Behind 115 rushing yards and two touchdowns on the ground from Dalton Sealey, the Hastings St. Cecilia BlueHawks defeated Norfolk Catholic 26-18 to win the Class C-1 Championship.

Sealey amassed his total on only 19 carries and also caught three passes from quarterback Beau Schwenka, going for 12 yards.

The Knights of Norfolk Catholic opened the scoring when Drew Farlee kicked a 42-yard field goal to put Norfolk Catholic up 3-0. Hastings St. Cecilia responded when quarterback Beau Schwenka scored on a 17-yard run, to put the BlueHawks up 6-3, to close the first quarter.

Dalton Sealey opened the scoring in the second quarter when he ran for five yards, to put Hastings St. Cecilia up 12-3 at the halftime intermission.

Norfolk Catholic scored the first touchdown of the third quarter when Kelby Seyl rushed for a 12-yard touchdown, cutting the BlueHawks lead to just two points, at 12-10. Hastings St. Cecilia responded when Dalton Sealey once again found the endzone, this time on a three-yard run, putting St. Cecilia up 19-10 at the end of the third frame.

Just eight seconds into the final stanza, the BlueHawks added to their lead when quarterback Beau Schwenka scored on a 25-yard run, putting the BlueHawks up 26-10 early in the fourth quarter. Norfolk Catholic scored their final touchdown of the game when Kory Schaefer caught a 26-yard pass from Austin Ketter, cutting the BlueHawks lead to just eight points.

The Knights got the ball back following a Hastings St. Cecilia punt down to the Knights 36-yard line. Norfolk Catholic’s Austin Ketter found Ben Rowse for a 15-yard pass down to the St. Cecilia 49-yard line, setting up a first down for the Knights. Following a six-yard pass to Lucas Lyons, on a 2nd and 6 from the St. Cecilia 45-yard line, Ketter found Ethan Brozek for a 30-yard pass, taking the ball inside the Hastings St. Cecilia 20-yard line.

Following the 30-yard pass to Brozek, the Knights gained two-yards down to the 13-yard line. The very next play, on a 2nd and 8 from the 13-yard line, Austin Ketter was intercepted by St. Cecilia’s Wade Dykeman, and Dykeman returned the ball 11 yards down to their 20-yard line, icing the game and the championship win for the BlueHawks.

This is the first championship for Carl Tesmer and the Hastings St. Cecilia BlueHawks, since winning the Class C-1 crown in 2000.