CHAMPS AGAIN! Harlan Community Rallies to Win State over Mt Vernon, 30-23

Cyclone Coach Todd Bladt about winning the Class 3A State Championship. (11-18-22)

Cyclone Jacob Birch on winning the Class 3A State Championship. (11-18-22)

CHAMPS AGAIN! Harlan Community Rallies to Win State over Mt Vernon, 30-23 -

(11-18-22) - 16 and 23 equals 14.

The math may not seem right, but it equates to the Class 3A State Championship for Harlan Community after their 30-23 win over Mount Vernon in the UNI Dome Friday on Cade Sears’s 48-yd touchdown reception with 1:24 left. Sears had 5 catches for 75 yards and 2 TD’s.

The Cyclones were down 16 with :16 sec left in the 3rd quarter when they began their comeback with 23 unanswered points to guide them to the 14th state football championship. Coach Todd Bladt was impressed with the way his team came back from a 16-point deficit win their 2nd consecutive championship.

“For them to dig down and get a win when we aren’t playing very well, when we have uncharacteristic mistakes… you know, adversity gonna happen. Adversity happens in life and these guys were able to go out there against adversity, dig down and get the win when it mattered,” Bladt told KNOD Sports after the game.

Tight end Jacob Birch had 11 catches for 138 yards, a touchdown, and a crucial 2-point conversion to tie the game at 23. Birch said the play that tied the game was a familiar one.

“I knew they were gonna double team Aiden (Hall) and Cade because they’re just amazing receivers and we run that play all the time in practice so we just have a really good repetition of it. We know where everyone’s gonna be.”

The Cyclone defense held the Mustangs to just 106 yards total offense on the afternoon but found themselves behind after 3 quarters due to four turnovers that lead to all of Mount Vernon’s points.

But even though the team was down 23-7 late in the 3rd, Birch and his teammates knew what they had to do to get back in the game.

“Just taking one play at a time. That’s how you gotta play the game of football. You have to play 100 percent. There’s not other way to play.”

Bladt knew getting his big-game players involved was important in their comeback.

“One thing I said was we got some play-makers out here so let’s get ‘em the ball and let that baby fly.”

For Harlan Community, it’s their state-record extending 14th state football championship as they finish the season 12-1. Birch and all the seniors on the Cyclones, they got win back-to-back state championships to finish their high school career.

“It feels great to do it for our coaches, for our fans, and our town. We have 14, but let’s add another one next year.”

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