Cobras entering playoffs as underdogs

Sigourney-Keota knows that when it takes the field on Friday night, it will be the underdog.

In fact, the further they advance in the playoffs, the 8-1 Cobras will likely maintain that mantle, and they are OK with that.

?We?ve been underdogs in most of our games this year and when that happens someone prints off the sheet saying ?whoever is going to beat us by 24 points,? because they are much better than us,? Cobra senior Cooper Greiner said. ?Every time we come back into the locker room (after a win), we rip that sheet up and go wild. This game is no different.?

While they will be the likely underdog in a first-round road playoff matchup against Pella Christian, their victories have come at the hands of their hard work.

?They have embraced our mentality all year,? Sigourney-Keota head coach Jared Jensen said. ?They are playing hard and putting 11 guys to the ball on defense. We?ve been grinding out first downs on offense and we know eventually a big play will pop. If not, we keep churning out yards. We need to keep the ball out of (Dave) Kacmarynski?s and (Levi) Jungling?s hands. If we can be the bigger, more physical football team, hopefully things work out well on Friday night.?

According to the BC Moore ratings, the Cobras will enter the game as a 28-point underdog to the Eagles, but that doesn?t faze the squad.

?Our confidence is high,? Greiner said. ?It?s at 100 percent. There?s no doubt in my mind we are going to win.?

The Eagles are a familiar opponent to Sigourney-Keota, having been a district opponent during the previous two cycles. Over that time, the Cobras have won the last three match-ups, including as 52-25 win in 2015.

However, the Eagle quarterback Kacmarynski will be at full health in this match-up for undefeated Pella Christian, who is ranked No. 2 in Class 1A.

?(We?ve seen) what they?ve done and the adjustments they?ve made, and (Kacmarynski?s) knee wasn?t 100 percent, but he still got them to the second round of the playoffs,? Jensen said. ?They missed him defensively last year, but they are the same team offensively returning everyone. They run basic stuff out of their spread, but they run it well.?

Kacmarynski has put together a strong senior season, throwing for 1,542 yards this year with 27 passing touchdowns, while adding 525 rushing yards and seven scores on the ground.

His top target has been Jungling, who has caught 36 passes for 912 yards and 15 touchdowns, to go with 424 rushing yards at a clip of 11.2 yards per carry, to go with nine rushing scores.

Expecting a spread heavy attack, the pass rush will need to be especially effective for the Cobras, and Greiner, the team leader with 5.5 sacks on the season, knows they will need to pressure Kacmarynski.

?We tend to get a good pass rush, but something we?ve struggled with was coverage,? Greiner said. ?Now we are starting to lock that down and them being able to cover up wide receivers gives me an extra half second to get to the quarterback.?

On the offensive side of the ball, the Cobras will turn to their rushing game to control the clock and keep the Pella Christian playmakers on the field.

One of the workhorses helping that three-headed attack is sophomore Carson Crawford, who scored three touchdowns in a pseudo-playoff game last week against Wilton.

Crawford has put together 684 yards and nine scores this season, averaging 5.7 yards per carry in his second varsity season.

?I?ve developed quite a bit from last year,? Crawford said. ?I was behind my brother (Peyton Crawford) so I got carries when we were up by a lot, but I wouldn?t be doing this without my offensive line.?

The Cobras, along with each other playoff team, get the benefit of extra preparation time this week with the smaller playoff format.

In the past few years, the playoff game would have occurred on Wednesday, but with one less round, they have a regular week of practice, something that Jensen is enjoying.

It?s the same routine,? Jensen said. ?The kids get to recoup on the weekend and come back on Monday as normal. To continue having that schedule is big. I always liked coming right back and getting ready on that Saturday but it?s so hectic trying to watch film and practice at the same time, that you are behind the curve as far as what you want to do.?

The Cobras will kick off against the Eagles at 7 p.m. on Friday night, with some strong winds in the forecast in Pella.