The CAM Cougars came up just short of a trip to the 8-Man Semifinals with a 30-28 loss at Fremont-Mills on Friday night in Tabor. It was every bit the battle that was expected and it came down to the final seconds. Lane Spieker scored on a 3-yard touchdown run with :46 left to put the Cougars within 2. On the 2-point conversion attempt to tie the game Lane Spieker rolled right on a run-pass option and attempted to make a throw to the back corner of the endzone to Colby Rich but it sailed long. The onside kick attempt was unfruitful and F-M ran out the clock with a few kneel downs.

Fremont-Mills opened the game with a great kick return by Seth Malcom to put them in CAM territory. Three plays later Jake Malcom hooked up with his brother Seth for a 34-yard touchdown pass to open up the scoring. Taylor Reed added on the next score of the game on a 14 yard run with 1:45 left in the first quarter. That put F-M up 16-0 until the last drive of the first half. CAM was able to piece their way down the field in about a minute and a half of game time and finished the half with big play. Ethan Arp hooked up with Connor McKee for a 48-yard touchdown pass with just :08 left in the half. Lane Spieker added the 2-point conversion to make it 16-8 at the break.

The Cougars carried that momentum in a big way into the second half. The first possession of the second half went 9-plays and 64 yards for the Cougars. They capped it off with an 8-yard touchdown pass from Spieker to Rich. A Spieker 2-pt conversion tied the game at 16 just a few minutes into the half. F-M drove deep into CAM territory on their first possession of the half but stalled out and turned it over on downs at the 11 of CAM. On the next play after the turnover Lane Spieker sliced, spun, and sprinted his way to a 69 yard touchdown run to put CAM on top for the first time in the game. The 2-pt conversion attempt failed keeping the margin at six 22-16 in favor of the Cougars.

Fremont-Mills answered right back with a 6-play 48 yard drive that was finished with a 5 yard touchdown run by Seth Malcom. Lane Spieker was able to bat down the Knights conversion pass attempt and kept the game tied at 22. A Taylor Reed Interception of a Lane Spieker pass on the next drive gave the ball back to F-M at their own 20.  The Knights then drove down the field in 8-plays and took the lead back on a 3 yard Malcom TD run. Malcom then hooked up with Adam Perrin on a nice conversion play to give Fremont-Mills a 30-22 lead.

The Cougars turned the ball over with another interception deep in Knights territory, but the Cougar defense was able to hold up to give their offense another chance with 4:32 left in the game. CAM worked their way down the field with some big Spieker runs and a big 3rd and long hookup from Spieker to Rich to set up the Cougars at the 5. Two plays later Spieker punched it in.

Seth Malcom finished the night with an impressive 308 yards on 41 carries to push the Knights to 7-1 on the season. Fremont-Mills advances to the UNI-Dome and the Semis for the 7th time in the past 11 seasons. The Knights will meet Don-Bosco in the 8-Player Semifinals next Thursday, November 12th at 12:30 p.m.

CAM ends a great season with a record of 9-1. Listen to the full postgame interview with CAM Head Coach Barry Bower below.

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CLASS 4A:

Ankeny 28, Waukee 7
Pleasant Valley 38, Iowa City, West 24
Southeast Polk 48, Cedar Rapids, Kennedy 0
Dowling Catholic advances in no contest. WDM Valley was unable to play due to positive COVID-19 tests.

CLASS 3A:

Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley 23, Webster City 14
Harlan 21, Lewis Central 14
North Scott 24, West Delaware 21
Xavier, Cedar Rapids 21, Grinnell 7

CLASS 2A:

Camanche 34, West Liberty 20
Central Lyon, Rock Rapids 34, West Lyon 13
PCM 21, West Marshall 20
Waukon 24, Solon 8

CLASS 1A:

OABCIG 63, West Sioux 13
Sigourney-Keota 35, Columbus Catholic, Waterloo 32
South Central Calhoun 26, Southeast Valley 6
Van Meter 33, Underwood 14

CLASS A:

Grundy Center 20, West Hancock 14
Regina, Iowa City 32, Wapsie Valley 27
Saint Ansgar 49, MFL MarMac 14
St. Albert 24, Logan-Magnolia 0

CLASS 8-Player:

Don Bosco 42, Janesville 12
Fremont-Mills 30, CAM 28 –ON KJAN
Montezuma 62, Easton Valley 35
St. Mary’s, Remsen 42, Audubon 27