Pella Christian is still the new kid on the block when it comes to Iowa High School football. It’s been just 14 years since the first game was played by Eagles football players, and this week marks the program’s biggest milestone to date — their first ever trip to Cedar Falls and a game in the state semifinals at the UNI Dome.

Head Coach Rich Kacmarynski tells KNIA/KRLS Sports it’s a moment they’ve been working towards since he started as head coach a decade ago, with many alumni contributing to get to this point.

“Our alumni have done such a great job of building this program. I told the kids that they’re standing on the shoulder of giants, and it was such a blessing to have all those alumni there last weekend supporting us when we played Pleasantville. It’s an incremental thing. This program has been built brick by brick, year by year, team by team, teammate by teammate. And it’s a real gratifying feeling to look and see what everyone has accomplished here at Pella Christian.”

However, Kacmarynski is quick to remind his players that getting to the Dome is not enough at this point in the year — Pella Christian wants to contend for their first ever championship.

The Eagles will have to defeat the cream of the Class 1A crop to advance to their first ever title game — seven-time champion Regina, this Saturday morning. Coverage from Cedar Falls begins at 9:30 a.m. on 92.1 KRLS, with kickoff just after 10 a.m.

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