Recap, Reaction: Saint Ansgar Chips Away in Win
In this article:
Get 30% off your first billing cycle with code: howe30 in the coupon code area
BOX SCORE
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - A red sledgehammer with paint chipping off sat leaning against the Saint Ansgar bench. What it represented was being executed during Thursday morning's Class A state semifinal game against fellow unbeaten, Wapsie Valley.
"Just keep chipping away," quarterback
Porter Schwiesow
Porter
Schwiesow
5'11" | 155 lbs | QB/DB
St. Ansgar | 2028
IA
said about his team's decisive second-half comeback.
Trailing 7-6 at halftime, a position they didn't often find themselves in during 2025, the Saints rallied for 25 unanswered points after halftime in pulling away for a 31-7 victory. The comeback began with explosive plays.
Connor Mullenbach returned the second half's opening kickoff 83 yards for a touchdown. After the teams exchanged a couple of fruitless possessions,
Korben Michels
Korben
Michels
5'4" | 160 lbs | RB/LB
St. Ansgar | 2026
State
IA
grabbed a pass from Schwiesow and raced 90 yards to the house with five minutes remaining in the third quarter. On the next possession, Schwiesow's 30-yard TD run put Saint Ansgar up, 24-7, and the rout was on.
"We knew that we had to come out strong (in the second half)," Mullenbach said. "The kick return was such a big play for us, and then we just kept going from there."
Said Michels: "We left a little too much on the bone in the first half. We just came out with fire (in the second half). Everybody did their job."
Michels said the improved results came from better execution, not schematic changes.
"We executed," he said.
Michaels added another touchdown receiving and piled up 74 rushing yards on 14 carries. Schwiesow finished with two touchdowns passing and two more rushing. Mullenbach contributed in all three phases.
The game started well for Wapsie Valley, but it couldn't generate much offense after
Cadyn Dana
Cadyn
Dana
5'10" | 170 lbs | LB/RB
Wapsie Valley | 2027
IA
's eight-yard touchdown reception from
Caleb Hogan
Caleb
Hogan
6'1" | 210 lbs | QB/DL
Wapsie Valley | 2027
IA
with 5:36 remaining in the first quarter. The Warriors lost the turnover battle, 3-1.
"Football is a momentum game," Hogan said. "A couple of big plays in the second half and momentum went their way. It sucks. The coaches were talking about football being a game of inches. They get a couple big scores, a couple of things don't go our way, it's tough."
Hunter Curley
Hunter
Curley
6'1" | 200 lbs | RB/DL
Wapsie Valley | 2026
State
IA
finished up a memorable career at Wapsie Valley by rushing for 81 yards on Thursday to go over 2,000 for the season.
"That was a goal of mine, so it feels good to hit it, but I'm proud of this team and what we all accomplished," he said about Wapsie Valley reaching The Dome for the first time in 12 years.
