SPIRIT LAKE – With a trip to the UNI Dome on the line, the Kuemper Catholic Knights took on the Spirit Lake Indians in a Class 2A Quarterfinal showdown. Despite leading at halftime, the Knights fell just short, losing 17-24 after Spirit Lake scored the go-ahead touchdown with just over one minute left.

Things got interesting after this, though, starting when Spirit Lake senior Jaizik Miller returned the ensuing kickoff all the way to the Knights’ 13-yard line, putting the Indians in prime position to respond to Kuemper Catholic’s touchdown. However, on the first play of their drive, a muffed snap by quarterback Ty Higgins left the ball on the ground, where Kuemper Catholic jumped on it for a fumble recovery, giving the ball right back to the offense. The Knights’ momentum didn’t last long, though, as just a few plays later, Spirit Lake forced a Caden Mertes fumble, which Miller picked up and returned for a touchdown to tie the game at seven heading into the second quarter.

The Knights got the chains moving on the following drive when Taylen Alford found Griffin Glynn for an 11-yard completion. Then, after some positive plays, Hoffman made a defender miss in the backfield and ran for four yards to convert on fourth-and-two. Alford followed the run up with a nine-yard completion to Teddy Perkins, moving Kuemper Catholic across midfield. It was then time for a splash play, as Alford connected with Dylan Schon for a gain of 31 yards. Hoffman took it from there, spinning off one defender and dragging another one across the goal line with him for a five-yard touchdown, giving the Knights a 14-7 lead. The Indians struck again before halftime, as Keegan Reuter drilled a 34-yard field goal to bring the game to a score of 14-10.

After multiple defensive stops by both teams, the Knights put together a prolonged drive that was engineered almost entirely by Hoffman. The drive stalled once they got in the red zone, but set up a 28-yard Drew G’Sell field goal that sailed right through the uprights, tying the game at 17 with just under six minutes remaining.

Miller returned the ensuing kickoff to the Indians’ 39-yard line, and then it was the Brayden Sullivan show. Sullivan began the drive with rushes of 10, five, and 10-yard runs. Jalas was ready when his name was called, as he busted off a 12-yard run on his first carry of the drive. The Knights’ defense bore down to force a game-deciding fourth-and-one, but Sullivan found a seam to break through the line and run past the secondary for a 21-yard touchdown. The score, along with the successful extra point, gave the Indians a 24-17 lead with just 1:12 left in the game.

Needing a touchdown, the Knights’ drive began with a two-yard screen pass to Schon. Alford then found Schon again, this time for eight yards and a first down. After an incompletion, Alford connected with Perkins for gains of seven, 11, and six. Then, with two seconds left and 43 yards to the goal line, the Knights’ season hung on the hopes of a successful Hail Mary. While Alford got it to the end zone with multiple yards to spare, it was Spirit Lake who got to the ball first, batting it down for an incompletion and punching their ticket to the UNI Dome.