CEDAR FALLS - Brent Thoren changed the job description at quarterback.

North Tama's winning ways never varied.

With junior quarterback Brendon Boerm leading the way, the top-ranked Redhawks rolled into the Class A high school football semifinals with a decisive, 39-0 victory over WACO of Wayland at the UNI-Dome Friday night.

Last year, Wyatt Hanus guided North Tama into the title game. He graduated months ago, but Boerm's fitting in quite nicely.

The son of former Wartburg football player Kurt Boerm, Brendon Boerm is handling a more diversified offense, according to Thoren.

"Wyatt was a tremendous quarterback, and he threw the ball all over the place," said Thoren, who moved into the head coaching job this year after serving as an assistant coach. "This year, with the offense we've got, we have the ability to run and pass. We're more balanced.

"Brendon took on that role wholeheartedly. He did an outstanding job leading the team and getting the ball distributed to our playmakers."

Boerm's running, passing and ballhandling proved too much for WACO's defense Friday. North Tama racked up 433 yards of total offense, and the quarterback kick-started the attack right away.

On the Redhawks' first series, Boerm guided his team 71 yards, covering the final 31 on a deep lob to Lucas Hefty. That touchdown pass, the first of three for Boerm, gave North Tama a 7-0 lead with 8 minutes, 19 seconds to play in the opening quarter.

On its way to the 10th shutout in a dozen 2009 games, the Redhawk defense stuffed a Warrior threat at the 23-yard line. Then Boerm delivered an option pitch to Caleb Edwards, who darted 66 yards for a score.

Edwards tallied twice more - on passes of 7 and 23 yards from Boerm. Dylan Youel scored on a 3-yard rush and Jeremy Wrage booted a 27-yard field goal.

Boerm, meanwhile, finished with 90 yards rushing on 11 carries. He hit 12 of 20 passes for 169 yards and the three TDs.

Meet the new quarterback. He's not quite the same as the old quarterback, except on the scoreboard.

"(Hanus) had big shoes to fill," said Boerm. "Coming in here, I understood I'm not here to fill his shoes. I'm here to open a box of new shoes. I'm a different quarterback than he was. I knew the guys around me would help me out, so I didn't have any pressure on me, really."

Meanwhile, the Redhawk defense gave up just 92 net yards Friday. And North Tama has three shutouts in as many postseason games.

"I feel really good about our defense being on the field," said Thoren. "They do an outstanding job. ... Those guys are just chomping at the bit to make sure we hold the lead. Then we give the ball back to our offense."

WACO 0 0 0 0 - 0

North Tama 14 10 15 0 - 39

NT - Lucas Hefty 31 pass from Brendon Boerm (Jeremy Wrage kick)

NT - Caleb Edwards 66 run (J. Wrage kick)

NT - Edwards 7 pass from Boerm (J. Wrage kick)

NT - FG J. Wrage 27

NT - Dylan Youel 3 run (Zach Kaufman pass from Boerm)

NT - Edwards 23 pass from Boerm (J. Wrage kick)

TEAM STATISTICS

WACO NT

First downs 6 21

Rushes-yards 35-83 34-253

Passing yards 9 180

Return yards 24 -5

Passes 2-3-0 13-21-0

Punts-avg. 4-31.3 1-30

Fumbles-lost 3-1 1-0

Penalties-yds 5-25 2-15

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Rushing

WACO - Tad Morrow 13-50, Spencer Shepherd 16-60, Brady Stauffer 2-minus 25, Ryan Vradenburg 1-6, Jordan Vradenburg 1-1, Justin Graber 2-minus 9

NORTH TAMA - Colton Hamilton 9-50, Youel 6-10, Boerm 11-90, Edwards 1-92, James Weida 2-8, Zach Kaufman 3-2, Justin Jacobs 2-1

Passing

WACO - Shepherd 2-2-0, 9 yards; Stauffer 0-1-0.

NORTH TAMA - Boerm 12-20-0, 169 yards; Adam Wauters 1-1-0, 11 yards.

Receiving

WACO - Nathan Shelman 2-6, Bryce Shelman 1-3

NORTH TAMA - Edwards 6-88, Hefty 3-70, Tyler Cizek 1-1, Sean Dengler 1-6, Youel 1-4, Kaufman 1-11.