JEFF B | Iowa Grandstand Sports

CHEROKEE — Friday night Cherokee had its sights set on one thing, hand out a butt-kick’in to Unity Christian in the Class 2A second round of the high school football playoffs.

They got the revenge they’d been seeking since a Week 4 district loss at Orange City to the Knights 33-6, pasting the Knights 40-14 before the home fan base at George Hicks Field.

Special athletes do special things and rise to the top when stakes are high. For Cherokee, that special athlete is Jaxon Paulsrud, the 6-foot, 195 pound signal-caller and leader of the Braves offense. Paulsrud ran for 362 yards on 28 carries and scored six touchdowns (1, 56, 9, 28, 86, and 6) against a Unity Christian defense that allowed 446 total yards of offense by Cherokee.

Cherokee scored on its opening possession, a 12 play, 63 yard drive capped off by the Aire Force recruit Paulsrud with the one yard score.

Unity Christian drew even with 11:14 left in the second quarter on a Dylan Bosma 18-yard aerial that Austin Wierenga caught.

The Braves took the lead for good with 7:48 remaining in the opening half when the fleet-footed Paulsrud raced 56 yards to paydirt. Cherokee led 14-7 at the half.

The game was put out of reach by Cherokee with 20 unanswered points from the 7:40 mark of the third quarter to the nine minute mark of the fourth period — all rushing scores by Paulsrud.

Paulsrud Career Numbers

Fr. Rushing	98 rushes	597 yards	7 TDs
So. Rushing	133 rushes	896 yards	13 TDs
Jr. Rushing	132 rushes	866 yards	9 TDs
Sr. Rushing	179 rushes	1,808 yards	29 TDs
Fr. Passing	22-50-2	208 yards	2 TDs
So. Passing	43-94-7	563 yards	5 TDs
Jr. Passing	69-126-7	968 yards	8 TDs
Sr. Passing	70-134-4	809 yards	7 TDs
Receiving Career	8 catches	148 yards	2 TDs
Rushing Career Passing Career	534 rushes 204-404-20	4,167 yards 2,548 yards	58 TDs 22 TDs

Wierenga and Bosma hooked up one final time on a 28 yard pass for a score with 7:31 remaining to be played.

Unity Christian finished the game with 352 yards of total offense. Eli Ruschman led the Knights’ rushing game with 13 carries for 76 yards. Wierenga had 11 catches for 149 yards and the two scores. Bosma finished the game with 270 yards passing.

The two teams each finished with 18 first downs offensively.

Defensively, Weston Huisman had a game-high 12 tackles for Unity Christian, which finishes the season with a 4-6 record.

Iowa Grandstand Sports No. 5-ranked Cherokee (8-2) was led defensively by Paulsrud’s 10 tackles. Blake Lovell and Landon Stowater each finished with six tackles. Tyson Fuller had a fumble recovery and Lovell an interception.

The ‘Braves Revenge Tour’ takes to the road for the quarterfinals where they’ll face top-ranked and unbeaten Carroll Kuemper (9-0), who defeated the Braves back in Week 1 (aug. 29) 44-28. The Kuemper also defeated Cherokee in the first round of the 2023 playoffs 47-18. Cherokee is 0-4 all-time against Carroll Kuemper since their first meeting in October 2010.

Unity Christian 0 – 7 – 0 – 7 = 14
Cherokee 7 – 7 – 13 – 13 = 40
Unity Christian Record: 4-6; Cherokee Record 8-2

