SIGOURNEY — The Sigourney-Keota Savage Cobras came within five points of equalling their point total in their first three games. The 50 points they put on the board allowed them to down Wapello 50-44 in Class 1A district football action Friday night in Sigourney.

S-K scored with under two minutes to  play on a four yard touchdown run by Peyton Crawford. After the extra point pass fell incomplete, it was up to the defense to preserve the win. Two big sacks by a fired up defensive line caused the visiting Indians to turn the ball over on downs near midfield.

Two kneeldowns, to run out the clock, ended one of the most exciting games of the early season. The win moves S-K’s record to (2-2,1-1).

The game had an ominous start for the victors. After starting with good field position, they fumbled the ball back to the visitors.

Wapello drove to the S-K three yard line but a Cobra fumble recovery kept them out of the endzone.

S-K used eight running plays to move the ball into Wapello territory before losing their second fumble.

Wapello would go up 8-0 as Brandon Lincoln scored on a 21 yard run and then ran in the extra point.

After Colton Greiner’s 34 yard kick-off return, S-K tied it at eight with a three yard run by Greiner and a two point conversion.

Wapello grabbed the lead back on a 48 yard touchdown pass to Lincoln from quarterback Alex Rollinger.

S-K lost a chance to tie it when Crawford fumbled near the Wapello goal line and the ball went into the endzone for a touchback.

“We have an experienced and deep backfield and we’re going to run the ball,” said S-K coach Jared Jensen. “Turnovers have bothered us this season and that did as much to stop us tonight as anything.”

S-K tied it at 16 with just 21 seconds left in the half. Luke Lyle hit Kyle Ferree from 23 yards out.

“Without a lot of passing, it’s not really a true two minute offense,” said Jensen. “We just ask Luke (Lyle) to be aggressive but watch the clock.”

The action would reach high speed early in the final half.

Wapello’s Eric Garcia took the opening kick-off 85 yards for a 22-16 lead. Just 16 seconds later, Lyle would go 60 yards for the Cobras and S-K led 23-22.

The ensuing kick-off hit a Wapello lineman and S-K recovered at the visitors’ 48. The S-K drive ended with a 17 yard run for a score by Crawford. Just three minutes into the second half, S-K led 30-22.

“It became obvious at that point that neither team could afford a stall out on offense,” added Jensen.

Early in the final half, the S-K defense made it clear to Lincoln that he was not going to run the ball like he did in the opening half. Lincoln led all rushers at the half with 98 yards but would be limited to just 15 yards in the second half.

“We didn’t really change our scheme — we just did a better job of getting to him,” said Jensen.

Without Lincoln running the ball, the Indians relied on the passing of Rollinger to stay in the game.  His 11 yard touchdown pass to Logan Grimm cut the S-K lead to 30-28.

Using a short field, the Cobras went back up by nine at 37-28 as Lyle hooked up with Greiner on a 33 yard scoring pass.

“Being the spin back makes me a runner first,” said Lyle. “Defenses start looking in the backfield and I can hit passes that they aren’t looking for.”

With just under two minutes to go in the third, the visitors used a 53 yard pass play from Rollinger to Lincoln to pull within 37-36.

Wapello was called for an illegal touching of the kick-off and S-K started in plus field position at the visitors’ 49. A 12 play drive ended with a four yard touchdown run by Greiner.

Greiner, who led S-K with 188 yards rushing, talked about his game. “We didn’t run anything that we normally wouldn’t but it really helps that our backs have played together since junior high in this system.”

Just two minutes into the final quarter, S-K had a 44-36 lead.

Taking advantage of a short Cobra punt and a good return by Garcia, the visitors only needed to go 39 yards to tie the game just past the midpoint of the final 12 minutes. The score came on a five yard run by Rollinger. The two point conversion tied it at 44.

Again taking advantage of a short Indian kick-off, S-K started the drive that would give them the win. The Cobras, who amassed 459 yards on the ground, knew just how to end it. Eight plays, all rushes, ended in Crawford’s game winning score.

One of the offensive linemen responsible for the rushing yards, Tucker Fowler, talked about the line play. “I feel like our system gives the linemen an advantage as well as our backs. After last week, we all came together and had our best week of practice”.

“One of the most exciting games I’ve ever been a part of,” said Jensen.



Sigourney-Keota 50, Wapello 44

Wapello     16     0    20     8    —    44

S-K         8     8    21    13    —    50

Scoring By Quarters

First Quarter

W — Lincoln 21 yard run (Lincoln run)

SK — Greiner 3 yard run (Lyle pass to Jackson Davis)

W — Rollinger 48 yard pass Lincoln (Rollinger run)

Second Quarter

SK — Lyle 23 yard pass to Ferree (Chase Tremmel run)

Third Quarter

W — Garcia 85 yard kick-off return (run failed)

SK — Lyle 60 yard run (Kevin Weber kick)

SK -  Crawford 17 yard run  (Weber kick)

W - Rollinger 11 yard pass to Grimm (run failed)

SK - Lyle 33 yard pass to Greiner (Collby Kerkove kick)

W - Rollinger 53 yard pass to Lincoln (Rollinger run)

Fourth Quarter

SK — Greiner 4 yard run (Kerkove kick)

W — Rollinger 5 yard run (Rollinger pass to Lincoln)

SK — Crawford 4 yard run (pass incomplete)

TEAM STATISTICS

                Wapo    S-K

First downs    20        24

Rushes-yards    45-171    60-459

Passing yards    252        62

Total Yards    423        521

Comp-Att-Int    11-20-0    4-5-0

Return Yards    5-136    5-92

Fumbles-Lost    4-3        6-3

Penalties-Yds    10-93    6-45

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Wapello

RUSHING — Lincoln 20-113 yards, Rolllinger 13-31 yards, Garcia 8-25 yards, Grimm 1-3 yards, Holden Brockway 3-(-1) yards.

PASSING — Rollinger 11-20, 252 yards.

RECEIVING — Lincoln 4-128 yards, Grimm 4-50 yards, Brockway 1-36 yards, Zach Gish 1-14 yards, Garcia 1-24 yards.

INTERCEPTIONS — none.

TACKLES — Nathan Boyer 9, Jorge Osornio 9.

Sigourney-Keota

RUSHING — Greiner 19-188 yards, Lyle 21-177 yards, Tremmel 5-11 yards, Mark Waechter 4-5 yards, Crawford 11-78 yards.

PASSING — Lyle 4-5, 62 yards.

RECEIVING — Greiner 1-33 yards, Ferree 1-23 yards, Davis 2-6 yards.

INTERCEPTIONS — none.

TACKLES — Colton Greiner 9, Crawford 8.