CEDAR FALLS, Iowa — The odds seem to be stacked against Pella.

Harlan Community is rated first in the state. Pella is unrated.

Harlan is 13-0 and won its district. Pella (10-3) was 3-3 at one time and qualified for the substate as the fourth seed in its district.

Harlan is making its 20th trip to the finals in 30 playoff appearances. Pella is making its first trip to the finals in 21 playoff appearances.

However, Harlan coach Curt Bladt knows his team can't exchange those flashy facts for an extra touchdown or two Saturday before the opening kickoff. And he knows Pella is a dangerous team.

“They're on a roll,'' Bladt said. “They beat some people they weren't supposed to beat. It'll be a dogfight.''

The Cyclones and Dutch will meet Saturday at 4:05 p.m. in the Class 3-A championship game at the UNI-Dome. Harlan is seeking to extend its state record to 12 championships, and Bladt is bidding for title No. 11, which would give him four more than second-place Duane Twait of Emmetsburg.

Harlan is into the finals for the first time since wrapping up a third straight 3-A title in 2005. The Cyclones are riding a crest of momentum after edging Sioux City Heelan 21-14 in the quarterfinals and then overpowering Carroll 42-7 in Monday's semifinals.

“These seniors have spent the whole year trying to get here,'' Bladt said. “Now we'll just have to see what they can do.''

Senior quarterback Blaine Forsythe drives Pella's success. The 6-foot-2, 185-pounder has completed 109 of 217 passes for 1,607 yards and 17 touchdowns this year, and he has rushed for another 456 and four scores. Forsythe also starts at free safety and has kicked six field goals, including a long of 46 yards.

“He's a good thrower and runner,'' Bladt said. “He's kind of a jack of all trades.''

Brett Bogaard, 5-10 and 165 pounds, leads the Dutch ground attack with 986 rushing yards and 15 scores.

Meanwhile, Harlan will look to be diversified on offense, with Michael Kaufmann (110 of 176, 1,938 yards, 18 TDs) through the air, and Dylan Barrett (1,712 rushing yards, 27 TDs) and Matt Hoch (591 rushing yards, nine TDs) on the ground.

Hoch, a 6-4, 245-pound Iowa recruit, is Harlan's runaway tackle leader with 131 stops, including 26 for losses.

Senior defensive end Joe Arentson, 6-foot and 190 pounds, was credited with six tackles for losses among his team-high 10 stops in Monday's win. Older brothers Sam and Ben earned state championships with Harlan earlier this decade.

“I've been waiting 18 years for this, watching my brothers play,'' Joe Arentson said. “I'm going to try to carry on that tradition.''

After Monday's semifinal win, Bladt spoke to reporters just beyond one end zone. Pella was warming up for its semifinal at the time, and Bladt noticed a couple of Pella's linemen, including 280-pound Jordan Youngman and 270-pound Pat Nunnikhoven.

“As I look at these boys out here, we've got a big job ahead of us,'' he said. “They've been playing really well, so it's anybody's ballgame.''

Contact the writer:

444-1055, kevin.white@owh.com

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