TRAER – North Mahaska and North Tama worked through many difficulties this past week to see that each school’s seniors had the opportunity to play one last football game. After last week’s contest was washed out due to weather, the schools worked out the linguistics and met in Traer Friday.
North Mahaska scored three times and thwarted three extra point attempts by the Redhawks to secure a 21-18 victory. North Mahaska had to rally twice before securing a 21-18 victory. They did it with one of their best ground games of the season.
North Mahaska (3-5) accumulated 219 yards on the ground on the legs of four runners. The Warhawks scored twice on the ground and once through the air, all from 10 yards or further.
North Tama (2-6) on their senior night found the end zone first. On fourth down and 10 at their own 30-yard line, the Redhawks executed a perfect fake punt and rambled to the North Mahaska 47-yard line. North Mahaska nearly ruined everything when the ball went to the ground, but NT quarterback Kolt Knaack jumped on it. Three plays later the Redhawks scored from the 32-yard line. The missed 2-point try, which was a sign of what would be a Redhawk bane, was nullified by the Warhawks’ defense.
Late in the first period North Mahaska had the Redhawks pinned at their own 3-yard line and forced to punt. North Mahaska got in blocked it, but the ball was recovered by an NM player but could not secure it and North Tama got another chance. Again, NM’s defense stiffened and after a successful punt the Warhawks set up at their own44-yard line.
Senior Nate Sampson opened the drive with a 29-yard scamper and followed it with another seven. Sophomore Charlie Goemaat added two runs for another 15, then junior Hunter Wernli darted around end from 10-rads out for the score. The 2-point failed, and the game was tied 6-6.
On the Warhawks’ next possession, they moved 80 yards in 11 plays converting on two fourth-down plays. Goemaat had a 37-yard run on fourth down and junior quarterback Lucas Nunnikhoven hit Sampson for 11 yards then linked up with junior Asher DeBoef from 17 to give NM the lead, 13-6 at halftime.
Neither team could muster much offense in the early part of the third period. Knaack tossed a 26-yard aerial to pull within a point 13-12.
Early in the fourth period, NM was driving and a fumble at the NT 17 was picked up and taken to the North Mahaska 31 before sophomore Chance Angle tackled the runner to save a touchdown. The Redhawks would eventually score from the 20-yard line to retake the lead 18-13. Angle intercepted the 2-point try.
A nice return on the kickoff saw the Warhawks set up 55 yards from the goal. Three plays later Goemaat rolled in from 37 yards and NM added the 2-point for the final score.
Goemaat led the NM attack with 109 yards on 11 carries. Sampson rushed seven times for 56 yards and Nunnikhoven garnered 51 on eight carries.
Nunnikhoven did not have to rely on the passing game as much. He went 8-for-12 for 65 yards and a touchdown and no interceptions. DeBoef had two receptions for 27 yards with a TD. Sampson had two catches for 19 and Goemaat one for seven.
The game was the final outing for Sampson, Austin McMahan, William Goemaat, Carter Lake, Gage VandeVoort and Carson Doak.
