×

North Tama eliminated by Newman

PHOTO BY LISA GROUETTE/MASON CITY GLOBE GAZETTE - North Tama’s Hale Hulme runs for a gain against Mason City Newman during Friday’s Class A state football playoff game in Mason City. The Redhawks lost 31-28 in overtime.

MASON CITY — The Class A No. 4 North Tama football team lost in the first round of the playoffs to Mason City Newman on Friday, 31-28 in overtime.

The Redhawks (8-2) led 21-0 at halftime but the Knights (8-2) scored 20-straight points to make it 21-20 with 7:13 left in the fourth quarter.

Hale Hulme extended the North Tama lead to 28-20 with a touchdown run with 2:14 left, but once again Mason City Newman answered with a 7-yard touchdown pass from Merritt McCardle to Brady Gatton, then the Knights evened the game with a two point conversion to send it into overtime.

Mason City Newman started with the ball in overtime and settled for a field goal. The Redhawks chose to go for it on fourth down in their overtime possession couldn’t find the end zone, giving the Knights the three-point victory.

Hale Hulme led North Tama in rushing with 79 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries, while Tyler Morrison had 78 yards and two scores on 28 totes.

Hulme also went 6-for-8 passing with 150 yards, an interception and a 55-yard touchdown pass to Tayten Payne to start the game.

Josh Fitzgerald had 139 yards rushing for the Knights, including an 80-yard touchdown for the second score of the night.

North Tama ended the year with their best record and first playoff trip since going 10-2 and falling to Wapsie Valley in the playoffs in 2012. Morrison also ended the year with 1,224 rushing yards and 1,597 receiving and rushing yards combined, good enough for the sixth-most in Class A.

Morrison was the first Redhawk with more than 1,000 yards rushing in a season since quarterback Brendon Boerm in 2010, and the first running back since Dylan Youel in 2009.

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

Starting at $4.38/week.

Subscribe Today