For the first time since 2006, the Pella High football team is out of the playoffs after a 23-21 loss to Cedar Rapids Washington last night in a game heard live on 92.1 KRLS.

The loss dropped Pella to 4-5 overall to end the season, and 3-2 in district play.  They tied with the Warriors and Clear Creek-Amana for second in the district, with the Clippers winning the tiebreaker.  Pella was then dropped into the at-large pool, and missed out on the playoffs by  .0002 in the RPI despite having the second hardest strength of schedule in class 4A.

On the field, Washington took a 14-0 lead with a pair of second quarter touchdowns before Nolan Clayberg broke loose for a 57-yard Dutch touchdown.  It was 17-7 at the half, but Pella cut the lead to three on a one-yard Blake Meyer sneak on the opening drive of the third quarter.  The Warriors again made it a two score game with a fourth quarter touchdown, and Clayberg’s 43-yard sprint cut the deficit to two.  After getting a defensive stop, Pella took possession at their own 35 yard line with just under a minute to play.  They gained one first down, but Meyer was intercepted, setting up victory formation for Cedar Rapids Washington.

Pella coach Jay McKinstrey appreciated that his team gave it everything they had.

“I just want to say thank you to them and to the parents and to the school and to our community for the support of these kids.  They’ve battled this year, and it hasn’t always turned out how we wanted it to.  Sometimes people look to the past and think that’s how it’s always supposed to be, but these kids have fought hard and work hard and I can’t say enough how much I appreciate them.”

Clayberg led the Dutch offense with a career high 178 yards on 13 carries and Aidan Pollock ran 14 times for 63 yards.