No. 8 West Branch tops No. 7 Bellevue in wild battle of 1A unbeatens

WEST BRANCH — Looks can be deceiving in football.

Big plays, big leads and improbable comebacks can evaporate in just minutes.

A fine mist hung over the Little Rose Bowl, as Class 1A No. 8 West Branch (5-0, 2-0) defeated No. 7 Bellevue (4-1, 2-1) Friday night, 45-41, in a game that featured four lead changes in the fourth quarter.

'It's a shame someone had to lose that game,' West Branch head coach Butch Pedersen said.

The Bears, who took a 31-13 lead on a Beau Cornwell 27-yard field goal with 4:43 to play in the third, looked to have the Comets in a headlock. However, Hunter Clasen took the ensuing kickoff 91 yards for a touchdown to make it 31-20.

On the Bears next drive, Cornwell threw his first interception of the year to set up Bellevue at midfield. A few plays later, Cade Daughtry hit Conrad Ernst on a 33-yard strike on a fade route on fourth-and-5 from the Bears 33.

With their lead cut to 31-27, the Bears felt their lead slipping away. 'Our kids never gave up, their kids never gave up,' Pedersen said. 'It was just two great football teams going at it.'

The Comets took the lead with 7:32 left to play. Daughtry hit Trevor Hager on a 39-yard touchdown pass to put Bellevue on top, 34-31. While the lead and momentum vanished from the Bears sideline, Cornwell and West Branch embraced the challenge.

'You love it,' said Cornwell, who finished 20-for-28 with 338 yards and three scores. The 338 yards is single-game school record. 'That's the moment you look for as a quarterback.'

The Bears regained the lead, 38-34, when Cornwell connected with Ben Thompson on a 31-yard touchdown. The Comets answered with a QB sneak from Daughtry, but the Bears took the lead for good on a 1-yard Cornwell sneak.

An interception by Thompson on the Bears' goal line with 11 seconds to play sealed the win.