Unity Christian Team Statistics
Total Net Yards: 352
Rushing Yards: 19-83
Passing Yards: 21-36-269
Cherokee Team Statistics
Total Net Yards: 446
Rushing Yards: 47-423
Passing Yards: 2-3-23
Cherokee Individual Statistics
Passing: Jaxson Paulsrud 2-3-0 23.
Rushing: Paulsrud 28-362 (6 TDs), Blake Lovell 19-61.
Receiving: Landon Stowater 1-18, Wyatt Ludvigson 1-5.
Tackles: Paulsrud 10 (9S), Lovell 6 (4S, INT), Stowater 6 (6), Noah Rapp 4.5 (4S), Ludvigson 3.5 (3S), Coy Lewis 3 (3S), Jon Ohlendorf 2 (2S), Ty Schlichting 2, Max Ruschmann 1.5 (1S), Mason Campbell 1.5 (1S), Cohen James 1 (1S), Linkin Benson 1 (1S), Taegan Thatcher 1 (1S), Mitchell Friedrichsen (1 (1S), Kyle Waldner 0.5, Tyson Fuller FR.
Scoring Summary
1 / 7:15 Cherokee – Jaxon Paulsrud 1 run, Coy Lewis PAT Kick, 7-0
2 / 11:14 Unity Christian – Austin Wierenga 18 pass from Dylan Bosma, Micah Van Donge PAT Kick, 7-7
2 / 7:48 Cherokee – Paulsrud 56 run, Lewis PAT kick, 14-7
3 / 7:40 Cherokee – Paulsrud 9 run, Lewis PAT kick, 21-7
3 /0.97 Cherokee – Paulsrud 28 run, PAT pass no good, 27-7
4 / 9:00 Cherokee – Paulsrud 86 run, Lewis PAT kick, 34-7
4 /7:31 Unity Christian – Wierenga 28 pass from Bosma, Van Donge PAT kick, 34-14
4 / 3:39 Cherokee – Paulsrud 6 run, PAT kick blocked, 40-14

Monsters of Defense record shutout, Royals triumph over Gehlen in Round of 16

JEFF B | Iowa Grandstand Sports

MARCUS — It was quite the defensive performance on Friday by Iowa Grandstand Sports’ fourth ranked MMCRU football team as they hosted LeMars Gehlen in a Class A Round of 16 matchup.

The Royals defeat the Jays of Gehlen, 37-0. MMCRU is also credited with a district win this season over Gehlen 28-7 on October 3. MMCRU has won two of the last three meetings in the all-time series.

The Monsters of the Midway effort by the Royals saw they come away with six Geheln turnovers (3 interceptions, 3 fumble recoveries). Wyatt Alesch, Brayden Dunn, and John Schmillen with fumble recoveries, and Kamden Bork, Michael Schmillen, and Alesch with interceptions. It was Michael Schmillen’s eighth interception this season which leads all of Class A. He is in a four-way tie for second (all classes) in the state behind (eight-player) Algona Garrigan’s Tate Foertsch who has nine picks on the season.

The Royals defense finished with 7.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 quarterback sacks. John Schmillen finished as the Royals leading tackler with nine (5 solos).

It’s been that kind of season for MMCRU. The Royals’ defense has had 14 fumble recoveries and intercepted 23 passes this season.

When the ink had dried, MMCRU racked up 306 yards of total offense (177 rushing, 129 passing). Eli Harpenau finished 7-of-14 with three touchdowns thrown — Michael Schmillen (2 TDs), and Bork (TD). Brayson Mulder led MMCRU rushing the football with 24 carries for 118 yards (4.9 per carry) and a touchdown. Harpenau also finished with a rushing touchdown.

ADMINISTRATORS NOTE: LeMars Gehlen which finishes the season with a 4-6 record did not report or post any statistics at time of release.

LeMars Gehlen 0 – 0 – 0 – 0 = 0
MMCRU 7 – 20 – 3 – 7 = 37
LeMars Gehlen Record: 4-6; MMCRU Record 10-0

