Fourth quarter lifts S-K

By ROGER THOMAS, Courier correspondent

PEKIN — Half the fans in Iowa tonight are thinking that early games aren’t as important as the district games.

You can’t sell that to anybody from Sigourney-Keota or Pekin.

S-K scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns to down Pekin 17-16 Friday night in Pekin.

Pekin fans sporting T-shirts that called this game the Backyard Brawl Round Two, will have to wait until round three.

Many of the fans on both sides had to be amazed at how similar the last two games between these neighboring schools have been. S-K opened the 2008 season with a 20-19 win over the Panthers.

A couple of big Cobra penalties in the first quarter gave Pekin an 8-0 lead after the first 12 minutes of play.

The Cobras started the game with a 10-play drive that ate up just over half of the first quarter. The drive was stalled in Pekin territory after the Cobras were called for an offensive pass interference.

The Panthers responded with a 10-play drive of their own. The drive was aided by a Cobra defensive pass interference penalty. On the next play, Dalton Stone hit Trenton Northup on a 23-yard scoring pass. Stone ran in the extra-point conversion for the 8-0 Pekin lead with just over two minutes to play in the first.

S-K scored with just 23 seconds left in the half. A 49-yard run by Dillon Horning deep into Pekin territory set up a 28-yard field goal by Logan Klein.

Klein, whose kickoffs all reached the goal line or deeper, split the uprights with distance to spare. Klein also handles the punting and plays both ways.

“Since I converted to a soccer style kicker, I feel like I’m a stronger kicker. It really isn’t a problem to be on the field so much,” said Klein.

“I think that going to a kicking camp has given Logan more confidence. He is really a weapon for our team,” added S-K coach Mark Schilb.

Pekin came out in the third and dominated play. They totaled seven first downs and went up 16-3 on a 12-yard pass from Stone to Brady Lamb. Spencer Adam had a 35-yard run in the drive and ran in the extra-point conversion.

As much as Pekin dominated the third, S-K took over in the fourth.

Pekin coach Tom Stone talked about his team’s second half play

“Our kids came out after half and knew they could play harder. We play a lot of kids both ways and we wore down a little bit in the fourth.”

With 7:17 to go in the fourth, S-K closed to within 16-9 on a two-yard run by Andrew Utterback. Utterback would lead the Cobras with 109 yards rushing.

“I’ve been playing this position since the fifth grade. I’m really comfortable not being a true quarterback,” commmented Utterback.

Klein added the kick and the Cobras just needed a touchdown to tie.

“Our defense played really well tonight and we went to a few of our plays that we run well to come back,” commented Schilb.

S-K scored the game-winner with just under four minutes to play. Tyler Sieren broke a 52-yard run to tie it and Klein’s extra point was the difference.

The Panthers never got close to the end zone as the S-K defense, led by Tyler Smith, forced a turnover on downs.

“Our defensive line guys are really good. They let me be in a position to make plays,” said Smith.

Sigourney-Keota 17, Pekin 16

S-K 00 3 00 14 — 17

Pek 8 00 8 00 — 16

Scoring By Quarters

First Quarter

P — Stone 23 yard pass to Northup (Stone run)

Second Quarter

S-K — Klein 28 yard field goal

Third Quarter

P — Stone 12 yard pass to Lamb (Adam run)

Fourth Quarter

S-K — Utterback 2 yard run (Klein kick)

S-K — Sieren 52 yard run (Klein kick)

TEAM STATISTICS

S-K Pek

First downs 16 19

Rushes-yards 42-303 37-174

Passing yards 21 102

Total Yards 324 276

Comp-Att-Int 1-6-0 9-17-1

Return Yards 3-19 2-36

Fumbles-Lost 2-0 2-1

Penalties-Yds 5-50 5-34

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Sigourney-Keota

RUSHING — Horning 11-81 yards, Utterback 21-109 yards, Sieren 6-100 yards, Klein 3-12 yards, Patrick Frank 1-1 yards.

PASSING — Utterback 1-6, 21 yards.

RECEIVING — Joe Saresky 1-21 yards.

INTERCEPTIONS — Horning.

TACKLES — Smith 12.

Pekin

RUSHING — Stone 5-15 yards, Northup 6-25 yards, Hunter Maeder 12-44 yards, Adam 14-90 yards.

PASSING — Stone 9-17, 102 yards.

RECEIVING — Northup 3-43 yards, Lamb 4-38 yards, Zach Moseby 2-21 yards.

INTERCEPTIONS — none.

TACKLES — Northup 10.

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