Attention Cobra fans, time to party like it’s 2005. For the first time in 15 years the Sigourney-Keota football team will be Dome bound, as the Cobras prevailed in a 35-32 home thriller over Waterloo Columbus in a class 1A state quarterfinal on Friday.
It was figured to be a special teams contest with two of the most electric return teams in the state and the third phase of the game did play a vital role, but not how you pictured. A missed PAT after an opening drive score by the Sailors (8-2) proved to loom large the whole game and forced them to play catch up. It was a back and forth first half with the Cobras immediately answering with a scoring drive capped off by a 21-yard rush from Brady Duwa. Columbus’ Carter Gallagher marched his Sailor troops right down the field again to retake the lead, but not for long with S-K doing the same and Sam Sieren punching it in from one-yard out to go up 14-13. A big defensive stop came in the second when a Carson Sprouse sack forced the first Columbus punt and the Cobras countered with a 47-yard run by Duwa that reached the end zone. Alex Feldman scored right before half for the Sailors to cut it to 21-19, but they decided to chase points and a Duwa deflection on the two-point conversion attempt gave S-K an advantage heading into the break.
The third quarter was a stalemate for awhile, but a Levi Crawford interception set up another rushing touchdown for Sieren to make it a two score game. The Cobra offense started to take over the rest of the night and the senior would reach the end zone one more time with a minute left in the fourth to take a 35-25 lead. Waterloo Columbus refused to say die by converting on a hook and ladder play to cut it to three, but an onside kick that went out of bounds meant celebration time for the Cobras.
Head Coach Jared Jensen knows how much sweat equity went into making a trip to the dome happen. “This is amazing. This is something that this team dreamed of. Since playing backyard football as kids they knew they wanted to make it to the dome. They have put in so much work the last few years and bought into the program. I am so happy for these guys.”
Sieren was a workhorse rushing for 186 yards on 37 carries and three touchdowns. Duwa carried the rock eight times for 134 yards and reached pay dirt twice. Sigourney-Keota was unsuccessful on all three pass attempts, but finished with 399 yards on the ground and did not turn the ball over.
The Cobras move to 10-0 and play next Saturday in Cedar Falls at 12:30 p.m. against OABCIG (10-0) in a semifinal that can be heard on AM and FM KCII. Van Meter will face South Central Calhoun on the other side of the class 1A bracket.