For the fourth straight year, the Pella High football team is playing on championship Thursday night, and tonight, the three-time defending class 3A champs will put it on the line against number one Cedar Rapids Xavier.

After graduating back-to-back class 3A MVPs in Noah Clayberg and Nick Finney, as well as a host of other all-state players over the previous three years, expectations seemed to be tempered this season for the Little Dutch.

Coach Jay McKinstrey says that his players have given more of themselves than they even knew they could, and it’s been fun watching them on the journey.

“I’m just so proud of these young men as far as the way they’ve developed as people and as players. They’ve hung in there and it seems that we’ve had to overcome some things in some games and a little bit of adversity in certain situations. It’s been so exciting to see them get a chance to play for a state championship, and I’ve reminded them of that every day this week – ‘guys, we’re playing for a state championship’.”

The Little Dutch are 11-1 this season, including playoff wins over Webster City, Dallas Center-Grimes and Harlan. Xavier is 12-0, and has beaten Oskaloosa, Davenport Assumption and Solon on its postseason path. Pella and Xavier have played twice in the last three seasons in the semifinals at the UNI Dome, with Pella holding the 2-0 series advantage.

Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 tonight, and you can hear the action live on 92.1 KRLS, beginning with the Jeromy Dingeman Concrete Football Friday Night Radio Preview Show at 5:00 live from outside the UNI-Dome in the KNIA/KRLS Lil’ Big Red Radio.