AVOCA, Iowa — Friday night, for the second consecutive season, A-H-S-T saw its season end to Madrid in the Class A state quarterfinals.

Led by Timon Bell’s 258-yard effort, the Tigers rushed for 444 yards while running away with a surprisingly convincing 42-15 victory.

The win puts the Tigers in next Friday’s semifinals, where they’ll face Southern Cal at 1:30 p.m. at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls.

The Tigers limited A-H-S-T to 167 yards of total offense Friday, a month after losing at home to the Vikings in a 42-41 shootout.

“I wish we would have played better, but I think you’ve got to give Madrid a lot of credit,” A-H-S-T coach Cory Faust said. “They played really well tonight, and they were better.”

Madrid got off to a quick start and never looked back.

Louie Wickett gave the Tigers a 7-0 lead early in the first quarter when he capped a five-play, 68-yard drive with a 5-yard touchdown run.

After forcing an A-H-S-T punt, Madrid next used a 10-play drive, capped with T.J. VanDyke’s 10-yard scoring run.

The Tigers added touchdown runs from both Bell and Wickett before the half to take a commanding 27-0 lead into the break. Their defense was also dominant, allowing just 19 yards and one first down in the first half.

“We had a group of young men who weren’t happy with the outcome defensively the last time we played,” Madrid coach Randy Hinkel said. “Our kids executed and believed, and the bottom line is that we tackled a heck of a lot better this time.”

The Tiger running game relied heavily on Bell and Wickett. Bell earned his 258 yards on 37 carries while Wickett finished with 121 yards on 18 carries.

“They’re great players, and the hat has got to go off to the guys up front,” Hinkel said. “We knew this was going to be tough, and I couldn’t be any more proud of them.”

The A-H-S-T offense endured some atypical struggles. Quarterback Seth Enke, who produced 247 yards of offense and four touchdowns when the teams met in the regular season, finished 4 of 18 passing for 76 yards. He threw a late touchdown, but he was also intercepted three times.

But the 2009 season will still be a story of success for the Vikings, who won their first 11 games after losing core talent from last year’s 11-1 squad. Faust will lose the services of 11 seniors.

“I can’t say enough about the seniors,” Faust said. “They’ve been really loyal to me and really overachieved this year. I’m proud of them.

“I know tonight wasn’t a good representation of the kind of players they are or the kind of team they are, but they work hard, and I wouldn’t trade them for anybody else.”

Madrid (11-1)..................13 14 8 7—42

At A-H-S-T (11-1)....................0 0 0 15—15

M: Louie Wickett 5 run (Brett Mathes kick)

M: T.J. VanDyke 1 run (kick failed)

M: Timon Bell 1 run (VanDyke run)

M: Wickett 17 run (run failed)

M: VanDyke 10 run (Bell run)

AHST: Gunner Gilland 5 run (Seth Enke kick)

AHST: Gilland 36 pass from Enke (Enke run)

M: Bell 35 run (Mathes kick)

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Rushing: Madrid, T.J. VanDyke 5-46, Louie Wickett 18-121, Timon Bell 37-258, Tanner Adams 4-17, Marc Bryan 1-2. AHST, Seth Enke 11-24, Gunner Gilland 6-43, Dylan Zornes 2-4, Tanner Eichelberger 2-20.

Passing: Madrid, VanDyke 0-1-0. AHST, Enke 4-18-76.

Receiving: AHST, Gilland 3-67, Hunter Nelsen 1-9.