The Remsen St. Mary’s football team earned the right to play at the UNI Dome this season with a 61-20 win over Audubon in Remsen on Thursday night.
The Hawks won their quarterfinal matchup for the sixth time in the last eight seasons, and this year it was because of their defense. The defense forced four turnovers in the form of three interceptions and a fumble to help them pull away in the first half. Keaton Harpenau had two interceptions in that half and says he just made a read on the offense to make the plays.
Head coach Tim Osterman says the preparation of his defensive players helps make them successful.
Once the Hawks got the ball back on offense, they knew what to do with it. Remsen St. Mary’s moved the ball for 360 yards of offense with 270 coming on the ground. Coach Osterman says the Hawks found success running the ball with multiple guys in between the guards.
Quarterback Landon Waldschmitt ran for 128 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Hawks. He says the work done in the weight room helps make him a tough player to bring down.
Harpenau also ran for 34 yards and a touchdown in the win. He says the offensive linemen make everything happen.
The Hawk passing attack ended up being very efficient. Waldschmitt went 6-9 through the air for 90 yards, four touchdowns, and an interception to end the first half. Waldschmitt says being good on the ground helped open up the air attack.
Coach Osterman says his guys also ran great routes that blew up Audubon’s coverages.
This entire formula led to the Hawks being up 46-6 at the halftime break. It can be tough for the Hawks to come out of the locker room energized to finish the game strong. Coach Osterman says they have fell victim to that at times this year, and he wanted to make sure they could finish things strong in this game.
Ever since last year’s loss to Bishop Garrigan in the second round of the playoffs, the Hawks have been hungry to get the program back to Cedar Falls. Waldschmitt says his guys were motivated to put an end to this season on their terms.
Harpenau says he is excited to add another chapter to the legacy of the Remsen St. Mary’s football program.
Getting prepared for the Dome is something that the Hawks have not had to do in a couple of years. Coach Osterman says getting indoors in some warm conditions will be crucial to prepare the guys for what the Dome feels like during a game.
Remsen St. Mary’s will get a second crack at Bishop Garrigan in the state semifinal round. Kickoff will be at 10:00 AM on Wednesday, November 13. You will be able to listen to the game on KLEM with coverage beginning at 9:30 AM.
