Sigourney-Keota Rolls Past Beckman Catholic
by Justin Burtis
Sigourney-Keota welcomed Beckman Catholic to Cobra Field Friday night as the round of 16 opened up in class 1A. The Cobras entered 8-0 while Beckman entered 6-2. The Cobras were methodical and hard working in their approach, dominating the time of possession to earn a 35-14 win. The Cobras advance to the round of eight and will play Columbus Catholic next week.
Receiving the opening kickoff, Brady Duwa set the Cobras up with decent field position at about the 31-yard line and from there, the Cobras let their ground game go to work. Sam Sieren was again churning away with the legs as he got a majority of the yards, included a couple third-down conversions. After a penalty gifted the Cobras a first down in the BC end, the offense got it down to the two, with Sieren finding the hole to open the scoring on the next play. The opening drive took almost eight minutes off the board in the first quarter before Beckman Catholic even touched the ball.
The Trailblazers used tempo and a mix of run and pass plays to move up the field as the first quarter clocked ticked down. Owen Huehnergarth used his big size to burst off a couple big runs and got the team inside the redzone at the end of the first frame. Despite a couple good looks to start the second, it was the Cobra defense that stood tall to make the stop, forcing an incomplete pass on third down. The field goal attempt sailed wide and the home side took over at their own 21.
After a quick first down, the SK drive seemed to have stalled before Sieren made a big run up the outside to gain a first down on third and 20. He would grind out a couple more as the Cobras once again marched towards the endzone. On the next play, Head Coach Jared Jensen uncorked the play action and Cade Molyneux hit Evan Dawson for a 28-yard strike to make it 13-0. The PAT made it 14-0.
Beckman got the ball back with six minutes left in the half and they quickly picked up a couple first downs. However, Nick Offerman’s deep ball was picked off by Wyatt Sieren, as he out-jumped his man to bring it back down for the Cobras at their own 15.
The defense for the Trailblazers then bailed out Offerman, as they forced the Cobras into a punt and with a couple minutes left, the Trailblazers took over at their own 30. Using some short passes to the edges and Huehnergarth running up the middle, they got into the red zone with under two minutes to go. However, Offerman again left a ball hanging as he tried to get it to a receiver on the far sideline, as Duwa swooped in to make the second pick of the half for Sigourney-Keota. A couple plays came up with little yardage and the Cobras were happy to take a 14-0 lead into halftime.
The Trailblazers got the ball to start the second half and quickly moved the ball inside the Cobra 20-yard line. A penalty for pass interference gave the visitors the ball at the seven but a run and an incomplete pass made it third down. This time, a fumble spoiled the drive. Offerman try to gain the edge on the near sideline but Carson Sprouse and others jumped on him and knocked the ball out as he tried to turn up field. Forcing three turnovers and a missed field goal on the first four drives, the SK defense had a bend but don’t break mentality all night long.
Duwa almost returned the favor on the very next play as he dropped the rock on a jet sweep, but the ball bounced out of bounds. The ensuing plays pulled the Cobras out of their own end and with five minutes to go in the third, they got the ball to midfield. Again, the Cobras pounded away with the runs as they ate up yards and clock, advancing deep into the Trailblazer end to end the third quarter.
The final frame opened with a run by Sieren, as he picked up a first down to make it first and goal inside the five. He then made a great cut through the middle for his second rushing score of the game on the following play, making it 20-0. Despite the PAT missing, the Cobras had a firm grasp on victory in the fourth quarter.
The Trailblazers got the ball back with 10:35 to go in the game, needing three scores in a hurry. A couple quick passes got Beckman up to midfield. Duwa almost pulled off another interception as it hit off his hands on a deep throw but it fell incomplete. Offerman then settled in to a good rhythm, hitting short routes to the flanks before he found Eric Heinrichs for a big gain down the far sideline to the Cobra eight-yard line. On first and goal, he hit his man but an illegal motion penalty canceled out the play. Running the same play again, Offererman hit Trent Koelker on the bootleg right, putting Beckman on the board. The score and the extra point made it 20-7 with 8:32 left in the game.
The Cobras got the onside kick courtesy of Cade Streigle, who scooped up the bounce ball and fell straight to the field. The next play, Sieren ran it from the Cobra 49-yard line to the house, as he saw the hole develop in the middle of the line. He then dove home on the two-point conversion to make it 28-7.
The Cobra defense then forced a three and out as Offerman tried to sling it every which way to get down the field. Taking over on offense with 3:33 left, Cade Molyneux tried to pick up a touchdown on a fourth and eight but was picked off, giving the ball to the Trailblazers at their own six. They could not collect a first down and Sigourney Keota took over at the BC 11.
With a short distance to goal, the Cobras turned to Sieren once more, as he ran it twice in a row, scoring on the second play of the short drive. The kick made it 35-7 and the SK fans knew that they would be playing for one more week.
The Trailblazers did earn a good result on their last drive. Offerman found open spaces and the visitors advanced the ball smartly. He then connected on a short pass with under a minute to go for the final touchdown of the game. The Cobras would take a knee after the kick to claim the 35-14 victory.
The Cobras forced three turnovers and dominated time of possession while Sam Sieren had three rushing touchdowns and north of 100 yards. The Cobras remain perfect on the year, 9-0, and will play the Sailors next week. Beckman Catholic finish the season 6-3.
