kick instead of throwing to the end zone. “Pointwise, that’s all we needed, and we had faith in him. Our kids backed him up. I’m not sure if he got his whole leg into it, but that’s just how things go sometimes.”

Eric McGill (11 catches, 106 yards, one touchdown), Jacob King (7 catches, 83 yards), and Lloyd (6 catches, 51 yards) were on the receiving end of Kluender’s proficient passing day. Woodbury Central was defeated despite converting 10 of 14 third downs, both fourth-down attempts, and finishing 4-for-4 in the red zone.

“They’ve gone above and beyond,” Bremer said, assessing his team's investment to reach this title game. “I couldn’t be more proud of them. They didn’t quit. They haven’t quit all year. The ball didn’t bounce our way today.”

Mitchell Smith led West Hancock’s rushing attack with 103 yards on 13 carries. Kellen Smith (74 yards), Kale Zuel (63 yards) and Bixel (49) rounded out the Eagles’ ground game.

Following the win, Mitchell Smith was looking forward to his team’s welcome home reception in Britt.

“The crowd was huge,” Smith said. “There were so many people there with red shirts on. We’re going to get a welcome home celebration and I guarantee that gym is going to be jam-packed.”

Scoring Summary

WEST HANCOCK 30, WOODBURY CENTRAL 28

West Hancock;6;6;6;12 - 30

Woodbury Central;7;14;7;0 - 28

WC – Zack Butler 3 run (Jayden Lloyd kick)

WH – Mitchell Smith 25 run (run failed)

WC – Eric McGill 6 pass from Drew Kluender (Lloyd kick)

WH – Kale Zuehl 1 run (pass failed)

WC – Butler 1 run (Lloyd kick)

WH – Kellen Smith 22 run (pass failed)

WC – Butler 1 run (Lloyd kick)

WH – Kale Zuehl 1 run (pass failed)

WH – Brady Bixel 8 pass from Mitchell Smith (run failed)