The Adel-DeSoto-Minburn Football team came up just shy of snapping a six-game losing streak against Lewis Central, falling 32-25 in the Class 4A Quarterfinals game.
The game was a defensive battle throughout the first quarter as the Tigers and Titans were forcing each other to punt on their first couple of possessions. Lewis Central broke the score towards the end of the first quarter with a 52 yard pass from Senior Quarterback Brady Hetzel to Junior Leonardo Tatum to lead 7-0. ADM would respond on the following drive with an eight yard touchdown run from Senior Running Back Jonathan Hatchitt, but a missed extra point from Ethan Asche kept the Titans in front 7-6. Before the halftime break, Senior Running Back Chance Chappell captured two rushing TDs to extend to a 21-6 advantage for Lewis Central, which would be the halftime score.
The Titans began the second half strong with a 77-yard kickoff return from Tatum, setting up Lewis Central at ADM’s 17 yard line. However, the Tigers defense held firm to only give up a field goal, as Titans took their biggest lead of the night at 24-6. ADM’s Junior QB Hudson Shull led the Tigers on a great drive as he finished it off himself, scoring a touchdown from eight yards out, to cut to deficit to 24-13. Tigers Defensive Back Jackson Pitzen picked off Hetzel at Lewis Central’s 18 yard to give ADM a chance to creep closer. Hatchitt scored on a seven yard run but a failed two-point conversion left the score at 24-19 going into the fourth quarter.
Both team failed to capitalize on fourth down tries, then the Tigers took their only lead of the game 25-24 following a 21-yard pass from Shull to Senior Tight End Grant Jansen with 31 seconds left. The ensuing kickoff set the Titans up at their own 40 yard line after a nice run back. ADM rushed Hetzel twice to kill off 17 seconds. With 14 seconds remaining, Hetzel dropped back and threw deep to Junior Peyton Phippen for a 60-yard bomb to give Lewis Central a 30-25 advantage, then they converted on another two-point try (32-25) with seven seconds left. The Tigers had one final attempt to do a pitch and catch, but couldn’t quite get far enough down the field before time ran out, losing 32-25.
ADM’s Shull threw five completions for 63 yards and one touchdown, while he rushed for 131 yards, scoring one TD. Hatchitt tallied 201 rushing yards with two TDs. Titans’ Hetzel had 13 completions for 254 passing yards, two touchdowns, and an interception. Chappell ran for 60 yards and scored two TDs.
Lewis Central improves to 10-1 and look to defend their Class 4A state title as they return to the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls next week. ADM finishes the year at 8-3 and graduate 19 seniors.