VAN METER, Ia. — The Roland-Story Norsemen football team returned to the grid iron on Friday Night, as they made the trip to the west side of the Des Moines metro to take on the Van Meter Bulldogs in the quarterfinal round of the Class 2A Playoffs at Van Meter High School. Roland-Story entered at 8-2 and ranked #9, as Van Meter entered at 9-1 and ranked #3.
Roland-Story took the opening kickoff and would march 60 yards in 11 plays and scored on a Fiston Carlson 6-yard touchdown run to put the Norsemen up 7-0 early. Van Meter’s first offensive possession resulted in a 3-and-out, as the Norsemen answered back with an 8-play, 67-yard drive capped off by a Fiston Carlson 1-yard touchdown run to put Roland-Story ahead 14-0 in the first quarter. The ensuing Van Meter possession saw the Bulldogs get into Norsemen territory, but a Keenan Lundy fumble was recovered by the Norsemen and turned into points, as an 11-play, 59-yard drive was capped off by Fiston Carlson’s 3rd touchdown of the half from a yard out as Roland-Story led 21-0. Van Meter would get on the board before half with a Keenan Lundy quarterback sneak from 2 yards out as the Norsemen led 21-7 at halftime.
The 2nd half saw Roland-Story force a three-and-out on the opening drive, as the Norsemen the drove 72 yards on 13 plays, aided by untimely Van Meter penalties, before Fiston Carlson scored his 4th touchdown of the game from a yard out with Roland-Story ahead 28-7. Van Meter would inch closer in the 4th quarter on a Keenan Lundy 7-yard touchdown run to make it 28-14, but with the Bulldogs driving inside the 10 to make it a one possession game, Ben Mazyck picked off Keenan Lundy in the endzone, before a Jake Knoll interception ended things for good as Roland-Story captured a 28-14 win and their first appearance in the UNI Dome since 2008.
The Ace of the Game, sponsored by Ace Hardware of Webster City, was Roland-Story senior Fiston Carlson, who carried 36 times for 166 yards and 4 touchdowns in the win. Colin Willis was 15-for-24 for 126 yards, as Wyatt Ramus led the Norsemen defense with 8.5 tackles and a sack.
LISTEN: Roland-Story coach Matt Finn recaps 28-14 win over Van Meter
Roland-Story football advances to the Class 2A Semifinals, where they will take on the #1 Central Lyon/George-Little Rock Lions at the UNI Dome in Cedar Falls, with kickoff at 1 PM on Saturday afternoon and can be heard on 95.7 KQWC, online at kqradio.com and on the KQWC App.