Cyclones open playoffs against Bulldogs
With the regular season behind them, the #16 ranked HCHS Cyclones football team turns their attention to postseason football, starting with the 8-1 #4 ranked Algona Bulldogs Friday night on the road.
During the regular season, the Bulldogs lost one game against Humboldt 21-20 Oct. 11, but are coming off a regular season finale 31-6 over Hampton-Dumont-CAL. Offensively, Senior Alex Manske has 1,456 passing yards, Junior William Weichert has 640 rushing yards, and Junior Evan Allie has 681 receiving yards. Defensively, Senior Landon Thompson has 54 tackles.
“They’re physical, they’re big, and they run what they want to run and it works,” said Cyclone Head Coach Todd Bladt. “They’re 8-1. They’re a tough football team, and they’ve played some pretty tough opponents. On film, they’re very tenacious and they get after it, there’s no doubt about that, and it’s going to be a task for us.”
Bladt and his coaching staff plan to have the team practice hard all week with a strong message before making the trek up to Algona.
“We’re talking a lot about trust and belief,” he said. “You’ve got to believe you’re going to do your job the best way you’ve ever done it. You’ve got to believe you’re going to be in positions to make plays and when the opportunities come to you, you’re going to make that play.”
The Cyclones wrapped up regular season play with a 6-3 record, winning the final four against Perry, Nevada, Atlantic, and most recently, Knoxville 42-7 in their season finale. Offensively, Junior Gabe Arkfeld has 1,606 passing yards, Senior Lukas Francis has 808 rushing yards, and Senior Jozef Reisz has 910 receiving yards. Defensively, Senior Bryce Van Baale has 74.5 tackles.
“They’re a very good football team,” said Bulldog Head Coach Andy Jacobson. “They have a great system, which they’ve been doing for a while. Their offense can make it very tough on your defense, as they make you defend the entire field. They’ve got speed everywhere. They have a quarterback who throws well, and a running back that’s really fast. Defensively, it’s a similar story. They fly around and they finish plays.”
Jacobson talked about the respect he has for Harlan, but how excited he is for the opportunity to host the game.
“I think it’s going to be a great environment from bringing in Harlan,” he said. “Tremendous amount of respect for their coaches and their players. They have quite the rich history. It’s exciting to be able to play in this game, and we’re looking forward to the environment that we provide on a Friday night here in Algona.”
