The latest installment of the football series between the Mid-Prairie Golden Hawks and Sigourney-Keota Cobras will take place tonight when the two meet under the Homecoming lights of Dwight G. Sattler Field in Wellman.
The Golden Hawks enter the night in search of their first win at 0-2 after losses to No. 4 Wilton and No. 8 Iowa City Regina in the first two weeks of the year by an average of eight points. Last week, the Hawks were beaten by the Regals 28-17 and trailed just 14-11 late in the third. Mid-Prairie was outgained 283-203 in total yards, including 220-3 on the ground, but won the passing stat 200-63. Brady Weber was 17/26 through the air, for 200 yards with a pass and rush score. Kaden Kos caught a touchdown and had 13 tackles on defense. This season, the Hawks score 16 points per game and give up 24. They average 223 yards of offense per night, 198 though the air. They have not forced or committed a turnover. Weber is 32/50 passing for 395 yards and two touchdowns this year with no picks. His favorite target is Hudson Ehrenfelt with nine grabs for 119 yards and a score. Ehrenfelt is the leading ground gainer with 29 touches for 71 yards and a score. Kos leads the defense with 23 tackles. The Hawks are ranked in the top 10 of Class 2A in seven different team and individual categories. This week, Mid-Prairie head coach Daren Lambert shared his keys for tonight against SK.
Lambert said, “We are constantly saying, ‘Do your job!’ Especially this week, we talk about attention to detail. You have to be disciplined, and that’s on both sides of the ball. Defense has to read their keys and fly to the football. It’s going to come down to four or five plays again and we need to be on the other side of those plays this week.”
Sigourney-Keota comes in at 1-1 this season. After dropping a 54-14 opener to top five in 2A PCM, the Cobras rebounded on the road last week, manhandling Mediapolis 23-7. The Cobras set the tone early, using a commanding 19 play first quarter march to take a 7-0 lead on an Isaac Bruns touchdown run, then getting a John Berg scoop and score touchdown on the ensuing kickoff to build a cushion while the defense locked it down, with Bruns scoring another insurance TD late. The Cobras outgained MEPO 330-220 on the night, outrushing the Bulldogs 330-98. Each team gave it away three times. Bruns had 19 carries for 182 and a pair of touchdowns. Ashton Schwab led the defense with six tackles, one for loss. Bruns and Brady Clark each picked off a pass. On the season, the Cobras average 19 points per game and give up 30 to go with 296 yards, 262 on the ground per night. They are -2 in the turnover department with three takeaways of their own. Bruns leads on offense with 39 carries for 266 yards and three scores. Jacob Libe and Brayden Wood have combined to complete three passes for 69 yards, one touchdown and three picks. Ayden Galindo caught the lone touchdown pass. Schwab has 10 tackles to lead the Cobra D to go with Berg, Clark and Bruns with takeaways. SK ranks in the top 10 of 1A in eight different categories. Cobra head coach Jared Jensen talked with KCII Sports about his keys to beating the Golden Hawks.
Jensen said, “They’ve got some serious dudes. Their running back showed us last year that even as a sophomore he was the real deal and Weber at quarterback can evade bodies and keep his eyes downfield to make plays. That’s what cost us last year. They lost some guys, but they return a lot more core guys than we do. We have to go out and play Cobra football. Sustain drives. Be physical. Get the offense rolling. I feel like we are confident enough in our defense to know that they are going to do the job. Win all three phases. If you can do that, typically, the game will take care of itself.”
The Cobras won a shoot out last season at the Snake Pit over the Hawks 41-35. You can hear all of the action live tonight on AM 1380, FM 102.5, the KCII2 App and KCIIradio.com, beginning with the Area Football Pregame Show at 7p.m. and Yotty’s Incorporated kickoff at 7:30 from Dwight G. Sattler Field in Wellman.