Gladbrook-Reinbeck-Woodbine 8-Man Semifinal Recap, Reaction
In this article:
CEDAR FALLS -- Back in the Dome for the first time since 2007, the Woodbine Tigers will stick around for one more week, advancing to the 8-Man state championship after defeating Gladbrook-Reinbeck in the semifinals on Wednesday, 38-30.
With a multiple offensive attack, the Tigers fended off a second-half run and near-comeback by the Rebels, taking a drive all of 16 plays for 65 yards over 8:13 to score with just 3:40 remaining. Led by quarterback
Brody Pryor
Brody
Pryor
5'11" | 150 lbs | QB
Woodbine | 2026
State
IA
on the drive, the senior gunslinger ran or passed for 47 yards on the game-sealer. In fact, after a false-start penalty set the Tigers back to the ten-yard line on 3th and goal with the game on the line, Pryor and No. 1 wide receiver in the Class of 2027,
Landon Blum
Landon
Blum
6'4" | 190 lbs | WR
Woodbine | 2027
State
IA
connected on a jump-ball to take the lead and seal the deal.
Blum, who scored two of Woodbine's touchdowns on the day, also reversed the field on a swing pass that he took 53 yards for a touchdown to finish with five receptions for 83 yards and two scores, taking his season total to 22 this fall.
Blum brought the star power and put the nail in the coffin, but Woodbine wouldn't be headed to the state title if it weren't for teammates like Pryor and
Micah Moores
Micah
Moores
6'2" | 200 lbs | LB/RB
Woodbine | 2027
IA
. Including his heroics on the final drive of the afternoon, Pryor finished the game 13-of-21 through the air for 231 yards and four touchdowns. On the ground, he took 11 carries for 31 yards and scored three two-point conversions.
Moores, an unsung hero on the Tiger roster, coming into the game with just 69 carries for 474 yards and 12 scores on the year, was vital in the effort for Woodbine, totaling 27 carries for 102 yards and a score. He added four catches for 77 yards and two touchdowns through the air.
A back-and-forth affair, the Rebels -- much like their lead back's running style -- definitely didn't go down without a fight.
Powered by the trio of quarterback Trevor Mathern, wide receiver
Hudson Clark
Hudson
Clark
5'10" | 155 lbs | ATH
Gladbrook-Reinbeck | 2026
State
IA
and running back
Treyvon Herron
Treyvon
Herron
5'8" | 160 lbs | ATH
Gladbrook-Reinbeck | 2027
IA
, Gladbrook-Reinbeck gave the Tigers everything they could handle. Mathern, who completed nine passes for 103 yards and three scores, also took 14 carries for 69 yards, keeping the Woodbine DL huffing and puffing throughout the game. Clark, his go-to target all season, finished the game with five catches for 63 yards and a score, adding two rushes for 21 yards, two kickoff returns for 34 yards and a punt return of 15 yards.
At the core of the Rebels' effort, though, was their junior tail back, Herron.
Standing at just 5-foot-9 and 172 pounds, Herron ran (and caught, and tackled) with a mean streak in the Dome. On 13 carries for 84 yards, Herron got things moving on the ground, but, in scoring three of GR's four touchdowns on the day, he did it through the air. Grabbing for catches for 46 yards and two scores, Herron was the life blood of the Rebel offense. The biggest play of his day came on defense, though. In addition to his team-leading 13 tackles, including five tackles-for-loss (TFLs), Herron jumped a route at the beginning of the fourth quarter, returning it 32 yards for the score. Mathern's rush in for the two-point conversion tied it at 30.
After Woodbine scored to take the 38-30 lead, GR took possession with less than four minutes to play. The Rebels traversed 44 yards on the back of Herron and Mathern, before Lucas Olson dragged down the senior quarterback for a ten-yard loss, and effectively shutting down any final attempt at tying the game by GR.
With the semi win in hand, Woodbine is set to take on Bishop Garrigan in the 8-Man state championship next Thursday at 9:30 AM in The UNI-Dome.