MMCRU Team Statistics
Total Net Yards: 306
Rushing Yards: 41-177
Passing Yards: 7-14-129
MMCRU Individual Statistics
Passing: Eli Harpenau 7-14-0-129 (3 TDs).
Rushing: Brayson Mulder 24-118 (TD), Harpenau 7-50 (TD), Ayden Miller 2-5, Gage Johnson 1-2, Luke Kintigh 1-1, John Schmillen 6-1.
Receiving: Michael Schmillen 2-57 (2 TDs), Kamden Bork 2-46 (TD), Mulder 1-12, Johnson 1-9, Blake Barinsky 1-5.
Tackles: John Schmillen 9 (5S, FR), Wyatt Alesch 4 (3S, INT, FR), Mulder 3.5, Michael Schmillen 3.5 (2S, INT), Benjamin Tentinger 2 (1S), Brandon Dreckman 2.5, Kaden Steffen 2.5 (1S), Johnson 2 (1S), Bork 2 (1S, INT), Schlenger 2, Brayden Dunn 1.5 (FR), Kintigh 1.5, Barinsky 1 (1S), Noah Althiser 1, Mason Hill 0.5, Miller 0.5.

Raptors season over with 1A second round shutout loss to No. 6 South Hardin, 20-0

JEFF B | Iowa Grandstand Sports

ELDORA — Early on Ridge View and South Hardin was at a standoff, 0-0 following one quarter, for a pair of teams meeting for the first time during the Bound ERA.

The Class 1A Round of 16 had South Hardin take a 7-0 lead into halftime, and added 13 points in the third quarter to blank Ridge View 20-0. Iowa Grandstand Sports sixth-ranked South Hardin ends the Raptors season with a 6-4 record.

For whatever reason Ridge View was unable to meet its season production at the most crucial time — the playoffs.

Ridge View finished with a minimal sum of 139 total yards. They averaged just 3.3 yards per carry in the loss, finishing with 19 carries for 62 yards. The Raptors had averaged 7.5 yards per carry prior to the shutout loss.

Junior quarterback Broc Wilken was 8-of-20 passing for 77 yards wi.th an interception. Ridge View’s leading receiver was Kinnick Jensen with three catches for 39 yards. Ridge View averaged only 9.7 yards per reception in comparison to the 12.5 yards per reception prior to the Round of 16 matchup with South Hardin.

Defensively, Zac Kolpin finished with a match-best 8.5 tackles which included eight solos. Jensen and Aiden Myrtue had interception of South Hardin quarterback Peyton Welch.

South Hardin (9-1) finished with 413 total yards (196 rushing, 217 passing). Kameron Adams and Welch each had a touchdown run, and Sam Benson finished with eight receptions for 150 yards and a touchdown catch.

Ridge View now must look ahead to 2026 with typical goals despite the loss of 10 seniors — Jensen, Kolpin, Cole Jochims, Carter Todd, Lucas Heilman, Cody Wunschel, Blake Myrtue, Jacob Cougill, Jacob Friedmann, Donovan Martin, and Tyler Friedrichsen. Cougill finished as the Raptors leading tackler with 88 tackles (73 solos) and three tackles for loss.

Ridge View 0 – 0 – 0 – 0 = 0
South Hardin 0 – 7 – 13 – 0 = 20
Ridge View Record: 6-4; South Hardin Record 9-1

MMCRU Team Statistics
Total Net Yards: 139
Rushing Yards: 19-62
Passing Yards: 8-20-77
South Hardin Team Statistics
Total New Yards: 413
Rushing Yards: 36-196
Passing Yards: 14-19-217
Ridge View Individual Statistics
Passing: Broc Wilken 8-20-0-77.
Rushing: Lucas Heilman 17-58, Derek Heilman 2-4.
Receiving: Kinnick Jensen 3-39, Cole Jochims 1-16, Zach Kolpin 1-12, Carter Todd 1-7, Derek Heilman 1-4, Lucas Heilman 1-Neg.-1.
Tackles: Z. Kolpin 8.5 (8S), Jacob Cougill 6.5 (6S), Jarsen Jensen 6.5 (6S), Blake Myrtue 6 (6S), Todd 6 (6S), Jonathan Friedrichsen 5 (5S), Aiden Myrtue 5 (4S, INT), Derek Heilman 2.5 (1S), Cody Wunschel 2 (2S), Lucas Heilman 2 (2S), Evan Kolpin 2 (2S), Donovan Martin 1 (1S), Luke Braunschweig 1 (1S), Kreighton Krager 1 (1S), Kinnick Jensen 1 (1S, INT).

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