1 week Ago By By Daniel Marco [email protected]
HUMPHREY — Last year’s game between Archangels Catholic — then Humphrey St. Francis — and Howells-Dodge was an instant classic, with the Defenders scoring a last-second touchdown to pull out a two-point win on the road. There were no such heroics in Friday night’s battle between the Class D2 No.
1 Defenders and Class D2 No. 2 Jaguars. A stout Archangels Catholic defense smothered Howells-Dodge for a runaway 36-6 win in Humphrey to claim the Class D2-3 district championship.
“We knew that (Howells-Dodge) was ready to play,” Archangels Catholic coach Eric Kessler said. “They have a lot of tradition and they’re a very good team. I’m just proud of this group.
” The Defenders had allowed just over 10 points a game coming into the contest and flexed their defensive muscles once more, limiting a Jaguar offense that was averaging 44 points per game to only one score. “Our kids made a lot of plays and we were really good up front,” Kessler said. “(Howells-Dodge) has one of the best running backs in the state (in Hunter Luther) and we just made some good plays on him, so credit to our kids.
They just really got after it.” The vaunted Archangels defensive front made its presence felt on the first possession of the game. The Jaguars (6-2) went on a 13-play drive to take the ball all the way down to the Defenders’ 4-yard line, but Archangels repelled the attack, holding the Jaguars out of the end zone on four straight plays to force a turnover on downs.
“It was a big stop, they kind of came out and hit us in the mouth a bit there,” Kessler said. “To get a stop inside the 10-yard line was big and a huge momentum change. It helped us get our feet under us a little bit.
” Archangels (8-0) wasted no time in responding, needing only three plays to reach the end zone thanks to a 60-yard touchdown run from halfback Gavin Geilenkirchen to make it 8-0. Quarterback Ethan Wieseler added a 2-yard scoring dive in the second quarter to give Archangels a 16-0 halftime edge. At the start of the third, Wieseler hit wide receiver Tucker Czarnick on a perfectly executed play-action pass for a 54-yard touchdown to widen the edge to 24-0.
Howells-Dodge managed to find pay dirt on its next possession when fullback Dylan Brichacek punched it in from 5 yards out, but the Jaguars’ offensive woes continued as they were unable to string together another successful drive. Luther was the lone bright spot for Howells-Dodge, carrying the ball 19 times for 71 yards. “(Archangels Catholic) just did a really good job of getting off blocks,” Howells-Dodge coach Mike Speirs said.
“Their kids are strong and quick, and they were just better than us up front.” In the fourth, Wieseler added his second rushing score of the evening before defensive back Devon Baumgart intercepted Howells-Dodge quarterback Dane Meyer for a pick six, putting the game well out of reach. Geilenkirchen led the way for the Defenders, rushing for 148 yards and a touchdown.
Wieseler added 83 yards and two scores on the ground while completing 2 of 4 passes for 74 yards and another TD. Friday’s victory improved the Defenders to 8-0 and gave them their first undefeated regular season since 2021, when they lost to Kenesaw in the Class D2 state title game. “We’ve had a lot thrown at us this year, but (the players) have continued to work hard, responded the right way and stuck together,” Kessler said.
“I’m happy for our seniors that have really stepped it up. We’ve got higher goals, but I’m very happy so far.” Howells-Dodge, meanwhile, will try to rebound in the postseason.
The Jaguars are currently seeded at No. 9 while Archangels clinched the first overall seed. “We just have to get a little more consistent on offense,” Speirs said.
“At times we’ve been consistent, but tonight we just weren’t. It’s probably on me doing a bit of a poor job calling the plays tonight, but coach Kessler has a very disciplined team and I guess we didn’t do a good enough job preparing the kids.” With the Class D2 playoffs beginning next week, Archangels will be seeking its first state title since 2019, when the then-Flyers knocked off Pleasanton in the title game for the school’s fifth state championship.
“We just want to continue to play consistently,” Kessler said. “This was probably the best all-around game we’ve had, but you’re only as good as your last game. In the playoffs, it's one bad game and you’re out, so we certainly need to get better.
” Howells-Dodge (6-2) 0 0 6 0 — 6 Archangels Catholic (8-0) 8 8 8 12 — 36 FIRST QUARTER AC: Gavin Geilenkirchen 60 run (Ethan Wiesler run), 4:12. SECOND QUARTER AC: Wieseler 2 run (Tucker Czarnick catch), 7:21. THIRD QUARTER AC: Czarnick 54 pass from Wieseler (Tanner Classen catch), 10:16.
HD: Dylan Brichacek 5 run (PAT failed), 4:02. FOURTH QUARTER AC: Wieseler 4 run (PAT failed), 5:01. AC: Devon Baumgart 11 interception return (PAT failed), 3:45.
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