Led by a suffocating defense, the Pella High football team moved themselves one step closer to a return trip to Cedar Falls, as the Little Dutch stymied Norwalk 17-0 in last night’s Class 3A Second Round playoff matchup.

Pella led just 3-0 at halftime, but added a pair of touchdowns in the second half to put the game out of reach. The Little Dutch put up 406 yards of total offense, while the defense seemingly shut down the Warriors, allowing just 130 yards for the game.

Austin Fuller led the Pella attack, rushing for 110 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries. Sam Davis also put up a strong performance on the ground, picking up 92 yards on 18 carries. Through the air, Jacob De Waard was 6-of-14 for 87 yards and an interception, but also delivered a 21-yard touchdown strike to Brannon Johnson for the game-sealing score.

With the win, the Little Dutch are now 10-1 overall this season and will have to hit the road for Monday’s upcoming third-round contest against ADM; who routed Oskaloosa 49-14 last night. One more win puts Pella High back in the Class 3A Semifinals, played at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls.