Messenger photos by Britt Kudla: Bishop Garrigan seniors Ethan Marso (11) and Tate Foertsch celebrate their eight-player state title on Thursday in Cedar Falls. For more photos, please visit CU.messengernews.net

CEDAR FALLS — Marty Wadle has one simple message each year for members of his Bishop Garrigan football team.

“Leave the program better than where you found it,” Wadle said. “That’s always the goal with the kids. Leave it in a better place. Leave the jersey you wear better, and do it for everyone who wore it before you.”

The 2025 Golden Bears did just that here on Thursday, capping a frenetic fourth quarter with the game-winning points in the closing seconds to secure a second eight-player state championship in three years by taking down Woodbine, 44-42.

Senior Ethan Marso, part of both of those state title squads along with the one that lost a heartbreaker in the semifinals last year, capped a five-play, 65-yard drive that took up just 60 seconds with a 1-yard touchdown with nine seconds remaining in regulation.

From there, classmate Tate Foertsch, who has lost just twice in three years as the starting quarterback, darted free to the end zone untouched for the game-winning two-point conversion.

Bishop Garrigan (13-0 overall) erased a 22-point deficit over the final 12 minutes, as Marso and Foertsch accounted for all four touchdowns and three of the two-point conversions.

“We were just focusing on one play at a time,” Foertsch said. “You can’t score 22 points in one play, so we kept going at it, play after play.

“I love the guys around me and trust them with my life. I wouldn’t want to do it with anyone else.”

The Golden Bears wore down the high-flying Tigers over the course of four quarters, rushing 72 times for 331 yards. The rush attempts set a state championship game record, as Foertsch had 36 carries for 157 yards and three touchdowns while Marso added 25 for 103 and two scores in their final game of their legendary careers together.

“You could see (Woodbine) wasn’t the same team in the fourth quarter compared to the second,” Wadle said. “We knew we could tire them out like we’ve done all year. It was tough at times to stay patient to the approach, but the kids trust what we are doing and they executed.

“I thought we made some great halftime adjustments, especially in the secondary, and we just kept fighting. That’s what makes this group so special: the heart they have and show for each other and the program.”

For Woodbine, Landon Blum — one of the top prospects in the Class of 2027 — caught eight passes for 116 yards and two touchdowns. Brody Pryor was 13 of 21 passing for 214 yards and three TDs. Micah Moores ran for 106 yards and scored three times.

Foertsch, who has thrown just four picks in three seasons while winning 36 games, was 9 of 13 passing for 131 yards, including a key 36-yard completion to CJ McGregor on the game-winning drive that set the Golden Bears up at the 5.

McGregor added 63 yards rushing and a touchdown on the day.

“Maybe we haven’t always turned our quarterbacks loose as we could have,” Wadle said. “I think about some of the guys we have and maybe we should have let them do more within the offense.

“But Tate just made plays like he always does. Our offensive line did a tremendous job, and Ethan had a great day. That’s just the type of kid (Foertsch) is.”

Marso had the lone turnover in the game, picking off Pryor to set up a quick Bishop Garrigan touchdown in the fourth after he had just scored on the series before. The two teams combined for 50 first downs and 803 yards of total offense, punting just four times in the game.

Despite all of that, Wadle admitted there was a little shadow of doubt down by three scores to a team with an unbeaten record and all the momentum.

“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t (start to think about it a little),” Wadle said. “But honestly, not much (doubt). “We practice situations like the two-minute drill each week on Thursday, so we were comfortable with what we had to do. Tate made a great play on a draw that we haven’t run much all year and came up with a big throw.

“Our kids have a lot of faith in each other and a lot of faith in what they do. They believe it is going to happen, no matter what. These guys are meant to be here for a reason and they were brought together for this reason.”

Wadle mentioned that all of the seniors from the 2023 state title squad were in attendance, along with players dating back to when he first started coaching at Bishop Garrigan in the 1990s.

“That’s what it’s all about,” Wadle said. “We talked before the game that this was the last time these seniors would put a Bishop Garrigan football jersey on and play together. That’s something special…something you can never experience again.”

INDIVIDUAL STATISTCS

Rushing – Bishop Garrigan: Tate Foertsch 36-157, Ethan Marso 25-103, CJ McGregor 10-63, Michael Joyce 1-8; Woodbine: Micah Moores, 21-106, Brody Pryor 3-21.

Passing – Bishop Garrigan: Tate Foertsch 9-13-0-131; Woodbine: Brody Pryor 13-21-1-214.

Receiving – Bishop Garrigan: CJ McGregor 1-36, Weston Rosenmeyer 3-35, Michael Joyce 3-26, Madden Miller 1-22, Dalton Klenz, 1-12; Woodbine: Landon Blum 8-116, Dillon Reed 1-46, Jax Pryor 1-23, Brenden Wagner 1-14, Brenner Sullivan 1-13, Ayden Coenen 1-2.