Finally a state football championship for Williamsburg

CEDAR FALLS — Walking to the UNI-Dome on a bright, crisp late Friday morning, you came across a pair of elderly gentlemen.

“Watch out. I think people want to pass us,” one of them says.

The men ask that group of passersby where they are from and are told Williamsburg. They light up.

“The ‘Burg!” one of them exclaims. “That’s where we’re from: 1960 graduates. Our first time here. Never know if we’ll get this chance again.”

It turns out one of the men was from Minnesota, the other from Wisconsin, and they decided to travel south and/or east to watch their alma mater play Sioux City Heelan in the Class 3A state championship football game. They witnessed history.

For the first time, Williamsburg has a state title, beating Sioux City Heelan, 20-0, Friday afternoon. As good a program as there is in Iowa, regardless of class, the school can finally shout out “Champs!”

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Photos: Williamsburg vs. Sioux City Heelan in Class 3A state championship game

“I really just wanted this for the community and the kids,” said Coach Curt Ritchie. “I’ve told them all the time that I just want one time in these 30-some years where I can end a season without seeing hurt. I don’t care if we’re crying because they are tears of joy. These guys know I’m a crier. I’m holding it together now, so it’s a little better than I thought.”

Yet there were ensuing moments as Ritchie spoke to the media postgame in which he didn’t hold it together quite so well. It was understandable since the guy has a 237-92 career record, coached runner-up teams in 2002, 2017 and last season.

This meant a ton. And to think it came despite Williamsburg (12-1) being bumped up a class from 2A this season.

“Definitely a great feeling, definitely happy for Coach Ritchie,” said Williamsburg’s Rayce Heitman. “He’s been coaching for so many years ... It’s great to be on the first team to win one.”

“We hadn’t had a championship team, but we’ve had championship people,” Ritchie said. “I think these guys have taken that. We got moved up to 3A this year, and I saw our preseason schedule, we had a ton of guys to replace, so I don’t know if I would have thought this would be the year. But I knew that they were a pretty special group.”

Quarterback Derek Weisskopf threw a pair of first-quarter touchdown passes to Braylon Wetjen, and that was more than enough for the Raiders’ defense on this day. Heelan (11-2) had just 154 total yards and turned it over four times.

Three of those turnovers were courtesy of Wetjen interceptions. A trio of picks, six receptions for 121 yards and two scores and a 15-yard run on a jet sweep is quite the performance.

“This is the best game I’ve ever had,” he said. “I’m glad it came in the championship game, and we were able to win it.”

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Wetjen said he tweaked a hamstring on the 57-yard TD reception he had late in the first quarter. All of his picks came after that.

“I did something to my hamstring, and I’m pretty sure they saw that and were trying to target me,” he said. “But no-fly zone around here.”

A University of Iowa commit, Weisskopf moved from wide receiver-tight end to quarterback when starter Kellen Cockrell got hurt during the season and ended up throwing 20 touchdown passes to just four interceptions. He also had six tackles in this game from his safety position.

“We just finished it off this year. Winning 20-0, that’s one of the best defensive efforts we’ve ever had. I mean, just an awesome feeling,” Weisskopf said. “I’m speechless right now. The community is excited, I can tell. They showed out today and cheered very loud. It was great.”

Heitman, Williamsburg’s leading tackler in this game and this season, had Williamsburg’s other touchdown here, scoring on a 5-yard run in the third quarter. He ran a ton in the second half from the wildcat formation as the Raiders went ground and pound and killed time off the clock.

Williamsburg had the football almost 14 more minutes than its opponent.

“I don’t really know,” Ritchie said, when asked what was running through his mind. “I’m kind of worried because what I’m really mad about is we didn’t play as well on offense as I thought we would.”

A coach being a coach, even in the seminal moment of his long career.

“I think it’s just a relief at this point,” Ritchie said. “I don’t even know what (championship) try this is. You guys probably know. I remember that game in (2002), we were able to just get off to a tremendous start (against Emmetsburg) ... Those guys were probably good enough to win it. I don’t know if that was God’s way of saying you weren’t ready, yet, or what.

“To see a lot of those guys here today was huge. To see all those kids from the past was great.”

Williamsburg 20, Sioux City Heelan 0

(At UNI-Dome)

Sioux City Heelan 0 0 0 0-0

Williamsburg 13 0 7 0-20

Team Statistics

First Downs - Heelan 7, Williamsburg 15. Rushes-Yards - Heelan 27-105, Williamsburg 47-153. Completions-Attempts-Interceptions-Yards - Heelan 6-13-3-49, Williamsburg 10-18-1-150. Total Yards - Heelan 154, Williamsburg 303. Punts-Average - Heelan 4-40.8, Williamsburg 2-33.0. Penalties-Yards - Heelan 3-25, Williamsburg 2-20. Fumbles-Lost - Heelan 2-1, Williamsburg 1-0.

Individual Statistics

Rushing - Heelan: Quinn Olson 13-78, Kasen Thomas 4-29, Sir Brandon Wells 4-9, Ricky Feauto 5-(minus) 1, Team 1-(minus) 10. Williamsburg: Nile Sinn 18-71, Rayce Heitman 16-69, Braylon Wetjen 1-15, Derek Weisskopf 7-14, Clayten Steckly 1-1, Dylan Weisskopf 1-1, Team 3-(minus) 18.

Passing - Heelan: Quinn Olson 6-13-3-49. Williamsburg: Derek Weisskopf 10-18-1-150, Rayce Heitman 0-1-1-0.

Receiving - Heelan: George Tsiobanos 2-10, Sir Brandon Watts 1-27, Kannon Bork 1-6, Caden Lester 1-6, Kasen Thomas 1-0. Williamsburg: Braylon Wetjen 6-121, Clayten Steckly 2-18, Rayce Heitman 2-11.

Comments: (319)-398-8258, jeff.johnson@thegazette.com